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Kia ora koutou!
Welcome to our August 2026 newsletter
Winter Wellness
The Buller District Libraries are here to support you this winter. Winter is a good time to slow down and focus on nourishing the mind and body, and we are hosting several events to help you do so, and fortify for busier times ahead.
Lynn Rain is back again twice this month with a new presentation to enrich your geographical and historical knowledge of our world, and the Electoral Commission NZ's Ara will also be available to prepare you to exercise your civic duty in our 2026 General Election in the springtime.
In addition, experienced Outpatient Department Nurse Tina Fox will be dropping in for a Women's Health Information Day. No appointment is required to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to ask that health question you have been meaning to.
Here's to warmth and wellness, and don't forget that our online events calendar is always
the go-to source for what's on at your libraries.
Kia pai tō rā,
Your Buller District Libraries team.
This month at the Sue Thomson Casey Memorial Library
Join Lynn Rain for her newest presentation set in the vast South Atlantic ocean.
Have you heard of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha? If you think Aotearoa-New Zealand feels small and remote, wait until you learn about the fascinating history of these tiny volcanic islands.
Lynn will be back on Thursday 13 August at 11.00 am and Tuesday 25 August at 5.15 pm. Pick the time slot that suits you best and join in on the adventure!
Lynn Rain presents:
"Two Small Islands"
On the first Wednesday of every month, 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm, Jo Douglas hosts "Make My Mark" and provides a space to support and encourage you to share your story. Whether you share it verbally, by writing memoirs, making art, music, carving or poetry, everyone has a unique story to share. Each session will be a place to meet up, have fun, share stories, and make your memories count!
A gold coin koha is appreciated to go towards tea and bickies.
Tuesdays
5.00 pm - 7.00 pm
Thursdays
2.00 pm - 2.30 pm
Saturdays
10.30 am - 1.00 pm
Women's health information day
Nurse Tina encourages women of all ages, and their whānau, to join her at the Buller District Libraries for this opportunity. Tina will be in a private space at the library so you can be confident your health questions will be discussed discreetly. Free cervical screening swab packs will also be made available. Take advantage, Buller wāhine!
Tina has worked in women's health for over 20 years. She qualified through the National Cervical Screening Programme in 2005 and she also works as a gynaecology clinic nurse. Tina has a Massey University master's degree that included a research thesis on women's health on the West Coast; needless to say, she is pretty passionate about the subject!
Tina will be at the Sue Thomson Casey Memorial Library on:
and at the Inangahua County Library on:
Electoral Commission kōrero
November is fast approaching... get sorted for our general election by stopping in to chat with Arawhita. She will help you enrol, check and update your details, and answer any questions you have about enrolling and voting.
Ara will be at the Sue Thomson Casey Memorial Library on:
and at the Inangahua County Library on:
Remember, unlike previous elections, you won’t be able to enrol and vote at the same time in 2026.
Regular events at the Inangahua County Library
Thursdays
3.00 pm - 4.00 pm
First Thursday (monthly)
10.00 am - 2.00 pm
Saturdays
12.00 pm - 2.00 pm
History discovered
A trip to your local library can lead to unexpected discoveries... recently, great-great-grandchildren of Scottish emigrant Elizabeth "Lizzie" Connacher learned that their tupuna was featured in one of our non-fiction titles.
In honour of their discovery, a bookplate has been placed inside the copy of Jared Davidson's book at the Sue Thomson Casey Memorial Branch, featuring a wonderful portrait of Lizzie shared by her descendants, shown here to the right.
1000 Books Before School
The 1000 Books Before School programme encourages children, along with their parents and caregivers, to read 1000 books during their first five years.
Sign up and get your startup pack and a FREE book! The pack includes your first reading chart, book bag, sticker character map, brochure, and a folder to keep all of your reading material together. Let's get reading, whānau!
Books to check out in August
Author Emma Green debuts with this "big-hearted comedy caper" which was inspired by her own very unusual pets...
Summary (from Usborne):
Hedley has always played it safe, especially since the night that changed his life for ever. But when his friend Aiden steals an alpaca, Hedley is dragged on a runaway road trip that he did NOT sign up for:
An accidental robbery.
A night in a haunted wood.
And becoming internet famous #AlpacaBandit.
As the chaos builds, Hedley finds he isn't just running from the police, he's also running from the truth. And as his world comes crashing down, will Hedley play it safe, or take his biggest risk yet?
#WoollyHeist #FurryFelon #Alpacalypse
After the huge success of Hamnet, Irish-British writer Maggie O'Farrell has turned her attention to Ireland's turbulent history.
Review (from The Christian Science Monitor):
“Land,” O’Farrell’s 10th novel, is a powerful epic about a place and its long-suffering peoples, told through hardships and moments of grace. It packs a wallop. Set on a remote Irish peninsula in the aftermath of the Great Hunger, the narrative focuses on the family of a talented but poorly paid surveyor and cartographer named Tomás. He has been hired by the British Ordnance Survey to map the territory and record the loss of hundreds of Irish tenant households following the potato blight – which neither the British government nor landlords did anything to assuage. “How radiant, how lovely is the land – and yet how empty,” reflects Tomás’ 10-year-old son and reluctant assistant, Liam...
Our digital pick for August
Stretch, breathe, read, repeat. Find your wellness vibe and take a moment for yourself this month on Hoopla. Hoopla has varied content to support your physical and mental wellness from self-care books to workout videos.
Hoopla is one of several digital resources available to our library members, and it is available here, at no cost.
Reading challenges
Don't forget we have a fun incentive to read regularly for both our adult as well as our junior readers... click the buttons below to get started, and be in to win!
Hei konā mai | Goodbye for now 😊
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