Global issues in context: What’s your issue?

Global issues in context is a new resource focusing on big issues like war , world trade and global warming. It also tracks specific events in the news which are related to these issues, such as sectarian violence and changing weather patterns.
This allows Global issues in context to present a rich analysis of global issues. It includes:

• Perspectives drawn from editorials, feature articles and analysis from media across the globe;
• Multimedia — videos, interactive maps, images, podcasts, links to websites and audio for every article;
• Over 90 reference titles and 400 newspapers and full text journals;
• Statistics and primary resources such as personal narratives and interviews.

Global issues in context and many other useful electronic resources can be found in the Source.
Access from home with your library card number and PIN, or at our community libraries.

The Displaced Reader finds a home

Yes, folks, it’s true.  Our wandering days may soon be over, at least for a few months.  We are hanging up our car keys and bus tickets, and settling in to the latest (and, we like to think, shiniest) library in Christchurch.  Central South City is where it’s at, tucked into a corner at South City Shopping Centre, right next to the New World supermarket.

At 9am this morning, with eager crowds already waiting outside, we opened the roller door, and welcomed everyone in.  The library is (in what seems to be the phrase of the month) small but perfectly formed, and holds about 7000 items.  Most of these are newer titles, and there’s a range of popular material, including a great DVD collection.  There’s a lovely kids’ corner, complete with climbing monkeys, sparkly palm trees and bins full of picture books.  There are a couple of purple armchairs, and desks for reading or working, and great views of the mall from the big picture window.

Although Central South City won’t have magazines or music collections, we’ve got pretty much everything else that the other bigger libraries have, and by late next week we will also have internet computers, printing facilities and wireless available.  It’s beyond great for this displaced librarian to be back in her natural habitat, and playing with all the shiny new books, and chatting with customers, and doing all the things that librarians do.

All we need now is for you to drop in, check out the new library, have a chat and grab some reading for the weekend.  We’re open 9 to 6 weekdays, and from 10 – 5 weekends, so there’s really no excuse for you not to come.   We’ll even let you buy yourself a cup of coffee at the foodcourt next door when you’re leaving …

Arts festival laughs in the face of adversity

Christchurch, gird your loins, pull up your bootstraps and pop a clean hankie in your pocket. Yes, the Christchurch Arts Festival, hard out laughing in the face of adversity, is back, and at the programme launch soirée last night, a varied and exciting array of artsy acts waiting to razzle-dazzle us was revealed.

Spread over eight weekends (12 August- 2 October) with 57 diverse events, The festival is utilising previously unplundered venues including the Rudolph Steiner School Hall, Aranui High School’s theatre and most bizarrely/excitingly of all Ginger Meggs Hair Design studio. Thanks to generous sponsorship ticket prices have been kept an incredibly low $5-$20 per ticket per event leaving us with no excuse to not to feast at the fest.

And what can you expect to enjoy? Theatre, dance, music, food, ideas, a programme for schools and the visual arts: Highlights include actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand as Rita Angus, the cast of the Simpsons in MacHomer, singer/songwriter Liam Finn, band Electric Wire Hustle Family, singer/songwriter Don McGlashan, The Royal New Zealand Ballet, chef Richard Till, writer Tess Gerritsen, Baby-O an opera for babies, The Press Festival of Ideas looking at Christchurch past, present and future … the list, as they say, is endless.

Tickets are available from Monday on the Christchurch Arts Festival website and Dash Tickets. Get in fast, as demand in culture-starved Christchurch is expected to be high.

Rāmere / Paraire – Te kupu o te rā

Kia ora, it is Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori and each day we will bring you a new word related to this year’s theme Manaakitanga (hospitality, kindness, and making visitors welcome).

Rāmere / Paraire – Friday

Today’s phrase can be used to bid a warm farewell:

Kia hoki mai ano.

Come back again.

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• Māori Language Week events at Christchurch City Libraries
• We are running a photo competition celebrating Manaakitanga for the 2011 Whakanuia Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori — Māori Language Week.
• Te Reo Māori — our page of Māori language resources.

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori — Māori Language Week runs from 4 Hōngongoi — 10 Hōngongoi 2011 / 4 July — 10 July 2011. Each year The Māori Language Commission sets a theme, and in 2011 it is “Manaakitanga” — hospitality, kindness, and making visitors welcome.