From the Library

“’I wish it need not have happened in my time,’ said Frodo. ‘So do I,’ said Gandalf, ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.’” —J.R.R. Tolkien.

Staff were working away during Level 3: Sylvia was doing extensive planning for our upcoming events and programmes, and Ali was updating the non-fiction collection – removing some older books to make room for the new ones.  These books are available for sale, so if you’re after something in particular, we can look to see what’s available.

Level 2 saw the re-opening of the Library and we were delighted to welcome our community back through the doors.  Now at Level 1, we are excited to get our regular programming back on track; our preschool storytime has been rebranded – “Little Bookworms” is every Tuesday during the school term, at 10am in the Library.

Preparing for National Simultaneous Storytime in May was great fun – the idea was that libraries, schools, early-learning centres all across New Zealand and Australia read the same picture book at the same time. The book this year was “Chicken Divas” by Lucinda Gifford; members of the community (our flock) got involved by way of wearing tiaras, feather boas and sparkliness (no-one we asked “chickened” out!).  The pictures can still be seen in the Waihinga Centre window, or on our Facebook page.

We have exciting events coming up for the kids this year – we are running the Hell pizza-wheel challenge… what could be better than getting free pizzas just by reading books?! Come and grab a pizza-wheel from Library staff. We are still gearing up for our amazing “Dinovember” event later this year, so stay tuned.

The Daring Club will begin on Saturday 4 July from 1-2pm in the Library. It is for parents, grandparents and/or caregivers, to spend time with their children working on a challenge.  Materials will be available for you to share with your tamariki/mokopuna.

We will be offering a range of Matariki activities – look for them on the “Wairarapa Sky” or the Library  Facebook page, or come and ask Library staff.

New books include the latest from the big fiction writers Lynda La Plante, Erica James, Clive Cussler, John Grisham, David Baldacci, Alexander McCall Smith and Andrea Camilleri.  Our great new non-fiction titles this month include: “Scroll saw baby animal puzzles to make”, “Upcycling books”, “The vegetable butcher”, “How to make cloth dolls”, “Constructing & covering books” and “Beginner’s guide to making mosaics”. We also have some great new books on self-sufficiency, drawing and painting, and more craft books.

If you are still a little hesitant to venture out, our Libby app is chockful of ebooks and audiobooks that you can listen to at home.  Look for the Libby app on App Store/Play Store, search for “Wairarapa Library Service”, enter your Library card number and your PIN and you’re away.  If you’re not sure of your PIN, give the staff a ring and we’ll be more than happy to assist you.

Speaking of online – “like” our Facebook page and we’ll keep you up-to-date with all our shenanigans.

It’s lovely to be open again and to see our wonderful community coming back into the Library. Stay safe, stay warm and stay well-read.     Ngā mihi, ALI.

“When ‘I’ replaced with ‘We’ even illness becomes wellness.” (Malcolm X)