Library fines are gone for good
Library fines are gone for good – make sure you’re a member so you can access their massive online collections!
That’s right – Auckland Council Libraries just got rid of library fines! Check your account, it’s true. 😊
This is an amazing initiative that will help thousands of Aucklanders come back into libraries and ensure they can access reading for leisure and for learning.
The libraries online collections are available at all Alert Levels (since they’re totally online!) and they are seriously amazing – and free!
Here are just a couple of ideas for you to take advantage of in your downtime:
📚 Thousands of free eBooks! THOUSANDS! Get them all by downloading the Libby app to your device and signing in with your library card. Simple as that. And yes – there are a LOT of cookbooks in there to help you get your lockdown chef vibes on. 👨🍳
📚 Watch free streaming docos and art house films on Beamafilm. This is perfect for when you’ve run through everything on Netflix… Sign up for a free account with your library card barcode.
📚 eAudiobooks! Why pay for Audible when you can get unlimited eAudios for free! These are also in the Libby app.
📚 eMagazines - from Women’s Day to The Economist to New Scientist, you can borrow the latest issues and access back catalogues free with no wait! Also in the Libby app! Can you believe it?
📚 eNewspapers are available from all over the world on PressReader. Perfect for getting overseas perspectives, or the latest news from home. Have your library card number and password ready.
Sign up for the library here, if you haven’t already.
www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz...
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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