Library News 28 January 2022

Published on January 28, 2022

Top 10 Rental Fiction

Judas 63 by Charles Cumming
Lost Mountain Pass by Larry D. Sweazy
Empty Houses by Brenda Navarro
A Lot Like Christmas by Jennifer Snow
Back from the Brink by Emery Hayes
Among Thieves by M. J. Kuhn
The Final Twist by Jeffery Deaver
Faithless by Hunter Shea
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valerie Perrin
A Change of Circumstance by Susan Hill

Pam Coleman
Community Engagement Librarian
Great Goodbyes

Our team had to say goodbye to a much-loved colleague this week. She was leaving to take up an exciting new chapter in her young life. As anyone who has been in a job for a long time, moving on can bring so many mixed feelings. I found a quote from a wise character who said, ‘How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard,’ from A.A Milne’s delightful Winnie the Pooh.

Incidentally, A.A. Milne’s book published in 1926 is officially now in the public domain. Copyright protections expire after 95 years following publication. The large global media and entertainment conglomerate who had previously copyrighted the works now only retain copyright for ‘newly added’ material to the franchise. The Study of Public Domain states that copyright and public domain, in this way supports creativity. Creative minds can now freely adapt the original book – turn it into a play, musical or film, or write a prequel or sequel, without fear of violating intellectual property rights. This could be good news for libraries who also can use Milne’s work and share his wonderful stories of Winnie the Pooh with a whole new generation of children. 

However, I digress. While looking for an appropriate book quote I got lost down a literary rabbit hole. There are many great endings and goodbyes in novels, most of which are heartbreaking but some positive and ethereal. Here are a couple of examples.

‘Life is made of so many partings welded together,’ from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Jack Kerouac’s brooding novel On the Road describes a goodbye as, “What is that feeling when you're driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing?  It’s the too-huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.”

As librarians we do think that the best children’s books, painful though they might be, have the most incredible and sensitive goodbyes. We are lucky to have a great many of such books. ‘Goodbye Mog,’ is a beautifully illustrated picture book which deals with losing a pet in an honest, loving way. Charlotte’s Webb by E.B. White is a book filled with an ending that is so beautifully written that it would be hard to read without a tear. As a youngster, I do have a strong memory of Mrs Gray, my Primary four teacher, reading it aloud chapter by chapter, and our class sobbing our little hearts out. Growing up, it’s important to have books like these, full of characters we can identify with, laugh and cry alongside knowing we’re not alone in feeling the way we do. These are the books that take us on an unforgettable emotional journey while sitting in the comfort of an armchair. I’ll end today’s little column with a quote from J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan.

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”

What’s On

Exhibitions
Keith Hastings Exhibition, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Gallery
New Arts Collective Exhibition: Kotahi Tonu te Wairua o Nga Mea Katoa, December 18, 2021 to March 06, 2022, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom

Heritage room:
Volunteers staff the Heritage rooms at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Tuesday to Saturday at the following times:
     Tuesday, 10.00am -12.30pm
     Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 10.00am – 12.30pm and 1.00pm- 3.00pm
     Saturday 10.00am – 12.30pm
Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom
     Heritage Room has the Research librarian available all day every Friday.

Friends of the Library Book Sale
Month of January
This is the last week of our Book Sale, which now only has a couple of tables left, so hurry in for a last minute bargain.
Books $1 Children’s 5oc Pay at the Central desk with cash or eftpos.
Please bring your own bag.

Adult Reading Challenge Summer 2022: 10 January to 25 February.
Do you want to broaden your reading horizons and discover new books, authors and genres?

How to join
Register online or at your local library
Choose books that match the categories on the inside of the booklet.
Add the title of each book and its author into the square.
Write a review on one of your chosen books.
Mark the book out of 5 stars then drop it off at your local library!
Online registrations https://www.tetakere.org.nz/Home

Friday 14 January
SeniorNet: Get help with your tablets, phones and laptops
     Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom 10am-12pm
     Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 2pm -4pm

Tuesday 18 January
JP Service: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 11.30am-1.30pm

Thursday 20 January
JP Service: Shannon Library, 2pm – 3pm.