Applications opened this week and will close on November 4. They are open to all those with suitable qualifications and experience. A total of five judges will be appointed for the English language categories and will begin their reading in mid-December. The Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award, for books entirely written in te reo Māori, is judged by a separate panel appointed by Te Rōpū Whakahau, the national body representing Māori within the Library and Information profession in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Catherine Robertson, chair of the children’s awards sub-committee of governing body the New Zealand Book Awards Trust, says the Trust welcomes expressions of interest from experienced members of the public as well as the literary community. “We’ve been fortunate in the past to have been able to attract fantastic judges from all over the country, with a wide range of backgrounds. They’ve included ardent readers of children’s literature as well as librarians, teachers, booksellers, reviewers and authors. It is a commitment, but previous judges have told us how rewarding it is to celebrate reading and honour the absolute best of New Zealand books for young readers.”

Crissi Blair, a highly respected reviewer and librarian, was the convenor of the 2019 judges and says of the experience, “This is definitely an experience I’d recommend to any of you who think you have the background and knowledge to apply. It’s a lot of work, but it’s a big learning experience and total thrill to see the look on the faces of the readers and the creators of the amazing finalists and winners.”

The English language judges will deliberate over an expected 150 entries in five categories: Junior Fiction (the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award), Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction (the Elsie Locke Award), Picture Book and Illustration (the Russell Clark Award).  They will select up to five finalists in each, and also up to five Best First Book finalists, then a winner in each category.

The call for entries in the 2020 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults will go out to publishers on 20 November 2019. Finalists will be announced in early June 2020, and the awards ceremony will be held in Wellington in August.

Expressions of interest forms and background information on the judging process and judges’ responsibilities can be downloaded from the New Zealand Book Awards Trust website or supplied on request by emailing childrensawards@nzbookawards.org.nz. Applications must be submitted by 5pm on Monday 4 November, and should include a brief resume demonstrating the applicant’s experience for the judging role. The judging panel will be selected by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust, which comprises industry stakeholder representatives. 
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The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are made possible through the generosity, commitment and vision of funders and sponsors Creative New Zealand, HELL Pizza, Wright Family Foundation, LIANZA, Wellington City Council, Te Papa and Nielsen Book. 

The Helen Zwartz Scholarship provides $3,000 funding to enable a librarian or staff member working in a public library serving one of New Zealand’s smaller communities, to undertake an internship at the National Library of New Zealand.
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The internship gives the recipient of the Helen Zwartz Scholarship the opportunity to experience working at the National Library and receive mentoring from National Library staff.

The programme is tailored to the recipient’s professional development requirements and can either be of a general nature, covering the range of work carried out at the library or focused on an area of interest to the recipient such as cataloguing, digitisation, conservation, digital preservation, literacy promotion.
  
Please visit https://natlib.govt.nz/about-us/scholarships-and-awards/helen-zwartz-scholarship for more about Helen and to read the criteria and download the application form.

​Sandra Haigh, recipient of Helen Zwartz Scholarship 2019, says:

Register now for the WILD Imaginings Children’s Writers’ and Illustrators’ Hui!
 
WILD Imaginings promises a scintillating programme delivered by some of the country’s most celebrated children’s book creators and influential industry professionals. 
​Check out the WILD Imaginings programme here:https://tinyurl.com/yxdbasv8

Discounted early bird registration is now open for this national hui, which takes place in Dunedin on the weekend of 8-10 November, in association with Storylines.

Enjoy an invigorating weekend immersed in the world of children’s books, in the heart of New Zealand’s UNESCO City of Literature!
Register for WILD Imaginings: https://tinyurl.com/y3pmyes8

Follow the WILD Imaginings Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wildimaginings2019/
 
Read more about the hui at:
https://hail.to/dunedin-public-libraries/publication/eKPYDjC/article/53fWEh7
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Organised by VOLUME, the 2018 New Zealand Bookshop of the Year, the festival will enable attendees to hear from authors whose books they have enjoyed and discover authors whose books they will go on to enjoy. The intimate scale of the festival will also enable readers to meet and talk with authors and other literary enthusiasts. 
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“The VOLUME Mapua Literary Festival will emphasise the same qualities that we emphasise in our bookshop,” says Thomas Koed, co-owner of VOLUME with Stella Chrysostomou. “The festival will be small but of a very high quality. The speakers will be so interesting that we imagine attendees will want to attend all sessions.”
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 A percentage of all ticket sales will benefit the Mapua Community Library, who have held literary fundraising events in previous years. The Library are organising a quiz evening and a schools’ programme as part of this year’s festival. 
 "There is a natural synergy between bookshops and libraries in fostering reading in the community. VOLUME is very pleased to be donating a portion of ticket sales to support a library that serves its community well and would not exist without donations. We are grateful for the library's practical assistance and support" says Thomas.

Writers attending the festival this year include Lloyd Jones, Ashleigh Young, Carl Shuker, Paula Morris, Annette Lees, Gregory O’Brien, Jenny Bornholdt, Thomasin Sleigh, Lynn Jenner and Eirlys Hunter. 
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Mapua is a delightful coastal settlement with a village feel, half an hour’s drive from Nelson. It is well provided with cafés and restaurants and accommodation, making it perfect for a literary weekend getaway. 
 
The full programme for the VOLUME MAPUA LITERARY FESTIVAL is available on-line at www.volume.nz, or from VOLUME, and libraries and bookshops around the country. 

The Shift
The major shift in focus came as a response to the changing roles that Libraries have to play in supporting their communities.  Many patrons are disadvantaged when needing to access government services on-line because of a lack of digital devices and/or competencies. The library needed to:

• Provide access to Wi-Fi and the internet
• Provide access to suitable hardware
• Educate customers to use technology (both their own devices and library resources)
• Educate customers to access online information (particularly Government websites and applications)
• Engagement with customers

A Library business case was unanimously approved by Council. This was dependent on an agreement, to have zero impact on the Library’s budget. This business case addressed evolving needs of the public and proposed a refit of the Library and introduction of RFID technology.  This was achieved by taking out a loan from Council and repaying it out of recurrent budget savings, over 10 years.  The budget approved was US$102,000 and we still have US$12,000 for RFID at the branches.  All the furniture, fittings, upholstery, signage, renovations, consultation fees, and RFID equipment, were included in this budget.

The Libraries Manager attended an Alan Bundy Library Design conference in Sydney, where Rachel van Riel presented a paper and hosted a post-conference workshop. Her retail and customer centred design philosophy fitted with the needs of Ōamaru and underpinned the planning process of the changes.

The Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa invited Rachel to run a workshop in Dunedin which most of the staff attended.  Library staff also attended a change management workshop to equip them with a better understanding of the theory behind the shift in customer service and acceptance of the proposed solution. Input from staff throughout the planning process was encouraged.
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Refurbishment/RFID
The 18 months planning process included staffing restructuring, working with the union. All position descriptions were adjusted to align with the proposed changes in service.  All vacancies were initially filled with temporary appointments to mitigate redundancies.  These were inevitable as at least 40% of staff time was spend on conventional circulation desk duties.

Although restricted by the small existing building footprint, it was decided to:

• Develop multi-use, flexible spaces to cater for different types of library activities and uses – e.g. helping people with technology, hosting community events
• Put ‘like with like’, to avoid possible conflict between uses and users (e.g. keep quiet activities together in one area)
• Incorporate a retail-based layout to:
• Make it easier for people to find what they’re looking for (including books)
• Create more social spaces and address ‘the Library as a social hub’ concept.

Some shelves were fitted with wheels to allow flexibility for events. Permanent projection facilities were installed in the Children’s area, to further support community events and educational activities. The manager’s office was converted into a small community space featuring a smart television, laptops and tablets, with available staff to support. Now it is being used for staff training and demonstrations and teaching the public, for community organisations to hold meetings, and for people to study or read quietly.  Other major changes included new carpeting, decorating, improved signage, resulting in a brighter and lighter atmosphere. Where possible, furniture was refurbished or sourced second hand.
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Layouts
The community space that has exceeded expectations with constant uptake from businesses and community groups. With the creation of separate areas, different user groups can be catered for. Children are accommodated in one corner and in the opposite corner we have a youth area. Tourist visitors face the front windows, where there is an ample provision of USB ports, charging stations and comfortable furniture, away from quiet reading areas.
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A different layout for the non-fiction section created lounges like “living rooms” which have comfortable, colourful furniture that are organised into areas of interest.  The layout features more books facing out, similar to displays found at book retailers. These spaces also allow for more private or small group options.

The layout changes were achieved during a period of closure of three weeks with Library staff, volunteers, Information Technology staff, Property staff, Design Federation staff as well as contractors all working together to meet the deadline.
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Implementation
We allowed for at least 12 months of consolidation after the introduction of RFID and the refurbishment before further initiatives were introduced.  The positive feedback from a Library survey and the constant positive comments from the public, and an external Review of the Library, further reinforced that we were on the right track.  The reciprocal benefits of the philosophy of customer engagement instead of a transactional relationship, has been embraced by staff, leaving them energized and motivated.  The fact that there were no staff losses due to the introduction of automation, was a major contributing factor.

​Staff have more time for community outreach and to work with the Branch libraries, schools and other organisations.  Branch equity is now being addressed.  This includes building and RFID expansion, collection development and volunteer training.  Other initiatives being developed include seniors’ outreach, community outreach, re-establishing of the Friends of the Library and staff training in digital literacy as a precursor to public digital literacy support.

Improved Customer Service has been our major goal and the library has indeed become the public face of the Council.  We might have an outdated building footprint, without all of the ‘frills,’ but we are proud of all that was achieved on the smell of an oily rag and a ‘can do’ philosophy.  My contention has always been that Libraries are not just about the bricks and mortar, but about the staff.  To quote a Māori proverb “He tangata, he tangata, he tangata!” It’s all about the people!

​Earlier this year LIANZA made submissions to both the Copyright Issues Paper and the Health and Disability System Review. We have now received updates on both reviews, which we share below.

Copyright Issues Paper
MBE received 148 submissions on the Copyright Issues Paper and have now published submissions on their ‘have your say’ page. You can read a summary of submissions on the same page. The summary focuses most on what emerged as the main themes from submissions, in terms of strengths and issues with the current copyright system.

For the rest of the year, MBE will focus on using the information they have available to develop advice for the Minister of Commerce and Consumers Affairs on objectives for copyright, issues with the current system and its strengths. There will be extensive consultation at the next stage of the review, where they explore possible options for reform.

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Health and Disability System Review
The Interim Report of the Health and Disability System Review is now available.

This interim report does not provide final recommendations.  It is a progress report reflecting back what was heard during Phase One, providing analysis of submissions and evidence the Review has gathered, and indicating the directions of change the Panel believes are needed.  During the next few months the Panel will continue to refine these directions, and engage further with stakeholders, so that specific recommendations can be finalised by March 2020.

There is also an executive overview online which gives a brief executive summary along with a compilation of the directions for change, and the next steps for the Review.

Things in the Sea are Touching Me
Written by Linda Jane Keegan and illustrated by Minky Stapleton
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This rhyming picture book for young children, 3-7, confronts a fear that faces many when at the beach: 'Something in the sea is touching me!'

For this young child, Ma is not just a calming influence but also takes the opportunity to inform:
They drift through the water
and feed like a filter.
No need to let them
put you all off-kilter.
A crab, salps, a mangrove seed and kelp are encountered in turn until:
'I splashed and I paddled
found courage within,
ignoring when stuff touched
on elbow or shin.'

But next it is Ma shrieking in fear and the youngster's turn to laugh, explain and console. Yes, a fun day at the beach for 'Mum, Ma and me.'

Minky Stapleton incorporates the text into her illustrations with large white letters on a black background for the shrieks. This contrasts well with the soft water colours of most pages. Another interesting technique is the juxtaposition of distance and close-up views on opposing pages. For example the crab appears small beside their feet, but is large and more detailed on the facing page.

With both English and Maori versions available, this is a book for all Kiwi kids. Author Linda Jane Keegan handles this nuclear family with a difference as a normal situation which, increasingly, it is. Well done.

Reviewed by Chris Wright (Bookrapt)

Judges comments: We particularly appreciated the insightful analysis of typographical and illustrative techniques used in the book.

Mini Whinny: Happy Birthday to Me
Written by Stacy Gregg and illustrated by Ruth Paul​

This is a story about the importance of friendship and sharing, and the fun of togetherness.

It's nearly August 1, birthday time for all horses, so up go the decorations in the stable as excitement mounts. 

But Mini Whinny wants her own party, not a shared one with all the other horses. Even the wisdom of Berenice her friend the cat cannot calm her. While the other horses sleep in their stalls, Mini Whinny wreaks havoc by dragging all the preparations into her stall for her very own party – but it's just not the same: 

She passed-the-parcel.
But there was nobody to pass it to.
There was no one to light the candles on the cake.
And no one to cheer when she blew them out.

In her softly coloured illustrations Ruth Paul has captured the personalities of the various animals as well as the changing moods of young Mini Whinny with her increasing confusion and disillusionment. When the friendly Palomino finds her, sad and alone, her quick-thinking plan leads to everyone having a happy time together. Even Mini Whinny acknowledges her selfishness with a few tears when the others present her with a new rosette.
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Stacy Gregg is a prolific writer of stories about horses, up till now for slightly older readers. This is her first picture book and her first New Zealand publication. I'm guessing this might not be the last we read of young Mini Whinny!

Reviewed by Chris Wright (Bookrapt). 

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A long-time supporter of the Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust, she was for three years Manager of its Storylines Festival Family Days held annually in major centres. Crissi holds a Bachelor in Design and Visual Arts, with a specialist interest in picture book illustration. She has recently finished studying for library qualifications while working as a librarian at Rangeview Intermediate School in Auckland.

"We were absolutely delighted to confirm Crissi as the 2019 Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award winner,” says Storylines Trust chair Christine Young. “Her multifaceted involvement in the New Zealand children’s literature community, including many years on the Storylines management committee, and her ongoing dedication to promoting New Zealand books and reading, and engaging young people with New Zealand literature, meant that the decision to acknowledge Crissi with this award was unanimous.”

The Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award honours the former academic, author and reviewer Betty Gilderdale and has been given since 1990 to mark an exceptional commitment to the world of children’s books and awarded to a diverse range of authors, librarians, publishers, agents, booksellers, academics and teachers. Previous winners include Dorothy Butler, Elsie Locke, Ray Richards, Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira and Trevor Agnew. 

A presentation to Crissi will be held by the Storylines Trust in Auckland in early November.