Aokautere Park, Autumn 2010

Having posted a photo of fungi growing on a tree in the grounds of Aokautere Park outside the New Zealand School of Export in June 2008, I couldn't resist taking a photo of this one:

Different tree, different fungi and earlier in the year!   March 2010.

Joann Ransom - Congratulations

The American Library Association has honoured Joann Ransom of the Horowhenua Library Trust (New Zealand) as one of the Movers and Shakers for 2010. This is the first time a New Zealander has ever been nominated. Joann is the inspiration behind Kete Horowhenua, software which has been picked up and used by hundreds of libraries in New Zealand and around the world. For the full story go to The Library Journal.com at:

http://www.libraryjournal.com/MS2010Inductee/2140493436.html

When I attended the VALA 2008 Conference Joann spoke about Kete and Kete Horowhenua.   It was very inspiring and it sparked in my mind the possibility of having an Export Kete, or an New Zealand Trade Kete.   There is so much information available about our export/import trade out there which needs to be brought together so that it can be used in the future.  When our exporters go into their markets they must have heaps of prepared resources and information about their products, photos of their company premises and factories - all of which could go into a Kete.  And then there are the interviews and reminiscences that could be recorded from exporters.

Hopefully some of this information is being kept in company archives and going into local and national repositories for safe-keeping.  

Not far from the School are the buildings which remain from the East Fitzherbert Dairy Factory located at the turnoff to the Pahiatua Track.   Perhaps that could be a starting point...

By the way the link to the Horowhenua Kete is: http://horowhenua.kete.net.nz/

From Library Automation to Library 2.0...

Paul Sutherland's paper presented at VALA2010 is worth reading for anyone trying to come to terms with Web 2.0 and Library 2.0  in the international trade environmen, even although it foucuses on the experience that he has been a part of at the Christchurch (N.Z.) City Libraries.   Paul is the Digital Innovation Librarian at CCL and a frequent contributor to nzlibs.

If you were only to look at the ground rules for blogging on p.7 and the bullet-pointed strategy for Web 2.0 on p.17 it would be useful.

Here is the record from the New Zealand School of Export catalogue:
http://ets.kohalibrary.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=629

Historical Trade Stats for New Zealand - BLUE Books

Yes this is a Blue Book - in fact the Blue Book for New Zealand for the year 1842.   Archives New Zealand have digitised the 23 books of national statistics for the period 1840-1855.   They are known as blue books because of the colour of their covers (most are blue!) and they contain statistical information including trade.  They take a while to download but be patient - they contain some fascinating handwritten information.

Photo: Archives New Zealand | Te Rua Mahara o te Kawanatanga