Some recent award winners

Peter Carey has won this year's Christina Stead Prize for Fiction for his novel Theft: A Love Story, with Robert Hughes winning the Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction for his memoirs Things I Didn't Know.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan has won the 2007 Community Relations Commission (CRC) Literary Award. This graphic novel is comprised completely of pictures and no words, and tells the stories of migrants undertaking their journey to Australia.

The Commonwealth Writers Prize for Overall Best Book was awarded to New Zealand's Lloyd Jones for his novel Mister Pip, the story of a teacher who uses Great Expectations to educate the children of a small village.

Click on the linked titles above to find them in the library catalogue.

From books to opera

Authors Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith and Bernard MacLaverty will turn librettists for a special evening of fifteen-minute operas for the Scottish Opera. The event, called Five:15, will showcase a unique collaboration between Scottish authors and composers.

Looking titles by these authors? Search the library catalogue for Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith, or Bernard MacLaverty.

Rare owl in Canberra

Nesting in Canberra for the first time in 15 years, is a female Powerful Owl. These birds are the biggest owls in Australia and quite rare.

If you can't get to the Australian National Botanic Gardens to see her yourself, read one of the many books on owls that can be found in the Library. For Example, Owls: Journeys around the world by David Hollands or Australian Owls, Frogmouths & Nightjars by Jill Morris & Lynne Tracey.

Search the library catalogue by subject using either owl or owls.

Celebrating Star Wars

This weekend, Star Wars fans are celebrating 30 years since the 1977 release of the first Star Wars movie. Star Wars: A New Hope, which was followed by two sequels and three prequels, generated an enormous range of books, as well as comics and merchandise.

Click here to locate Star Wars titles in the library catalogue, and for lots more Star Wars news and information, visit StarWars.com or TheForce.Net.

Recommended - Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles

Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles: A Muppet Sketchbook by Alison Inches

Do you remember The Muppets? If so, then you're likely to find this book a fun exploration of their development, and an insight into the mind of their creator, Jim Henson.

Full of illustrations that show the evolution of his special puppets, from their most primitive to the characters known and loved today. Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles includes many familiar and not so familiar creatures, and is particularly recommended for fans of Jim Henson's work.

Recommended - beneath the bleeding

Beneath the Bleeding by Val McDermid

This latest offering from Val McDermid is, I think, one of her best. Once again featuring DCI Carol Jordan and Dr Tony Hill it is a great police procedural. There is plenty of crime including poisonings and bombings. The interaction between the ‘normal’ police force and those who fight terrorism is interesting, albeit a bit alarming, with the former referring to the latter as Imperial Storm Troopers. We are given some insight into Tony Hill’s earlier life and the relationship between Carol and Tony remains as enigmatic as ever.

Glass

The new Canberra Glassworks is opening in a matter of days. Glass can be decorative and/or useful and the library has a diverse range of books on the subject, covering topics such as glass techniques, glass painting, stained glass, glass beads, glass paperweights and even bottle collecting.

These items can be found at the Dewey number 748 at your local library (don't forget that items can be easily transferred from one branch to another).

Lloyd Alexander - "Father of children's fantasy"

Lloyd Alexander, multiple winner of the Newbery Medal, died last week at the age of 83. Often referred to as the father of children's fantasy, Alexander was the author of more than 35 books including the Chronicles of Prydain series begun in 1964.


Lloyd Alexander's final novel, The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio, will be published later this year. Click here to search the library catalogue for titles by Lloyd Alexander.

21-27 May 2007 is Library & Information Week, a time to celebrate libraries and their contribution to the community. Please take some time to visit your library during Library & Information Week, and throughout the year.

"I am neither walls nor shelves not even books that stand in rows,
I am the wisdom of the Universe,
Captured and arranged for you.
I am an open door,
I am the Library.
Enter."
~ Anonymous

Recommended - Blaze of Glory

Blaze of Glory – Michael Pryor (Fantasy)

17 year old Aubrey is a bright, impatient and charismatic school boy who has grown up in his father’s shadow. Fortunately for Aubrey he’s able to work in an area his father has no talent with – magic. This stands him in good stead when he and his best friend George decide to investigate the attempted assassination of Prince Albert and find themselves mixed up international politics. Of course Aubrey has other thing to worry about, but I’ll let you find those out on your own. Despite the fact Aubrey was irritating at times, I’m waiting with baited breath for the sequel. A thoroughly enjoyable experience from one of the authors of the Quentaris series.

Reading Group Choices

Are you looking for a book for your next book club discussion? Reading Group Choices has a list of book suggestions along with discussion topics, that you might find useful.

For other book club ideas, you can also try:

• Reading Group Guides
• Reading Group Ideas
• Book Group Info
• Book-Club

The world of Wilbur Smith

The Quest is Wilbur Smith's new bestselling book, and you can read an excerpt from it on his web site, as well as listen to an interview with Wilbur himself.

The official Wilbur Smith web site is full of information about each of Smith's books, and the films and TV series based on them. Also included are detailed biographical information, a complete bibliography of his work, family trees for his Egyptian and Courtney series, and information about public appearances.

Click here to search the library catalogue for titles by Wilbur Smith.

Recommended - Freakonomics

Freakonomics: A rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

This is an enjoyable book, though describing it is actually bit difficult. It's a kind of "six degrees of separation" that poses questions in order to highlight similarities between seemingly unconnected topics or situations. It shows how society can be, and is, driven (or manipulated) by "incentives".

This is not just a book for economists or mathematicians; it will intrigue many people to discover what sumo wrestlers might have in common with teachers, or how the structure of a drug-dealing street gang replicates that of many legitimate businesses.

Borrow the book from the library, or visit the official web site for more information from the world of Freakonomics.

About blogs and feed readers

If you have some favourite blogs and check other web content regularly, you might like to set up a free account with an aggregator, also known as a feed reader.

Feed readers allow you to select and receive all sorts of posted web content, fed directly to the one place. Anything that has "RSS" (sometimes called "Real Simple Syndication" or the orange "feed icon" (shown below) will have feeds available.



Typical content can come from:

• Blogs
• Podcasts
• News
• Wikis
• Flickr

Starting an account and subscribing to a bunch of feeds is as easy as falling off a log. Click here for a sample list of free, web-based readers.

eBook & eAudio Book readers

eBooks and eAudio books are another alternative to print books. Learn how to use the ACT Public Library's eBook and eAudio book service by following the online tutorial.

Researching your family history?

Ancestry Library Edition provides a wealth of information for family history researchers. This online resource is available for ACT Public Library members - however, please note that access is only available through ACT Public Library branches.

Chat to a librarian live and online, to ask for help finding information.

Library reference staff from across Australia are ready to answer your questions. AskNow! is available Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm AEST. Click here to access AskNow! via the ACT Virtual Library.

Yoga for Babies

Join Birthways yoga instructor Julia Willoughby for gentle, soothing yoga for babies using movements, song & massage. Suitable for babies between 6 weeks up to 9 months only (not for crawlers or walkers). Please make your own child-minding arrangements for other children. Free. Bookings are essential to avoid disappointment - please phone 6205 9000 to make a booking.

• Monday 21 May - Tuggeranong Library
• Tuesday 22 May - Woden Library
• Monday 28 May - Belconnen Library
• Tuesday 29 May - Erindale Library
• Monday 4 June - Dickson Library
• Tuesday 5 June - Kippax Library
• Friday 8 June - Gungahlin Library

All sessions are from 10.15 am – 11.00 am.

What to wear: Loose fitting clothes for stretching exercises.
What to bring: A mat or towel & baby pillow for lying on.

Sharing picture books to celebrate Mothers' Day

There are some wonderful picture books about mums - why not choose one (or more) to share with your kids this weekend? Some of the books featuring mums include:

It’s the bear by Jez Alborough
My Mum by Anthony Browne
My Mummy and me by Rachel Flynn
Harriet, you’ll drive me wild! by Mem Fox
My Mummy by Guido Van Genechten
My working Mom Peter Glassman
Where’s Mum? by Libby Gleeson
My Mum goes to work by Kes Gray
You’ll wake the baby by Catherine Jinks
Me and my Mum by Jill Kearney
Love you forever by Robert Munsch
My Mum by Jeannette Rowe
Keep me company by Gillian Rubinstein
Mothers are everywhere by Karen Wallace
Seven more sleeps by Margaret Wild
My Mum Tarzan by Lisa Shanahan
Tucking Mummy in by Morag Loh
Are you my mother? by P.D. Eastman

ACT Memorial database

The ACT Memorial honours men and women who have an association with the ACT and who served in conflicts, peacekeeping missions and related service throughout the world.

The physical Memorial is located opposite Civic Square on London Circuit; the ACT Memorial web site includes a database of people associated with the ACT who are eligible for the Roll of Honour and Commemorative Roll of the Australian War Memorial.

Recommended - The boy in the striped pyjamas

The boy in the striped pyjamas by John Boyne

Bruno's life changes the day his family moves to "Out-With". There he meets a boy who lives on the other side of a wire fence. Their friendship leads to a new understanding for Bruno, and a gripping climax to the story.

Described by some people as a fable, this award-winning book of the Holocaust as seen through the eyes of an innocent boy, is compelling reading for all ages.

Recommended - The fight for English

The fight for English: How language pundits ate, shot, and left by David Crystal

This book by David Crystal is a fascinating and very readable overview of the development of the English language. It looks at the various groups that over the centuries have wanted their particular way of spelling, punctuation, grammar etc to be regarded as the ‘right’ way of doing things and why these changes didn’t succeed. Crystal says that the language is constantly changing and he wonders why the fight to establish prescriptive rules has become such a ‘Big Issue’ to some people.

Reading to children - where to start?

People say that it is important to read to your children, but what if you don’t know where to start?

Let's Read provide hints about reading to young children and also how to make the most of your local public library; and for ideas about what to read, The Little Big Book Club has book suggestions for different age groups and tips on how to support your child as they start school and start reading independently.