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.
Ara Library will be closed on Friday 24th June as we celebrate the first Matariki public holiday. The Library will reopen at 10am on Saturday 25th June.
This year sees the first instance of the new public holiday to celebrate Matariki after it was passed into law in 2021. Going into the future there will be a public holiday in late June or early July to recognise Matariki.
Iwi across New Zealand understand and celebrate Matariki in different ways and at different times. For most it is time to remember those who have passed and give thanks for the harvest of the previous year.
Matariki is an abbreviation of ‘Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea (‘The eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea’) and refers to a large cluster of stars, known in European tradition as the Pleiades. It rises in midwinter and for many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year.
The new Matariki holiday is the first to specifically acknowledge the culture of Maori who are the indigenous people of Aotearoa-New Zealand.
From all of the staff here at the Library we wish you a safe and enjoyable day.
All Ara library branches will be closed on Monday 26th October for the Labour Day holiday. Our usual hours will resume from Tuesday the 27th October 2020.
Lithograph showing the first Labour Day celebrations in Wellington in 1900
While some people will still be working many of us will be able to spend time with family and friends. Great Labour Day activities include camping, walks, visits to the beach or your favorite park. It is usually a good day for a early summer barbeque or picnic. You might make a weekend of it and head off to some exotic location around New Zealand….
From all the staff here at Ara Library we hope you have a happy and restful Labour Day however you decide to spend it.
Looking for something interesting to do over the Christmas holiday break. Why not spend a fascinating day exploring Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour.
The island is steeped in history. At various times used as a leper colony, quarantine station and working farm. Today the island is a nature reserve with extensive planting and a resident population of native bird species.
There is an excellent 2.5 hour circuit track around the island taking in many points of interest. There are a number of historic sites to visit as well as an informative heritage centre. Alternatively, take a picnic lunch and your swimming gear and spend a relaxing day at Swimmers Bay. Access to the island is via Black Cat cruises each morning and afternoon except Christmas day.
Congratulations on finishing your exams and getting to the end of your assignments, well done! If you are coming back to Ara next year make sure you find time to relax and wind down before your studies begin again. I encourage you to hit the beaches especially as right now the water is 6 degrees warmer. This phenomenon is due to a Le Nina weather pattern which you can read about here: https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/99501416/whats-behind-the-heatwave-record-sea-surface-temperatures-are-off-the-chart
It is difficult to find any shade at the beach so take care in the sun as you will burn fast in this weather. See this website for tips: https://www.sunsmart.org.nz/be-sunsmart
Ara Libraries are closed for the holiday period from 1pm today (Thursday) until 8am Wednesday 4th January. All campuses will also be closed for this period: see our website for more details.
Remember, our electronic resources are still available – check out the subject guides to find some relevant to your topic.
If you’re at a loose end, check out the Campus life blog for some holiday break ideas.
We hope you have a safe and happy holiday, and we look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.
It’s the school holidays. I can tell. There’s less traffic in the morning, the malls are mad, and there are more kids in the library.
I found an interesting article from a British newspaper, saying school holidays (particularly the summer one) were outdated and should be abolished. Originally, it said, school holidays were arranged to suit a farming calendar – children were on holiday over the summer, when farmers were busiest. In Scotland, October half-term week was known as the ‘tattie holiday’, when children would pick potatoes on local farms.
Children may no longer work on farms during their holidays, but they are often far from idle. School holiday programmes, run by schools or community groups, keep children occupied with activities ranging from swimming to computer programming. Libraries run activities for all ages. Parents take time from work or study to make sure their children go back to school refreshed and ready to go.
For polytech students, ‘holidays’ are something of a myth – there’s no classes, to be sure, but the assignments and studying don’t stop. The library is a bit quieter at the moment, so pop in and see us if you want a bit of help or just somewhere to spread out and study.
It is sometimes said in Ireland, that God created alcohol to stop the Irish taking over the world. Though I’m not sure how much truth there is to that claim, it certainly seems to me that on this one day a year, the world gets to see what it’s missing out on. Here in New Zealand, you have a fair claim to the celebration- many Irish moved out here among the first wave of settlers, and by some accounts there were a few look-a-likes here even before then.
But still, like most of the western world, once a year, everyone here gets to be Irish for a day. People wear any scrap of green they can lay hands to, and the proliferation of “Kiss me I’m Irish” Tshirts, hats and badges, combined with free-flowing beer tends to lead to all kinds of debauchery. So with that in mind, I wondered what the library could do to help out your celebrations.
I have, therefore, prepared the following gems of wisdom to help you through the day.
Do use the word ‘Sláinte’ instead of ‘Cheers.’ It’s pronounced “Slawn-cha,” more or less.
Donot begin a conversation with “Fiddle-dee-dee, potatoes!”
Do wear a bit of green. You can skip this if you’re actually Irish.
Do not get all drunk and lose the run of yourself. It’s dangerous for you and your friends won’t thank you for having to take you home early.
Do adjust your social media privacy for any pictures you’re tagged in. Prospective employers will look at your profile, and you don’t want them to see pictures of you painted green and doing a kegstand.
Do have some patience with your bar staff, who will be flat out. They’re human too, and are busting their humps to keep you happy. The best way to improve your service is to tip like an Irishman.
Do not forget that you’re celebrating all things Irish, not being drunk. Show a little kindness to someone in need while you’re out, and make your night a little more memorable.
Do take a look at the TX section in the library, near the entrance. If you want to mix up some cocktails like a sir, or cook yourself a feast for Tuesday morning, that’s the place to get good at it.
Do comment on how wonderful Brian O’Driscoll and the Irish rugby team are. Particularly lavish or inventive praise might earn you a friend for life.
Do not contact the police if the Irish tell you that they’re “Having the craic.” Having the craic is not a crime. Having the craic is all but mandatory on St. Patrick’s Day. If you’re not sure what having the craic is, then I submit this video of some goats having the craic, proving that you don’t have to be drunk to have fun.
Follow these simple guidelines, and you’ll be enjoying fine form, in fine spirits. Stay safe and look after your friends, and enjoy the feeling of being Irish, even if just for a day.
Since 1900, Labour Day has been a public holiday in New Zealand, commemorating the struggle for the 8-hour working day and other worker’s rights. If you’d like to know more about employment rights, responsibilities, and legislation in New Zealand, try one of these:
Whatever your plans are for the long weekend, have fun, relax, and remember that while the library will be closed on Monday, we’re still open Saturday (10-5) and Sunday (12-5).
Well it is almost here, hopefully you have finished all your shopping, and can sit back and relax.Catch up on some recent New Zealand fiction , or be inspired to cook something, or reclaim a craft, and start knitting.
Wild tea cosies
Fat Duck Cookbook
Library staff recently took up knitting for the CPIT Christmas Mardi Gras party. The result was a Carmen Miranda tribute which has been on display in the Library. I had no idea knitting could be such a team sport.
Mardi Gras
Unbelievably, we did not win a prize, but we were up against stiff competition, and a good time was had by all.
If all else fails, and you are still struggling for xmas gift ideas, I read a recent blog that had some interesting suggestions, although I cannot recommend the library book idea!
The Library is closing at 1pm on Friday 23rd and will open again on the 4th Jan at 8am.
Happy holidays and best wishes for a bright new year. The City Plan heralds big changes as the city centre emerges from the cordon.
We look forward to working with staff and students next year.Travel safe, have fun, and see you back here in the new year.
Ara Library Blog 