5 reasons to give eBooks/eAudiobooks a go

Not everyone's a fan of eBooks or eAudiobooks, and that's okay. I'm not here to tell you to give up the printed word altogether. (That'd make a great, big, fat liar out of me because I will forever have an emotional attachment to the printed word, and the comfort that a physical book gives me). When we expanded our eBook collection earlier this year (we now offer more than 43,000 titles across four different platforms for you to borrow), it wasn't about trying to replace the printed word. That's not - and never has been - our intent. What we hope to do - and I think we've done that quite well - is allow people to have more choice when it comes to reading however, whenever, and wherever they choose to. I've never been much of a one for living in denial, so I absolutely believe we can have our cake and eat it, too. After all, what else is the point of cake if not to be eaten? So if you're not yet convinced about eBooks or eAudiobooks, here are 5 very quick reasons to give them a try AS WELL AS physical books. (See? I'm not about to push you into something you're not ready for).

1. All eBooks and eAudiobooks are FREE to borrow
You simply need a library card to get started.

2. There are no late fees
Titles are automatically returned when they expire. Some of our platforms even let you return the item yourself before the due date.

3. You don't need to visit the library to borrow or return books
This means you have 24/7 access.

4. You can download eBooks and eAudiobooks from anywhere in the world
You simply need an internet connection. When I was on holiday in New Orleans last year for Mardi Gras, I found it a little hard to adjust to the change in time zones, and raided our eBook collection for something to keep me entertained until my bodyclock was in sync with Louisiana.

5. Text size, style, line spacing and page margins can be adjusted to suit your needs OR eAudiobook speeds can be adjusted to suit your needs

Time to say goodbye, and introduce the 12 posts of Christmas

It's that time of year when we come at you with our annual 12 posts of Christmas - all kinds of crazily useful and terribly useless THINGS I have come across in our collections, on the interwebs, or while out and about in 'the outerwebs'. It is, not coincidentally, also our last series of posts. Once the 12 posts of Christmas updates are done, we will close the Top 5 Goodies blog for good. You'll still be able to come back and read it, however we will no longer update this space from 2 January 2014 on, and neither will the posts be open to new comments. This is, you see, my last week with Auckland Libraries. As a result, this series of posts - our annual 12 posts of Christmas - will be our last posts forever.

Back in 2010, Danielle and I set up this space to provide an informal place (and voice) for staff and customers to:

1. read about our rich and diverse collections
2. celebrate the joy of reading, learning and discovery
3. comment about our posts in particular, or our services in general
4. suggest lists topics/ideas they'd like to see represented here
5. to have fun!

I like to think we achieved all 5 objectives. With that in mind, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you - family, friends, acquaintances, interwebs grazers - for your support and encouragement over the last three and a half years. It has been, will always and forever have been, a joy to have shared ALL OF THIS with you. Think about it - you let us babble on incoherently about fanfiction, romance novels, all things geeky, family related or work related, and have been the best audience anybody could ever want. We thought this was just going to be about library books, but it's also been an opportunity to share how much books influence a large part of who we are, and just how much they can change lives. And we are aware, everyday, of just how incredibly lucky we are that others have wanted to read about that, too

I have greatly enjoyed the fact that I got to jump on here and talk, randomly or purposefully, about our books, CDs and/or DVDs. Between editing some of our eNewsletters, posting to a couple of other blogs we have, and personal reading/listening/watching I was always up to my eyeballs in goodies and treasures. And so many of them generated the most hilarious lists. (In my head, anyway). It has been my *absolute pleasure* to have been able to run the Top 5 Goodies blog.

From tomorrow on, we'll be posting about all kinds of strange and wonderful things up to (and including) 1 January 2014. So we'll see you back here for one last hurrah.
 - tosca

5 Instructables.com books you need in your hack life now

“I swiftly discovered that there are few things in DIY (and possibly life) that can't be solved with a large mallet, a bag of ten-centimetre nails and some swearing.”
― Monty Halls

I heart Instructables.com. Their site gives me many happy feels for two of the most basic of reasons ever: it's somewhat geeky, and it's all about people making things and sharing the result/how to instructions. Such as homemade oatmeal cream pies, a Pusheen cat cake (that you will never find in the Nailed It meme of gallery horrors), Connor's tomahawk from Assassin's Creed 3, and even DIY cat trees. Yes. Cat trees. In my book, that means everybody wins. And if you don't like a particular project, skip it and move on to the next one. That's probably the other half of the beauty of Instructables.com, there's always more to see...like this chili recipe, or this LEGO USB flashdrive bracelet and, well, almost anything, really. So imagine my SQUEE when I accidentally saw that we had some of their books in our community libraries. HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS? What kind of catalogue stalker am I? A really bad one, apparently. If DIY is your kinda thing, you've gotta check out these books, and their site.

5 unusual craft books

“Glitter is the herpes of craft supplies.”
― Demetri Martin

My mum was awesomeness. She was an incredibly arty person (not so much these days because she's busier than she ever was with work). No matter where we lived or how old we were we always had craft supplies. My childhood memories are full of fantastical things made from rolls of butcher paper, crayons, felts, colouring pencils, glitter pens, sellotape, wool, PVA glue, dye, cotton wool, pipe cleaner, construction paper, buttons, googly eyes, paper plates, feathers, sequins, bits and pieces of materials (usually leftovers from things mum had sewn), toothpicks, popsicle sticks... We were encouraged to try everything and MAKE ALL OF THE THINGS. It was great fun, but I was realistic about it all because I suck badly at arts and crafts. Seriously, any kid who chops their fringe off in anger and believes that PVA glue will help them glue it back on is not playing with a complete Happy Meal. (What can I say? I was twelve, and I never claimed to be a genius). Maybe it's the thwarted artist in me who deliberately looks to recreate the childhood buzz of craftery (bad English is bad English) but I find myself fatally attracted to strange and unusual craft books. Like the ones listed below because why not, right? I mean, who could seriously walk past Star Trek and Star Wars crafts? Or marvel at the madness that is Regretsy? Or construct strangely interesting duct tape-y type things *shrugs* The weird is my kryptonite, and I revel in it all. And now you can, too...

5 Etsy shades of Fifty Shades

“Don't get your panties in such a twist... and give me back mine.”
- Anastasia in Fifty Shades of Grey

Oh, Etsy! Oh, Etsy, Etsy, Etsy. You beautiful, exciting beast. You terrible, awful monster. You give me everything I want and then, at the click of a mouse, offer up all I never wanted. You think I'm kidding. Look at the title of this post. I'M. SO. NOT. KIDDING. One minute I'm looking at Supernatural inspired pillow cases (remember: don't judge me for my fangirlness) and then I'm blinded by all of the things crafty people want to do with Christian Grey. You're all perverted, and you've made me a part of this terrible cycle because I have to share it with you.

And so, for my sins, I give thee: 5 Etsy shades of Fifty Shades. "What does that MEAN?" you ask me. "THINGS inspired by the BOOK," I reply. You don't have to thank me. (You probably won't want to and, really, I think I'm okay with that).

(Seriously, I'm conflicted. I hated this book, but I lovelovelove that it got people talking about READING and BOOKS and SEX (even badly written sex with inaccurate lifestyle depictions and all), and I heart times a bajillion that ppl want to get all craftsy up in here. I just wish the book was...better. You know?).

5 crafty books to make you go "WTH? DO WANT!"

"I was once fired as opening act for Seals and Crofts because I got loaded and introduced them as Arts and Crafts."
- George Miller

I'm a thwarted crafts person. Seriously. I can't craft for peanuts. Everything ends disastrously. When trying knitting on for size I dropped stitches, made stitches up, broke wooden needles and ended up with an unfinished drunken looking scarf. (To this day it sits buried at the bottom of one of my many bags as a mark of crafts-shame). Crochet...ugh, let's not talk about that. Mosaics...yikes, who knew that was dangerous? Scrapbooking...oh, it was way too fiddly for me. The only crafty experimenty type thing I did reasonably well was decoupage. And only then because I used graphic novel images taken from old comic books. (I figure better to use images I actually identify with - what do you mean I'm not a Maori/female version of Wolverine? - than cutesy pretty things I feel nothing for). I mean, sure, my pants have Mod Podge stains that will never come out, and let's not talk about how I nearly sliced my finger off and, while we're at it, let's not even mention the body parts glue can stick to. The point is, I quite clearly suck at crafts. This doesn't stop me from enjoying craft books, though. I'm not sure how that works. And the more bizarre/strange/unusual/funny (haha and weird) the book THE BETTER. Am I, right? (The only proper answer here is "Yes, Tosca, you in your all knowing wisdom are RIGHT."). I've rounded up the following five books that have caught my eye and turned them into this post. Probably for my own entertainment more than yours. You don't know the LOLs I LOLd before requesting these. Now I have to find someone to make some for me because me and crafts? Life endangering. Request, and enjoy, people :)

Also worth a mention:
The bad book / Aranzi Aronzo
In the world of kawaii (Japanese cute), little kitties, pandas, bunnies and the like are standard fare, but who ever heard of The Bad Buy, The Liar, or The Thief? Aranzi Aranzo takes the notorious cuteness of Japanese crafts and takes them to the next level with The Bad Book, full of mischief and fun!

Comment: I don't know what any of this means. I just know I *have* to request it to find out.

Dog hair : the best doggy hair-dos for fashion-consious hounds!
Dogs can be fashion victims just like the rest of us. Take yourself on a journey through the highs and lows of doggy hairdos, including mullets, perms, sleek bouncy locs and mohicans. Dog Hair has 75 of the most cutting edge styles - feel inspired and pamper your pooch. Whether you have a spaniel, a poodle or a mongrel, your furry friend will love their makeover.

Comment: Technically, not a crafts book BUT I COULDN'T RESIST. I mean, really.