Library Notes 3 July 2019
Published on July 03, 2019
Top 10 books
New Fiction
Part two – A Busman’s Holiday.
We will be well into the end of the first week of a visit to the UK with my youngest sixteen year old daughter, as you read this esteemed column. As we are going to head up to Glasgow in a hire car on the notoriously busy and traffic jammed M1, we are planning to stop off half way for some R&R. After some research, my daughter declared Birmingham as her choice of stop-off. Birmingham I thought, puzzled. It turns out that Birmingham has the largest Primark in Europe. Again our trip was dedicated to you guessed it – shopping!
However my secret agenda is not going to be thwarted. I discovered that Birmingham Library is Europe's largest library and is described by its designer as a people's palace. It has a modern glass façade overlaid with an intricate metal frieze, described as a slinky-wrapped looking exterior, with panoramic cityscape views of Birmingham. You can head out to one of its several terraces, or even to the rooftop garden. The Library is 31,000 square metres, making it one of the largest public libraries in the world. There is central rotunda at the heart of the building, featuring a breath-taking wall of books across two floors, finishing with a view of the ‘golden rotunda’ at the very top of the building, housing the magnificent wood-panelled Shakespeare Memorial Room from Birmingham’s Victorian library. It sounds like a librarian’s dream!
One thing my daughter and I do agree on is that the trip will give us a chance to nurture our inner child. As bibliophiles, we are going to be visiting Harry Potter World, with an overnight stay in a house themed like the one Harry grew up in. What we may debate over is who is going to sleep in the room under the staircase. She is of the Slytherin house while I am a Gryffindor so the winner of that argument should be interesting. Shopping of course will feature as we intend to buy some goodies for the forthcoming Harry Potter Yule Ball here at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō in July.
Embracing the dream to never grow up, we will then head to Moat Brae, in Dumfries. It has a unique place in culture as the house ‘where Peter Pan began’ and it is now the National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling. The townhouse dates back to 1823 and is situated in a picturesque spot overlooking the River Nith.
The house and gardens were a play area for the creator of Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie, when he was a child. It hosts a themed, interactive exhibits, play and reading areas, discovery trails, a shop and cafe and a jam-packed schedule of activities designed to spark a love of reading and creativity.
The gardens have been transformed into a Neverland Discovery Centre, filled with a Wendy house, mermaid’s lagoon, pirate ship and a performance space. The centre is also home to a six-foot doll’s house and the original Tinker Bell, which was rung every time the fairy appeared on stage in the original Peter Pan play.
We haven’t even made it to Glasgow and Edinburgh yet so it’s going to be a whirlwind trip. Needless to say I will be happy to return to New Zealand. Not only will I be “skint” (a Scottish word for having no money courtesy of all the shopping trips) but it always good to return to the place with the huge sky and breath taking scenery that I now call home. We are also are lucky enough to have our own world class libraries and facilities here in Horowhenua and I am fortunate enough to work in them.
What’s On
Exhibitions
Te Marama Puta: Emerging Light, Presented by Te Kokiri Development Consultancy Inc
Toi Whakarakai: Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, May 1 to July 30
Heritage room:
The Heritage rooms at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō are manned by volunteers 10am-12.30 pm Monday to Saturday.
Wednesday July 3:
Te Kokiri Weavers Interactive Showcase: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10am-12pm
Matariki for Littlies: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10.30-12pm
Toddler Time: Shannon Community Library, every Wednesday, 1.30pm
Matariki Craft for Kids: Shannon Library 3pm
Movie Moana in Te Reo: Shannon Library 3.30pm
Social crochet and coffee club: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10.30am
Quiz Night 7pm Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō $5
Maori Films: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 5pm
Thursday July 4:
Kapa Haka Performance for Older Persons: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 1.30pm to 2.30pm
Friday July 5
Te Kokiri Weavers Interactive Showcase: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10am-12pm
Weaving Flax Stars: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 3.30pm
Modern Maori Quartet: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 6.30pm.
Please note – NO DOOR SALES – TICKETS MUST BE BOUGHT IN ADVANCE
From Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō , Shannon Library, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom or online from Eventbrite and our Facebook Site.
Saturday July 6:
Community Kai: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 6.30pm
Kapa Haka Showcase( Grand Finale): Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Wednesday June 19:
Te Kokiri Weavers- Interactive Showcase: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10am -12pm
Matariki for Littlies Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō: 10.30-12pm
Matariki Craft for Kids: Shannon Library: 3pm
Social crochet and coffee club: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10.30am
Quiz Night 7pm Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō $5
Sunday July 7
Movie: Moana in Te Reo:
-Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom 12pm
-Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 1.30pm
Monday July 8:
Tai Chi classes Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Main Space 10am
Toddler Time:
-Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō – Children’s Library, every Monday, 2pm
-Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom – Children’s Library, every Monday 2.15pm
Matariki Virtual Reality Experience: Shannon Library 3.30pm-5pm
Come along and experience a virtual journey up to the night sky. It really gives the illusion that you are in space among the planets and feels like you could almost reach out and touch the stars. The experience will take you to the unknown and make the unbelievable believable.
Tuesday July 9:
Raukawa Whanau Ora playgroup: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 9.30am-12.00pm
JP Service: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 11.30am-1.30pm
Matariki Virtual Reality Experience:
Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 11am-12pm
Open Te Reo Workshop: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 3pm to 5pm
Wednesday July 10:
Te Kokiri Weavers Interactive Showcase: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10am-12pm
Matariki for Littlies: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10.30-12pm
Toddler Time: Shannon Community Library, every Wednesday, 1.30pm
Matariki Craft for Kids: Shannon Library 3pm
Movie Moana in Te Reo: Shannon Library 3.30pm
Social crochet and coffee club: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10.30am
Quiz Night 7pm Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō $5
Maori Films: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 5pm
Thursday July 11:
Kapa Haka Performance for Older Persons: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 1.30pm to 2.30pm
Friday July 12:
Te Kokiri Weavers Interactive Showcase: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 10am-12pm
Weaving Flax Stars: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 3.30pm
Modern Maori Quartet: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 6.30pm.
Please note – NO DOOR SALES – TICKETS MUST BE BOUGHT IN ADVANCE
From Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō , Shannon Library, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom or online from Eventbrite and our Facebook Site.
Saturday July 13:
Community Kai: Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 6.30pm
Kapa Haka Showcase( Grand Finale): Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō 6.30pm to 8.30pm