Dunedin Public Libraries News & Reviews Blog

Last week the library enjoyed musical performances from a number of artists including the DCC Roopu Waiata, Delgirl, Bev Kaye, Dunedin Harmony Chorus and Peter Weatherall.

Peter performs next at Waikouaiti library this Wednesday May 7th from 1.30pm while acoustic duo, Leo LaDell & Paul Southworth - better known as ‘The Resonators’ will perform at Port Chalmers Library on Thursday May 8th from 7.00pm

City Library - Saturday

• 1.30pm - Dunedin Harmony Chorus - The Dunedin Harmony Chorus sings a mix of upbeat songs and ballads in the Barbershop style.

City Library - Sunday

• 1.30pm - Peter Weatherall - Musician, storyteller & animator. Peter writes songs and stories for kids.

For more upcoming performances download our full gig guide here

We’re underway and there’s some great performances at your library this Friday

City Library

• 12 noon - DCC Roopu Waiata - Waiata and waiata a ringa from the DCC Roopu Waiata open this years Music Month performances
• 12.30pm - Delgirl - A three piece self confessed alt-country act. Double baa, guitar, percussion, trumpet and ukulele all get a look-in.

Mosgiel Library

• 2.00pm - Bev Kaye - Bev will be playing musical sounds on the piano keyboard at the official opening of the Mosgiel Library Music Room

For more upcoming performances download our full gig guide here

As part of Turn Off TV Week Blueskin Bay Library hosted a Pet Day on Thursday.

Many of our furry, feathery and fluffy friends attended, including cats and dogs, geese (one looked very much like Jemima Puddleduck!)and rabbits. Those without real live pets brought along the toy variety.

The sausage eating competition was a definite highlight.

Other prizes were also given out, including ones for the best trick and the naughtiest pet!

A great time was had by all.

Want to learn more about Hector’s Dolphins and find out what you can do to help them?

Then come along to Blueskin Bay Library to:

Find out why these marine mammals are so special
See some fantastic photos of the Hector’s Dolphins
Have fun learning about their habits and threats through some interactive games
Create a poster for the Hector’s Dolphin patchwork mural
Be in for a chance to win a Hector’s Dolphin T-shirt

• Wednesday 30th April at 3pm
• Blueskin Bay Library
• FREE EVENT

Bellowing alligators and howling lemurs may seem unlikely musicians, but they play important parts in a symphony that uses only animal calls. British composer Nick Glennie-Smith collects performances from a variety of fascinating instrumentalists and vocalists, including rattlesnakes, baby monkeys and even a fish that hums.

• Thursday 1 May 10.30am & 5.30pm
• First Floor
• Dunedin City Library
• FREE EVENT

The twenty finalists have been announced in this years NZ Post Book Awards.

The winners will be announced on Wednesday May 21st.

The categories and finalists are:

Picture Books

• The Kings Bubbles - Ruth Paul
• Out of the egg - Tina Matthews
• Rats! - Gavin Bishop
• Tahi: one lucky kiwi - Melanie Drewery
• To the harbour - Stanley Palmer

Junior Fiction

• Dead Dan’s Dee - Phyllis Johnston
• The dumpster saga - Craig Harrison
• The mad tapdpole adventure - Melanie Drewery
• Sitting on the fence: the diary of Martin Daly - Bill Nagelkerke
• Snake and Lizard - Joy Cowley

Non Fiction

• A mini guide to the identification of New Zealand’s land birds - Andrew Crowe
• Reaching the summit: Sir Edmund Hillary’s story - Alexa Johnston
• Weather watch New Zealand - Sandra Carrod
• What is a fish? - Fena Tu’akoi
• Which New Zealand spider? - Andrew Crowe

Young Adult Fiction

• Salt - Maurice Gee
• The sea-wreck stranger - Anna Mackenzie
• Tomorrow all will be beautiful - Brigid Lowry
• The transformation of Minna Hargreaves - Fleur Beale
• Zilla - Penelope Todd

Mosgiel Library is proud to announce that it is launching it’s very own Music room on Friday 2 May at 2pm.

The collection of scores, albums and sheet music have been collected over a number of years and after much work it is catalogued and available for borrowing.

This is a unique collection to the Dunedin Public Libraries.

To celebrate the opening we have Bev Kaye playing a selection from our collection on the keyboard.

We are thrilled to have Kate Wilson from the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board to open the room.

There will be a small afternoon tea to celebrate this event.

All enquiries to Mosgiel Library on 4743660

Recently Mosgiel and Blueskin Bay Libraries featured on National Radio with our talented staff interviewed about the ‘Turn Off TV Week’ promotion running until April 27th.

Have a listen to the interview on the Radio New Zealand website.

Note that the interview may only be available for 7 days past its broadcast date.

Check out what Mosgiel and Blueskin Bay libraries are up to during Turn Off TV Week.

Waitati’s own Mandy Mayhem read us all stories for Turn Off TV Week at the Blueskin Nursery Cafe. A great group of young and old turned up for hot chocolates, coffees and free fluffies for the kids.

Mandy read

‘The Princess and the White Bear King’ by Tanya Batts

and ‘Bad Jelly the Witch’ by Spike Milligan.

We then got to see and feel lots of different kinds of modern cloth nappies.

Michelle came along from the Nappy Network to show us these and answer any questions. She’ll be at the Mosgiel library on Thursday too!

Michelle highlighted the DCC $20 off nappy starter pack and all the reasons why these nappies are great to use!