A Week of it

Didn't there used to be a TV show of that name?

I digress. This week is Maori Language Week, where we celebrate one of the official languages of New Zealand. But that's not all. As well as practicing our te Reo this week, we should also be supporting and celebrating:

• The Neurological Foundation of New Zealand Annual Appeal Week. Funding for brain research is needed more than ever to improve the outcomes for the growing number of New Zealanders being diagnosed with neurological disorders from Parkinsons and Alzheimers to stroke, migraine and epilepsy (and traumatic brain injuries).


• Sir Peter Blake Trust Leadership Week. Leadership Week is an annual event that highlights the strategic relevance and value that great leadership provides for New Zealand and showcases the work being done to develop our nation’s leadership capability. Auckland Libraries are running an online competition for Leadership week - check out the competition page.


• Independence Day. A big shout out to our American residents who will have been getting all patriotic yesterday (NZ time) and today (American time) for their 4th of July celebrations. The link takes you through to an interesting website I found. Happy birthday (or Hari Huritau) U.S.A.

In addition I can report that today is Work-a-holics Day (and Carribean Day), Thursday is both Chocolate Day and Macaroni Day and Friday is Video Game Day. So sounds like there is something for everyone.

Ka kite ano

NZ Sign Language Week

This week (2nd to 9th May) is NZSL Week to help promote the language as well as raise awareness about New Zealand’s Deaf community and the issues/challenges its members face each day. New Zealand Sign Language is one of the three official languages of New Zealand.

Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand would like all New Zealanders to gain a greater understanding of New Zealand Sign Language and the Deaf Community, so this year they are asking YOU to take a walk in a Deaf person’s shoes by introducing three "heroes" who tell us what their life is like as a deaf person. You can find this as well as plenty of other resources for learning NZSL on their website Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand.

In the library we have resources to help you learn more about how to live with deafness and NZSL.

Learn the New Zealand Sign Language with resources at this link. There are books, DVD's and CD-Roms to help you out.

For the deaf community we also have Storytelling and Joke collections in NZSL.

Deafness (or any sort of hearing loss) can be debilitating. But it doesn't need to be. Here are a selection of books about the different conditions and reasons why people are deaf, what can be done to aid them, and how those of us that have hearing can help.

Many of the DVD's in the Auckland Libraries collection have special subtitles for the hearing impaired. In addition to the dialogue, these special subtitles provide additional information to draw a complete picture of what is on-screen, from what song is playing in the background to describing sound effects.

NZSL is an excellent skill to have. Not only will it enable you to communicate more readily with the deaf community but from personal experience, I know more than one sports coach who can communicate with their players on court using this skill. Who would have guessed?

Flourishing for everyBODY

That's the theme of the 2010 Mental Health Awareness Week which runs from Monday 4 October to Sunday 10 October 2010.

The statistics on mental health are quite sobering. One in five Kiwis are affected in some way by mental illness. And the sad thing about it, is that we don't talk about it. There is still a very large stigma surrounding any type of mental illness, from anxiety attacks and feeling blue through to addictions and afflictions such as Bipolar and Anorexia.

So what is Flourishing. Here's an excerpt from the Mental Health Foundation
Over the last century or more, the focus on mental health in society has been on mental disorders, and either treating or preventing them. So much so that most people think about mental health only as a problem or something negative.
There are also many more stressors on mental health today generally relating to increased pace and complexity of life.
Flourishing is a measure of mental health that has been developed within the last decade and can be used to determine the level of positive mental health in populations. When someone is flourishing they experience, most of the time, positive emotions, positive interest and engagement with world around them, and meaning and purpose in their lives. Evidence suggests that people who are flourishing are less at risk of physical and mental health problems and have better social relationships.
Flourishing is about focusing on the good things in life. It’s about the things we aspire to, both as individuals and as members of a wider community.

If you are looking for resources closer to home, the library can help, not only with the health databases which you can research from home. Look on our Library Non-fiction shelves around Call (or Dewey) number 616.8 and you may find something that will help. Sometimes it just a boost in your own self confidence that you need so another good place to look is number 158.1.

Kia whitianga te rā, ka hihi, ka whakamana, te hā, te hē, kia whai kikokiko, kia puāwai te mauri
The sun arises with each new day; its rays beckon opportunities to all living things.

Mental Health Awareness

Monday 5 October to Sunday 11 October 2009 is Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme for 2009 is Winning Ways to Wellbeing. This takes on special significance for me this year. Having witnessed the consequences of someone not reaching out for help first hand this year, this post is more than just rhetoric.


I much prefer to think of the phrase society uses "mentally ill" in the positive and look for ways to protect our mental health. So I am all in favour of the key message of this year's campaign which is to look after your mental health and has been broken down into five key points:
- Be Active
- Connect
- Give
- Learn
- Take Notice


To learn more about these five points, head to the 2009 Promotion Page on the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand website.


Mental Health and Mental Illness encompass a huge range of afflictions, from the moodiness of PMT through to the severity of schizophrenia or the prolonged awfulness of alzheimers. From having a blue day to battling bi-polar or feeling suicidal. The most important thing to know for sufferers is that you are not alone and that help is available. You may choose to come by that help through family, friends, professional help or sometimes you just need to take the first step and doing some reading to find out why you are feeling like you do and what you can do to help yourself.

Resources in the Rodney Libraries such as Living with a Black Dog (Matthew and Ainsley Johnstone), Positively Me (Marjorie Manthei) or Phobias and how to Overcome them (Gardner and Bell) help both sufferers and their family. To feel less alone, it can also help to read about others who have suffered and are prepared to open up about their experiences. John Kirwan has been one of the most high profile of these, but more recently adventure athlete Steve Gurney has added his name to those who have talked about how depression affected him. Other high profile New Zealanders who have shared their lives include Tracey Richardson, Murray Deaker, Janet Frame and Denise L'Estrange-Corbet.

And if you are suffering, whether it is a down day or something more serious (or if you think someone you know is battling), please please - talk to someone.

Scams target you: protect yourself

It's Fraud Awareness Week this week. Their aim is to show us how we can spot scams, protect ourselves from scams, and report a scam to help protect others.

Most scams originate from outside New Zealand and once money is sent overseas it is virtually impossible to recover.

There's a new website ScamWatch which is designed to provide information we need to Protect Yourself from scams so we can recognise a set-up and avoid the hook and the inevitable sting of a scam.
The SCAMwatch Alert section keeps us informed of scams that are out there circulating in the New Zealand community, so we can be aware and prepared for them.

AVOID RIP OFFS. DON’T RESPOND.
Offers that sound too good to be true trick you into giving away your heart, money, or your personal details. They never deliver what you want. Don’t be sucked in. Fight the scammers - don’t respond

All information from the Consumer Affairs Scamwatch website.

Conservation Week 7 - 14 September 2008

"Meet the locals" - that's the theme for this years Conservation Week. In my experience the locals tend to keep to themselves although half the fun is in trying to spot them. You can often hear them somewhere in the distance.

Here's what's on in Rodney. For other Auckland activites check the events listing on the website.

Free workshops - How to plant a native garden
Create your own wildlife sanctuary by learning which native plants are suited to your local climate and will attract indigenous birds to your garden. Discover how to plan for, plant and maintain a variety if native species with expert advice from your local garden centre.
Workshop dates, times and venues:
Friday 12 September 10am - 11.30am, Kaipara Coast Plant Centre, 1481 Kaipara Coast Highway, Kaukapakapa
Saturday 13 September 10am - 11.30am, Kings Plant Barn, Hibiscus Highway, Silverdale

Sunday 14 September 10am - 11.30am, Kaipara Coast Plant Centre, 1481 Kaipara Coast Highway, Kaukapakapa

More information and contact: Please call the Rodney District Council 0800 4265169 or email info@rodney.govt.nz

Animal pest workshop: Stage 2
A hands-on workshop to gain technical information and practical skills in controlling animal pests. This workshop is designed for those people who have already attended a beginners’ workshop or who already have previous experience. Held jointly by the Auckland Regional Council and DOC.
Date: Saturday 13 SeptemberTime: 9.30am – 2.30pm

Venue/meeting place: The woolshed at Tawharanui Regional Park

Important information for attendees: Lunch and refreshments provided. Free product for all participants. Places are limited so bookings are essential. Contact Su Sinclair at the Auckland Regional Council, su.sinclair@arc.govt.nz, +64 9 366 2000 x8192

Talks: “A pest-free peninsula”; “Threatened reptiles”; “Returning wildlife” - by Matt Maitland (ARC Parks Open Sanctuary Coordinator)
The process towards creating an Open Sanctuary at Shakespear Regional Park has just begun. Listen to talks from the ranger and meet members of the Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society Inc (SOSSI) and learn about how they are helping in the process.
Date: Sunday 14 September Time: 11am onwards at the Old Woolshed, Te Haruhi Bay, Shakespear Regional Park

Important information for attendees: Bring your enquiring mind

Bookings are required because the venue is small, sue.hill@arc.govt.nz, +64 9 426 1200

Goldies bush walk
Explore this beautiful local piece of bush with the Kaipara Forest and Bird and enjoy a relaxed bush walk around the track circuit, including a stunning waterfall. The walk takes around 3 hours, lunch on the way.
Date: Sunday 14 September

Meeting place: We will meet at the Constable Road entry to Goldies Bush at 10am

Important information for attendees: Bring boots, raincoat, warm layers, lunch, drink, personal medication and first aid.More information and booking: Kaipara Forest and Bird, suzi@dialogue.co.nz

Riparian planting: Show and tell
Have you been thinking about planting along the stream or riverbank on your patch of dirt? Join the Matakana Landcare at a local property to see what can be achieved, with some plantings 8 years old.
Date: Sunday 14 September Time: 10am - 12pm on the Wenzlick farm at 264 Matakana Valley Road, Matakana, Warkworth.

Important information for attendees: Gumboots could be needed. This event is informal with easy walking.

More information and booking: Kath Heath +64 9 422 7225

Books for volunteers

Since it's time to celebrate our community volunteers I thought I'd do a keyword search on 'volunteer**' in the catalogue to see what I could find. The Keyword search searchs the entire record for the word or words you've typed in. It looks through the title, author, subject, and summary entries. The double * on the end stand in for any extensions to the word e.g. -ing, -s, -ed, etc.

With 234 titles returned I can't list them all so here are a few of the highlights

Volunteer : a traveller's guide to making a difference around the world / [authors, Charlotte Hindle ... [et al.]].
"A volunteering handbook that offers insights, advice and practical information on making a difference with your travels. It is arranged by type of experience (such as organised, structured and self-funding, and do-it-yourself). This book covers both formal, long- and short-term placements with volunteer organisations."


Chicken soup for the volunteer's soul : stories to celebrate the spirit of courage, caring and community / Jack Canfield ... [et al.].
An inspirational collection celebrates the spirit of volunteering.





The wild green yonder : ten seasons volunteering on New Zealand's organic farms / Philippa Jamieson.
"Itching for a change, city girl Philippa Jamieson quits her cosy job in Dunedin to travel around New Zealand on the WWOOF scheme (World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, also known as Willing Workers on Organic Farms). Over the course of two-and-a-half years she volunteers at 40 locations - market gardens, livestock farms, communes - many of which truly lie in the wild and hairy yonder. Along the way Philippa meets a bevy of diverse characters: the irrepressible farm host who's built his own coffin - with a limerick for an epitaph; Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons; and many more, not forgetting Thelma the goat. Some of our unsung heroes can be found in these pages: forward-thinking Kiwis who are quietly working away at producing healthy food without toxins, saving heirloom crop varieties, practising self-sufficiency and improving the soil for the next generation. Informative, entertaining and affectionate, The Wild Green Yonder offers inspiration to anyone with a yen for life's positive alternatives, as well as a unique view on where organic farming is at in New Zealand today."

Tiritiri Matangi : a model of conservation / Anne Rimmer.
"Tiritiri Matangi Island is a conservation success story of international significance. Thousands of trees, planted by volunteers, and the release of rare and endangered birds have produced today's world-famous open sanctuary near Auckland, New Zealand, which attracts over 33,000 visitors per year. This book describes the island's history, its Maori occupation, the farming period, wartime activites, the historic lighthouse as well as the subsequent conservation project."

Books for Coasters : the early years of the libraries of Silverdale, Orewa and Whangaparaoa, 1935 to 1989 / by Anthony G. Flude.
"Published ... in recognition of the work of Hibiscus Coast library volunteers."

Volunteer Awareness Week 15-21 June 2008

Rodney District has always had a strong volunteer ethic. The Libraries are fortunate to benefit from the many people throughout the district who want to give something back to the community.

We can’t operate without our Volunteers. They shelve books, check in returns, help out on the desks, deliver to Housebound Customers, cover the new books and mend the ones that have been enjoyed just that little too much.

So if you see someone in the Library wearing a volunteer badge, go up to them today and tell them how much they are appreciated by you as a Library Customer.

Thank you to all of our 238 library volunteers!

Dyslexia awareness week - blessing in disguise

Dyslexia - a Blessing in Disguise is the theme for this year's Dyslexia Awareness Week, 16 - 22 June.

The Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand is focusing on "...promoting greater understanding and acceptance of dyslexia as an alternative way of thinking and one that can offer wonderful creative gifts as well as bringing some learning challenges. The theme refers to the gifts of creativity as well as the difficulties and coping strategies which are the 'disguise'."

"Dyslexia is a term used to describe a range of persistent difficulties children have with reading and writing, and often including spelling, numeracy or musical notation. Students with dyslexia do not make expected progress in these areas in spite of good teaching and the type of extra support that would be helpful for most other children." There is more information on the Ministry of Education Team-Up website. Last year the Ministry formally acknowledged dyslexia as an issue in school. An outline of their work programme and approach can be found on the TKI website.

Rodney Libraries have a number of books on Dyslexia that might be useful. Try the Encyclopedias or Health online databases from the E-resources page. They have excellent articles and entries which are often full-text (i.e. the full article not just a description). One of these articles "DYSLEXIA" from "SICK! Diseases and Disorders, Injuries and Infections." Online Edition. Detroit: U*X*L, 2008, has this definition "Dyslexia is not a disease. It is a condition in which a person's brain learns in a different way from that of other people. Many people with dyslexia are very intelligent and successful. The condition has nothing to do with a person's intelligence. Dyslexics are often highly talented in many areas, including art, athletics, drama, music, and engineering. These talents often require the ability to bring together sight, spatial skills (the ability to locate objects in three-dimensional space using sight and/or touch), and coordination." (Found via the Health and Wellness Resource Centre e-resource.)

The NZ Herald has a story on Geoff Blackwell, "Opening the door to the joy of words". He's one of the men behind the project "Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship." He also has dyslexia.