Category: Library News

The latest from the City Library

‘Reading Unleashed’

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

Awapuni Library is closed

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!

Mobile Library timetable update

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!

‘Writing For Children’ panel discussion

Some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s best writers will feature again in this year’s Off the Page series.

We launch on Wednesday 26 April, 6:30pm with a panel discussion on Writing for Children featuring a panel of multi-award winning authors.

Kate de Goldi
 says, “there is nothing quite as rousing and nourishing for a writer as close proximity to the imaginative life and perspective of young people”. Read about Kate’s life in books and thoughts on reading or listen to her talk about her passion for hooking children into good quality literature and her work co-editing Annual, a collection of stories, comics, poems, crosswords, games and songs – created by some of the best New Zealand writers and illustrators – now up to its third edition.

Brigid Feehan thinks that young people and older people sometimes see things clear and true – things that people in the middle might be too distracted to see. Her latest novel, The Life and Times of Eddie McGrath, portrays the forming of a strong bond between an old woman and a young girl, who only meet by chance, over their shared affinity for animals. Read about her approach to writing for young adults.

One piece of advice Philippa Werry offers to young writers is, “Be curious. People tell each other stories every day. Learn to listen to them”. Philippa wanted to be a writer from very young and wrote stories, poems and book reviews for the Children’s Page in the Saturday Evening Post newspaper, “and I still have the book that I pasted them into!” Check out this Stuff article about her influences and how she writes.

Anna McKenzie was born here in Palmerston North before moving to Hawkes Bay. Extremely versatile in her approach, her most recent novel tells the story of a young woman coming of age in the years of WWI. Listen to Anna talking at NZ Festival Writers Week about the origins of Evie’s War, the stories that stand behind it and the research that supports it.

The Off The Page series includes talks, readings, discussions and workshops from and for writers and connects the Manawatū to the beating heart of contemporary literature. The series is a partnership between Massey University School of Humanities, Media and Creative Communication, Bruce McKenzie Booksellers and the Palmerston North City Library.

ANZAC Day, Tuesday 25 April

This year ANZAC Day falls on a Tuesday, and all Library locations will be closed that day. You can see all open hours on the Locations page.

After April 26th, the Central Library will be open till 6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, to give you a little extra time to grab a book in the evening.

Of course, the Library’s digital offerings are accessible all day every day, so you’ll never be completely caught short!

Leading up to this day of remembrance, there’s a talk about Gallipoli, by Glyn Harper; a display of WWII activities during 1943; and an opportunity to lay a poppy at the Central Library or Youth Space.

April Hours

Lots of dates for your diary in April!

School holidays are from 7 April – 23 April. Keep an eye on our What’s On page for all the cool activities.

Easter runs from Friday 7 April to Monday 10 April, and the library is closed over that period, including Saturday and Sunday. So remember to stock up by Thursday 6 April for your long weekend reading!

Then we have ANZAC Day, which is on a Tuesday this year.

If you find yourself low on reading material over Easter, remember you can always jump on one of our ebook/e-audio apps and you’ll be presented with a cornucopia of literary delights, available 24/7.

You can also indulge your inner cinephile by accessing movies from Beamafilm or Kanopy at any time of the day or night. (Just don’t stay up too late, you might miss out on hot cross buns in the morning!)

Closed dates:

Friday 7th April – Good Friday

Saturday 8th April – Easter Saturday

Sunday 9th April – Easter Sunday

Monday 10th April – Easter Monday

Tuesday 25th April – ANZAC Day

For any other queries about open hours, check the Locations page.

Versions Tuawhā submissions are open!

The Versions writing project is on again this year!

This is a great opportunity to see your name in print. If you want to have a go at writing a short story, a poem, or a play, use our prompt as a jumping-off point. Your story doesn’t have to be directly related to the prompt, it’s only there if you need something to get started.

Deadline for submissions is August 31, and we’ll publish a physical book as well as an ebook in October.

Prompt – The day Mark Twain came to town.

There will be some workshops to help you along the way – keep an eye on our What’s On page.

Submissions and questions can be sent to content@pncc.govt.nz

Let your creative muse fly!

Census 2023

Palmerston North City Library will be hosting events where you can get assistance with filling out your census form.

During these drop-in sessions, there will be Census staff/volunteers from Stats NZ on hand to help.

You simply need to bring your paper forms or online code.

Outside of these events, you are welcome to come in and use the computers and free wi-fi to self-complete your census forms.  Library staff cannot fill out the forms for others, but we can put you in touch with people who will help.

Times and locations:

Central Library March 8th, 11am – 1pm

Te Pātikitiki Library, March 14, 10am – 1pm

Ashhurst Library, March 14, 3pm – 5pm

Roslyn Library, March 15, 10am – 1pm

Youth Space, March 15, 2pm – 4pm

Awapuni Library, March 16, 10am – 1pm

Library newsletters

Stay up to date with the Palmerston North City Library – subscribe to our monthly newsletter!

Each month you’ll get an email highlighting what’s coming up, things we’re excited about, and ways to get the most out of your library membership.

In addition, we now offer a New Titles newsletter. All the latest books that have been added to our collection – straight to your inbox each week! Reserving cool new books has never been easier.

You can browse the previous New Title lists here.

To see all our email newsletter options, sign up here, or simply ask a librarian next time you’re visiting one of our branches.

Library podcast – Shelf Awareness

The Library now has its own podcast! Thanks to Manawatū People’s Radio, Shelf Awareness airs live at 10am on Wednesdays, but you can listen to it at any time on the MPR website.

You can expect to hear about all the great stuff the library offers, from books to author talks to outreach programmes. Plus there’ll be reading recommendations, and interviews where library staff talk about what they do in their jobs, and how they can help you.

Is there something you’d like us to talk about? Let us know: pncl@pncc.govt.nz