July 2025 Library Newsletter

A word from the Libraries' Team Leader ...

“In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away the cold” - Ben Aaronovitch

Even though it is wintery in our District, our Libraries still offer colourful and warm books, programmes and events! From seed swapping to reading to amazingly friendly dogs, with all our books in between, there is truly something for everyone. Don’t forget our online offerings, especially ePress with access to popular magazines and newspapers.

Matariki is a special time of year and we celebrate it with different activities at our Libraries. Entries for the Writing Competition are pouring in and the standard is really high – keep ’em coming! We would love to see how you have been celebrating Matariki with your whānau. Please share your photos. 

We hope you have booked for our brand-new Virtual Reality sessions during the school holidays – it is for children over10 years old, and adults can have a go too if there is space. After the school holidays, the new Reading Challenges for Teens and Children start – remember there are great prizes to be won when these are completed. 

In this edition, there is information about upcoming events and a great account of what went on at the Teddy Bear Sleepover. What fun was had by the soft toys that stayed over!

Seed Swap Donations Needed!

Did you know Hauraki District Libraries offer a Seed Swap? 

We are running low on our supplies and are in need of your generous seed donations once more! As you sort through your gardening supplies or plan your upcoming harvests or spring plantings, please consider setting aside any viable seeds you can spare. We're looking for all kinds – vegetables, herbs, flowers, and even native plant seeds are incredibly welcome. Every donation, big or small, helps us offer a diverse and exciting selection for everyone! 

Dropping off your seeds is easy! Simply bring your donations to any Hauraki District Libraries branch during opening hours. Please make sure your seeds are clearly labelled with the plant type, variety, and the year they were harvested if possible. Your contributions are vital to the success of our Seed Swap, helping our community grow beautiful and productive gardens. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Winter School Holiday Programme

We are very excited to have (for the first time ever!) Virtual Reality sessions for tamariki aged 10+ at Paeroa and Waihī Libraries. These sessions are free but do require bookings. You can do this by phoning on 07 862 8609 or emailing us at hdc-library@hauraki-dc.govt.nz. 

The VR sessions will be happening at Paeroa Library from Monday 30 June - Friday 4 July and at Waihī Library from Monday 7 July to Friday 11 July. Sessions are 45 mins which can be booked between 10am and 4pm. We will also have a craft table available, board games, LEGO and our on-going Writing and Colouring Competitions which end on 11 July. 

We look forward to seeing you over the holidays!

Term 3 Reading Challenges

Our Children’s Reading Challenge kicks off for Term 3 from Monday 14 July. Pop into your local branch to collect a challenge card. There are prizes to be won; just make sure to hand your completed card back by Saturday 20 September. 

Our Teen Reading Challenge for Terms 3 & 4 also kicks off from Monday 14 July. Collect a booklet, start reading and logging to be in to win! Teen Challenges need to be completed by Saturday 20 December. 

News & Events


Customer Feedback

We have recently launched a new customer feedback form. These will be available to complete at all three of our branches. Please consider filling one out the next time you visit. You can leave your details or complete one anonymously, this is your chance to tell us your thoughts! Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us!  You can also leave us feedback by using our online contact us form here.

Whānau Day Out

Make sure you pop this one in your calendars! Come and see us at the Whānau Day Out on Wednesday 2 July at Waihī Memorial Hall. We'll have a stall packed with information about all the fantastic resources and programmes available at your local library, plus some fun activities for the tamariki.

Goodbye Beanstack

Following a review of this service, we will be discontinuing our subscription to the reading tracker and reading challenge app Beanstack from 1 July. If you have been completing one of our Reading Challenges on Beanstack, you will need to pick up a paper copy in one of our libraries and transfer your logged books by 30 June.

Teddy Bear Sleepover

Our recent Winter Solstice Teddy Bear Sleepover was a roaring success, filled with bedtime stories, cuddles, and even a little bit of mischief! On Wednesday 18 June, a brave group of teddy bears and other soft toys were dropped off by their human companions, ready for an overnight adventure among the bookshelves. 

After their humans said goodnight, the toys settled in for a special evening of library fun. They played LEGO, watched a film while snacking on popcorn and had a bedtime story with Steph before being tucked into their specially-made beds for the night. 

The next day, the toys were reunited with their very excited owners, who were eager to hear all about their toy’s overnight escapades. Each child received a collection of photos showing what their special friends got up to during the night. It was wonderful to see the joy on everyone's faces.

Thank you to all the families who participated and made this event so memorable. We hope to see you again next year!

School Holiday Reading

It’s the perfect time to stock up on children’s books for the school holidays with some fantastic books that are on our shelves. We are also challenging adult readers to pick up a children’s chapter book for some pure, unadulterated escapism! Kids don’t get to have all the fun, right?!

Starminster by Megan Hopkins

The Apprentice Witnesser by Bren MacDibble

The Magic Paintbrush by Kat Zhang

Sammy and the Extra-Hot Chilli Powder by Charlie P. Brooks

The Druid's Call by E.K. Johnston

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

Secrets of the Snakestone by Piu DasGupta

Things That Go Bump by Kathryn Foxfield

Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm by Ash Bond

Monster Island by Freddie Alexander

Senior Film Sessions

Our Senior Film Sessions continue to be a huge hit at our libraries! 

Our July film is ‘Sherlock Holmes - Dressed to Kill’. Feel free to come along to these showings. 

Our next session is on Friday 25 July.

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Website - https://library.hauraki-dc.govt.nz

Contact Us

Phone - 07 862 8609 

Email - hdc-library@hauraki-dc.govt.nz