Heritage et AL

Awekura is a blog and podcast series that highlights treasures within Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. In this series, library specialists provide a window into the world of these special collections.  We kick off the series with Renée Orr, rare book specialist and Curatorial Services Team Leader here at Auckland Council Libraries. The spotlight today is on a rare book recently donated to the library: The Memorable Works of a Son of Thunder and Consolation: Namely, that True Prophet, and Faithful Servant of God, and Sufferer for the Testimony of Jesus, Edward Burroughs, who Dyed a Prisoner for the Word of God, in the City of London, the Fourteenth of the Twelfth Moneth, 1662.  It’s a bit of a tongue twister of a title, but 17th century people really knew how to name their books, highlighting the premise and value in under 50 words. This book was printed in 1672 in London and is a collection of the writings of a man called Edward Burrough. Find the book on the  lib...

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections gained an important collection in 2024 with the gift of 183 titles collected by the late Professor Emeritus Donal Ian Brice Smith (Don). The collection of early modern books published before 1801 comprises several hundred volumes. The collection is now housed in archival boxes, each with a label which features Don’s signature, to show the provenance from the library of Professor Smith. Image: Don’s signature on the fly leaf of ‘An account of popery and arbitrary government in England’ 1677 MARV, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. Every title brings new possibilities. To honour this significant collection Auckland Libraries has invited academics from across the country to talk about books in this collection. Click here for the details of the symposium on 8 November 2025.  Rare Book Librarians Jane Wild and Renee Orr have enjoyed looking at the collection and note that books of this age all have stories to tell in terms of their owne...

Image:  A postcard from 1906 of Lake Pupuke. The caption reads: F.T. Series. No 2720. A portion of Lake Takapuna, from Lake House. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1743-044. It’s hard to picture now, but there was a time when Takapuna was a remote, sparsely populated coastal settlement – valued for its natural beauty that offered an interlude from the bustle of Auckland. In the late 19th century, reaching the area meant a ferry to Devonport followed by a cart ride along rough coastal roads. Even so, it drew those seeking sea air, scenic views, and quiet respite from the growing city. Image: A series of sketches from Takapuna. 1. Lake Road. 2 and 3. Lake Takapuna. 4. Lake Beach. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-18930225-0180-01. Photographer: New Zealand Graphic. Among the earliest buildings in the area was Lake House, a gracious Victorian villa of kauri, purpose-built as a seaside boarding house. Situated at the northern end of Takapuna Beach, it stood only a sh...

Image: Marilyn Portman behind the microphone, 2022. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections - Ngako: Podcast series. Photographer: Benjamin Brooking. Auckland Central City Library has been a vibrant venue for live music for decades. Among its most celebrated performances are the renowned Heritage Concerts, which have captivated both our local communities and daily visitors to the library. Now in its twentieth year, this beloved concert series owes much of its success to its steadfast curator, Marilyn Portman. Marilyn has been a librarian for close to 40 years, and for many of those years has specialised as a music librarian. She is a taonga - a treasured member of staff with incredible musical knowledge and many recitals and events under her belt. Recently, she shared a fond memory from the early days of the Heritage Concerts - a moment that marked the beginning of something special: “A seed was planted in 2002 when Kowhai Baroque presented ‘An Afternoon of Italian Music and Poetry’ in...

Image: Penny Vernon with her twin lens camera, 17 July 2025, photographer Jane Wild Robin Hyde’s distributed archive continues to grow. Sometimes the photograph, the book or the letter takes its own time. In this case a photograph which features Robin’s son Derek Challis took over forty years to be developed. The story behind the photograph demonstrates the way documentary heritage can surface beyond the formed collections. This is particularly apparent when an archive is collected after the subject’s death. In this case Iris Guiver Wilkinson (1906 – 1939) now better known as Robin Hyde has left a trail of letters and photographs across the country and beyond reflecting her vivid and tumultuous life. More letters continue to be found and through digitisation and transcription they add to the distributed archive in collections, both public and private.  Image: Derek and Ellynne (Lynne) Challis with Jean Sweetman, Grey Lynn, 1980s, photographer: Penny Vernon The photo had been waitin...

Image: School children on Apirana Ave, Glen Innnes, 1989. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 273-PAG002-10. Photographer: Stuart Page In 1990, Auckland Libraries launched a large-scale oral history project to commemorate Aotearoa New Zealand’s sesquicentennial anniversary. The aim was to preserve the voices of Aucklanders and capture the city's history through their lived experiences. This particular series focuses on Glen Innes, highlighting its unique social, cultural, and historical narratives. The oral history excerpts below highlight key themes such as the everyday social and cultural life of Glen Innes and its surrounding market gardens, mana whenua, and the communities that later moved into the area. These excerpts have been curated for the exhibition 'Glen Innes: A Century of Community and Change,' held at Te Oro Music and Arts Centre from 6 September 2025. More details of the exhibition can be found here . 1. Elizabeth Smith  Elizabeth was interviewed by Je...