New AQ hours, Library turns 60, summer reading offer
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Newsletter to schools — Term 4 2025
Here is your Term 4 newsletter from Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa | National Library of New Zealand:
- AnyQuestions now open in the mornings too!
- National Library is turning 60
- Te Awhi Rito Kate De Goldi has been inspiring minds
- Moving from legacy to new Topic Explorer
- Professional learning in Term 4
- Extra books for summer reading, other lending news
- Online resources for teaching and learning
AnyQuestions now open in the mornings too!
In response to feedback from schools, AnyQuestions has changed its operating hours. The service is now open in the mornings! Ākonga can get research guidance and support from real librarians, 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday.
What is AnyQuestions?
AnyQuestions is a free, online chat service designed to help New Zealand school-aged students with their schoolwork. Ākonga can visit the website and chat with a librarian who'll guide their research, teaching them valuable information literacy skills so they can find trustworthy information. The service is supported by the Ministry of Education and staffed by librarians from the National Library and public libraries throughout the motu (country).
Book a class session
A class session is a great way to engage with a whole class and demonstrate how AnyQuestions works. During a session, the class uses a single computer to log into the Classroom sessions page. The computer is connected to a large screen, so the whole class can see the chat and be involved in the session.
Class sessions can be booked at any time during the day.
To book a session, email anyquestions@dia.govt.nz.
National Library is turning 60
The National Library of New Zealand | Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa is turning 60. In 1965, the National Library Act brought together the General Assembly Library, the Alexander Turnbull Library and the National Library Service. 60 years on, the National Library is working more collaboratively with Archives New Zealand, continuing to change to better meet the needs of New Zealanders.
Come along to our birthday celebrations. We're hosting an ‘Open Home’ in Wellington, with free tours, collection viewing, cake and activities for all ages on 18 October from 1pm to 4pm. There's also a series of events, including ‘Laureates line up’, which promises to be the poetry event of 2025.
Te Awhi Rito Kate De Goldi has been inspiring minds
Over the last couple of months, Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador Kate De Goldi has been very busy. She's been touring schools, delivering talks, chairing and participating in panels at conferences and at WORD in Ōtautahi, and speaking to the media. All the while, she's been reading and sharing titles.
Read more about her activities
Her latest blog post shares her ‘Inspiring Minds’ book list and explains why each one is such a great read for teens: Conversations about reading and books.
Moving from legacy to new Topic Explorer
Hōpara Kaupapa | Topic Explorer is live on our website, and new content is being added. Legacy Topic Explorer is available until the end of 2025 to give you time to:
- update catalogues
- explore the new version while still using the old.
Once the legacy version is retired, all links will redirect to the new Topic Explorer.
Professional learning in Term 4
Looking to grow your skills or bring fresh ideas into your school library or classroom?
Have a look at our Term 4 professional learning options designed to support school library staff, kaiako and literacy leaders across the motu. All sessions are free and delivered online, making it easy to join from wherever you are.
- Sail into summer reading — learn about the importance of continuing to read over summer and how you can encourage it.
- Graphic novels, comics and manga — curious about these super-popular genres? Come along and discover some great graphic novel, comic and manga book titles.
- End-of-year tasks, annual reports and planning for 2026 — learn practical tips for tackling stocktake and preparing an annual report. Celebrate your library’s wins and swap ideas for the year ahead.
Take our short survey
We would love your input on our planning for next year’s professional development programme.
Please take a few minutes to complete our short questionnaire. Your feedback will help us tailor future offerings to better meet your needs.
You may have already received requests to take part in other surveys from us. We are very grateful for your responses, which help us improve the services we provide to schools.
Extra books for summer reading, other lending news
Our annual summer reading offer is available from 28 October to 12 December.
Kaiako and school library staff — want some engaging books to read yourself or to keep your ākonga reading over the summer break? Tell us what you'd like, and we'll send you some great reads. Or choose books yourself at our centres!
Find out more about our great summer reading offer — and share this link with any other staff who may be interested in your school!
End-of-year book returns and important dates
Getting ready to return our books and need a list of what you've borrowed? Or maybe you're missing some books? Contact us and we'll send you a list or update your account — email servicestoschools@dia.govt.nz.
Submit your Term 4 topics selection and extra reading requests by 7 November. Term 4 books are due back by 20 February 2026. Our summer reading books are due back 2 April 2026.
Online resources for teaching and learning
Check out Tuia Mātauranga junior and senior activity books
Tuia Mātauranga supports teaching and learning about our heritage and shaping our future. It highlights local people, places and events that have helped shape our nation’s histories.
Tuia Mātauranga activity books (in te reo Māori and English) contain fun activities for students at all levels to inspire them to explore Aotearoa New Zealand's histories. Activities focus on developing students' own stories of who they are and where they come from, and their ideas for the future.
Tuia Mātauranga activity books
Online resources for Term 4 and start of Term 1
Check out our learning resources on popular topics and important historical events from our tools and websites.
Use our tools to support ākonga to think critically about people, places and events: Tools for primary source analysis.
13 October 1975 — Dame Whina Cooper (Te Rarawa) leads Māori Land March to Parliament
- Māori Land March 1975 — from Hōpara Kaupapa | Topic Explorer
- Māori Land March 1975 — from Many Answers
19 to 25 October — Faahi Tapu he Vagahau Niue | Niue Language Week
- Niue — Many Answers
18 to 23 October — Diwali
- Diwali (festival of lights) — Many Answers
28 October 1835 — He Whakaputanga o Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni | the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, signed by rangatira of Te Tai Tokerau
- He Whakaputanga 1835 — Topic Explorer
- Declaration of Independence (New Zealand) — Many Answers
- A declaration: He Whakaputanga — from He Tohu
- He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni | the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand — from Archives New Zealand
28 October 1890 — First Labour Day celebrations
- Living and working in Aotearoa NZ — Topic Explorer
1 November 1944 — Polish refugees land in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Refugee stories — Topic Explorer
- Refugees (New Zealand) — Many Answers
5 November 1881 — Te rā o te pāhua — invasion of Parihaka
- Parihaka — Te Whiti-o-Rongomai III and Tohu Kākahi — Topic Explorer
- Parihaka — Many Answers
- Actions at Parihaka — from Te Kupenga: Stories of Aotearoa New Zealand
Start of Term 1: 6 February 1840 and 2026 — the signing of te Tiriti o Waitangi, Waitangi Day
- Signing te Tiriti at Waitangi 6 February 1840 — Topic Explorer
- Treaty of Waitangi — Many Answers
- The significance of Waitangi Day — from Social sciences topic starters Y0–3
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi | Treaty of Waitangi — from Tuia Mātauranga
- A treaty: Te Tiriti o Waitangi — He Tohu
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi | the Treaty of Waitangi — Archives New Zealand
