News from the Nelson Public Libraries

New Zealand Poetry Day

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:53:03 +1200

The Elma Turner Library celebrates New Zealand Poetry Day on 30th July 2010 with Poetry readings at the library. You can bring along a poem to read, or just listen at the open mic readings 12.30pm to 1.30pm. All poets welcome.

From 26^th July there is a Poetry Wall in the library where you can pin up your own poem or your favourite poem.

Drinks after work

Sound bites of energy

coloured riffs threaded with

emotive intellect and innuendo

layered overtones and undertones

releasing tension safely into company

thought tracks cross paths of sepia secrets

and you lace trust in the spirit of sub rosa as

ideas are pushed to the brink of sanity

with the serious tumbling into hilarity

which makes you smile at 3am

when sleep escapes and you

wonder why you didn’t

think of that

and mind to

revisit it

from another angle

at drinks after work next week.

Here are two already posted on the wall. Both poems are written by Top of the South poets, the first in approximately 1867.

The Emigrants farewell

by W. Moore

(from “The farewell and other poems”)

I in foreign countries must seek for the pleasures

And favors of fortune I here cannot find

Yet still I remember, with warmest affection,

My country and friend that is faithful and kind.

Now farewell to Scotland and all her blue mountains,

Her wood-skirted valleys so blooming and gay:

Her dark winding streams, and her clear siller fountains,

Dear land of my forefathers, farewell for aye.

Albion Square Chain

by Anon

You once could measure with your brains

In links and inches yards and chains

And long before the metric curse

With coin of the realm still in your purse,

You could pace out distance with your feet

Or use the lampposts in the street.

And back when all the globe seemed red

And teachers were still held in dread,

You sat up straight on seats with cracks

And learnt imperial’s obtuse facts.

This all came back in Albion Square

When I saw The Chain located there.

Watch this space for more poems

Māori Language Week 26 July - 01 August 2010

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:54:28 +1200

Visit the Elma Turner Library and celebrate with us

Displays of resources

Get Information about locally available Te Reo classes

Have fun - check out fun stuff in front of red wall, children’s tunnel and Non fiction display area

A variety of self-challenging Te Reo games will be available

We are working on organising Kapa Haka performances at lunchtimes - watch this space...

‘Te Mahi Kai – The Language of Food’ is the theme for 2010

Learn Māori

Whakahuatanga - Pronunciation

Ingoa Wāhi o Aotearoa - Aotearoa place names

Ngā Mihi - Greetings

more study resources - visit www.korero.maori.nz/forlearners

Who Else Writes Like

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:02:26 +1200

The Library now provides access to Who Else Writes Like. This is the online version of the book designed to help fiction readers who have read all the books by their favourite authors and are seeking new names to try. Of course, no author writes exactly like another, but the selection of alternatives provided should help to narrow the choices from the hundreds of titles available. Try it out and see what you think!

Access the database from the Who Else Writes Like link here, or from our research databases page.

The Libraries get PressDisplay

Mon, 03 May 2010 15:38:22 +1200

Read newspapers from around the world

Nelson Public Libraries now provide access to PressDisplay, which offers the digital editions, on the day of publication, of national and local newspapers published by Fairfax around the world, and in a range of languages.

There is good coverage of New Zealand newspapers, including local papers the Nelson Mail and the Leader. Papers are available for 90 days from date of publication, are fully searchable, with print, email, translation and audio options. Have a look!

Where to access

PressDisplay can be accessed at computers in each of our libraries – Elma Turner, Nightingale or Stoke.

Find it on the library’s online resources pages

Or, access directly at http://library.pressdisplay.com

The Library can provide assistance and training with this database. Talk to us at the Information Desk, or contact Nelson Public Libraries for further information: 546 0406 or library.info@ncc.govt.nz

This is how the publishers describe PressDisplay...

"Library.PressDisplay.com is the most convenient and complete way to read all your favorite newspapers and magazines on one site. With Library PressDisplay users gain access to publications from the day they are published. The Library PressDisplay site provides readers with comprehensive search and bookmarking tools. SmartNavigation now also provides readers with a traditional 2-page newspaper view, table of contents, article jumps (linking article sections) and easy to read text views.

Library PressDisplay further improves on newspaper reading with instant translation. Now readers can translate their newspaper into one of ten major foreign languages. Page and article sharing, RSS and blogging features enhance the traditional newspaper and magazine experience.

Library.PressDisplay.com provides a global perspective on the world's events, by delivering a wide range of publications to readers."

Nelson Historical Society Journal online

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:08:15 +1300

The Nelson Historical Society Journal is now available online, from issue 1. Browse the pages as they appear in print, or use the keyword search function.

The digitisation of the Journals is a joint project of the Friends of the Nelson Library Inc, the Nelson Historical Society and the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre. Access the Journals from the project page on NZETC, from the Prow, from Index New Zealand or find articles via a web search engine.

Tips on finding information on the Journals can be found on the Prow.

Breakout and Fundview available from home!

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:26:48 +1300

Nelson Public Libraries has long provided in-library access to the online resources Breakout and Fundview.

Breakout lists New Zealand awards, scholarships and grants for individuals

Fundview is a listing of community funding available in New Zealand.

Both resources are constantly updated, comprehensive in their scope and easy to use. Both are now available from home.

To access, click on the link "access from outside the library" and enter your library barcode number.

If you need any assistance, contact the library: library.info@ncc.govt.nz or 03 546 8100

Libraries trial Virtual Shelf Browser

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:12:00 +1300

Introducing Virtual Shelf Browser

Browse your library’s shelves electronically!

Shelf Browser lets you to see where a book sits on your actual shelves, and what’s near it. It gives another smart look and feel to our catalogue.

Shelf Browser runs together with other LibraryThing for Libraries enhancements, like reviews, recommendations and tags.

Nelson Public Libraries will be trialling this new product untill the end of March 2010.

We would like to ask you to provide us with a feedback.

Surf to the catalogue

Virtual Shelf Browser sample

The Prow website has now more stories than ever before

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +1300

The Prow stories counter: 138

Get your copy of the Prow Newsletter (PDF @ 732 kB)

Click on the image and find out more about the Prow website

Libraries launch cell phone friendly catalogue

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:30:00 +1300

The Nelson Public Libraries now offer a cell phone/mobile edition of the library catalogue. It is now even easier to look up books or any other library items, place reserve requests, check on your account, and more with the library's catalogue on your iPhone, Blackberry, or mobile device of choice!

This cell phone friendly version of the libraries’ catalogue loads quickly and is easy to read on a small screen. Together with free Wi-Fi offered in the Libraries it’s an ideal and convenient searching tool for all library users who are keen on using their own mobile devices while searching for libraries’ vast resources.

Type the following URL in your cell phone browser in and add it as a bookmark for quick access to libraries’ catalogue.

http://nelsonpubliclibraries.co.nz/m

If you have any questions, please contact the Library IT Specialist Ales Vanek (library.info@ncc.govt.nz).

[Published by LIVE NELSON, 24 February 2010]

USB sticks for sale

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:49:00 +1300

Nelson Public Libraries offer branded USB sticks for sale

The Libraries now have branded 2 GB USB stick for sale at $18 each.

Please ask at the issues desk

Did you know that on 2 GB USB stick you can store:

- up to 650 photos (10 MB camera/device setup)

- up to 45 minutes of video footage (5 MB camera setup)

- up to 300 songs of average length of 4 minutes

Check out the latest Library newsletter

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:16:00 +1300

Click here for your copy

Self-check your items and save time

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:30:00 +1200

If you're in a hurry or tired of queuing to issue items, why not try our new self service issue machines at Elma Turner Library?

There's a machine in the fiction section, non-fiction section and in the Children's Library. They'll issue everything except DVDs, including books, magazines, CDs, cassettes and multi-items.

To use the machines simply:

Scan your library card barcode under the red scan line.
Turn the items upside-down so that the library item barcode is face-up.
Run the spine of the item through the red scan line steadily all the way to the bottom of the "V" cradle.
Leave the item in the cradle until the machine makes a "clunk/ding" sound.

Ask a staff member to help you use the machines for the first time, or follow the instructions provided.

The new machines are very reliable and also allow you to check your account on-screen. We hope you'll enjoy using them!

In order to watch videos on youtube.com site, make sure that you have access to the following system requirements:

1. Macromedia Flash Player 7.0+ plug-in
2. Windows 2000 or higher with latest updates installed
3. Mac OS X 10.3 or higher
4. Firefox 1.1+, Internet Explorer 5.0+ or Safari 1.0+