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New on the CCL website

New Titles August 2010

Our newly arrived titles across six genres: fiction, non-fiction, audio and video, children's, large print and young adults. These items arrived in July 2010.

RSS: Just Ordered

All the items ordered over the past week.

RSS: New Non-fiction

All the non-fiction books that arrived over the past week.

RSS: New Fiction

All of the fiction that arrived over the past week

Nga Ka Kai Au (Robinsons Bay)

The old name for Robinsons Bay (after Charles Barrington Robinson) derives its meaning from an old fishing practice.

Nga Toko Ono (Fishermans Bay)

Nga Toko Ono takes its name from six Ngati Mamoe chiefs. One day whilst fishing two kilometres off Fishermans Bay, a nor’west gale came through and swept the waka out to sea and they were never seen again. The pa was renamed in honour of these six men.

The Hillsborough Tavern

One of Christchurch's well-known suburban taverns closed last year and the site has recently been cleared ready for sale. Written by Kim Morgan and researched with help from the staff in the Aotearoa New Zealand Centre, this page looks at the rise and fall of this landmark venue.

*Edition - Monday 19 July 2010 - Poetry in the spotlight

Christchurch has a vibrant poetry scene, and your library has plenty of material to excite and inspire. And it's time to get ready for Maori Language Week with our te reo Maori resources.

Maori Language Week - 26 July - 1 August

Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori - Maori Language Week celebrates Te reo Maori. This page has information on Maori Language Week and events at Christchurch City Libraries.

Motukarara - Banks Peninsula

Information and images of Motukarara from Ti Kouka Whenua.

Power saving tips [updated]

Find out some tips and explore some websites to help you save power this winter.

Football [updated]

Resources and links about football - updated after Spain won the World Cup in 2010. Now includes link to sports ground closures

Hockey resources at your library

Hockey has been a popular sport in Christchurch since the 1890s. This page lists hockey resources available at Christchurch City Libraries, as well as information on hockey venues and some well-known hockey players.

Literary films at the 2010 Film Festival

The New Zealand International Film Festival in Christchurch is showing some wonderful films with a literary pedigree. Here is a listing of movies based on books, or on the subject of writers. It has been kindly supplied by the Film Festival organisers.

Kirikiri Warea Pa (Menzies Bay) - Banks Peninsula

Information on the places of Horomaka or Te Pataka o Rakaihautu - Banks Peninsula

Mairaki, Banks Peninsula

Information on the places of Horomaka or Te Pataka o Rakaihautu - Banks Peninsula.

Celebrate Matariki winners announced

Find out who won our Matariki mask competition.

New Zealand International Film Festival

Information on the New Zealand International Film Festival 2010.

Film [updated]

Christchurch City Libraries connects you with film related books, magazines, reviews, websites and the movies themselves.

Audiobooks - a guide to our collection

You can borrow a wide selection of audiobooks from your library. Find out about the different types of audiobooks we offer and learn answers to common questions about their use.

Winter gardening

Winter is the slowest growth time in the garden, so it's the perfect opportunity to get stuck into preparing for the spring - reading up on planting or design options, or establishing the vegetable garden for the coming months. Check out our resources on winter gardening.

New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010

Our page lists the finalists for the New Zealand Post Book Awards, previous known as the Montana New Zealand Book Awards.

Winter solstice, the longest night of the year [updated]

The winter solstice marks the date when the Earth's axis is furtherest away from the sun - the longest night of the year. Find out more about the origins and traditions of the winter solstice with these library resources.

New Mobile Library Timetable Starting Soon

Media release: 16 June 2010

Matariki Craft

Media release: 15 June 2010

Matariki: A Time of Plenty

Media release: 11 June 2010

Celebrate Matariki and Win!

To go into the draw to win a Waikawa filled with edible goodies tell us which Matariki mask (created by Christchurch City Council staff) is your favourite. Masks are on display in the Christchurch City Libraries' Flickr collection, and at Nga Hau E Wha National Marae on 15 and 17 June, 5:30-8pm.

Snow days [updated]

A history of snow in Christchurch.

Kawatea (Okains Bay - Okeina) - Places of Banks Peninsula

Information on the places of Kawatea (Okains Bay - Okeina). Situated in a quiet bay/headland and on an offshore island two kilometres southeast of Okains Bay is the Pa Bay, Pa Island settlement area. This combined site contains two pa, two villages and a garden and is thought to have been occupied over a long period with the main occupation period being during the 1820s.

KidsFest Events

TV2 KidsFest is New Zealand's biggest annual children's festival. Aimed at kids up to the age of 12, there's nothing quite like it anywhere else in the country. Christchurch City Libraries supports KidsFest by hosting a range of events for kids from special storytimes sessions to writers' workshops and treasure hunts at our libraries and learning centres.

Learning Centres' July Holiday Programmes

We offer a variety of accessible, safe and affordable activities for children during their school holidays. Our programmes run city wide and are aimed at children between the ages of 5 - 15 years.

Kaitouna (Duvauchelle) - from Places of Banks Peninsula

Like other places at the head of the harbour, the area known as Duvauchelle has old Maori names not well known today.

Iringa Paraoa O Te Rakitaurewa [Places of Banks Peninsula]

At the southern edge of the French Farm bay Te Rautahi, sits a point called Iringa Paraoa o Te Rakitaurewa which means the "waving of the whalebone club of Rakitaurewa". A new article in the Places of Banks Peninsula series of Ti Kouka Whenua.

Skiing and snow sports in Canterbury [updated]

Canterbury is home to some great club and commercial skifields which offer many challenges to skiers and snowboarders. Mt Hutt, the Craigieburn Range and the McKenzie Country fields are within comfortable driving distance of Christchurch.

Intrepica

Intrepica is a play-based literacy resource with more than 10,000 activities online for children of all ages and ability. Children and parents can select from activities focusing on pre-reading skills, phonics, reading, spelling, vocabulary, grammar and comprehension in a fun, exciting and safe online environment. To use Intrepica you need to first create an account for your child or yourself. You will need your library card number and an email address. Your login details will be emailled to you at that email address.

Lyttelton Festival of Lights

The Lyttelton Festival of Lights is a 10 day programme from 18 to 27 June 2010 and it includes events for all ages and culminates in a street party featuring a mask parade and fireworks.

William Dalrymple [interview]

Roberta Smith interviewed William Dalrymple as part of the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival 2010.

New WiFi at Central Library

Due to increased demand for wireless at Central Library we are introducing a new service at this Library from Thursday 27th May 2010. The service remains free to use and available 24 hours a day. The existing 200MB daily limit is replaced with a maximum speed restriction of 1Mb/s and the existing welcome page is replaced with a much simpler version. During periods of high demand, customers may experience speeds less than the 1Mb/s maximum.

Putahi Akoranga Kura Newsletter [Learning Centres]

The May 2010 newsletter from the Learning Centres is now available online.

Pandemonium [profile]

A profile of Christchurch percussion group Pandemonium.

Matariki 2010 - Time to Celebrate

Media release, 19 May 2010. Known as the Maori New Year, Matariki is one of the most significant celebrations on the Maori calendar and is becoming increasingly well-known and celebrated throughout New Zealand. Throughout June there will be learning activities and events in Christchurch City Council Libraries/Nga Kete Wananaga o Otautahi to promote the celebration.

New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards 2010

The winners of the 2010 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards were announced at an Awards Ceremony in Auckland on Wednesday evening, 19 May. Find out about the winners.

Ikoraki (Kateraki / Ngaiterangi) [Places of Banks Peninsula]

Information on Horomaka or Te Pataka o Rakaihautu / Banks Peninsula. On the beachfront at Ikoraki stood the Maori settlement of Kateraki (or Ngaiterangi). A long standing settlement but probably not a defensible pa, there are still remnants of life at this site in the way of middens. Ngati Irakehu the hapu name for the people of Wairewa, takes this name from their chieftainess Irakehu.

Places of Banks Peninsula [Ti Kouka Whenua]

Information on the places of Horomaka or Te Pataka o Rakaihautu - Banks Peninsula.

localeye web portal to be retired

localeye.info, a directory of business, news, event and organisational information, is to be retired on 30 June 2010. Media Release 13 May 2010.

Budget 2010

The 2010 Budget will be delivered in the House on Thursday, 20 May 2010 by the Minister of Finance Hon Bill English. The Budget sets out the Government's economic policies and plans for spending public money in the coming year. This is part of the appropriation process, through which Parliament approves such spending.

Scribe [profile]

Rap artist Scribe was born Maio Luafutu, in Christchurch in 1979 and grew up in Philipstown.

Auckland Writers and Readers Festival

Christchurch City Libraries connects you with the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival 2010. Held from May 12 to 16 at the Aotea Cente, The Edge, in Auckland, top international and local writers talk about subjects as diverse as art, war, religion, the novel, and rugby.

Malcolm McNeill [profile]

Born in Christchurch in 1945, jazz vocalist Malcolm McNeill grew up in a musical family and was exposed to jazz via the radio in the post-war years. At 15 he was already singing in coffee bars and restaurants around Christchurch, performing for dancers at the Latimer Dance Hall and diners at the Malando Restaurant.

Lawrence Arabia [profile]

Indie pop artist Lawrence Milne, a.k.a. Lawrence Arabia, was born in Christchurch in 1981. He is a former guitar and bass player of The Brunettes and drummer for the Ruby Suns. He has also toured as bass player for American band Okkervil River and toured Europe with Feist. His music has appeared in film and theatre, including songs that appeared in Taika Waititi’s film Eagle vs Shark.

Fendalton Park

Fendalton Park is a Christchurch City Council sports park of five hectares located at the north end of Fendalton Road in Christchurch. It opened in the late 1930s. Find out more about the history and development of this park.

Lindon Puffin [profile]

Born in Christchurch and raised in Picton, Puffin first rose to national prominence as frontman of glam rock group The Puffins in the mid nineties. His music has been described as 'a blend of heartfelt acoustic, country, rock and folk music' and with a sound that compares to Chris Knox, Elvis Costello, and Morrissey.

Jill Rawnsley - artistic director Auckland Readers and Writers Festival [interview]

Richard Liddicoat spoke with Auckland Writers and Readers Festival artistic director Jill Rawnsley. She shares the challenges of staging a landmark literary festival in a small arts organisation, and her strong desire to inspire youth.

Lost Christchurch [PDF]

A new section of the Christchurch Street and Place Names resource that lists the vanished streets, places and buildings of Christchurch. 674 KB PDF

Guitarist James Wilkinson [profile]

Guitarist James Wilkinson was born in Canterbury and describes his music as a 'sonic salad'. He has been in bands such as Rua, Hampster (with Carmel Courtney), The Two Jimmies and the Bardic Duo, playing styles such as Celtic, jazz and folk. Find out more abut James Wilkinson and listen to his music for free online via the Naxos Music Library.

Salmonella Dub [profile]

Dub/Drum n Bass/Reggae/Roots band Salmonella Dub was formed in 1992 by friends Andrew Penman, David Deakins, and Mark Tyler as a covers group which did bent dub versions of bad taste music. However they soon developed their own original material. Find out more about this well-known local band and links to library resources about them.

New Brighton Library re-opened 5 May 2010

The New Brighton Library is now open, five days ahead of schedule.

Energy Awareness Week workshops

During Energy Awareness Week (3 May - 8 May 20100, Christchurch City Council staff are demonstrating a new online thermal imagery tool to help find out how much heat is escaping through the roof space of your home. These workshops will show you how to use the tool, and give you the opportunity to offer feedback

Hans Christian Andersen Award

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is considered the most prestigious in international children's literature, is given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) to a living author and illustrator whose complete works are judged to have made lasting contributions to children’s literature. The Author's Award has been given since 1956 and the Illustrator's Award since 1966.

New Zealand Music Month Christchurch launch event

Soul, funk and jazz singer Sacha Vee headlines a stunning line-up of local and national acts this Saturday, as Christchurch Art Gallery launches New Zealand Music Month in style. The free event, organised in collaboration with Christchurch City Libraries, kicks off at 5pm in the Gallery foyer with the catchy bubblegum pop of young Christchurch folk and skiffle singer-songwriter Kim K (ex-Aviatour) and Tim Chesney. The 40-strong men’s choir, Canterbury Plainsmen will then follow, giving Kiwi pop classics the barbershop treatment.

Libraries trial texting service

Christchurch City Council libraries are trialling a new system to see whether people would like to communicate with the library by texting.

Motorhome and campervan resources at your library

Many people have dreams of one day taking to the road for an extended campervan trip - but what are the realities of travelling on four wheels? Our libraries have resources to help you choose and maintain your campervan and to plan your holidays, such as manuals, magazines and camp site directories.

Classic car resources at your library

Owning and restoring classic cars is a popular hobby. Christchurch City Libraries has a wealth of information to help you complete any project on your classic pride and joy.

Talking hens with Heather [interview]

Poultry breeder heather Cole was one of the expert speakers at the Ellerslie International Flower Show. In this interview she shares tips and advice for would-be poultry keepers.

Keeping poultry: a guide to library resources

Whether you take in rescued battery hens or try out a fancy breed, keeping healthy, productive poultry can save you money - plus you'll enjoy the great taste of home-grown eggs. Find practical guides to keeping hens with the help of these library resources

Sumner Library will close in May for painting

The Sumner Library will be closed for internal repainting on Monday 24 May and will reopen on Tuesday 8 June 2010. This is part of a scheduled maintenance cycle for Christchurch City Libraries. During the two week closure, Sumner Library customers will have access to the network of other Christchurch City Libraries. The library will issue books with delayed return dates in anticipation of the closure. Linwood Library will be receiving all of the holds for Sumner Library customers to pick up during the closure Items returned through the after-hours facility at Sumner will be processed during the closure and cleared from customers' cards We apologise for any inconvenience during this period of closure, and look forward to welcoming customers back to a Sumner Library that has a fresh look.

Central Library improvements [media release]

It will be business as usual during major maintenance work at Christchurch's Central Library, Gloucester Street, starting next week (the first week of May). A quieter and more reliable escalator will be installed between the ground floor and first floor and new carpet will be laid on the ground floor.

Meet Keith Petch, Gypsy jazz guitarist [interview]

Learn more about Christchurch musicians for New Zealand Music Month in May. Gypsy Jazz guitarist Keith Petch talks about music, influences and some of his favourite artists in this short interview.

Doug Caldwell, jazz musician [profile]

Discover New Zealand music and musicians with our profiles of local artists. Doug Caldwell is a jazz pianist, composer, musical director, recording artist and arranger, known locally as "the Maestro".

Insulating your home

Warm, dry and healthy homes - with lower ongoing heating costs - can be achieved with the help of adequate insulation, and Government grants and subsidies are also available in some cases. The library has many useful sources of information about insulating your home.

ANZAC Day Services 2010

Information on ANZAC Day services and events in Christchurch and Canterbury. ANZAC Day takes place on Sunday 25 April 2010.

Naomi Ferguson [interview]

A short, snappy interview with this Christchurch musician, actress and teacher. Ferguson will perform with her band Three of Hearts during New Zealand music month.

Get ready for New Zealand Music Month [media release]

This media release details the performances taking place at Christchurch City Libraries during May, New Zealand Music Month. Get the full list, read musician profiles and mark your diary today!

Turakautahi [Tangata Rongonui]

Turakautahi was the middle son of Tuahuriri and his wife Hinetewai. The early death of his brother Hamua left him to lead his Ngai Tuhaitara people. Born with a club foot, Turakatahi was not able to lead his people in warfare. Despite this Turakautahi and his descendants would play a significant role in Ngai Tahu’s story in Canterbury and further south through his son Kaweriri.

Tuhawaiki [Tangata Rongonui]

Tuhawaiki was a prominent figure during the early years of European contact and as a rangatira (chief) of his Ngai Tahu and Ngati Mamoe peoples he had huge influence during his lifetime. Unfortunately his untimely death in 1844 deprived the tribe of a significant leader during the turbulent times that were to come.

Handicrafts

Traditional handicrafts are seeing a revival of interest. A new generation is using the internet to share craft ideas and information, to meet fellow enthusiasts and to sell their work. Our libraries have a great range of resources for learning craft skills and ideas.