The latest from the City Library
We’re excited to tell you that the City Library website is getting a refresh!
From Monday July 24, the look of the website will change a little, but all your favourite things will still be there.
The aim was to make it easier to find the information you need, faster. Better accessibility with less scrolling!
There are some further improvements coming, but in the meantime, please let us know if you have any questions.
We are delighted to inform you that Roslyn Community Library is all set to reopen its doors on Tuesday 18th July, and we can’t wait to invite our beloved community back in to join us for a hot cuppa and a bikkie when they do!
Our dedicated team will be heading back into the library on Monday to give it a thorough tidy-up and ensure everything is perfectly prepared for the reopening.
While no special programmes are scheduled for the first week, we are simply excited to return to normality and get back to business as usual.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us. We can’t wait to welcome you back!
On Friday July 14, we’ll be closed in observation of Matariki | Puanga.
Nationally, the holiday is generally referred to as Matariki, but Rangitāne o Manawatū traditionally give prominence to Puanga, an important star near the Matariki cluster that can be easier to see in this part of the motu.
Check out our Matariki webpage for a great list of resources, information and activities!
We’re getting out to our neighbourhoods these school holidays and we’d love for you to join us!
We’re popping up in a park near you with fun and games for the whole whānau! Our friends from Sport Manawatū will be there too.
Pop up Play @ Awapuni Park, Tuesday 4th July, 10 am – 12pm
Pop up Play @ Rangiora Reserve. Tuesday 11th July, 1pm – 3pm
Pop up Play in The Square, Thursday 6th July, 2pm – 4pm
Pop up Play @ Monrad Park, Thursday 13th July, 10am – 12pm
Keep an eye out for any weather-related updates, but a bit of drizzle won’t put us off! Have your gumboots and raincoats at the ready – if the sun isn’t shining we’ll become puddle explorers! Come on Palmy, Let’s Play!
Congratulations! You’ve written a book! Not everybody can say they’ve done that!
Now you’d like the Library to buy your book. Okay, first read this article about library supply companies.
Got it? Right, now let’s have a look at what the librarian is thinking about when they’re deciding about purchasing your book.
The number one thing they’ll want to know is ‘will people who come to the Library want to read this?’ A library generally only holds onto books that people want to take home and read. So you want to make your book attractive to someone who’s browsing. Make sure it has a good cover. (You’ll find a blog post about covers here.) A snappy blurb. A great first sentence, etc.
Make sure you know what genre you’re writing in. Perhaps even go to the library to find books similar to yours. That way you can tell the librarian where you think it fits. Where it will get the most usage.
If you’ve written a thriller novel for adults but printed it in A4 size, your book will quite literally not fit in the collection. The Fiction shelves are spaced for novels of a certain size range.
If you’ve written a children’s picture book with 100 words per page, you might have written a chapter book by mistake. Again, go to the Library and see what other books are similar to yours, and how they are presented.
All set? Great. Now, read this article on how to approach the Library about your book, or go to the Local Author Resource page for more.
Firstly, congratulations on writing a book!
Next step: contact the Content Development Librarians. The City Library does not accept unsolicited materials, and we do not accept donations, so contact us first and we’ll tell you everything you need to know.
We can’t buy everything. As Lemmy from Motorhead often said: where would you put it? Content Development Librarians decide which books to buy, based on the current shape of the collection, the buzz around the book, past performance of an author, and all sorts of other factors. If there’s legitimate demand, we’ll hear about it.
Content Development Librarians are often away from their desks doing various jobs, so be sure to send an email or make an appointment to chat with us. We love talking to local authors!
Please bear in mind that a public library does not hold copies of a book forever. There is a constant rotation of stock, and when your book is removed from the collection, it is purely a practical thing and not a judgement on its quality.
Have a look at our page of advice for authors too – you may find your question already answered on there.
What to put in your email/one-sheet
Kick off with something like “New book from local author”.
Give us a quick blurb – basically the same thing you’d put on the back cover of your book.
Tell us anything unique about it – this might be your “elevator pitch“.
Attach a good quality cover image.
Tell us the price, the release date, the ISBN – all the publication details.
Make sure to include a link to where we can buy the book. Maybe from Wheelers, or a local bookshop.
It’s always good to end by thanking the recipient for their time.
When will you hear back?
Generally, with public libraries, you won’t hear anything back. They’ll either buy your book or not.
After all, you’re the one who will know when your books are sold at shops or through Wheelers, and your email is a sales advertisement not a customer query.
Since there are more and more self-published books every year, the Library receives more and more emails. It might take a few weeks to look at them and make a decision.
If you really need to know so that you can sign up for the Public Lending Right Scheme, you can always check the Library’s catalogue any time.
Every year the City Library gives you the opportunity to get published!
We give you a writing prompt to get you started. Let it take you wherever it will!
Submit your finished short story, poem, play script, or song, and we’ll publish it.
Maybe you’ve never written but want to give it a try, or maybe you’ve already done a lot of writing but want something quick and fun to do. Versions is for everyone!
We’re all about celebrating the abundance of creative talent here in the Manawatū.
Keep your eye on our What’s On page for the prompt announcement each year, or contact us to learn more.
with Canine Friends Pet Therapy and Palmerston North City Library
Reading to dogs can offer children a non-judgmental, calm, and supportive environment in which to practice both their reading and reading aloud skills. Studies have shown an association between reading to dogs and improvement in reading, motivation, emotional wellbeing, self-esteem, confidence, self-perception, and/or concentration. It is also suggested that the presence of dogs can help reduce a child’s stress levels and, thereby, possibly helping the young reader to develop a more positive approach to learning.
Excited by such potential, Palmerston North City Library and Canine Friends Pet Therapy are very happy to introduce ‘Reading Unleashed’ – a free programme where children can practice their reading in a fun way by reading to one of Canine Friends’ beautiful dogs.
Sessions are available for primary school aged children, and currently run at the Central Library on Wednesdays 3.30pm – 4.30pm during term time. Individual sessions run for 15 minutes and bookings are essential: email content@pncc.govt.nz. The programme also runs at Awapuni and Roslyn branches but is currently on hold due to building maintenance. Please visit the branches’ FAQ pages on our website for updates.
Look forward to meeting you at ‘Reading Unleashed’.
Kay: Content Development Librarian
While Awapuni Library is getting some repair work done, we’ve got some great news – we’re still here for you!
We’ve set up some pop-up libraries around the area so you can still get your reading fix and borrow all your favourite books. Check this list for times and dates. We’re also pleased to let you know that our programmes are still going ahead.
Check this FAQ page regularly to stay up to date with the repairs and any changes to our services.
We can’t wait to see you soon!
A few tweaks have been made to the Mobile Library timetable. Most of the stops are unchanged, but if you’re a regular user of the service, please check the timetable on our website just in case.
If you’ve never used the Mobile Library before, maybe now is the time to get onboard? If the Mobile stops near your house, you might find it very useful because you can reserve books from any of the other library locations and have them driven to you! The Mobile also has its own stock, which is refreshed regularly, so you can make your selections when it comes around, if you don’t have any reserved items to pick up.
If you don’t have a library card, you can get one on the bus!
You’ll also see the Mobile Library at events such as Explore Esplanade Day.
The Palmerston North Mobile Library service is 50 years old this year. Looking forward to making it a full century, getting out and serving the community!
Recent Comments