Palmerston North City Library just the place to fill up on vitamin creativity

If you can't get enough of that old-school DVD action, Palmerston North City Library is the place for you.

Hello from your unashamedly book-nerd-ish friends at Palmerston North City Library.

The wheel weaves as the wheel wills (10 house points if you got the literary reference there), and the wheel says it’s school holiday time. As usual, the library has a truckload of fun ready for you.

There are Lego activities, stories, rock painting, a magician, and something you don’t see written in the newspaper very often - a ‘Poo & Farts Storytime’. It is a disgustingly awesome storytelling session with the fabulous Alan Dingley, a Te Pātikitiki librarian and the Te Awhi Rito New Zealand reading ambassador.

This month’s Off The Page session is a showcase of the work of Massey University’s creative writing students. Hosted by creative writing lecturers Gigi Fenster and Thom Conroy, the will session start, with refreshments provided, at 6.15pm on Wednesday, October 4. Come along to hear something fresh, new and full of vitamin C (creativity), and to support home-grown creative talent.

Off The Page is a collaborative series delivered by the library in conjunction with Massey.

The library’s heritage team is doing a Manawatū Music History programme, with musicians coming along to tell their stories. It features the melodious memories of Guy Donaldson, Amy Hunt and Dave Iwikau, and the Brazen Hussies, along with stories from The Stomach and the Regent on Broadway, and the launch of a music-themed calendar. Plus, if you’ve ever heard Erna Ferry tell stories from her life, you’ll know you won’t want to miss her session. It should be outrageously entertaining - otherwise, ask for your money back (entry is free). This programme is on October 6 and 7 – details are available at citylibrary.pncc.govt.nz.

Palmerston North City Library celebrates Pride Month in October – expect to see colourful displays and book recommendations, including a list of e-books on the Borrowbox platform.

Palmerston North author Bing Turkby rocks in for the launch of the second book in his Guitar Store Mysteries series, String Theory. Think murder mysteries, with less gore and more guitars. Share a comfy recliner read in front of an open fire with guitar store owner Dana Osborne, Paws McCartney the cat and Brody the store assistant as they track down the murderer of guitar legend Apocalypse BusLane. The launch is on Saturday, October 7, at 3.30pm.

What’s the collective noun for DVDs? A plastication of DVDs? A discography? Anyway, there are fewer DVDs being produced these days, but we get as many as we can. If you can’t get enough of that old-school DVD action, the library is the place for you. There are all the great things about DVDs: piracy warnings, unskippable ads and clunky whirring sounds. And the bigger benefits: no need for an internet connection; the kids can’t navigate off to an unsafe website; and did we mention DVDs are free at the library?

Our mothers told us it’s good to share, so that’s how things work here - most of the stock is shared across all the library locations. Some books are earmarked to stay at one location, but you can still place a hold and have it sent to the location nearest you. So if there’s a book in the Ashhurst Library and you live in Awapuni, you can place a hold and you’ll be notified when it’s at Awapuni, ready for you to go and pick it up. Did we mention it’s free to place a hold? Darn it, probably should have. Too late now.

Right, must go - we’ve been called to the mending department to do an emergency appendectomy on a copy of The Lord of the Rings. Until next time, happy reading.