After last month’s happenings, a more-relaxed August will be welcome.
First of all: thank you to all in the community for your support this past month. We know you missed us, on those occasions when we couldn’t open. I think 200 books is the most I’ve checked in after a weekend, and that includes long weekends.
The highlight of my year – and, I hope, the highlight for others!
– is the annual Soft Toy Sleepover.
Thank you to all the toy’s people, who signed the permission to travel forms, as we had an out-of-area road trip planned – to Auckland War Memorial Museum Tâmaki Paenga Hira.
It was hard, dragging ourselves away from Haumanu, an art installation in the Imaginarium – but the wonders of Weird and Wonderful awaited! The toys enjoyed exploring, but we managed to keep track of them all.
We laid a wreath at Pou hi Te Whatu-â-mahara, carved by Bernard Makaore, who also carved Rei Puta Waewae Tupuna, who lives beside the library door; and at the Bomber Command Memorial. As we are based in the Helensville War Memorial Hall, we felt it important to pay our respects at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Then it was a chance to meet Peter the T Rex. He is VERY large! (Almost) all of the toys had their photos taken with Peter (one was a bit too scared). After dinner, we all went back to the library to stay the night.
Thanks to our wonderful volunteers – driver Ellen, Helensville Library and Service Centre news photographer Richard, Nana Kate, and Nora the Tall – everything went swimmingly, and all the toys had a wonderful time.
The next day was nearly as exciting, as the Library was a location for the school holiday rock hunt, organised by local Police. The toys helped me hide the rocks in the library. One of the rocks really made itself scarce and took nearly three hours to find! Well done that family, for their persistence.
Photos from the event are available on our Facebook page:
f a c e b o o k . c o m /HelensvilleLibraryAndServiceCentre.
We are now advance planning our participation in October’s
Arts in the Ville Festival.
The Helensville library and service centre is open: Monday to
Friday: 9.30am to 5pm. Saturday: 9.30am to 4pm (yes, council
services are available on Saturdays).
The building will be open from 9.30am, too. Regular hall / meeting hirers will still have access before then, through the use of keys or swipe cards. If you need to arrange this, please contact Auckland Council Venue Hire: Phone: 09 379 2030
Website: aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parks-recreation/community-venues/Pages/default.aspx
Anne Coppell
Senior Librarian / Poukôkiri - Children & Youth
Helensville Library and Service Centre
