Top 5 for Friday - Still Watchable

I was reading a discussion in another place on the Web this week about what TV programmes you would like to see brought back and what should be cancelled (no huge surprise that the reality shows were well supporter under the latter category). It all got me thinking about how many of the shows mentioned, we could still source. And if we could, are they available at the library. The answer for many is "Yes".

So the Top 5 for this Friday comes to you courtesy of my own peculiar TV viewing tastes but with the advice that if you want to find your favourite show of old (or something more recent), you can search our catalogue with either the title or just a general Television Programmes keyword search.

1. Babylon 5. Before I became addicted to Doctor Who (the old black and white theme song used to scare me witless when I was a kid) and it's offshoot Torchwood (Capt Jack), there was Babylon 5. This five season story always left me wanting more by exploring good, bad and shades of all manner of grey that lie inbetween. Strong characters, innovative special effects and the tight storyline which left little red herrings but always knew where it was going. A honourable mention in the science fiction category goes to The Tomorrow People from the 1970's which I did watch as a kid.


2. Bonanza. They don't seem to make westerns as TV series anymore but when I was growing up there were heaps of them. My favourite was Alas Smith & Jones, but alas, the only copy in Auckland Libraries is currently missing so my excitement at finding it listed was shortlived. Bonanza easily sweeps into second place as the most popular western of it's day (although The Virginian for adult audiences and the Lone Ranger for the kids we also popular). Set in Virginia City, Nevada, Bonanza tells the story of the Cartwrights, owners of a nearly 600,000 acre ranch - The Ponderosa.


3. Joe 90. Before Ben 10 there was... Joe 90, a young boy with glasses who sat in a chair which spun round and round very fast. Today it probably looks gimmicky and quite stunted. But that will be half the fun of getting it out and watching it with your children (or grandchildren) to show them what you used to watch as a kid. What better way to spend one of the wet afternoons we are almost certain to have over the school holidays. Joe 90 comes from the same era as The Thunderbirds who are as popular as ever. Professor Ian "Mac" McClaine, a brilliant computer expert, has invented an incredible device called The Brain Impulse Galvanoscope Record and Transfer (Big Rat). It enables the knowlege and experience of one person to be transfered to another. He demonstrates the machine to his friend Sam Loover, by transfering his own brain patterns to his adopted son Joe. Joe with the aid of this technology and some special glasses becomes The World Intelligence Network's (W.I.N.) most special agent, fighting for justice and saving human life.


4. The British Comedies. I couldn't decide which of these I liked the most and was going to go on the Top 5 so I am cheating by listing several. At the time I couldn't see the humour in Fawlty Towers or Some Mothers do have em, but nowadays can respect the skill and talent. Dad's Army was however a favourite as were the Two Ronnies in any of the incarnations. The absolute skill of one man sitting in a chair telling jokes, with his only the support the bottle of "water" on the table beside him, introduced me to stand up (or sit down) comedy in the form of Dave Allen.


5. M*A*S*H. But when it comes to Amercian comedies it doesn't get any better than the comedy and drama of the 4077th MASH unit. I laughed until I cried and sometimes I just cried (nothing ever wrong with a good sob during a movie or TV programme). Hawkeye, Radar, Klinger and Hotlips are immediately identifiable as the best in TV viewing. Three Korean War Army surgeons adopt a hilarious, lunatic lifestyle as an antidote to the tragedies of their Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and in the process infuriate army bureaucrats.

If you would like to get even more nostalgic, either with your families or with your friends, there is plenty more on offer at the Library. From an furry little brown creature named ALF and the birth of superstar Johnny Depp in 21 Jump Street even further back in time to Petticoat Junction, Here's Lucy and On the Buses. If you have a favourite show, see if you can find it on our catalogue (and if we don't have it you can also suggest that we consider it for purchase).

Have a safe and dry weekend everyone.

Winter Warmups for July School Holidays

It's almost the School Holidays. If you are staying close to home, here is what's happening in the local libraries so you can entertain the kids.

Helensville Library
Mondays 18 & 25 July 10.30am Fireside favourites storytime & wintry crafts
Wednesdays 20 & 27 July 10.30am Scavenger hunt. Two age groups - under 7 and 7 - 13 years.

Kumeu Library
Tuesday 21 & 26 July Fireside favourites storytime 10.30am, Suitable ages 4 to 8 years
Scavenger hunt Running continuously through the holidays. For two age groups - under 7 and 7 - 13 years.

Mahurangi East Library
Tuesday 19 July Hibernate with bear stories @10.30am, Bring your teddy along for stories, a bear hunt and picnic.
Thursday 21July Who's hibernating in the library?10.30am, Stories and games. Learn to make a bird feeder.
Tuesday 26 July Who lives in the snow storytime @ 10.30am. Stories with a wintry theme.
Thursday 21 July Winter wonderland 10.30am. Stories, snowball fights and games. Learn to make a snow globe. Suitable for school age children.

Orewa Library
Wednesday 20 & 27 July 2.30pm - 3.30pm. Stories, games and craft

Warkworth Library
Monday 18 July Nursery rhymes & fairy tales @10.30am, Enjoy traditional stories, songs and nursery rhymes.
Wednesday 20 July When the lights go out. 10.30am - 11.30am, Stories and games galore for when there’s no TV. Board Game-athon contest.
Monday 25 July Rainy day stories 10.30am. Stories and songs with a wintery theme.
Wednesday 27 July Winter Survival skills both new and old. 10.30 - 11.30am. See if you have what it takes to survive winter.
Wednesday 27 July @ 6pm. Our special Milo and Marshmallows Family storytime. Bring your mug and a cushion. Dress in your favourite PJs. Get ready for some fun!

Wellsford War Memorial Library
Thursday 21 July Winter fun @ 10.30am, Stories scavenger hunt. And make a pinwheel.
Thursday 28 July Winter stories and craft @ 10.30am, There’ll be stories. Learn how to make a snowflake card.

Whangaparaoa Library
Wednesday 20 July Penguin party 2.30pm, Stories and games with an Arctic theme. Come dressed in black and white! Suitable for school-age children.
Wednesday 27 July Winter warm ups 2.30pm, Stories and crafts with a wintry theme. Suitable for school-age children.

Winter Warmup School Holiday programmes are being run throughout Auckland in the libraries.
If you are visiting somewhere else, check out our events page

Detectives and Swords

Sally has had her head in a new fantasy series over the last few weeks. Here's what she has to say.

Alex Bledsoe has written a series of hard-boiled detective, high fantasy novels, the latest of which (Dark Jenny, released earlier this year) I found on the Fantasy e-Newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.

It might sound like a odd mix, but it works well in a sort of send-up and homage to both genres. Eddie LaCrosse is a sword-jockey, former mercenary, one-time nobleman, and a match for the heroes of either genre. Set in a medieval world, the characters are wonderfully modern and wry. I particularly enjoy the way Eddie talks about his swords - like the specialist tools they are, with all sorts of wonderful features (such as the sword that has a safety catch - read Burn me deadly to find out how that works.). I'd half expect to find sword catalogues spread all over his desk.

There are three in the series so far and you can read them in any order you like, but I'd reccommend doing as I did and start at the beginning. The Sword-edged blonde is the first, followed by Burn me deadly and Dark Jenny. I've been reading these almost exclusively for the two weeks or so, and now the rest of my family has started on them. Highly reccommended.

The Sword-edged blonde - It should have been a case like any other: a missing princess, a king willing to pay in gold for her return. But before he realises it, private investigator Eddie LaCrosse, a slightly shopworn sword jockey with a talent for discretion and detection, is swept up in a web of mystery and deceit involving a brutally murdered royal heir, a queen accused of an unspeakable crime, and the tragic past he thought he had left behind.

Burn me deadly - Above Angelina's Tavern in down-and-dirty Neceda you'll find the office of Eddie LaCrosse, a freelance sword jockey who, for twenty-five gold pieces a day, will take on any task short of murder for hire. Eddie's on his way back from a routine investigation when his horse almost runs down a half-naked blonde in serious trouble. Against his better judgment, he promises to protect the frightened young woman, only to find himself waylaid by unknown assailants and left for dead beside her mutilated body. Eddie isn't the kind of guy to just let something like this pass. But who killed Laura Lesperitt? Eddie's quest for payback leads him to a tangled mystery involving a notorious crime lord, a backwoods dragon cult, royal scandals, and a duplicitous femme fatale who has trouble keeping her clothes on. As bodies pile up, attracting the unwelcome attention of the king's guards, Eddie must use all his wits if he hopes to survive.

Dark Jenny - When beautiful Queen Jennifer is accused of adultery and murder, Eddie finds himself drafted at sword's point to solve the mystery. With time running out, and powerful nobles all too eager to pin the murder on Eddie himself, he must unravel a tangled web of palace intrigues, buried secrets, and bewitching women - before the entire kingdom erupts into civil war.

Silver for the Silver Ferns

I was really hoping that there would be a different title to today's blog. So close and yet so far away (and a million other cliches which will no doubt be rolled out after another epic battle on the netball courts last night between the Silver Ferns and the Australian Diamonds - just in case anyone doesn't know what I am talking about)

I am proud of our girls, chuffed that we made the Diamonds work so hard, gutted that we had it and let it go, not sure if it helps that it was just the toss of the coin (or the umpire's call) and basically just exhausted. Which is probably only a small percentage of what the Silver Ferns and their team of supporters are feeling.

So with some seriousness (but also a little tongue in cheek), here are today's Library resources to help everyone survive the loss.

Grief - This is the result of a subject search so you can narrow down if you are looking for something specific. How to survive it, how to help other's survive it, talking to children, biographies of how other's coped. The truth is that everyone does it in a different way but hopefully there is something here.

Sport in New Zealand - A whole range of books and titles looking at why sport is so important in New Zealand and asking whether or not this is a good thing.

Silver Ferns - Regardless of the result last night, the Ferns are (and always will be) a champion team. Check out their history and some of the characters of the sport here.

Of course we will be winning the Constellation Cup later this year (although I imagine the girls won't be thinking of that at the moment) and just think of the satisfaction when we come home with the Trophy from Sydney in 4 years time. In the meantime, there is always the Rugby World Cup to look forward to.

Top 5 for Friday - Snippets from the Book World

It's been a while since I have done this. Surveyed the news from New Zealand and around the world for worthy and quirky snippets which may be of interest. What better way to finish off the week than this.

1. Keep Libraries Free. I am not a particularly political person, but when the Labour Party announced this week it was drafting legislation designed to keep Public Library services free to all New Zealanders, I was prepared to sit up and take notice. “Public libraries play an important role in our communities. They give everyone access to information and improve literacy and reading, and in many communities are the hub of a diverse range of activities. They also play an important role in strengthening those communities." said Party spokesperson Grant Robertson.


2. Authors Join Forces. Look out for a new crime novel due to hit the shelves of the library soon. No Rest for the Dead is the product of 26 of the best writers of the crime, thriller, mystery genre including Jeffrey Deaver and Kathy Reichs.


3. Guests of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2012 will be New Zealand. "So What?" I hear you cry. Actually in terms of publishing things don't get much bigger than this. "Each year, a different country is selected to be the focus of the five-day Frankfurt Book Fair. But it is not just the fair itself which gives New Zealand an opportunity to take centre-stage - we are also expected to develop a year-long programme of events throughout Germany leading up to the fair in October 2012. " (source NZ Herald). A further press release can be found on the Ministry of Culture & Heritage website.


4. Librarians Adapt to meet the needs of the Internet age. While this may not be news to any librarian out there, or to most of our regulars, there are still some people, scarred by childhood experiences of stern sshhhhh-ing who don't know that librarians are adaptable beings. This Reuters article scratches the surface of today's library experience.


5. Real Northland Men Read Books. This was my favourite headline of the week and it comes from the Northern Advocate. Pakotai School invited "real men" to come in and be role models for their students, showing them that reading was "important and a lifelong skill". Rugby players, policiticans and policeman rubbed shoulders with local farmers and businesspeople in what appears to be a very successful initiative. A very simple and practical idea. Well done Pakotai.

Have an awesome weekend everyone. Keep practising your Te Reo.