Kia ora! Welcome to the February newsletter from Palmerston North City Library.

Once again, the City Library’s Heritage Team is delighted to coordinate and curate a themed week of activities. This year we are inspired by whenua. The whakataukī (proverb), Whatungarongaro te tangata toitū te whenua (people come and go, the land remains), speaks to the permanence of whenua and the profound nature of connections we develop with the land. This celebratory week is a chance for you to connect with our unique history, to focus attention on the people and events of our collective past, and the impact on us today.

Local History Week is a highlight week of Heritage Month. Across the month of March, our city’s historians, researchers, enthusiasts, and heritage organisations are offering more than 80 talks, workshops, and guided experiences. 

We warmly invite you to join us for Local History Week and Heritage Month.

See the full programme here.

There was a fabulous turnout at the Esplanade for the Summer Reading Finale. Congratulations to everyone who took part, and many thanks to everyone who made it happen.
Till next year, make sure you keep reading so you stay at the top of your game!

On Thursday 8 February, there's a talk about the 75th Anniversary of the “Blue Smoke” recording release, and 28th Maori Battalion in the Second World War. This talk will be presented by Ruma Karaitiana, Rangitāne Kaumatua and Chair, Rangitāne o Manawatu Commercial Arm.

The talk is co-hosted by RNZE CT/ECMC and Palmerston North City Library.

Central Library, Heritage area (Second Floor), 12:00pm-1:00pm.

Image: Ruru Karaitiana (songwriter and composer) and Pixie Williams (vocalist)

Read an Audioculture article about Blue Smoke here.

Like most of us, books just want to be held. You can place holds on library books for free. This includes books that are at different library locations, as well as ones that are checked out to someone else.
Learn more about holds here.

If you're not already aware of this corner of the publishing-verse, this guide to New Zealand fantasy romance novels coming in 2024 will be a real education! Extra cool points if you call it 'Romantasy'. Some of this country's most globally popular authors are featured here. And the person who wrote the article - Mel Harding-Shaw - is also doing well with their Soul Court Ascension series, among other titles. Some of the authors mentioned on the list are so big globally that they run their own courses on how to be a successful author. Whether you enjoy their work or not, you have to respect their massive achievements. And it looks like it's only growing.

Versions is back for the fifth year! (Rima = five, tuarima = fifth.)
Each year we invite local writers to be part of an anthology. We provide a prompt, and you create something from it.

This year’s prompt is as brief as it is broad: earth. This ties in with the theme of Local History Week (see above), so if you’re short on ideas, you could attend some of the Heritage talks and see if they spark something.

Keep an eye on the City Library website as we get closer to March, and we’ll announce submission date and process.

Find the previous Versions here.

If you've ever wanted to be a published author, here's your chance!

Here's an extract from a book about the fabulous world of buttons: All Buttons Great and Small by Lucy Godoroja, which arrived at the City Library recently. Place a hold on it by clicking the link.

The ever-vexing issue of how to sign off your emails is addressed here in Madeleine Chapman's list of signoffs, ranked worst to best. Not sure everyone would agree with the rankings, but that's the point of these lists, right?

One writer's description of being caught in "development hell" with a TV show.

Controversy at the HUGOs, as several authors' works deemed ineligible.

Is there something you’d like to see in these newsletters? A question about the library? A suggestion? Let us know and we’ll see if we can help. You can email us at pncl@pncc.govt.nz, or use the phone number below.

You received this email because you signed up to the Palmerston North City Library newsletter.
Click here to unsubscribe

Read our Privacy Statement

Palmerston North City Library
Palmerston North, Manawatu 4410
Phone: (06)3514100