Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Ranges Mobile - won't be at Macclesfield

The Ranges Mobile will not be at Macclesfield this afternoon due to a lack of drivers. We apologise for the inconvenience. Items may be returned to any of our branches or you can get them renewed over the phone by calling 1300 737 277 or through our website if you have your PIN.

Cheers, Maryanne

I've got this great book you have to read!

Does this describe you? You've just read a fantastic book and you want to share it with the world. Reader's Corner Reviews (RCR) is just the thing for you. RCR is a blog of staff and visitor reviews. It takes over from the old staff suggestions page that used to be on Reader's Corner.

Not only are our staff submitting reviews but we have a form on the site for you to submit your own reviews. Most will have links to find the book in the library catalogue, some even have links to other reviews found in Novelist, a free resource for library members.

We are labelling all of the reviews with our names, genres and subjects. If you like mysteries, click on the mystery label at the bottom of the review to read all of our mystery reviews.

We've already had some wonderful feedback from visitors who have read books suggested on the blog.

Cheers, webgurl
p.s. what am I reading at the moment? Never one to read just one book at a time I'm reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy and Plum lucky by Janet Evanovich.

Friday, February 22, 2008

The Eastern Regional Library Show 20th Feb 2008

Library staff members Lesley Conway and Pia Butcher run a radio show each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm on Eastern FM 98.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Tune in next Wednesday for a great show.

On this week's show

If you haven't already started your family history, but are thinking seriously about it, you could not do better than to attend one of our Beginning Family History talks. The first for the year will be held at Ringwood Library on Tuesday the 4th of March at 7pm. It's a chance to start the hunt for your ancestors, run by our very knowledgeable staff member Ann Dixon. There will be similar talks given at Knox Library in April, and Croydon Library in May.

Kathy Smalley was our guest today on the program, and as our regional Family History and Local History specialist, has organised a very full program of events. There is a Family History link from the ERL webpage, and newsletters for both Family and Military History which can be emailed to you every two months if desired. Kathy also announced today a new training offer for those interested in Military History on the Internet. There will be a 2 hour session for learning about internet resources available for the military history researcher, to be run at the same time as the Military History group based at Croydon. The next meeting will be next Friday, the 29th of February at 2pm

---- Lesley

Geraldine Brooks at the State Library

Just received this announcement and I thought I'd share it with you. Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks will be speaking at The State Library about her latest work, The People of the Book, which revolves around an ancient Hebrew illuminated manuscript. The State Library will be having an exciting exhibition soon, The Medieval Imagination: Illuminated manuscripts from Cambridge, Australia, and New Zealand (28th March-15th June).

When: Tuesday 18th March 6:15 for 6:30pm
Where: Village Roadshow Theatrette
Entry 3 State Library of Victoria, La Trobe St

Tickets:
$15 per person $12.50 conc* unreserved seating. *concession available to Privileged Readers, pension and student card holders. Card must be presented to be eligible for concession price.

Bookings:
Tel (03) 9662 4699
Email: readers@readersfeast.com.au
In person: Readers Feast Bookstore, Cnr Bourke & Swanston Streets Melbourne
3000

Cheers, Maryanne

Knox Festival

Ferntree Gully Library will be open 10am-4pm on Saturday 1st March & Sunday 2nd March for the Festival

Sat. 1st March
12:30pm Valanga Khoza
Musician and storyteller Valanga Khoza will present a fun hour of stories and music

2pm Meet Morris Gleitzman
Author of Blabbermouth, Misery Guts and many other favourites. Morris will delight with his stories, and will be available for a sales and signing session at the conclusion of his talk.

Sun. 2nd March
11:30am and 3pm March Carp Productions 'Aussie Rules'
Join Carp Productions for loads of laughs

12:30pm Bollywood Dancing
Slip off your shoes and join Sudha for some Bollywood fun

2pm Meet Christopher Milne
Meet the author of the Naughty Stories for Good Girls and Boys and hear about his latest series Scary Stories for Brave Girls and Boys. Chris will be available for a sales and signing session st the end of his talk.

Artrageous will be in the library on both days for some great free make and do sessions.

Bookings not required for any of the sessions.

Cheers, Maryanne

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Croydon Library closed on Sunday 24th Feb

Croydon Library will be closed on Sunday 24th February due to power upgrade and installation work required at the new Croydon Pool complex. The nearest branches open on Sunday are Ringwood and Lilydale (1-4pm).

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Cheers, Maryanne

Monday, February 18, 2008

Fresh photos of the Boronia Library refurbishment



I've just uploaded some new photos of the Boronia Library refurbishment. If you haven't caught up with what's happening you can view all of the photos on my Flickr account at http://www.flickr.com/photos/webgurl/.

So far I hear everything is going to schedule. The painted wood panelling on the ceiling of the entrance and teen area look great.

UPDATE: New shelving has arrived and I just uploaded some of the photos. The library is really looking nice.

Cheers, Maryanne

Friday, February 15, 2008

Phone at Montrose

The phone at Montrose is out of order at the moment. Until it is fixed I have diverted the phone number to our 1300 number. Please select the option for Yarra Ranges branch. Staff at one of the other branches will be able to assist you.

Cheers, Maryanne

Activities next week

A couple of activities have skipped through the usual advertising channels so I thought I'd better advertise them now:

Easter Chocolate
Master chocolatier, Didier Cadinot, from Kennedy and Wilson will be demonstrating how to create your own special chocolate goodies for Easter giving.

When: Monday 18th February 12:30pm
Where: Mt Evelyn Library, 50 Wray Cres, Mt Evelyn
Cost: $7.50 includes lunch
Bookings essential Ph:97363851



Montrose Gardeners - Drought Proofing your Garden
Horticulturalist James Orange shares water saving ideas.

When: Tuesday 19th February 1pm
Where: Montrose Library, Cnr Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd and Swansea Rd, Montrose
Cost: Gold coin donation

Special door prize to be won
Bookings essential


Motorcycle Maintenance
Come and learn more about maintaining your motorcycle

When: Wednesday 20th February 7pm
Where: Lilydale Library, Anderson St, Lilydale
Supper provided
Bookings essential Ph 9728 4224

Cheers, Maryanne

Natural Remedies

Learn to heal common ailments the natural way with Ingrid Perri.

When: Friday 29th February 12noon
Where: Knox Library, 425 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South

Bookings Ph: 9801 1422

Cheers, Maryanne

Camera to Computer

Join Chris Hamnett for a beginners introduction to digital photography. Learn to:
  • capture digital images
  • transfer them to your computer
  • edit the images
  • where to organize your images
When: Saturday 23rd February 11am
Where: Yarra Junction Library, Hoddle Street, Yarra Junction

Bookings appreciated Ph: 5967 1588
Morning tea provided.

Cheers, Maryanne

The Eastern Regional Library Show

Well I've been a bit remiss in posting the recent articles about the radio show so I'm posting a few articles in one....Cheers, Maryanne

Library staff members Lesley Conway and Pia Butcher run a radio show each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm on Eastern FM 98.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Tune in next Wednesday for a great show.

6th January

Have you come to the end of your favourite author's work ? You have the difficult task of finding a new author. Do not despair! There are some very handy resources at your fingertips. From the ERL webpage you can go to Readers' Corner where you will find lists of 'Who writes like' , which suggest authors who write in a similar style or on similar themes. There is a Sequels database, links to booklists and sites dedicated to genres of fiction on the Net, and Reader's Corner reviews. Lyn Baines has some suggested blogs to investigate too...'

Random Jottings of a Book & Opera Lover 'at http://randomjottings.typepad.com
Dovegreyreader at http://dovegreyreader.typepad.com,
Stuck-in-a-book at http://stuck-in-a-book.blogspot.com, and
A work in progress at http://www.danitorres.typepad.com

Lyn discovered a new crime author through a recommendation from one of these blogs, and is now waiting with bated breath for the third in the Martin Edwards series which began with Coffin trail. It is set in the English Lake District, and features a young man who is returning to the setting of childhood holidays, and also an old murder which his policeman father had investigated. There are many threads to the story, and the promise of interesting revelations to come. The second in the series is Cipher garden, and the third will be out soon, Arsenic labyrinth.

A bit or a romp, as an antidote to the drama of the detective novel, is Hearts and minds by Rosy Thornton. Lyn admits to a weakness for novels set in the Colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, and this one is set in Cambridge. A women's college has just had the first ever male College Head appointed, and in the clash of sexes, and the new broom versus tradition, there are many very funny passages.

Last but not least, Lyn had with her The far traveler : the voyages of a Viking woman by Nancy Brown. This is about Icelandic sagas, about Viking culture and particularly women's roles, about Viking exploration to the west, with archaeological evidence suggesting that they reached North America long before any other Europeans, altogether a fascinating read.

30th January

This week we celebrated a wonderful collaboration of 12 years with Ray Lawrence, our host at Eastern FM community radio. The studio was awash with memories and nostalgia as Ray and Alan Thompson (who began the library information session for the Croydon Council prior to Council amalgamations) remembered the cramped conditions endured when the original studio burnt down and the workers constructing the new studio would be hammering and sawing in the background to the on-air conversation. Ray has been an inspiration to ERL staff who have contributed to the program over the years, with a superbly professional and calm demeanor. Even with rebellious characters like Lyn Baines and Alan Thompson who would cheerfully ignore his signs that it was time to stop for a break, Ray would maintain an impeccable sense of pace and timing, from which we all learnt.

Chocolate has been a recurring theme over the years, so Ray was presented with Lyn Baines' famous chocolate muffins, chocolate from Jill McCallum's very special source in the southern suburbs, and chocolate fudge from Healesville. We look forward to sharing similar goodies with our new host.

Pia, our Youth Services specialist took the opportunity to remind listeners that the Storytime program for pre-schoolers is beginning again in all our branches now that the school year has begun. Not every branch has Storytime for every age group, but at a branch near you there will be sessions for Tiny Tots 0-12 months, Toddlers 1-3 years, and Preschoolers.

We said fond farewells and thanks to Ray to the melodic voice of Sarah Vaughan singing In a sentimental mood. There are several cds and two dvds featuring Sarah Vaughan in ERL branches.


13th February

ARCANE, definition : known only to a few; secret, mysterious or obscure; the two halves of the Tarot deck. Last week on air I said I would be looking at some "arcane" areas of the library collection. I should be careful what I say, I had to look the word up, and it a presented challenge. What do we have that fits the definition?

Well, the tarot was straightforward, there are many many books on the tarot and it's meanings, and I was able to put my hand on a new one to the collection, Tarot masterclass by Paul Fenton-Smith. Designed for beginners and accomplished readers, this author gives and in-depth guide to the four suites, detailed meanings, colour charts for access to card meanings and much more. On the same shelf at 133 you will find books on a wide range of divinition methods such as runes, about which there is a new title Simply runes by Kim Farnell, as well as astrology, Fengshui, Nostradamus and I Ching.

To delve into the mysterious, I found a book which will appeal to readers who enjoyed Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and are interested in similar legendary stories around the life of Jesus. Alec Maclellan has researched a book The secret of the spear about the spear carried by the Roman centurion Longinus which pierced Jesus on the cross. Apparently there is a spear in the Hofburg Museum in Vienna which is claimed as the authentic spear, but given it's history of passing through the hands of the Emperor Constantine, Charlemagne, and Adolf Hitler, there is a question mark hovering.

Last but not least, the obscure fascination of Fans, a book by Avril Hart and Emma Taylor based on the collection held by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The completely gorgeous illustrations bring to life the multitude of purposes fans have had and brilliant works of art which they have often been.

---- Lesley

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Scrapbooking on a budget

Do you want to create wonderful albums without spending a fortune? Scrapbooking on a budget for beginners with home hobbyist Mary Da Silva is for you.

When: Thursday 21st February 7pm
Where: Rowville Library, Stud Park Shopping Centre, Stud Road, Rowville
Ph: 9294 1300

Cheers, Maryanne

Reader2Reader

Do you like talking about your favourite authors? Would you like to discover new authors to enjoy?

Come along to our first session of Reader2Reader on Wednesday 20th February at 10:30am
for an informal discussion with library staff and fellow readers accompanied by a cuppa.

When: Wednesday 20th February 10:30am
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave

Cheers, Maryanne

Nicki Greenberg and adult graphic novels

Also this week is the visit by author/illustrator Nicki Greenberg and the launch of the adult graphic novel collection.

Come and join us to hear and see how Nicki Greenberg, author and artist, has transmuted and transmogrified F. Scott Fitzgerald’s jazz-age classic The Great Gatsby into a wonderful graphic novel. Nicki will also be officially launching our new Adult Graphic Novel collection.

Nicki is a Melbourne-based comic artist, author, illustrator and lawyer whose first series of books, The Digits, were published when she was 15 years old. More recently she has written and illustrated both fiction and non-fiction books for children and teenagers. Her graphic adaptation of The Great Gatsby brings together Nicki’s passion for literature and her love of sequential art. Painstakingly constructed over six years the work is an enormous tribute to Fitzgerald’s novel and an exuberant but thoughtful “arrangement” of the brilliant jazz of the original.

When: Thursday 7th February 7pm
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave
Ph: 9754 7266

Cheers, Maryanne

Around Words. My Life As A Traitor by Zarah Ghahramani with Robert Hillman

Don't miss tomorrow's author visit at Yarra Junction Library. Meet Robert Hillman, the co-author and learn the amazing story behind this book and his part in bringing Zarah from Iran to Melbourne. She was 20 in 2001 and took part in peaceful demonstrations in Tehran. Snatched off the streets and imprisoned for 29 days, she was beaten, interrogated and finally dumped back on the street.

When: Wednesday 6th February 11am
Where: Yarra Junction Library, Hoddle Street, Yarra Junction

Bookings appreciated Ph: 5967 1588

Refreshments provided.

Cheers, Maryanne