Hundreds of students in Christchurch and Wellington are set to be entertained and enlightened by finalists in the 2023 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults at Books Alive events in the immediate lead up to the awards ceremony.
 
In Ōtautahi on 4 August, WORD Christchurch will host a selection of shortlisted authors and illustrators in panel discussions for primary and intermediate schools. There are still some spaces available for the 10am and 1pm sessions in the spacious Christ's College Auditorium. Interested teachers can find out more on our website, then book their classes in by emailing the WORD schools team.
 
The Books Alive events in Pōneke, programmed by the talented Wellington City Libraries team, are already fully booked, having attracted 20 schools from around the city. All available spaces in the National Library’s Tiakiwai Conference Centre on Molesworth Street will be abuzz on the day of the awards ceremony, 10 August, with finalists conducting workshops on writing and illustration, behind-the-book talks, panel discussions, and live drawing sessions. 
 
Nicola Legat, Chair of the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa, says that fostering a love of reading in tamariki and rangitahi by engaging them with books and their authors is an essential part of the award’s kaupapa. “After several years in which the pandemic forced much of our Books Alive activity online, we’re delighted to be bringing our finalists in person to Ōtautahi Christchurch again, and to be hosting a bigger-than-ever event in Pōneke Wellington. Our warmest thanks to our wonderful partners in both centres for helping to make this happen.”

for Whiria te Tāngata – Kia toitū te mātauranga – weaving the people together for the sustainability of the library sector.  
A second and final Whiria Te Tāngata cohort has been funded thanks to the New Zealand Libraries Partnership Programme, head here to apply!
 
Do you want to be part of an amazing opportunity to support the sustainability of the Aotearoa New Zealand library sector? Are you looking to grow your strategic leadership skills and have a passion for mātauranga Māori, workforce development, data research and collective impact?
 
We are looking for 10 talented people with a diversity of backgrounds and experience in the library sector to be part of a dynamic cohort of Kākaho (sustainability champions). Read the recently graduated Kākaho blogs, here.
 
This is an 8-month learning and development opportunity for you to grow your networking, collective impact, and leadership skills within a national context. With the support of your workplace, being a Kākaho will see you applying practical skills to highly relevant issues facing the library sector today through action-led learning.
 
The programme is delivered within four tukutuku (panel) modules. These are Waharua, the mātauranga Māori workstream and its connection to the land. Poutama symbolises the scaffolding of knowledge and its application to workforce capability. Purapura whetū signifies the complexity of data, research, and evidence work. Niho taniwha represents the determination needed for collective impact.
Built upon a foundation of mātauranga Māori and through a Te Ao Māori lens, we ensure principles, key concepts, practices and approach to engagement and collaboration is informed by tikanga. You will work with other Kākaho across Aotearoa with dedicated support provided by Te Rōpū Whakahau. You will remain within your substantive role, while learning and developing with your fellow cohort for up to a day a week through both online and in-person experiences.
 
What’s required:

• support for release time from your employer or manager
• time commitment of up to one day a week
• ability to travel

This is a funded initiative which will be available for release time or other recognition as agreed between your organisation and Whiria te Tāngata.
Please feel free to forward this email on to any library or candidate you feel would benefit from this opportunity. To apply for Whiria te Tāngata, head here.
EOIs close by 23rd July, 11.59pm. Before you can be confirmed within the role you will need to have all required documents in by 6 August 2023.
Whiria te Tāngata is funded through the New Zealand Libraries Partnership Programme, led by Te Rōpū Whakahau and supported by the National Library of New Zealand.

Drop by Drop: Poetry for Children Competition
A new nationwide competition for adults who write poetry for children has been launched in the lead-up to Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day in August.

‘Drop by Drop’ runs between now and 4th August and will be judged by renowned children’s writer and poet, Bill Nagelkerke. Entry is free and is open to anyone in New Zealand aged 18 years and over. The prize for the winning poem is $50. Up to three poems can be submitted on the theme of ‘water’ – to be interpreted as widely and wildly as entrants like. Poems should be aimed at 5-12 year olds.
For further information visit the Poets XYZ Facebook Page or email [email protected].
The winner will be announced on Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day on Friday 25th August.
The competition is organised by the Poets XYZ, a trio of New Zealand children’s writers. Elena de Roo, Kathryn Dove, and Melinda Szymanik are keen to see poetry for children flourish in Aotearoa New Zealand and to develop a network of children’s poets.