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This is an RSS feed from Christchurch City Libraries. RSS allows you to check our news from your desktop without having to come to this website. Find out how to subscribe to our feeds from our RSS page.

New on the CCL website

Ordered this week

An RSS feed of all the books ordered over the last week: mixed fiction and non-fiction

New this week: Non-fiction

Our RSS feed of the non-fiction that arrived over the past week

New this week: fiction

A RSS feed of the week's new fiction titles

Interview: Paddy Austin

Paddy Austin is Chair of the Christchurch Book Festival Trust. We asked her a few questions about what she is looking forward to about the festival and her memories of libraries and books that have shaped her reading.

Writer profiles: Hana O'Regan, Felicity Price, David Veart

Profiles of writers taking part in The Press Christchurch Writers Festival

Writer profiles: Marion Halligan, Lloyd Jones, Sam Mahon

Profiles of writers taking part in The Press Christchurch Writers Festival

Media Release: Students encouraged to be creative with history

Students in the Canterbury region are being encouraged to get creative by design to uncover changes in history as part of Heritage Week 2008.

Interview: Vanda Symon: A writer's life

Interview with writer Vanda Symon

Interview: Rebecca Priestley combines science and history

Interview with science writer Rebecca Priestley

Interview: John McCrone - Science and journalism

Interview with John McCrone, senior writer at The Press on science and the art of journalism

Interview: Joe Bennett - Knickers and prejudice

Joe Bennett talks about his latest book and about the life of a writer

Maps Collections

Find out about our collections of current and heritage maps.

Media Release: Christchurch writers get festive

From September 4 to 7, Christchurch City Libraries will be connecting readers to the South Island's biggest ever writers' festival with extensive online coverage, including reviews of events, daily festival round-ups and exclusive interviews with authors.

Edition 1 September 2008: Spring into action

The joy of spring puts most people into a happy mood and encourages them out into the garden and to spring clean. Whether you want to clear your clutter, tidy the edges, go sustainable, start a new hobby, find a new look or a new career, the library is the best place to start looking for advice on how to turn ideas into action.

Writer profiles: Glenn Colquhoun, Rachael King

Newsletter: Libraries 2025 Facilities plan

Writer profiles: Kate Atkinson, Mark Billingham

Competition: What's your favourite NZ book?

Tell us what your top New Zealand reads are and you will go in the draw to win book vouchers, or a copy of 1001 Books you must read before you die.

Writer profiles: Steve Braunias, Paul Cleave, Norman Doidge

Profiles of writers attending The Press Christchurch Writers Festival

New titles: August 2008

Our listing of new titles that have arrived in the library in August

Edition: The Press Christchurch Writers Festival

After months of planning, The Press Christchurch Writers' Festival is drawing near. A wealth of authors will visit the city early next month.

Interview: writer Carl Nixon

Interview with Christchurch author of Rocking Horse Road.

Interview: Mike Crean, senior writer at The Press

Interview: Christchurch Writers Festival co-ordinator Morrin Rout

Morrin Rout is one of the festival programme co-ordinators for the The Press Christchurch Writers Festival. She answered a few questions about the festival, her passion for reading and ravaging the shelves at her local library.

New homepage

We've updated our homepage, and made some minor changes to our site. Please contact us if you spot any problems

Plan for financial success -Budgeting edition 18 August

Think of your budget as a four-letter word: a plan for financial success.

Budget times - ideas for saving your money

If you’ve got a dose of the “mortgage, credit card, petrol and cheese blues” our libraries have great resources to help you save money and manage your budget.

Library Week - 11 August edition

Olympics resources for kids

Books and websites about the Olympics

2008 Beijing Olympics

Background information on the Summer Olympics

Controversies at the Beijing Olympics 2008

Beijing Olympians 2008: Edition, 4 August

Canterbury Summer Olympians

Knitting- edition 28 July

The warm fuzzy comfort of knitted woollen garments can't be beaten. The skill is one that mothers and grandmothers pass on from generation to generation.

A chat with carver George Edwards

Tohuka Whakairo (master carver) George Edwards (Ngai Tahu) of Wairewa tells of learning to work with wood, the challenges of transporting logs and carving totem poles.

Matariki, explained by Rakiihia Tau

Rakiihia Tau is Upoko of Ngai Tuahuriri. He explains Matariki in terms of what it meant for the life of Southern Maori and puts it in the context of the year long cycle of mahinga kai.

Sally McLennan

Interview with childrens author

Burney Collection

Exciting news for students, researchers and family historians. This collection enables you to access the best of 17th and 18th century British newspapers from your home computer or in any of our libraries.

edition: CINCH

Learn more about our community information database.

Maori Language Celebrations Throughout Christchurch

Events for Maori Language Week

Indian, Pakistani and South Asian authors

An if you like guide to Indian fiction and authors

New Zealand Family History

Reorganised guide to finding European NZ family history resources.

Edition, 14 July 2008 - Maori Language Week

Ko te reo, te ha te mauri o te Maoritanga - Language is the very life-breath of being Maori

War memorial shrine at Christchurch Boys’ High School, Riccarton, Christchurch

The Shrine to commemorate the sacrifice of High School old boys in World War One (1914-1918) was unveiled and dedicated 31 January 1926.

Te Kohanga Obstetric Hospital, 25 Fendalton Road

A history of the Te Kohanga Obstetric Hospital building.

edition 7 July: Bishopdale Library

Bishopdale library has recently been refurbished, and we went to find out all about it.

The North Canterbury Hospital Board : fragments of history : hospitals : tuberculosis and benevolent institutions and miscellaneous

Unpublished manuscript by Winifred Norris, detailing the history of selected hospitals, orphanages, sanatoriums, and benevolent institutions, in and around Christchurch and Lyttelton. Includes short histories of the country hospitals of Akaroa, Amuri, Cheviot, Chatham Islands, Darfield, Ellesmere, Lincoln, Little River, Kaiapoi, Kaikoura, Oxford, Rangiora, and Waikari. [1942]

‘Bright, inviting’ Bishopdale a hit

Like having a new library – that’s how Bishopdale Library’s Michelle Karon describes the refurbishment that took place earlier this year.

edition 30 June - Curl up and read

No matter how cold and icy the weather, its always a good time to read. Finding new authors can be a bit hit and miss, so this week we look at ways to broaden your reading horizons, and take in some recommended reading from Christchurch City Libraries extensive Good Reads section.

Karlo Mila

This Auckland poet is coming to Christchurch in September: read our interview and listen to her poem "Inside us the dead".

New Titles - June 2008

Our monthly listing of new items in the library - available online or as an email newsletter.

Interviews with NZ Childrens authors - Melinda Szymanik

Interviews with NZ Childrens authors - Stacy Gregg

edition 23rd June - Volunteering

Hot on the heels of Volunteer Awareness Week, this week we take a look at the best way to find an organisation that could use your skills and time to help people in the community.

Library Launches Afrikaans Collection

Christchurch's growing Afrikaans community will have ready access to books in their own language, with next week's launch of the Christchurch City Libraries' Afrikaans collection.

110 best books: The perfect library

From classics and sci-fi to poetry, biographies and books that changed the world … The Telegraph presents the ultimate reading list.

Travelling the road to hell

Thomas Kohnstamm is a well-travelled man, used to adventure and escaping tight spots while working in what many people would consider a dream job, travel writing.

edition: 16 June 2008: WINTER

This week we highlight sport, colds and snuffles and warming winter recipes.

50 more maps

We've just doubled the number of digitised maps that we have online. Most are of Christchurch and Canterbury including a set of Council planning maps.

Gimblett Photograph Collection: Heathcote

Photographs and postcards from the Gimblett family in Heathcote, Christchurch in the early 20th century.

Ready for Reading

Updated. Ready for Reading helps parents prepare children for learning to read by establishing awareness of three types of information.

edition: 9 June: Matariki

During Matariki we celebrate our unique place in the world. We give respect to the whenua on which we live, and admiration to our mother earth, Papatuanuku. Matariki is a time to learn about those who came before us: our history, our family, our bones.

A treasure of a book sale

Media release: 6 June 2008

Maori Land Court Minute Books Index

The Maori Land Court Minute Books contain judges' notes on court sittings from 1865 to 1910. These sittings covered court proceedings to do with succession and ownership of land, as well as, in some cases Maori to Maori adoptions. They contain a good deal of whakapapa information and may be useful for whakapapa researchers to consult.

Podcasts and Podcasting

Find out about podcasting and how to subscribe and listen to podcasts .

Ice Sports

Ice based sports such as ice hockey, speed and figure skating and curling.

edition: June 2 - The life of Kings and Queens

Queen's Birthday weekend is the last public holiday before spring, so as we hunker down for winter and enjoy a day off, we take a look at the lives of kings and queens and royalty resources at Christchurch City Libraries.

Running

Links and resources for runners

Information for Selwyn residents who are users of Christchurch City Libraries

Colin Murdoch 1929 - 2008

Colin Murdoch held patents on more than 40 inventions including: The Sterile Prefilled Disposable Hypodermic Syringe and tranquilising dart gun.

Mars

The Phoenix Mars lander will touchdown on Mars today. Find out more about Mars exploration with our backgrounder.

edition: May 26 - Fishing

Christchurch and Canterbury are renowned as areas that have great fishing, great rivers and an abundance of accessible coastline that lends iteslf to throwing a line in the water to see what's nibbling.

Fragments from the official career of John Dwyer, Superintendent of Police, 1878 to 1921

John Dwyer's 43 year policing career began in New Zealand in Dunedin in 1878. Posted around the country, his service took in Oamaru, the Otago goldfields, Christchurch, Wanganui, Napier, and his final stint was in Christchurch from 1914 to his retirement in 1921. Superintendent Dwyer was associated with many notable cases throughout his career. His memoirs focus on some of these incidents, and provide insight into policing in late nineteenth and early twentieth century New Zealand.

edition: 19 May: games and gaming

Games and gaming helps keep our minds active - but there are plenty of sports and recreation options available as well. Whatever the weather's doing, find out about all the great things there are to do in Christchurch at your library!

Sunday Festival Wrap-up

MP3 audio file 5:24min, 5.1Mb

Junot Diaz, the devil and me

Interview with Junot Diaz - "a rock star in the world of literature.".

Simon Sebag Montefiore

Interview with Simon Sebag Montefiore "I like honey with everything".

An hour with Mo

Interview with Mo Hayder on publicity, the "Walking Man" series and women & violence.

Canterbury pilgrims

Music sung by the first colonists at the special service held in St Paul's Cathedral, London, prior to embarking for Port Lyttelton, New Zealand, A.D. 1850.

Old Maori place names round Akaroa harbour

Newly digitised.

Sarah Hall takes a 'cold eye' to her work

Sarah Hall is a young writer with the uncanny ability to create both page turning reads and thoughtful poetic meditations. In this interview she discusses her new novel The Carhullan Army, the writing process, libraries and IRA training.

Daily Festival Wrap Wednesday

Two minute MP3 audio clip from our Auckland Writers and Readers Festival 2008 correspondents

Three cheers for cronehood

Interview with Tessa Duder at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival 2008.

Libraries celebrate Matariki with higher interactivity

Media release, 9 May 2008

Matariki learning resource pack for teachers

Christchurch City Libraries has created a Matariki learning resource pack for teachers of pupils in Years 1 to 8. Full of practical examples and ideas, this resource can be used to incorporate Matariki into subjects such as art, dance, English, science, social science and social studies.

edition: 5 May 2008: Archives and records week.

This week is Archives and Records week and this edition highlights the many archival resources available to the public online and in libraries.

Emigration to Canterbury : Shipping Lists 1856-1874

The following passenger lists are for ships to Canterbury which carried assisted immigrants. This immigration was organised by the Canterbury Provincial Government from 1856-1870, and the Central Government from 1870-1874.

2025 facilities plan drop-in sessions

Come to one of our drop-in sessions being held over the next week and have your say about our draft plan.

Archives bring history to life

An interview with Information specialist Rosemary O'Neil about the archives collection.

David L Smith, Trax inventor

Christchurch man David Smith has a unique claim to fame – he invented a new game called Trax in 1980. In this extended interview he tells some of the story of the development of the game and the part it has played in his life.

Tantrix inventor Mike McManaway

Mike McManaway used to run a puzzle shop in Christchurch - The Puzzled Dragon. He invented a strategy game called Tantrix, which turns twenty in 2008. The game is now sold in over 30 countries.

Games

If you're into games and gaming we've got heaps at the library from card games to computer games.

2025 Facilities Plan Newsletter May 2008

Information about public submissions and drop-in sessions in May.

edition: 28 April - NZ Music Month

May is New Zealand Music month and your library is right behind this event - as always. A huge range of events is planned - from the piano available for all to play at Linwood Library, to performances by the Papanui High School String ensemble, to Harpist Helen Webby, there is a huge range of New Zealand music and New Zealand performers live in your library during May.

Susan Brocker interview

New author in our New Zealand children's authors interviews.

Vanished streets

A new list of vanished streets added to our origins of Christchurch street and place names.

New Titles for April

Books, CDs & DVDs that arrived in April.

Festival on fast-track

Interview with Auckland Writers and Readers Festival director Jill Rawnsley.

Auckland Writers and Readers Festival 2008

Christchurch City Libraries connects you with the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival 2008. Find out about the featured authors, novels, themes and events.

Cecil Malthus : World War I papers [letters, telegrams, documents]

Timaru-born Cecil Malthus spent three years in service in the 1st Canterbury Battalion. This collection of letters, penned mostly to his future wife, Hazel, and documents, date from April 1914 to his discharge in April 1917.

e-edition 20 April: ANZAC day

ANZAC Day in New Zealand is held on 25 April each year to commemorate New Zealanders killed in war and to honour returned servicemen and women.

e-edition: 14 April - Dance

Dancing With the Stars is back on our screens again - have you ever thought about giving the foxtrot, the tango or the rumba a go?

Action on Library Fines

Media release: 14 April 2008.

Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan and consultation

Public comment on the Draft Plan is from 14 April to 31 May 2008. New libraries at Aranui and Belfast, a replacement library at Halswell and a review of development options for a new Central Library are proposed under the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan.

Public WiFi Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy

If you use our free Wifi service at the Central Library you may want to look at this.

New Zealand Music Month 2008

Christchurch City Libraries celebrates New Zealand Music Month by hosting a wide variety of local musicians in our libraries during May.

Kapahaka ‘incredible' experience

Christchurch City Council Maori Arts adviser Paula Rigby introduces us to the world of kapahaka.

Digital maps

A new collection of digitised maps. Like for our images collection you can view these as thumbnails or as a larger image but we also have Zoomify so that you can enlarge them in the page.

edition: 31 March: New look for The Pulse Te Auaha

The Pulse/Te Auaha is Christchurch City Libraries' website for 13- to 18-year-olds. It connects young adults with information on anything and everything affecting their lives, from music and movies to relationships, study and school.

New Titles for March

All the books, CDs and DVDs etc that arrived in our libraries over the last month are now listed in our catalogue. You can also get sent our monthly lists by email or receive the weekly just-arrived and just-ordered lists as RSS feeds, published most Fridays.

Libraries 2025 planning newsletter issue 6, March 27 2008

Council adopts Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan

New libraries at Aranui and Belfast, a replacement library at Halswell and a review of development options for a new Central Library are proposed under the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan.

Edition 24th March: Earth hour

Hot on the heels of St Patrick's Day, this week we examine two interesting green initiatives happening in Christchurch this month. One is Earth Hour - started in Australia and now gaining traction in New Zealand thanks to support from The Press. The other is a much more local effort, with Phillipstown couple Waveney Warth and Matthew Luxon aiming to reduce their rubbish to just one Christchurch City Council rubbish bag for the entire year. Yes, you read right, one.

One year, one rubbish bag: Waveney and Matthew's eco-challenge

Matthew Luxon and and Waveney Warth are a young couple who've set themselves an unusual household challenge for 2008 - using just one Christchurch City Council rubbish bag for an entire year.

Edition: 17 March

St Patrick's Day and Easter

Potatoes

2008 is the International Year of the Potato - recognizing how vital the potato is to many cultures around the world.

Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan newsletter, March 2008

Work is progressing well on developing the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan for adoption by Council later this month.

Plains FM 96.9 Timeline & History

A short timeline of plains FM since 1998 with a brief history as a MP3 to listen to.

Edition week 11: Plains FM 20th Anniversary

On the 29th of February Plains FM celebrated a significant milestone - twenty years of broadcasting locally-made and produced content. Plains FM was the first station to broadcast music sung by Hayley Westenra and since 1988 thousands of music fans and people with things to say or share have made programmes on the station. At a time when many media outlets are run from Auckland or Sydney it remains independent, not-for-profit and focused on what local communities decide to make programmes about.

Database handout (PDF)

Use this to keep track of which databases you have used.

Edition, week 10 - Spreydon Library

After months of effort, building noise and shifting things around, the makeover of Spreydon Library is complete.

New Zealand Post Writers and Readers Week 2008

Christchurch City Libraries connects you with the New Zealand Post Writers and Readers Week 2008. Writers and Readers Week is part of the New Zealand International Arts Festival in Wellington and runs from the 11 to 16 March.

Listen to Music Online With Naxos

Great news for music fans – we now subscribe to the Naxos Music Library. This enables you to listen to a fantastic range of music from your home computer or in any of our libraries.

New Titles: February

Everything that we got in over the last month in the following sections: Children's, Young Adults', Fiction, Non-fiction, Large Print and Audio-visual (CDs & DVDs)

Naxos Music Library

Naxos Music Library is the most comprehensive collection of classical music available online. It includes the complete Naxos, Marco Polo and Da Capo catalogues of over 170,000 tracks, including Classical music, Historical recordings, Jazz, World, Folk and Chinese music. Whilst listening, users can read notes on the works being played as well as biographical information on composers or artists in Naxos's extensive database. Access this with your library card number and PIN, or at our libraries.

Policies

We have updated many of our policies.

Edition week 9: Photography

How do you make sure you are getting the most out of your digital camera? Use your library to find out more about photography, and practice, practice, practice!

Theatre Royal: 100 years

There is a display of theatre programmes from the last 100 years. The display also includes a film show of the documentary film: Shadows on the Stage. The screenings are every hour between 10 am and 4pm. The display will run to the 16 March.

Write your autobiography

Join us for a series of 4 Sessions in a small group with guidance from library staff. Book now for term one; sessions Will be repeated in term 2.

WWII Civil Defence Wardens' handbook

One in a series of handbooks for Emergency Precautions Scheme (E.P.S.) Wardens supplying up-to-date advice on Civil Defence procedures.

Hay's Ltd - a Christchurch icon

Hay's Ltd, “The Friendly Store – where everything is different”, was a well-known shop in Christchurch for some 50 years. Hay's opened in Gloucester Street for the first time on Friday 13 December, 1929.

Bike Wise Week 2008

Bike Wise Week 2008 starts on Saturday 23 February and runs until Sunday 2 March, 2008. This annual nationwide event to encourage cycling for transport and recreation features a great range of fun events.

Edna Neville - Aunt Haysl

Edna Neville, the woman behind many happy childhood memories of Aunt Haysl, died in Christchurch on February 6, 2008.

Edition: week 8 - Travel

Whether its a trip to Australia, Antarctica, Andorra, Austria or the Americas, research and planning your journey using our resources will help you get the most out of your hard-earned money.

Morris & Co. - The World of William Morris

From 4th March to 29th June 2008 the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu will exhibit Morris & Co. The World of William Morris, the largest collection of the famous furnishings ever seen in New Zealand.

edition: week 7 - Money

Your library has lots of information and practical monetary advice whatever your age or stage.

Refurbished Spreydon Library opens next week

Spreydon Library re-opens on Monday (18 February) having undergone a major 24-week refurbishment to better meet changing community needs and comply with health and safety standards.

American Presidential Election 2008

What is a primary? Why do the candidates have to put themselves through this gruelling exercise in grassroots democracy? Find out with this helpful information from our resources.

Edition: 4 February 2008 - Information skills

Library skills are the basis of successful study and research, so this edition focuses on some of the many resources available to those studying - either formally or informally.

Edition: 28 January 2008 - Waitangi Day edition

Waitangi Day commemorates the signing of the founding document of this country, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, in the small settlement north of Paihia in 1840.

1918 Influenza Epidemic – How Christchurch Coped

How the 1918 influenza epidemic affected Christchurch.

St Valentine's Day - 14 February

Updated with 2008 information and links to books, poetry and music about love

Literary Prizes & Book Awards Calendar 2008

A month by month guide to literary prizes and book awards that Christchurch City Libraries records in our Literary Prizes pages

Edition: 21 January 2008 - back to school

School terms start over the next two weeks. Some will start school for the first time – others will move up a year, perhaps starting intermediate or high school, meaning lots of new faces, challenges and friends to be made in the weeks ahead.

New Zealand PGA Golf Championship

Held at the Clearwater course, the New Zealand PGA Golf Championship is one of New Zealand's oldest tournaments, dating back to 1920.

Southesk weekly news

Written on board the Southesk on her voyage from London to Port Lyttelton. Sailed Sept. 26, 1879; arrived Dec. 28, 1879. Weekly ship newspaper reporting on social activities, weather, progress of the voyage, accidents, and various other events on board the vessel.

The progress of Canterbury, New Zealand : a letter addressed to Joseph Thomas, Esq., late principal surveyor and acting agent of the Canterbury Association.

By Robert Waitt, 1856. A short review of the author's time in Canterbury from 1854 to 1856, after spending sixteen years in New Zealand as a settler.

Land regulations of the Province of Canterbury, New Zealand, as amended.

Regulations for the disposal, sale, letting, and occupation of the waste lands of the Crown in the Province of Canterbury. Published : Lyttelton [N.Z.] : Printed at the Lyttelton Times Office, 1857.

Hone Tuwhare

Tributes are flowing out of literary circles as the country mourns the loss of Hone Tuwhare, a notable and impish character of New Zealand literature.

'think Library' for People's Choice Web Awards 2008

If you like what we're doing you can vote for us in the NetGuide web awards.

Central Library Floorplans

Plans have been updated for last year's refurbishment - available online and as PDFs

Sir Edmund Hillary dies, aged 88

Sir Edmund died in Auckland today aged 88.

New Titles - December 2007

Our monthly listing of what cam in over the previous month - delayed a bit by Christmas and New Year.

Fendalton Library interior photos

New photos of Fendalton Library

Spreydon Library refurbishment photos

Photos of the refurbishment, taken last year