Welcome to our latest instalment of the Library newsletter.

Library App Status

The Library App is currently down and we have been told by the developer that it may not be available for the foreseeable future. This is an issue affecting libraries across the world.

A solution is being developed by the provider however it may be several months before it is resolved. The current app may have some features that appear to work; however the information is outdated. We recommend deleting the app and using the mobile optimised catalogue in your phone web browser by clicking this link. 

Holiday Library Closures

Thinking of visiting the library over the holiday period to stock up on summer reading? We will be closed the following days over the Christmas/New Year period:

• Monday 25 December
• Tuesday 26 December
• Monday 1 January
• Tuesday 2 January

If you're planning to be away over the holiday period, make sure you renew any items you might need!

Library Fines Amnesty

Have you got overdue fines? Visit your local library from 13 November until 31 December and donate a non-perishable food item, toiletries or gift for a child or adult. These items will be donated to Happiness House (Whakatipu) and Community Networks Food Bank (Upper Clutha) to give others in need some items to help make Christmas a wee bit easier for those who may be struggling. Head to our website for all the details.

Thank You

We wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for their patience during the Wānaka shelving replacement as well as during the intermittent closures of the Queenstown library toilets.

Project Manawa

Help us shape the future of Queenstown Library by submitting your feedback in the Project Manawa consultation on the QLDC Let's Talk page here. 'Manawa' is te reo Māori for 'heart'. And that is what Project Manawa aims to achieve - a place in the heart of Tāhuna Queenstown that celebrates our district’s culture, heritage and community.

The submission period closes on 17 December 2023 so make sure you have your say!

Parking Strategy

Townships in the Queenstown Lakes District should be easy for everyone to get around, whether by foot, bike, car, or public transport. And when heading into town in a vehicle, parking should be easy to find and stress free. This means having enough parking in the right places for a variety of needs.

To achieve this, we need a better approach to managing parking. Please share your thoughts on QLDC's draft Parking Strategy on the Let's Talk website before 28 January 2024.

1,000 Books Before School Graduation

Last month marked the one year anniversary of our early literacy programme '1,000 Books Before School' and we celebrated with mini graduation ceremonies and a special storytime at some of our libraries. A great time was had by all!  We are so proud of the tamariki who’ve been reading up a storm all year to graduate this year’s programme. The Wānaka Library ceremony even made it into the Wānaka app news.

We're looking forward to next year and more reading! Have you got a wee one who hasn't started school yet?  Join the programme here.

How to be Cyber Smart

In today's world, the internet serves as a vast repository of information, with limitless access to learning and exploration. However, this also presents an increasing challenge — distinguishing fact from fiction. It is more crucial than ever that we hone our cyber smarts and develop a keen eye for scams or misinformation.

Below are some handy tips to help spot fake news or scams:

Here are some great fact-checking sites that might come in handy when you are wondering whether the news you've read is true:

• FactCheck.org - a product of the Annenberg Public Policy Centre, this site is excellent for checking up on political claims.
• Politifact - the Pulitzer Prize-winning Politifact researches the claims of politicians and checks their accuracy.
• Snopes.com - one of the oldest debunking sites on the Internet, Snopes.com focuses on urban legends, news stories and memes (and references their sources).
• AllSides - this site provides articles and an assessment of political bias, from the political left to the right.

And here are three quick things you can do to start being cyber smart at home and work:

• Turn on auto updates on your apps and devices;
• Set your social media settings to private; and
• Think before you click.

Check out this link for more detail on the Five quick steps to online security - Own Your Online. 

New Fiction

New Non-fiction

Staff picks

Welcome to this month's Staff Picks, where our librarians share some of the great books they've read recently. Discover hidden gems, popular titles, and diverse recommendations that will captivate your imagination and enrich your reading experience. Click here for the entire list.

Meet the Pets of the Library

We've enjoyed introducing you to the library team so much that we thought we should also introduce you to the lovely pets that keep our librarians company outside of the library.

So welcome to our new series 'Meet the Pets of the Library'.

First up we'd love to introduce you to Coro (named after the mountain Coronet Peak).

Coro is a Golden Retriever and he is 2.5 years old.

His favourite snacks are carrot sticks with peanut butter; or he's also partial to some blue cheese... Yum!

He loves swimming for sticks... the bigger the better! Or playing chase with his doggo friends... especially his bestie Izzy, she's so fast!

Coro is known to give amazing cuddles to all of his human friends, and his humans always tell him he really is the best boy.

Coro's mum is the Queenstown Branch Manager, Aoife. Sometimes the lucky Queenstown team get to say hi to Coro at the end of the day when he comes to pick his mum up from work.

Digital Spotlight

Are you looking for something to keep your kids entertained these holidays? Then look no further than our Kids resources on the Library website!

All of these resources can be accessed for free, on phones, tablets and computers, via the Library Online. All you need handy is your library card and pin/password.

Kinderling Kids brings music, stories, programs, and sleep to kids through research driven programming tailored around the energies and moods of children aged 0-9 years old. Kinderling is audio-based, offering an alternative to screens, to spark the imaginations of children.

National Geographic - Kids let's children explore amazing adventures in science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space. It includes online versions of all of the magazines and books your children may be familiar with.

Busy Things is a fun, quirky and creative online educational world for kids aged 3-11. It has over 900 games, activities and downloadable resources to make learning fun!

Britannica Library - Kids  is built and designed with younger users in mind, full of engaging and eye-catching colours and images, as well as regularly updated content that makes the homepage the perfect place to find unique material and discussion points.

TumbleBook Library brings you a selection of animated, talking picture books in English, French and Spanish for preschool through to Year 6.

LOTE4Kids allows kids to learn language and connect with books through the magic of storytelling. The platform provides thousands of audio-picture books in over 50+ World Languages, together with English translations.

Mussila offers digital solutions for children aged 6 to 10 years old, to learn with Mussila Music and Mussila Wordplay through a unique Learn, Play, and Create methodology.

Creativebug lets you experience the joy of making and creating with thousands of online art and craft video classes taught by top designers and artists.

Children & Young Adult
Staff Picks

Each month our passionate children's librarians handpick the most delightful, heartwarming, and engaging books for young readers. Below is just a taster but head to our blog for the entire list. Happy reading, little bookworms!

What's on at the library

Special Events

Get ready to roll the dice on a literary adventure! Join our Bookopoly Summer Reading Challenge, pass GO, collect stickers and stories, and go in the draw to win prizes. 

The challenge started 1 November and runs until 1 March. Click here for all the details. There's still plenty of time to get involved!

Pop into Frankton Library during December to wrap any gifts you have at our free, self-serve gift wrapping station.

The gift wrapping station will be open as follows:

• 10am - 5pm Monday - Friday
• 10.30am - 4.30pm Saturdays

Adult Programmes

Frankton

• Pages & Purrs is on every Monday during term time.
• Whakatipu Walkie Talkies is on Thursday 7 December.
• Joy Bubbles is on Tuesday 19 December.

Queenstown

• Queenstown Creative Writing Group is meeting on Thursday 14 December.
• Queenstown Library Book Club is meeting on Thursday 21 December.

Wānaka

• Festive Celebrations at Wānaka Library:
  • 4:30pm – 5:00pm Children's Holiday Storytime 
  • 5:00pm – 5:30pm Santa visit & BBQ Sausage Sizzle
  • 5:30pm – 6:30pm Community BINGO 

Children & Youth Programmes

Our regular children's programmes are on during term time. Join us for Reading to Dogs, Wriggle & Rhyme, LEGO® Club, Storytime, STEAM Club and more! Check out the What's On page of the website or as your local librarians for details.

Digital Classes

Digital Help Drop-ins are always available by appointment in Queenstown.

Frankton Library is hosting Better Digital Futures for Seniors workshops on the following dates:

• 4 December - Get to Know Your Phone
• 11 December - Managing Photos
• 18 December - Solving Common Problems

To keep up to date with all of our events, check our What's On page, follow us on social media, download a copy of our calendars, and keep an eye out for event posters and flyers when you're next in the library.

Community Events

Come and join us for a fun-filled afternoon at our Summerdaze event, held at the Frankton Beach BBQ area on Tuesday 5 December. Everyone is welcome, so grab your kids, family and friends and come along!

Whakataukī o te Marama /
Proverb of the Month

NZ Sign Language Dictionary

family

whānau
noun

That's a wrap on this library newsletter. We hope you have an enjoyable holiday season and we will catch you in 2024!

Kā mihi,
- Your Libraries Team.

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