Monday the 5th June is the first official King’s Birthday celebration.
King Charles III, head of state of New Zealand
This is the first King’s Birthday Weekend since the ascension of King Charles III to the throne. It was decided in 2022 to keep the first Monday in June as a day of celebration of the sovereign. Previously this day was Queens Birthday Weekend so it is going to take some time to get used to the new name.
King Charles III’s birthday is actually on 14th November…he was born in 1948 so he is currently 74 years old.
All branches of the Ara Library will be closed for the day and our normal hours of operation will recommence on Tuesday 6th June at 7 am. From all of us here at Ara Library we wish you a peaceful and productive long weekend and we look forward to seeing you when we reopen.
Join us at City and Timaru Campuses, or online, to create and share your Blackout Poetry. Making Blackout Poetry is easy and lots of fun, and there are chocolate prizes up for grabs. Add your entry to the wall in the library, or share it with us here, before Sunday 26 March to be in to win
Check out the images for further instructions and ideas
From Monday the 20th March, the Library will return to our usual longer opening hours. This means we will be open mornings, Friday nights and over the weekends.
From next Monday the Ara City Campus Library will be open :
These hours should continue right through to the end of 2023 but we will advise of any changes as they occur.
We just wanted to let you know that the Library at Madras Campus is open for business for the new year.
We have returned from our Christmas break and will be open from 8 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday from now until the end of January. The library spaces at Manawa and Timaru will reopen later this month.
Come in and see us as you prepare for study in 2023.
The Library will be closed on Monday 24th October for the Labour Day Holiday.
Labour Day commemorates the eight-hour working day initiated by the labour union movement over a century ago. It is celebrated on the fourth Monday in October.
The āeight-hour dayā recognises that each day has eight hours for work, eight for rest and eight for recreation. The origin of New Zealandās labour movementĀ goes back to 1840.
We will reopen on Tuesday 25th October at 8 am.
From all of us here at the Library we hope you have a restful day.
Nei rÄ ngÄ mihi o te MÄhuru ki a tÄtou! ā Happy spring to you all!
MÄhuru doesn’t just mean September. The translation of MÄhuru (beginning of Spring), refers to the fact that the earth has now acquired warmth.
As such, it also represents a time to promote the planting of crops for our MÄra Kai (Gardens.)
Different narratives are shared by many Iwi. Traditionally the month starts during the period of either Rakaunui (the full moon) or Whiro (the new moon) depending on what part of Aotearoa, Te Wai Pounamu you live in.
MÄhuru is also the name for the star constellation, scientifically known as Alfard ā whose appearance in the northern night sky heralds the arrival of the season.
This is the time when the days become longer and warmer, and where much labour-intensive work is performed, with the ploughing of earth and the tending of gardens; and for many farmers – the birth of kararehe (animals).
More recently, it has been signified as a period in which to acknowledge Te Reo MÄori, with efforts such as MÄhuru MÄori language week. It is a time in which we can celebrate much activity, and to support each other as we acknowledge our heritage and culture.
The KÅ«mara (Sweet Potato) is an important food source, that has many health benefits; containing a variety of nutrients, vitamins and is high in fibre.
KÅ«mara is generally planted during Spring and flourishes during the warmer months.
There are many different varieties of KÅ«mara that were grown traditionally, one of which was the Taputini. These Taputini were scraped of its skin, sliced into thin strips, and dried by placing on large rocks that retained the heat of the sun throughout the day and night. These were regarded as an absolute delicacy.
The KÅ«mara also has an interesting origin story. Scientists have found that the original source of the KÅ«mara is only in South America, near present day Peru, where it is still referred to as the āKumar.ā
In addition, the KÅ«mara is also mentioned in a well-known Whakatauki or proverb :-
āE kore te kÅ«mara e kÅrero mÅ tÅna ake reka! ā The humble kÅ«mara does not boast of its own sweetness!ā
As it is renowned for its sweet flavour, as opposed to the many varieties of potatoes that are available today – this proverb is an encouragement for people to be modest while discouraging arrogance! So, the lesson isā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦..be a kÅ«mara! š
Glossary
New words (kupu):-
Te PÄtaka KÅrero -Ara Library
He Kurutete Pihinga– Plant and Seedling Swap
MÄhuru – September / Beginning of spring
Rakaunui – The full moon
Whiro – The new moon
Aotearoa – New Zealand
Te Wai Pounamu– South Island
Kararehe – Animals
Words relevant to planting / gardening:-
WhakatÅ ā To plant
KÄkano ā Seed
Whakatipu ā To grow
MÄra Kai ā Food Garden
Hauhake ā To harvest
Putiputi ā Flower
Hua Whenua ā Vegetables
Hua RÄkau ā Fruit
Haumie Tiketike ā God of uncultivated foods (produced naturally in the wild)
Ronga Ma TÄne ā God of cultivated foods (such as the kÅ«mara)
If you are a student and a keen tramper you might be interested in the Ara Tramping Club.
The Ara Tramping Club go on day and overnight trips to various spots around Canterbury. Membership is open to interested students and a knowledge of the outdoors and tramping is not necessary to become a member.
The Tramping Club is holding an information evening tonight (Tuesday 23rd August) at 5.30 pm. They will be meeting in the Student Lounge in the old Student Union building. If you are interested in learning more go along and introduce yourself.
All branches of the Library at Ara will be closed on Monday the 6th June 2022 for the Queens birthday weekend. Our usual services will resume on Tuesday 7th June.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II (ER)
Queen Elizabeth II was not born on this day…her actual birth date was the 21st April 1926. Queen’s Birthday holiday is celebrated in New Zealand on the first Monday in June so the date moves year by year.
We hope you have a peaceful day and look forward to seeing back on campus after the long weekend.
There have been some updates to the hours we are open for the rest of February 2022.
We will be closed on Monday the 7th February for the Waitangi Day celebrations. The Library will reopen on Tuesday the 8th February at 8 am.
Waitangi Day celebrations occur on Monday 7th February in 2022
From Tuesday 8th February to Sunday 20th February the Library will only be open from 8am-5pm Monday to Friday. We will not be open outside of these hours so no evenings or weekends.
A decision will be made later in February about our opening hours for the rest of 2022.
We apologise for any disruption this may cause and we will make all endeavors to keep you informed about any further changes.
Kia ora koutou With end of year exams looming, we thought it might be helpful to share some timely reminders to support you with exam revision, exam tips, and strategies to look after your wellbeing.
Know what to revise: To find out exactly what to review for your exam, look at: ā¢ Past exam papers (ask your tutor where they are kept) ā¢ The learning outcomes for the course ā¢ Class handouts, readings and references you were given ā¢ Class notes ā¢ Course content on Moodle
Plan your revision: ā¢ Use a diary or weekly timetable ā¢ Break the course material into parts and allocate time to each, but think about which areas you need to spend more time on ā¢ Plan to revise at the times of day that suit you best
Revise regularly: ā¢ Sort your notes into topics ā¢ Re-read your notes. Underline and highlight the key points ā¢ Summarise sections of your notes ā the act of reading and writing can help the information āstickā ā¢ Test yourself or work with a classmate to test each other ā¢ Find ways to remember key terms and concepts which work for you, such as using mnemonics and visual strategies like mind mapping
The day before the exam: ā¢ Confirm the start time and the location of the exam ā¢ If the exam is early, set an alarm so you wake up on time ā¢ Have all the equipment you need prepared: pens, pencils, watch and water ā¢ Eat well, do some mild exercise and try to get a good nightās sleep
On the day of the exam: ā¢ Do not try to learn any new information ā¢ Plan to arrive early and try to wait in a quiet area where you wonāt be distracted ā¢ Read all the questions and instructions carefully; some exams or tests may give you reading time before you start answering questions ā¢ Make notes if anything pops into your head as you read ā you can expand on these ideas as you go through answering the questions ā¢ Check how many marks each question is worth and allocate your time accordingly ā¢ Decide on the order you will answer your questions – easy ones first or those worth more marks ā¢ Attempt all the questions you need to answer; but be careful if marks are deducted for wrong answers ā¢ For short answer and essay questions, plan your response; it is good to logically arrange the relevant main ideas before you start writing the answer ā¢ If you are short on time, just write down your main points for short answer or essay questions as they may earn you marks ā¢ If you have spare time at the end, check your work thoroughly
Stress management: Preparing for exams can be a stressful time in the life of a student. Learn to recognise when you feel stressed or anxious and try to develop strategies to help you manage your wellbeing. Some of these ideas might help: ā¢ Eat well; include fresh fruits and vegetables ā¢ Reduce caffeine, alcohol and cigarette intake ā¢ Sleep well ā¢ Exercise ā¢ Spend time outside, in nature ā¢ Find relaxation techniques that work for you, such as listening to music, deep breathing, meditation or yoga
All the best for your final weeks of study for 2021, from the team in Academic Support.
Ara Library Blog 