Library News

Work is progressing fast on the new library now that the roof is finished.  I do a quick eye scan when I drive past every day just to see what the guys are working on and it looks like we may be on track for opening sometime round August – fingers crossed.

In preparation for the move I am doing a lot of sorting and tidying up so we have less to move and we will be in better order when we get there.  To that end we are making sure that all our customers have library cards.  Some of you won’t have seen your library card for 20 years or more so you may be taken aback if we ask for it – especially when you come in every week and we know you really well.  Do not despair, it is not personal, it is just that scanning a card cuts down on human error and someone else won’t get your books on their account.  We are human and sometimes we make mistakes but it is much easier to get it right with a card in front of us.

I am also tidying up the database and deleting anyone off the system who hasn’t used their card for over two years.  So please do come in and see us if life has got too much and you haven’t been in for a while – we don’t want to lose you.  My packrat instincts are also being curtailed and I am finally clearing out some of the older books that no-one has taken out for many years.  

Don’t worry, classics are staying but my philosophy is, if the book hasn’t been taken out for 10 years then no-one wants to read it and it can go.  Then I can buy something new and exciting.  Of course that means there are lots of sale books and many of them are in really good repair, so do come in and buy some – 50c paperback and $1 hardback – what a bargain!  We do allow you to give us more money for them if you feel you must!

I am also keeping our volunteers busy by looking for missing books and sorting and checking the shelves.  Last week 4 volunteers were here at the same time – honestly the library was buzzing (thanks guys/gals).  Next time we will have a party too.  Now, I feel I must remind everyone about the ‘back room’.  No, it’s not where we go to cover books or other back room duties, because we do all of those at the front desk, as you know.

No, the ‘back room’ is full of exciting and interesting books but no-one much goes in there because it is at the back (obviously).  All the travel and history books, language (parlez vous Francais?), literature (Shakespeare and stuff), earth sciences such as volcanoes, sharks and stars, philosophy (do I actually exist or just think I do), astrology (am I a Scorpio or a Sagittarius and what does it mean??), local history (Mate’s book is there), wars and banking, trump and corruption (ooh, did I actually put those words in the same place, sorry about that) and the Maori collection.  Much, much more resides in the little room of wonders.

Oh and we have no storage space so it is actually full of boxes and stuff as well but I’m sure you can cope.  While I wait for the lawsuit from America I shall get on and order some more books.  We are getting to the end of the budget year (30 June) and I have to be so careful I don’t go over my allocated amount but it’s so difficult when there’s so much good stuff out there.  Also everyone keeps asking me to buy books for them which is actually what I do, so keep those requests coming.  A good website to check for reviews of books is https://www.goodreads.com/.

There are numerous book reviews by normal people, not those trying to sell the book which gives you a good idea of whether you will like it or not.  I usually check out library purchases on this site before placing an order.

Well, good reading everyone and look forward to seeing you all in here soon, using those library cards which got lost 15 years ago and checking out all the old books so I have no excuse to get rid of them.  I know all those tricks!  Ciao, Ka kite anō au i a koutou and à bientôt.

Shirley