I’m not sure if I really qualify as one of the Library Managers to be able to write this Inside Out – but my name was next on the schedule, so here we are! These last few months have been such a learning curve for me, finding out more about all the wonderful taonga that reside under the Kaitiaki (guardianship) of the Macmillan Brown team.

I’ve said this a few times,  but I’ve mainly been learning about how much I didn’t know – and as someone who has been here at UC for over 6 years now, there was a lot! So I wanted to highlight just some of the  amazing things that I’ve recently learned about MB.

Did you know that Macmillan Brown Library’s cultural heritage collections reflect UC’s place in Aotearoa, the Pacific and beyond? Well it most certainly does. The Library also:

• Holds over 5,000 works in the UC Art Collection, which is one of the largest in the region and at a university. It also acts as Kaitiaki for most other art works on campus, even those that aren’t officially within the UC collection. Fun fact – did you know a special tree out the front of Okeover is actually a registered piece of art? I’ll leave you to guess which one.
• MB holds over 5 kilometres of archives! (Someone of average height can expect to take around 6250 steps over a 5k distance, so a lot of walking!) There are a couple of FT Archive Cataloguers currently doing work on the Architectural Drawings  – again of which we hold one of the largest collections in NZ! Hence why you could have a full team of Archive cataloguers and always have work to do. Thanks to those members from LAC too who provide great support either working a number of days over at MB to help further digitise the collection and supporting the minisis work.
• It also holds a wealth of ephemera, newsletters and magazines from diverse local communities and organisations, which offer an often-rare glimpse into the culture, activities, and issues facing segments of our society—past and present. My favourite ephemera was that given to us by Patricia Wallace when I somehow got roped into helping her move offices (I therefore had to rope Jemma in too.)
• In MB’s Special Collections, we have rare books dating back to 13^th century manuscripts, right up to contemporary ‘artists’ books.’ One of my favourite Special Collection items is a copy of the King James Bible – of which we have ‘The Wicked Bible’ version. This is just from the copious amounts of emails I have read in regards to this one item alone (mainly from one academic who is passionate about it!)
• MB’s specialist staff have taught in to 38 tutorials and lectures this year so far, across a broad spectrum of subjects including Art History, Criminal Justice, Fine Arts, History, Māori and Indigenous Studies, Music, and Sociology.

I’ve also learnt  about the different trust funds, donations,  MOUs, Collection policies and Insurances that are more complex then I thought!  We were able to use the MB trust fund towards staffing this year (aimed at making the collection more accessible) and had a Pasifika Postgrad Student position lined up before lockdown unfortunately occurred.

Another thing I’ve been blown away by is the sheer amount of connection and collaboration the team has across the University and beyond. Whether it’s working with academics to embed some of their subject matter expertise into courses or providing support for an obscure item that a visiting academic is researching, they go above and beyond. They have connections with local High Schools, Ngāi Tahu,  the Canterbury Museum, Art Gallery , Teece and many more.

They also run Internships at MB which are a lot of work for the staff that support them but are such a huge benefit and reward to the students who get the opportunity.

I’ve enjoyed my time immensely at Macmillan Brown and want to thank the team again for allowing me the honour to be part of it and will finish by saying that their greatest treasure by far is the people that work there.

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei

Rā Steer

Kia ora koutou,

the recording for the Library Staff Forum Zoom meeting today 26th August is saved here. K:\Management\Meetings\Minutes\2021-08-26 Library Wide Staff Forum.

Noho ora mai,

Rā

kia ora koutou,

I hope you are all keeping well, getting some sunshine and staying safe.

He aha (what): This zoom meeting is a chance to connect and hear from Anne and Library Managers about library wide matters, any updates and a chance to ask any questions. This meeting is for those who wish to attend and can make it. An email with the same details will be coming out shortly.

Āhea (when):   Thursday 26th August 10.30am – 11.30am

Ki hea (where): https://canterbury.zoom.us/j/97097719319

Edit: There is now a slido for this meeting if you would like to ask a question (and we’ll use the chat during the meeting as well)

https://app.sli.do/event/hqglnljw

We will also be recording this meeting for those who can’t attend.

Noho ora mai

Rā

Sarah Johnston, Kaiāwhina at the Macmillan Brown Library and sound history researcher, is a 2021 recipient of a Judith Binney Trust writing award.

Come listen to her presentation about her fascinating research into New Zealand’s World War II radio sound archives where she’ll also be playing some excerpts of recordings of New Zealand troops, made during WWII by the New Zealand Broadcasting Service Mobile Units, which travelled with the forces from 1940-1945 through North Africa, the Middle East, Italy and the Pacific.

When: Tuesday 21st September

Time: 10am -11am 

Where: Puaka-James Hight 210

Flight Sergeant A G Newman of Timaru, records message to be broadcast in New Zealand,  from the Italian Front, April 1944 – Photograph taken by George Bull Ref: DA-05602-F Alexander Turnbull Library

Kia ora koutou,

The Canterbury Disaster Salvage Team are offering a workshop on Sept 13^th – 14^th 2021.

Please find the programme and application form here  – K:\Management\Communications 

The first day will be held on campus at the UC Fire Station and the second will be a practical workshop at the Woolston Fire Training Centre.

A discounted rate will be offered to UC Library staff to attend the first day if you are wanting to only attend this session.

If you are interested in going, please contact your Manager and Lydia or Jenny.

Nau mai, tauti mai ki te puna rakauhau ō Macmillan Brown! – It’s my great pleasure to inform you that Hine Ngarewa and Juliet Lackersteen will be joining us in the MB team for the next few months  in the role of Kaiāwhina – Library Assistants.

We look forward to working with you both.

Ngā mihi, Rā

If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, do have a squizz in the latest CANTA . The Macmillan Brown team have put together a number of interesting items we hold here for CANTA’s latest Museum of CANTA Issue (pg 28 -29). You may be surprised!

CANTA #7 2021 – CANTA 

We are seeking Expressions of Interest (EoI) for a Kaiāwhina, Te Puna Rakahau o Macmillan Brown for an 11 week fixed term position. The position is part-time (14.5 hours), from Monday 9^th August to Thursday 21^st October inclusive. The preferred hours of work are Monday 10.30am-2pm (3.5 hours), Tue 10am-4pm (5.5 hours), Thur 10am-4pm (5.5 hours) however there is some flexibility around these.

This role supports the MB team and our customers and will involve a mix of front desk customer service work and a range of support tasks including collections work. This is an opportunity to learn more about our heritage collection including Art, Archives and Published Collections.

We are looking for a dynamic person with a passion for helping staff, students and the public access information, and creating a welcoming environment, particularly for Māori and Pasifika.

This opportunity is advertised internally only at this time and the position is Band 2. To submit an EoI, apply via this link https://jobs.canterbury.ac.nz/?unlistedjob=NtLUYVN&tracker=315043713 and in your cover letter, please include:

• In the cover letter title – include the position you are applying for (Kaiāwhina – Macmillan Brown)
• Why you are interested in this position
• What skills and experience you will bring to the position, using the PD here – “K:\Operations\HR\Library-Assistant-MB-PD.pdf”

The recruitment process comprises the EoI and an interview.  Applications close Sunday 1^st August 2021. If you have any questions, or would like further information, please contact Rā Steer on ext 93912 or Caroline Syddall on ext 93883.

Yesterday we got the chance to reciprocate and host the NZ Archives team at Macmillan Brown. The weather held off and we got the chance to show them the different taonga we hold. You know you’re amongst colleagues of a similar passion when you have to wrangle them away from books to go have a quick shared kai before they had to head back!

Rā Steer

If you wanted to know more about Matariki – this is a write up by Irai Weepu (Tangata Whenua Facilitator/little brother).

Matariki is a tohu, a sign that signifies what is now widely called the Māori New Year season or the Matariki season. There are several oral traditions relating to the stars of Matariki and for some iwi, other stars better signify the Māori New Year season. However, today Matariki has become the focal point for Aotearoa New Zealand. Its reappearance on the eastern horizon marks the beginning of the Matariki season. It is concluded by the following new moon. The day after the new moon is the Māori New Year’s Day.

The Matariki season represents the renewal of life. One oral tradition tells that Matariki annually heals the sun ‘Tamanui te Ra’ of his wounds inflicted by the trickster demigod Maui Tikitiki-a-Taranga. Restoring his strength so he can bring back summer and life. However, his wounds are eventually exacerbated, he weakens, winter returns and the cycle continue. For many cultures around the world, the star cluster is feminine, connected to winter, represents fertility, the renewal of life, and in turn a New Year.

For Ngai Tahu, with a basis of being nomadic hunters and gatherers, the timing of the Matariki season is governed by multiple tohu of nature. The tohu tell of the cycles of the sun, moon, stars, earth, winds, birds, fish, and plants converging. This convergence is dynamic and shifts throughout June and July each year. Deeply understanding these tohu meant a successful hunting and gathering season. Respecting these tohu meant a safe return home. Being ‘in tune’ with these tohu meant being ‘in tune’ with ‘te mana o te taiao’.

In comparison, the Gregorian calendar, based on the Julian calendar, has a fixed New Year’s Day, 1^st January. January is named after Janus, the Roman god of life, death, new beginnings, and good harvests. This date was set by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C. and the shifting lunar cycle was replaced with the fixed Egyptian solar cycle of 365.25 days per year. A driver for this change was Roman politicians were misusing the shifting calendar to extend their terms to extend their power, which also caused a lot of confusion for the citizens. In 1582 A.D. Pope Gregory VIII changed the Julian calendar to 365.2425 days per year to correct the drift against the true solar year. Although this cycle is ‘in tune’ with the sun, it is ‘out of tune’ with the moon, and ‘out of tune’ with the southern hemisphere’s environment, where seasons are reversed.

Recently Matariki was confirmed to become a public holiday, beginning next year on 24^th June 2022. This will help enable families to come together, to share stories, to learn, to share the bounty of their harvests, to remember loved ones, to plan for the year ahead and to celebrate the renewal of life.

This year’s Matariki season is from the 2^nd July to the 11^th July. This means on the 2^nd July, the Matariki star cluster will rise, reappearing on the eastern horizon shortly before the sun rises. The following new moon is on the 10^th July. The 11^th July is the Māori New Year’s Day, a day governed by natures dynamic cycles.