Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Levin Library engagement team lead Jennifer Walton discusses Beanstack, the library's new digital reading tracker.
Jennifer Walton is the Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Levin Library engagement team lead.
OPINION
“Don’t you mean Jack and the Beanstalk”?
Well no, I mean Beanstack and actually I don’t even care about Jack, I’m just using him to get your attention.
Our libraries are excited to introduce the ultimate tool for book lovers – Beanstack– our new digital reading tracker available free to all of our library members.
In an age where smartphones are an extension of our daily lives, Beanstack is a game-changer for book enthusiasts.
This app goes beyond just keeping tabs on what you’ve read—it revolutionises the reading experience in ways that benefit individuals and communities alike.
Switching from paper to digital reading logs streamlines your program and makes logging fun and engaging for everyone.
With Beanstack’s digital logs, you can easily track your progress over time, which adds an exciting element of motivation as you see your reading journey unfold.
A key advantage of Beanstack is organisation. Gone are the days of struggling to remember the title of that great book you finished last month, with this reading app, you can catalogue books you’ve read, join community goals and complete challenges.
It’s like having a virtual bookshelf in your pocket.
For goal-oriented readers, Beanstack offers features like reading streaks, progress tracking, and personalised statistics that show how many books or pages you’ve read over time. It helps readers stay on track with challenges, such as reading a certain number of books per year, while celebrating milestones along the way.
Beanstack also opens the door to new discoveries.
Through personalised recommendations based on your reading history, you’re more likely to stumble upon books and authors that match your interests.
Ultimately, Beanstack isn’t just a tool—it’s a companion that enhances your love for books, keeps you inspired, and connects you with a world of literary possibilities.
We are excited to be launching Beanstack to the community in time for our summer community reading challenge “Read for Trees”.
This summer Green by Nature have generously agreed to match our community reading efforts by planting trees back into our beautiful Horowhenua district. The more books we read the more trees we can unlock for planting.
Libraries Horowhenua are keen to combine our love of reading with our care for the environment and look forward to highlighting the importance of our region’s green spaces.
This challenge begins from December 1 and you can register through Beanstack by downloading the app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android), once installed, open the app and follow the prompts to find Horowhenua Libraries or by calling into one of our libraries for more information.
Top 10 books
What’s new in the natural world
Animal Climate heroes by Alison Pearce
The Book of Killer Plants by Kit Carlson, PhD
Stargazing around the world: A Tour of the Night Sky by Valerie Stimac
The Handmade Spa: Natural Soaps: Indulge yourself with 16 eco-friendly recipes to make at home by Amelie Boue
The Lives of Spiders: A natural history of the world’s spiders by Ximena Nelson
My Encyclopedia of Very Important Oceans: For little learners who want to dive deep into the Earth’s amazing oceans by DK (Dorling Kindersley Limited)
Make Art with Nature by Pippa Pixley
Earth’s Incredible Habitats: Mountain: Go on a grand tour of the highest places on Earth
The Handmade Spa: Natural Cosmetics: Indulge yourself in 20 eco-friendly recipes to make at home by Sara Dumenil
Encyclopedia of Life: Mammalia: An illustrated guide to the world of mammals by Lindy Mattice
Exhibitions
Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Gallery: Christmas Workshop – December to December 21, 2024.
This holiday season, escape to a magical Christmas forest right here in the library. Enjoy a cosy space filled with festive cheer, where you can create simple, fun crafts and capture picture perfect moments with our enchanting photo backdrops. Stop by and make some holiday memories.
Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom Kabinet Art Gallery: Korori, Korora – November 24 to February 28, 2025.
A dynamic exhibition on Aotearoa’s native birds, featuring diverse artistic mediums, focusing particularly on the birds of the Manawatū Estuary; celebrating both their ecological importance and cultural significance to Māori.
Korori, Korora also incorporates the Te Papa Buller’s Birds: The Art of Keulemans and Buchanan exhibition, showcasing prints of illustrations from New Zealand’s most famous books on native birds. A highlight of Buller’s Birds is the work of Dutch artist Johannes Gerardus Keulemans, which is very relevant for the Dutch community and supporters at Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom. These artworks connect historical representations with modern perspectives, making it a vibrant experience for all ages.
What’s On
Heritage room:
Volunteers staff the Heritage rooms at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Tuesday to Friday at the following times:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 10am-12.30pm
Thursday, 10am-3pm
Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom Heritage Room has the research librarian available all day every Friday.
Friday, November 29:
Friday Live Concert, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 12pm-1pm
Jim Redmond Crib Club, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 1pm-3pm
SeniorNet, Get help with your tablets, phones and laptops
Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10am-12pm
Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 2pm-3pm
Code Club, Shannon Library, 3.30pm-4.30pm
Monday, December 2:
Storytime, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-10.30am
Meet Street, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-11am Volunteer Central, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-12pm
H.U.G Horowhenua Ukulele Group, Main Space, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 11am-12pm.
Simply Meditation, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 12pm-1pm, koha
Digital Learning: MyMSD, RealMe & SuperGold, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 1pm-3pm
Tuesday, December 3:
Digital Drop-in Session, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-11am
Storytime, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10.30am-11am
Justice of the Peace, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 11.30am-1.30pm
500 Card Group, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 1pm-3pm, $2
Lego Hour, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 3.30pm-4.30pm
Wednesday, December 4:
Volunteer Central, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-12pm
Crochet & Coffee Club, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10.30am
Better Digital Futures: Online Safety, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 1pm-3pm
Code Club, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 4pm-5pm
Teen Book Club, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 4pm-5pm
Pop Up Eats Horowhenua, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Carpark, 5pm-8pm
Page Turners Kōrero Group, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 7pm-9pm
Quiz Night, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 7pm-9pm, $5
Thursday, December 5:
Digital Drop-in Session, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-11am
Sewing Workshop, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-12pm
Tea & Tales, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10.30am-11.30pm
500 Card Group, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 1pm-3pm, $2
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