Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō

23/06/2026

💛 Getting to know the readers behind our Staff Picks 📚

Hi, I'm Nick 👋

I like my reading time to count! So I look out for books that make a big impact or have good word of mouth. Twentieth-century classics form a good chunk of my reading as I try to catch up on what I should have read but didn’t.

Good writing is important to me, so contemporary fiction is often my bag (Catherine Chidgey, Sarah Perry, Tim Winton), but a smart thriller (Robert Lee Burke, Val McDermid) is welcome.

Autobiography appeals, whether political or showbiz, and can be brilliant if read by the writer as an audiobook. Actually, audio has become my favourite platform (thanks Audible, Libby and Hoopla).

My guilty pleasure is thumbing respectfully through expensive coffee table books and just enjoying the photos, especially if they’re of classic cars, great art, or exotic places. Or perhaps big-format history or scientific books that are picture-heavy and not too wordy; these take me back to my boyhood joy of poring over encyclopedias, dictionaries and atlases.

22/06/2026

🦅 This week at Games Upstairs, we're focusing on Wingspan!

We've had quite a few requests to learn this game, so if you've been curious to give it a go, come along and join us. If you already know how to play, we'd love to have you there to share your knowledge and help others get started.

Not interested in Wingspan? That's absolutely fine too. Bring your own game, try something from our collection, or simply come along for a friendly evening of gaming and good company. 🩵

📅 Wednesday 24 June, 6:30–8:30pm

22/06/2026

📧 Email Essentials Free Workshop

📅 Wed 24th, 1.30–3.30pm

Want to get a bit more confident with your email? This follow-up session builds on the basics and helps you feel more at ease using your inbox day to day.

We’ll go over sending, replying, forwarding, adding attachments, organising your emails, and spotting spam so you know what to avoid.

If you already use email but want to get better at it, this one’s for you. Bring your device and any questions and we’ll work through it together.

Sign up here: https://diaa.arlo.co/w/courses/513-email-essentials/29857

21/06/2026

📚 BOOKMARKED by Nick, our Customer Service Officer.

We’re sharing our favourite reads, so you can discover your next one!

📘 Death of an Ordinary Man by Sarah Perry

When Sarah Perry's father-in-law David receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, his family cares for him at home through the final days of his life.

Tender, honest, and deeply moving, this memoir reflects on death, family, and the extraordinary love found in ordinary moments. It offers a compassionate account of caring for someone at the end of life and the connections that matter most.

👉 Find it on our Staff Picks display at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, or reserve it for pickup at your local Horowhenua library.

19/06/2026

📚 This month’s Recommended Reads newsletter is here, with hand-picked books for June.

If you'd like help finding your next great read, you can sign up below to receive our monthly newsletter. It's a great way to discover new stories and authors.

Sign up here 👉 https://www.tetakeretangaokura-hau-po.org.nz/About-Us/News-and-Updates/eNewsletters

18/06/2026

💛 Getting to know the readers behind our Staff Picks 📚

Kia ora, I'm Wendy 👋

I’ve been a passionate advocate for literacy for most of my adult life. Reading has been my safe space since I was a young girl, and over the years I’ve explored almost every genre imaginable, with a little non-fiction mixed in along the way.

These days, I’m most drawn to thrillers, urban fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. I also love children’s and teen fiction, graphic novels, and manga. One of my favourite non-fiction authors is Kate Moore. Her book The Radium Girls was one of my standout reads of 2020 and sparked my love of historical non-fiction.

My current auto-read authors include Patricia Briggs, Matt Dinniman, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Gregg Hurwitz, J. D. Robb, Jo Callaghan, Martha Wells, and Benjamin Stevenson.

17/06/2026

💭 Introducing GreyMatters: Community Learning Forum for Older Adults

GreyMatters is a new series designed to help older adults explore topics that matter to them, learn something new, ask questions, and gain a better understanding of the world around them.

Each session will focus on a different cultural, social, or community topic, with guest speakers sharing information, insights, and opportunities for discussion.

Our first session focuses on community safety and protecting our independence as we age, with guest speakers Senior Constable Scott Harvey from the Levin Community Police Team and Deborah Campbell from Horowhenua Neighbourhood Support.

📅 Friday 31 July
🕙 10am - 12pm
📍 Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10 Bath Street, Levin.

Everyone is welcome 💛

16/06/2026

If you've ever felt a bit lost when it comes to the online world, you're definitely not the only one.

Tomorrow we have our FREE Staying Safe Online session. It's a relaxed, friendly class where you can learn more about staying safe online, spot scams, and ask questions.

Our Digital Inclusion tutors are incredibly kind and understanding, and they know that technology isn't always easy to figure out on your own. 🩵

🕜 Wednesday 17 June, 1.30pm - 3.30pm
📍 Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10 Bath Street, Levin

Click here for more info 👉 https://www.facebook.com/share/184gYzKB83/

15/06/2026

💜 A great community event happening here tomorrow, 16 June from 10am till 12pm, as part of Elder Abuse Awareness Week.

Hear from Age Concern, Libraries Horowhenua, HALT, and New Zealand Police, then stay for a cuppa and a kōrero.

See below for all the details 👇

Kia ora e te whānau 👋

Join us for a community get-together as part of Elder Abuse Awareness Week 2026
We’ve got a great lineup of speakers from:
• Age Concern
• Libraries Horowhenua
• HALT
• New Zealand Police

They’ll be sharing practical tips, insights, and ways we can all help support and protect older people in our community (because looking out for each other is what good neighbours do, right)

After the talks, stick around for a cuppa and a kōrero, a relaxed chance to connect, chat, and meet others.

Tuesday 16 June
10am – 12pm
Main Space, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō

Free event | Everyone is welcome
Bring yourself, bring a friend, bring your nana if she’s keen 💛