The Library Book: A Guide to the Goings On at your Library – April/May 2021

Kaumatua Tamati Tata blesses Te Ao Marama ki Tauranga Moana

Introducing the New Mobile Library!

On Monday, 15 March, Tauranga’s newest library hit the road for the first time, representing a new era for a Mobile Library service that’s nearing 50 years on the beat. With room for whole classrooms of school children, the big, specially-designed bus can carry up to 3,500 books, is more accessible and features seating and a much-requested air conditioning unit.

The eye-catching exterior features scenes of Mauao from Waikorire (Pilot Bay) and of the coastline and harbour from Mauao’s summit, plus local favourites Hairy Maclary and his friends who are along for the ride.

In June 1974 the first Mobile Library service, a hired black and white minibus, visited the most distant (!) suburbs in Tauranga: Brookfield and Bellevue.

Banana boxes brimming with books were spread out on the seats and pavement outside for the groups of under 13’s that the Mobile Library was

Article and cover photos

by Penelope Coleman

specifically designed to cater for—an age group that found it especially difficult to reach the city library.

By April 1977, a van and caravan – dubbed the ‘Seuss Hoose’ – commenced operation. The service now included Maungatapu, Merivale, Otumoetai, and Matua schools and was soon extended to include Welcome Bay. The van even carried a small collection for adult readers.

Today, the Mobile Library visits 42 locations on a fortnightly roster, which includes schools, rest homes, retirement villages and shopping centres, bringing a large and ever-changing selection of books to readers young and old.

“The Mobile Library staff just love getting out into the community. They get a lot of joy out of catching up with regular customers, who they get to know really well, and sharing their reading

Top centre: Kiwi Bus Builders chatting with Library staff

Top right: the Mobile Library

crew are all smiles on the bus

recommendations,” says Library Service Delivery Team Leader Michelle Anderson, who led the development of our brilliant new bus.

So, what will happen to the new bus’s 20-year-old predecessor? It was traded in and is to be converted into a mobile home! I wonder if we will recognise it if we were to cross paths one day...

Special thanks to Marathon Visual Media for working with us on the design, Kiwi Bus Builders for building the bus and to the New Zealand Libraries Partnership Programme for their funding contribution, which helped pay for – among other things – the limited edition Mobile Library book bags that we’re giving out to the first 500 visitors on the new bus!

To find out when the Mobile Library is visiting a community near you, check out the timetable at: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz

Michelle sports a Mobile Library book bag

150 Years of Tauranga Libraries 150 years ago, the seeds of our library were sown when Tauranga Library subscribers met for the first time at the Masonic Hotel. This group amalgamated with the Tauranga Mechanics’ Institute on 12 June 1871, “for the purpose of forming a mechanics institute and securing the advantages offered by the government”. Throughout the nineteenth century, institutes like this were established around the world – Scotland, England, Australia, Canada, the United States – to educate working men. With this objective in mind, many built their own libraries, and Tauranga followed suit.

The 1873 by-laws of Tauranga Mechanics’ Institute state: “the object of the institute shall be the promotion of useful and entertaining knowledge among its members and the community generally by all such means as may be found available …”. An ethos that seems similar to the library we know today. It is remarkable to think our organisation grew from this seed of an idea. Control of the institute was transferred to

Above: William Walmsley, the first

librarian in Tauranga, c. 1870s.

Tauranga City Libraries Image 01-655

the council in 1906, at which point it was renamed Tauranga Public Library and then, after several further name changes, became Tauranga City Libraries in 2004.

We invite you to join us in celebrating 150 years of libraries in Tauranga:  Come and see the ‘Seeds of our Library’ exhibition in Ngā Wāhi Rangahau, on the first floor of Tauranga Library, which explores the story of Tauranga Mechanics’ Institute.  Attend the official exhibition opening in Ngā Wāhi Rangahau at 12.45pm on Wednesday, 7 April, followed by a special ‘The Past and the Curious’ presentation at 1:15pm, for more in-depth information about the institute.  Visit any Tauranga City Library on our celebration day, Wednesday, 7 April, to see some vintage ‘library outfits’ as our staff commemorate 150 years of librarians in Tauranga!

Our Loneliest Book and It’s Happy Ending You may have seen some commotion on our Facebook and Instagram pages this Valentine’s Day, as we gave live updates of a very special date. If you somehow missed it, a quick summary: our library staff celebrated Valentine’s Day by taking the loneliest book in the library out on a date in an attempt to lift it’s spirits. The title, The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing by Thomas McGuane, had spent two lonely years sitting on the shelf, unread and waiting to be picked. The date included coffee at Dry Dock, a movie at Rialto Cinemas, a bike ride along the waterfront, and a bite to eat at Our Place.

It was a heart-warming story that captured the hearts and minds of book lovers throughout the city, but many are probably wondering: whatever happened to The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing after its date? Good news! Before Valentine’s Day was even over, our loneliest book already had another date lined up as a library member had placed a hold on the title!

The BIG Issue!

In every edition of The Library Book we’ll be asking our staff members to weigh in on the big issues of the day and we’re starting with a humdinger!

The question we asked this month:

do you always use a bookmark?

… or are you a monster?

74%

26%

And there you have it: 74% of respondents say, “bookmarks all the way”! Read on for a sample of what our staff had to say on this divisive subject (note: the pro-dog-earing names have been disguised for their protection) The monsters aren’t going to be fired, are they?!

I use a bookmark for practical purposes… it’s a piece of card with my TBR list written on it! When I finish the book, I tick it off and loan the next one on the list. Super organized, I know. – Lauren But Fiction is fair game right!? Fold down the corners, use bits of tissue, use library holds slips, rely on memory and end up reading the same chapter twice… now I see it, I am a monster.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

– Joanna Thomas (Manager: Libraries) Bookmark, though I use that term loosely.

The marker could be anything from a tissue to an item of clothing. Just whatever is handy at the time!

– Jackie Is the text still legible? Yeah? Then who cares about the odd crease! Creases, to me, are a sign that a book has lived a life and make me feel connected with the anonymous strangers out there who share my interests—like a call from the void saying “you are not alone”. Does that make me a monster, or is the torch-wielding mob of bookmark-only users the real monster? – Daniel

Farewell Jan! In 1979 the Sahara Desert experienced snow for 30 minutes and the employees of Tauranga City Libraries were introduced to their newest staff member, Jan Barr. Some 42 years later, it’s yet to snow in the Sahara again and Jan is ready for a hard-earned rest, having worked tirelessly as a collections assistant for most of that time.

When Jan started here at Tauranga City Libraries the staff wore uniforms, the central library was open late on Friday evenings – as were most businesses in the city centre – and having to work Saturday mornings was considered such an encumbrance that staff were offered time and a half for their trouble. There were no computers back then, of course, and Jan remembers how exciting it was to finally get a computerised system, as it would obviously make life a lot easier.

Jan looks back on her time here fondly and has many happy memories of dressing up silly with her workmates for any occasion and of the high jinks that took place at the old Tauranga Library.

Above: Jan as a ‘newbie’ with colleagues Vernon Napier and Raewyn Adams

“There was no lift in the old building, just a dumbwaiter to move books up and down between levels. The children’s area was located on the second floor, which meant that staff members often had to help carry prams up the stairs, or young parents would have to leave their prams unattended at the bottom of the stairs.

Our smallest staff member would actually ride down in the dumbwaiter occasionally, springing out to surprise the ground floor staff when they opened the door!”

“We only had Tauranga and Greerton Libraries in those days, so we were a tight-knit group and spent a lot of time socialising. There were no couriers to carry books between libraries so we would drive back and forth a few times a week.”

Jan has beavered away behind the scenes for most of her 42 years at the library and there wouldn’t be many library books borrowed over that period that haven’t passed through her hands.

She will be greatly missed by all the teammates

What life was like in 1979  China institutes the one-child-per-family rule  General knowledge quiz game Trivial Pursuit is launched  Pink Floyd releases “The Wall” and Michael Jackson releases his breakthrough album “Off the Wall”  Margaret Thatcher is elected Prime Minister in the UK  The snowboard is invented  The YMCA sues the Village People for libel  The Mount Erebus disaster claims 257 lives  Th’ Dudes “Be Mine Tonight” is New Zealand Single of the Year

Above: Jan today. The messy

desk denotes a hard worker!

she leaves behind, and we are so grateful for her service.

“People have often asked me how I could possibly work in one place for so long, but the library has constantly changed so it was impossible to get bored.”

It must be mentioned that another two very special team members also left us this month.

Alayne Crisp stepped away after more than 16 years working at Tauranga Library. Alayne is one of the nicest people you could ever meet, and we’ll miss her very much. Paula Phillips, a 14-year library veteran, worked at Pāpāmoa Library and Greerton Library before working across all libraries in the Programmes team.

Paula has been a champion of our children’s and teens programmes in particular and her positive impact on our libraries will be long lasting.

 Kramer vs. Kramer, Alien, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Monty Python’s Life of Brian top the box office  The population of NZ: 3.109 million (-1,300 on the previous year!)  Chris Pratt, P!nk, Heath Ledger and Jason Momoa are born

Regular Events at Tauranga City Libraries Children & Teens

Book Chat On the 3rd Wednesday of each month 10.30-11.30am and 5.30-6.30pm

Tamariki me nga Rangatahi Kids Book Squad On the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month 3.30-4.30pm

Tauranga Library

On the 4th Tuesday of each month 10am-11am

Tauranga Library

Mount Maunganui Library

Greerton Draw Squad On the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month 3.30-4.30pm

iti Pounamu (Toddler Time) Tuesdays at 10.30am

Greerton Library

Wednesdays at 10.30am

Registration required.

Visit: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz

Mauao Draw Squad On the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month 3.30-4.30pm Mount Maunganui Library Registration required.

Visit: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz

Tauranga Library

On the 3rd Monday of each month 10.30am-11.30am Greerton Library

Pāpāmoa Library

Wednesdays at 10.30am Greerton Library

Thursdays at 9.30am and 10.30am Mount Maunganui Library

Lego Club Wednesdays from 3.30pm Greerton Library Registration required.

Visit: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz

Adults Pakeke

The Hang Out (for teens) On the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month 4-5pm Pāpāmoa Library

Adult Colouring Clubs On the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month 10.30-11.30am Tauranga Library

On the 3rd Thursday of the month 10.30-11.30am Pāpāmoa Library

Card Creating 1st Monday of each month 1–3pm Greerton Library Registration required.

Visit: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz

CV Typing Sessions Days and times vary Tauranga, Greerton, Pāpāmoa and Mount Maunganui Libraries Registration required.

Visit: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz or call 07 577 7177

For more information visit: library.tauranga.govt.nz/whats-on Friends of the Library General Meeting On the 4th Thursday of the month 10am Location varies

Genealogy at the Library On the 2nd Tuesday of the month 10am–12noon

Knit & Knatter Tuesdays 1pm

Greerton Library

Wednesdays 1pm

Pāpāmoa Library

Wednesdays 2pm

Mount Maunganui Library

Registration required.

Visit: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz

JP Services Tuesdays 11am-1pm Mount Maunganui Library

Pāpāmoa Library

Fridays 12noon-2pm Tauranga Library

11.30am-1.30pm Mount Maunganui Library

2-4pm Greerton Library

Wednesdays (times vary) Mount Maunganui Library Thursdays (times vary)

Pāpāmoa Library

Pāpāmoa Library

Wednesdays 10am-12noon

Tauranga Library

Fridays (times vary)

On the 4th Friday of the month 10am-12 noon

Greerton Library

Individual Lessons Mondays (times vary)

Greerton Library

Tauranga Library

2.30-4.30pm

Digital Learning Ako Hangarau

The Past & the Curious On the 1st Wednesday of the month 1:15-2pm Tauranga Library

Stepping Up Classes Mondays 1-3pm Tauranga Library Thursdays 10-12pm Pāpāmoa Library Registration required. Visit: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz/learning

Tech Hour Mondays 3.30-4.30pm Tauranga Library

Thursdays 3.30-4.30pm Greerton Library

Fridays 3.30-4.30pm Pāpāmoa Library Registration required. Visit: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz/learning

What We’re Reading & Watching!

Here’s a selection of books and DVDs that we quite recommend.

Please note: not every item listed here is available at the library.

Visit www.library.tauranga.govt.nz > explore > suggest a purchase, if you’d like to request a title to be purchased.

Daniel

Daniel

That Old Country Music: Stories Book by Kevin Barry

Portrait of a Lady on Fire Starring Adèle Haenel

Penny

Penny

A Cloud of Outrageous Blue Book by Vesper Stamper

The Lace Weaver Book by Lauren Chater

Daniel

Chronicles, Volume One Book by Bob Dylan

Fiona

Tomorrow Will Be A Good Day Book by Captain Tom Moore

René

Unaccompanied Women Book by Jane Juska

Fiona

Sixty Degrees North Book by Malachy Tallack

Paul

Diane

Niki Lauda: The Biography Book by Maurice Hamilton

A Year at the Chateau Book by Angel and Dick Strawbridge

Joanna

Joanna

Just Like You Book by Nick Hornby

Normal People Book by Sally Rooney

Diane

Diane

Gratitude Book by Delphine de Vigan

The Paris Library Novel by Janet Skeslien Charles

Stephanie

Stephanie

Square Haunting Book by Francesca Wade

Red Comet Book by Heather Clark

{Keen to talk books?}

Join one of our many book clubs!

Tauranga Library

Mount Maunganui Library

Greerton Library

3rd Wednesday of month 10–11.00am or 5.30–6.30pm

4th Tuesday of month 10–11am

3rd Monday of month 10.30–11.30am

Hooray for Holidays!

The clocks have gone back, mornings are darker and kids everywhere are going to be bouncing off the walls with boredom as a two-week holiday stretches ahead … but don’t worry, there are heaps of cool things happening in our libraries over the school holidays that will make having to drag yourself out of bed on a cold autumn morning completely worth it.

If your small ones love getting messy with paint, book them in to do some fun autumn art with us.

If your kid loves getting creative in the kitchen, sign them up to craft some adorable bunny cupcakes.

They’ll learn to model fondant and have a tasty treat to bring home with them.

Maybe you have a tween that thinks they know everything? Put their logic skills to the test by registering them for one of our escape room sessions. They’ll have just 30 minutes to figure out the clues to unlocking the crazy librarian’s suitcase and discovering what’s inside.

“Do you have anything for kids that love technology and art?” I hear you asking. We sure do! Sphero robots are lots of fun and easy to use—and we’re going to use them to create masterpieces with fluro paint.

For the young gamers in your life, register them for our awesome whack-a-mole and tilt controller activities. They’ll get to code, play, and tinker with cool tech like Makey-Makeys.

And as always, for those budding builders and engineers, our Keva blocks and Lego collections will be making an appearance.

Head to the library website to reserve your places, or if you’re not one for commitment, check out the drop-in, simple craft sessions happening throughout all four libraries. See you there!  www.library.tauranga.govt.nz/whats-on/kids

Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision Increasing access to local history and audio-visual taonga is an important goal for us, so we decided to replace the Medianet terminal at Tauranga Library with a customised site that you can access anywhere.

To achieve this, we partnered with Aotearoa’s audiovisual archive Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision who brought together over 700 items of film, television and audio history made in, around or about our region.

When you visit Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision you can access a whole list of locally-focussed content and sort and filter it to your interests by clicking on the words ‘explore local content available on our catalogue’.

There are pre-selected online exhibitions that you can explore from the landing page, including Sellebration, which is about vintage advertising, and Anzac Sight and Sound, about World War I. You can also search the whole of Ngā Taonga’s online catalogue by clicking the magnifying glass at the top right of the screen. How cool is that!?  www.ngataonga.org.nz/tauranga-libraries

NZ Music Month We love NZ music here at the library and we’re showing it this May with a range of events for like-minded fans. There’ll be live acoustic performances in the library, an adults-only, music-themed pub quiz, Garage Band workshops for musicians who’d like to expand their skills digitally, a special screening of SIX60: Till the Lights Go Out and much more!

We can’t wait and hope you can’t too—be on the lookout for a full line-up of events on our website in early April.

 Our Heritage & Research team have just finished adding almost 9,000 images from the Logan Publishing Tauranga and Bay of Plenty Photo News Collection to our new online archive, Pae Korokī. The Photo News was the Instagram of the 1960s, including photos of local events and everyday life. The collection is searchable by name so you can find out what your Mum or your Nana got up to when they were younger.

Warning: there may be miniskirts! Start searching at: paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz/pages/images.  Our children’s readers are a super popular collection in the library and we’ve now added a selection of Decodable Books to all our branches.

These readers teach children how to link letter sounds (phonemes) and the letters that represent them (graphemes) and we’re pleased to be able to offer another way to support kids to learn to read.  We recently began a trial subscription to Medici.tv, a streaming service offering ballets, classical music, operas and documentaries. Lovers of Jazz will be excited to hear that Medici have announced that jazz will be added to the collection sometime in March. Watch at: www.library.tauranga.govt.nz/ digital-library/streaming/medicitv.  We’re checking our annual leave balances with the Auckland Writers Festival coming up in May. The programme is online now (writersfestival.co.nz) but if you can’t make it in person, check our catalogue for the books mentioned as we do try to make sure we have as many of the titles as possible. Our adult fiction selector, Fiona, is especially keen to read Stephanie Johnson’s new novel Everything Changes.

Upskill with Our Digital Capability Team

Meet our Digital Programmes Specialists!

Computer? Tablet? Laptop? iPad? Whether you need tech support to upskill for that new job, advice on purchasing your first device, or a space for your child to learn new digital skills our Digital Capability team is here to help.

Our purpose is to empower, enrich and elevate Tauranga Moana by cultivating a space for digital learning and growth. If you’d like to upskill, visit www.library.tauranga.govt.nz/learning for more details about all that we offer, or give us a call on 577 7177.

Lisa has a passion for libraries and customer

service. Lisa has worked in multiple libraries across the Waikato region and has completed studies in computer science. No problem is ever too big or too small for her and she is always happy to help. Lisa loves helping people become confident using computers and will be running free computing classes for seniors.

Skye has a passion for arts, music and

technology. She enjoys being able to use

background in event planning and marketing which has allowed her to connect and develop relationships with a wide range of people.

She loves to help others and believes in learning through laughter. Mary will be running technology classes as well as helping with events.

technology in a creative way that allows for individual expression. Skye has a teaching background and will be running technology classes for children and teens. Skye is also excited to help run our private computing classes.

Shannon is always looking for ways to

Mary is a natural coach and likes to keep active; she enjoys a variety of activities from horse riding to racing on the Nintendo Wii. She has a

connect with people and increase community engagement with digital devices and technology.

She has a background in web design and teaching and enjoys providing innovative and engaging learning opportunities for children who would not normally be exposed to these latest technologies.