Christchurch City Libraries Blog

We’ve heard a lot from excited geophysicists lately, so if you’d like to hear from someone who might move your world in a more poetic way, head to Al’s Bar tomorrow night (Wednesday 15 September) to see Iggy McGovern.

The Irish poet and physicist decided to continue with his visit to Christchurch despite the cancellation of the Christchurch Writers Festival and will launch Safe house – his new collection – tomorrow night at 6pm at Al’s Bar on Dundas Street.

We’ll all take time to get fully back to normal – perhaps some poetry would help! And spare a thought for the organisers of this major literary event – a lot of time, effort and energy was expended to make this a truly memorable festival. At the moment they don’t even have an office to work from.

Go along and lift your literary spirits!

• Read more about this event and ticket refunds
• Find Iggy McGovern in the library catalogue
• Visit Iggy McGovern’s blog

We’ve just published a page linking to the essential websites and information for the earthquake recovery.

It’ll connect you with information on welfare, insurance, buildings, businesses, civil defence and all the tools to help you get through it.

Our cool new blog for kids called the Christchurch Kids Blog was launched last week and we have lots of exciting things for you and your children to check out:

• Our Star Author – each month we have an awesome author joining us to blog about their books, writing and other things that interest them.  Our very first Star Author is New Zealand’s own Brian Falkner.  Come and find out about his new book The Project, where he gets his ideas from, and what he thinks of book reviews.
• Steve Cole, the author of Astrosaurs, Cows in Action and Slime Squad was one of the authors who was going to join us for the blog launch, but he was unable to make it.  Luckily, I still got the chance to ask Steve some questions about his books, Doctor Who, and what he does when he’s not writing.
• Canterbury kids – tell us what you think and you will go in the draw to WIN books.

There are lots of other exciting things to read and watch on the Christchurch Kids Blog so head on over and have a look.

Sixteen thousand years before the next big quake would be about the appropriate length of time, in my humble opinion. Yet no amount of logic could stop me from the primal fear that the much vaunted aftershock of 6 would occur at exactly the same time of day as the original quake and I have a sneaky suspicion I was not the only person in Christchurch with her eyes wide shut at 4:35 this Saturday morning.

But I managed to get a grip on myself and the day just got better and better from there on in. Who would have thought that the community meeting at Brooklands Hall would dish up both John Key and Bob Parker. Or that they would be so approachable, charming, considerate and helpful? There is a limit, I would have thought, to how fascinating the topic of sewerage actually is – but you would never have guessed.

I didn’t get to hug either of them, but the arrival of our very own portaloo was quite good enough for me. Nor did I get to ask those two fine men what role libraries have played in their lives or what books sit on their bedside tables at the moment. But had I managed to attract their attention, rest assured those would be the books with pride of place in my portaloo right now!

Unless you’ve got any better suggestions?

Kia ora, here is the latest information on the re-opening of Christchurch City Libraries:

Akaroa Library: Has resumed normal opening hours
Central Library: Saturday 11 September and Sunday 12 September 10 am – 4 pm; Monday 13 September to Friday 17 September 9 am – 6 pm next week
Fendalton Library: Monday 13 September to Friday 17 September 9 am – 6 pm next week
Papanui Library: Monday 13 September to Friday 17 September 9 am – 6 pm next week
South Library: Sunday 12 September 10 am – 4 pm; Monday 13 September to Friday 17 September 9 am – 6 pm next week

As of today, the Mobile Library has resumed its normal timetable and will be offering other services by special arrangement. In addition to normal stops, with the agreement of the Eastgate Mall management, the Mobile Library will also be open for library service in the Eastgate Mall car park on Monday 13 September 11.45am -1.15pm. For details about the mobile service and hours for other libraries as they open, please see the library website.

Libraries and Information Manager Carolyn Robertson thanked staff for their hard work in getting libraries re-opened:

Library teams have shown dedication and great effort to clean up and start to get Central, Akaroa and the Mobile Library up and running again – my sincere thanks to all of you who have helped. Our fantastic courier drivers were on the road as soon as they could, clearing bins, moving stock and doing other useful jobs as required.

In other libraries that have been assessed as safe, staff are busy tidying up. Some libraries remain closed until further notice while they are being assessed for structural damage. These libraries will be opened as soon as possible.

We look forward to welcoming customers back, and will let you know about other libraries as soon as we can.

Sali Mahomet making icecream in his 'dairy' behind his house at 69 Caledonia Road, St Albans

Amidst the shaking and rolling, and the blur of anxiety that has coloured this last week, it’s hard to remember that life goes on. However, for over 2500 Christchurch residents and for millions of people throughout the world, today marks the beginning of one of the most  important holidays of the year – Eid ul-Fitr. Eid ul-Fitr celebrates the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadhan, during which Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset.  Hence the name Eid ul-Fitr, which means the “Festival of Breaking the Fast”.

If you would like to know more about this holiday and about Islam in general, try some of the following links in our catalogue:

• children’s books about Eid ul-Fitr
• resources about the doctrines of Islam
• books about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

and in our Internet Gateway:

• Islam: Religion and Spirituality
• New Zealand Ethnic Communities

CINCH has information about Muslim community groups and organisations in Christchurch.  And for an insight in the life of one of Christchurch’s earliest Muslim residents, read about Sali Mahomet (aka “Ice-cream Charlie”) in our Heritage pages.

Eid Mubarak (Blessed Eid) to those of you who are celebrating!

The Mobile Library is running today Friday 10 September (Week 2 of the timetable), and tomorrow.

• Opawa Rd  – Between Grange Street and Garlands Road 12.50-1.35
• Opawa Rd – Between Reeves Road and Cholmondeley Avenue 1.45- 2.30
• Rutherford Street – Between Barton Street and the Heathcote River 2.55- 3.40

With the agreement of the Eastgate Mall management the Mobile Library will also be open for library service in the Eastgate Mall car park on Saturday 11 Sept 10.00 am – 1.00pm and again on Monday 13 Sept 11.45am -1.15pm.

For the latest information, please visit our news alerts page on the library website.

If you need information or assistance, the following websites may be of use:

• Coping with stress – from the Ministry of Health
• canterburyearthquake.govt.nz – new all-of-government website
• Christchurch City Council website
• Civil Defence – regular updates are available.
• There is further information on the ECAN (Environment Canterbury) website
• Public preparedness information on www.getthru.govt.nz
• CanterburyEarthquake.org.nz aims to display key information from local and central government and links to useful websites.
• Recover Canterbury – great information for earthquake-hit businesses

Recover Canterbury aims to offer practical advice and information to help your business recover from the Canterbury earthquake. It is brought to you by organisations including the Christchurch City Council, Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, CDC (Canterbury Development Corporation) and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.

On this site you will find information and links to answer your immediate questions, such as:

• The Government’s Earthquake Subsidy for wages
• Employee welfare
• Infrastructure and services
• Links with other businesses who may need or who may be able to offer immediate assistance
• A survey to assess the immediate needs of the business community – we need your feedback to ensure an appropriate Canterbury-wide support system is put in place by Government.

For more business information, check out the Business section on the library website. It included databases you can use from home.

Recover Canterbury – a new website for earthquake-hit businesses – is great source of practical  information in this time of need.

From getting financial and staff support and government assistance, to finding new, temporary premises, Recover Canterbury provides useful answers to your immediate questions, to help businesses get up and running again.

There is information for Christchurch, Waimakariri and Selwyn businesses. The site also offers a helpline – 0800 505 096.