Welcome to the Libraries ACT blog

Dads' Big Day Out

2012-01-20T17:03:00.001+11:00

Dads are invited to bring their children aged 3 - 5 years along to Dickson library, to share stories, rhymes and songs. You'll also discover tips for how to share books, rhymes and songs at home. This is a relaxed event presented by male staff especially just for dads and their children.

Date: Sunday February 19 2012

Time: 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue: Dickson library

Book now to reserve your place.

ACT Writers Centre event: publishing for authors from a non-English speaking background

2012-01-17T10:09:00.001+11:00

Event: How to sell your book to an Australian publisher – a Writing Australia workshop for writers from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) with publishing expert Rhonda Whitton
Date: Saturday 4 February
Time: 10am-5pm
Venue: Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen

This FREE workshop is presented with the support of Writing Australia and is specially tailored for people who were born overseas and for whom English is their second or third language. Writing can be a self-absorbing process and emerging authors often overlook the importance of presenting their book to a publisher or agent in a concise, convincing and professional proposal package. This workshop will show writers how to submit their work to commissioning editors of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Participants should have a near finished work, and will be assisted in creating the best submission for proposal to a publisher.

For more information and to book for this event, visit http://www.actwriters.org.au/.

Happy Christmas from Libraries ACT

2011-12-25T08:00:00.003+11:00

ACT authors: an eclectic bunch - with lots in common

2011-12-08T13:45:00.000+11:00

What do John Clanchy, Dorothy Johnston, Jack Heath, Alan Gould, Marion Halligan, and Kel Robertson all have in common? There are at least three answers, all of them correct:

They’re all of them shortlisted in the National Year of Reading ‘Our Story’ competition
They all of them live or work in the ACT
And as they’re all of them local authors, the ACT Heritage Library collects their published works (and would like to receive their papers when their career is complete)

ACT Heritage Library maintains two collections of local authors’ work:

The Local Author Showcase, which is for a loan collection of current work (published in the last two years) and is available at the Civic Library
A collection of all the published work of local authors. This collection is not for loan but items from it are available for use in the Heritage Library itself, which is on the first floor of the Woden Public Library building.

If you are a local author and are wondering whether the Heritage Library collects your work, please check here – and if you’re not on the list, let us know and while you’re at it, tell us what you’ve published!

If you’re intrigued by what local authors have written lately, look here – detective fiction, children’s books, fiction for young people, local history, natural history, poetry, sociology, probably anything you’re interested in. See if you can spot another answer to the question, “what to ACT authors have in common?” We’d be interested to hear.

Food for Fines is on again

2011-12-05T08:34:00.000+11:00

Do you have fines for overdue library items? Do you have an overdue library item that needs returning?

From 1 December – 24 December 2011 Libraries ACT members are encouraged to return any overdue library material, and to donate tins or packets of non-perishable food in exchange for fines being removed from their membership record.

All food will be donated to OzHarvest Canberra who provide food to 55+ charities in Canberra and Queanbeyan, supporting those in the community in need.

Click here to learn more about Food for Fines.

Our Story: Shortlisted Book #6

2011-11-24T08:01:00.000+11:00

Vincenzo’s Garden by John Clanchy

A collection of short stories with a mix of characters - men, women and children - often at a crossroads in their lives. A husband in the midst of a terrifying, yet occasionally comic, wrestle for his sanity fights a losing battle to save his marriage. A girl steps out of her own portrait to recount the death of the famous artist who painted her. A doctor, driving late on a country road, runs down a woman and is forced to devise his own punishment. A man in middle age travels the length of the Australian continent to uncover a secret that has tormented him since his youth. And a fragile woman and her beautiful daughter struggle to find love and understanding after decades of conflict.

John Clanchy is the award-winning writer of novels and short stories. He lives in Canberra and has won the ACT Book of the Year Award twice – for The Hard Word in 2003 and Vincenzo’s Garden in 2006.

Vincenzo's Garden is one of the books shortlisted for Our Story. Voting is now open online at www.abc.net.au/yearofreading and in participating libraries and book shops. The closing date for votes is 6 January 2012.

Our Story: Shortlisted Book #5

2011-11-23T08:57:00.004+11:00

The White Tower by Dorothy Johnston

A mild young man’s addiction to a role-playing internet game has led to his death. Disturbingly, his suicide is a bizarre echo of his chilling execution in the game; his only note a digital mirror image of his own death. But where do blame and responsibility lie, in a world where powerful men are as seductive as they are unscrupulous? Sandra Mahoney finds that the threads of truth and illusion can easily wind into a choking scarf of manipulation and deceit.

Dorothy Johnston was born in Geelong, and after studying and working in Melbourne, moved to Canberra in 1979. As a young child she learnt to occupy herself with books and believes this contributed to her love of reading and writing. Before moving to Canberra, Dorothy published poetry and short stories, and wrote what she called a ‘practice’ novel. In the 1980s she had three novels published: Tunnel Vision, Ruth, and Maralinga My Love. Other books include One for the Master, which was shortlisted in the 1998 Miles Franklin Award, and The House at Number 10.

The White Tower is one of the books shortlisted for Our Story. Voting is now open online at www.abc.net.au/yearofreading and in participating libraries and book shops. The closing date for votes is 6 January 2012.

Our Story: Shortlisted Book #4

2011-11-22T08:53:00.001+11:00

The Lake Woman by Alan Gould (Shortlisted in the 2010 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards)

An Australian soldier in British service parachutes into the roaring embattled skies of the night before D-Day, and lands in a vast lake of flooded fields. His encounter with a mysterious woman who seems to rule that water world deflects him from the war and from all the promise his life had seemed to hold.

Alan Gould was born in London in 1949 of English-Icelandic parents and lived on armed forces camps in various locations around the world before coming to Australia in 1966. He has written poetry, fiction and literary journalism, publishing eighteen books, six fiction titles, eleven poetry titles and one collection of essays. Alan served as a member of The Literature Board of The Australia Council. He has also held several fellowships from The Australia Council, been a writer in residence at many prestigious institutions and the guest at a number of Australian and international writers festivals.

The Lake Woman is one of the books shortlisted for Our Story. Voting is now open online at www.abc.net.au/yearofreading and in participating libraries and book shops. The closing date for votes is 6 January 2012.

Our Story: Shorlisted Book #3

2011-11-21T08:42:00.009+11:00

Fog Garden by Marion Halligan (Shortlisted in the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards)

Clare is a woman of a certain age whose much-loved husband of thirty-odd years has just died. Clare finds herself building a 'cathedral of grief' - and reeling into the arms of an old friend. Life and writing loop and spiral around Clare and the central enormous fact of her husband's death.

Marion Halligan is an award-winning novelist, essayist and short story writer. Her novel, The Golden Dress, was shortlisted for the Dublin IMPAC Prize, and the Miles Franklin Award. She has also received The Age Book of the Year, ACT Book of the Year, Nita B. Kibble Award, Steele Rudd Award, Braille Book of the Year, 3M Talking Book of the Year, and the Geraldine Pascall prize for critical writing.

Fog Garden is one of the books shortlisted for Our Story. Voting is now open online at www.abc.net.au/yearofreading and in participating libraries and book shops. The closing date for votes is 6 January 2012.

Ho, ho, ho ... it’s Christmas story time

2011-11-18T09:21:00.000+11:00

Our libraries will be celebrating Christmas with special story times and each of these sessions will welcome a special Christmas visitor (Mrs Claus or Ernest the Elf).

Story time is for 3-5 year olds and starts at 10.30 am. Bookings are not required.

Wednesday 30 November - Belconnen Library
Thursday 1 December - Gungahlin Library
Tuesday 6 December Kingston Library
Wednesday 7 December Kippax Library
Thursday 8 December Woden Library
Monday 12 December Erindale Library
Tuesday 13 December Civic Library
Wednesday 14 December Tuggeranong Library
Friday 16 December Dickson Library

For more information about story time, visit the library website.

John Grisham on writing, politics and more

2011-11-18T09:17:00.000+11:00

This John Grisham video interview is from The Guardian.

Our Story: Shortlisted Book #2

2011-11-17T08:38:00.008+11:00

Smoke and Mirrors by Kel Robertson (Winner of the 2009 Ned Kelly Award)

Ace detective Brad Chen is lured back to work by the double murder of a Whitlam government minister and the editor of his political memoirs. Solving the crimes, while searching for a missing friend, Chen is plunged into the murky worlds of international espionage and organised crime. The body count rises as Chen uncovers the deadly secret behind the most momentous events in Australian political history.

Kel Robertson was born on the south coast in the 1950s and lived in Sydney, Wagga Wagga, and Cobar before attending high school in Bathurst. He is the graduate of four Australian universities, and now lives and works in Canberra where his grandfather was a minister of religion in the 1930s.

Smoke and Mirrors is one of the books shortlisted for Our Story. Voting is now open online at www.abc.net.au/yearofreading and in participating libraries and book shops. The closing date for votes is 6 January 2012.

The votes are in: COOL Awards 2011

2011-11-16T17:29:00.000+11:00

Canberra kids have spoken and the results of the 2011 COOL Awards are in. The winners are:

Picture Storybooks: Mr Chicken Goes to Paris by Leigh Hobbs
Younger Readers: The Very Bad Book by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
Older Readers: Ranger's Apprentice (series) by John Flanagan
Years 7 – 9: Now by Morris Gleitzman

The COOL Awards are the children's choice book awards voted for by the young people of the Canberra region (Canberra's Own Outstanding List). Students have the opportunity to vote for their favourite books in term 4 each year.

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who voted!

Our Story: Shortlisted Book #1

2011-11-16T07:57:00.005+11:00

Hit List by Jack Heath

Ash and Benjamin are teenage mercenaries. They find stolen artefacts and return them to the owners – for a fee. But when they are hired to rescue an imprisoned girl, they realise they're in over their heads.

Jack Heath was named ACT Young Australian of the year in 2009. He started writing his debut novel, The Lab, at the age of thirteen and it was published when he was eighteen. His subsequent books, Third Transmission and Remote Control were released in 2007 and 2009, and Remote Control was shortlisted in the 2008 Aurealis Awards for best sci-fi novel.

Hit List is one of the books shortlisted for Our Story. Voting is now open online at www.abc.net.au/yearofreading and in participating libraries and book shops. The closing date for votes is 6 January 2012.

Our Story: National Year of Reading

2011-11-15T12:38:00.000+11:00

2012 will be the National Year of Reading in Australia and it starts with the opportunity for you to vote for the book that you think should represent the ACT as one of the eight titles on a national recommended reading list for 2012.

For 2012, a collection of books is being created which, when read together, will describe the Australian experience. It is hoped that thousands of readers will take a journey around Australia through the pages of these eight books and come out of it with an even greater depth of understanding about what it means to be Australian.

The list of eight winning titles, and the start of Australia’s biggest book group for the National Year of Reading, will be announced at the launch of the National Year of Reading campaign on 14 February 2012. Book groups and individual readers will be able to go online and register as a member of Our Story, joining in the discussion about the books the nation has chosen.

The state and territory shortlists, chosen by independent panels of readers, have been announced, and the shortlist is available on the National Year of Reading website http://www.love2read.org.au/.

Voting is now open online at www.abc.net.au/yearofreading and in participating libraries and book shops. The closing date for votes is 6 January 2012.

Royal visit to the library

2011-10-21T09:27:00.000+11:00

There's a bit of 'royal fever' in Canberra at the moment, with Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh visiting Australia's capital city.

Did you know that in 1983 Prince Charles and Princess Diana attended the opening of our very own Erindale Library? A photo of this as well as a number of other photos of royal visits to Canberra, including photos of Prince Charles boarding an ACTION bus, can be found on the ACT Heritage Library’s image library – Images ACT.

Images ACT has a collection of over 8,000 digitised photographs of the ACT and region with new images added every few months. The ACT Heritage Library, located upstairs at the Woden Library, holds a total of 300,000 images, over 63,000 catalogued public documents and over 280 manuscript collections.

By typing ‘Queen Elizabeth’ into the search field you will find 131 images which include previous visits by the Queen, and a lot more about the life of Canberra, including previous Prime Ministers, coronation celebrations both social and military, facilities named in the Queen’s honour and the construction of key monuments.

Queen Elizabeth greets people in Canberra circa 1963. Image 003681. Part of the ACT Administration Collection. This image is for research purposes only and must not be reproduced without the prior permission of the ACT Heritage Library.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip view Canberra from the top of Mount Ainslie during the Royal Tour of Australia in May 1970. Image 000304. Part of the Department of Capital Territory. This image is for research purposes only and must not be reproduced without the prior permission of the ACT Heritage Library.

The role of the ACT Heritage Library is to help tell the stories of Canberra and its people. They collect and provide access to Canberra’s social and cultural history. Many of the photographs are drawn from collections donated by The Canberra Times and created by the Commonwealth Department of Capital Territory from the 1950s to the 1990s.

The help of many volunteers is very important to the ACT Heritage Library, as they spend hundreds of hours each year helping to categorise items for preservation within the Library’s collection.

Images ACT can be viewed online at http://www.images.act.gov.au/.

COOL Awards shortlisted author Robyn Bavati

2011-10-21T08:51:00.002+11:00

The COOL Awards are the Children's Choice Book Awards in the ACT.

Robyn's book Dancing in the Dark has made it onto this year’s shortlist in the Years
7-9 category. Read on to find out more about Robyn, what inspired her to be a writer and more.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I had vague ideas of being a ballerina or writing fantasy books like Enid Blyton, but although I hoped one day to become a writer, I didn’t know I really could. The people I knew became doctors, lawyers, accountants and teachers. I didn’t know a single writer, and the chances of my becoming one seemed about as real as my chances of becoming a tightrope walker or a movie star. My future wasn't something I thought much about, though in my teens I realized I loved dance and English, and wanted to do something that related to one or other of those fields.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Creative writing was my forte at school, though there wasn’t much of it on the curriculum. When I was in my mid-twenties, I started writing more seriously, attending writing workshops and sending my stories out to publishers. I guess that was when I realized I really did want to become a published writer.

Are you inspired by any particular books or authors? What’s on your bookshelf?
Every time I read a wonderful book, I am inspired by it. My bookshelf is an eclectic mix of writing for various ages, and reflects a range of different genres and styles.

If you could work with any author, who would it be?
I actually prefer working alone. I see writing as a very personal, internal process.

What’s your writing process like? Do you make an outline or just start writing?
I don’t start writing until I know what I want to write about, and have a general idea of the direction I want my work to take. Though I don’t make a detailed outline, I like to have some idea of the plot and characters before I begin. Otherwise, it’s too easy to get lost along the way.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
I write in the mornings, when my energy level is at its peak.

The dreaded writer’s block; Ever have it? How do you beat it?
I don’t think of myself as having writer’s block. Sometimes I get stuck because I’ve reached an impasse in the story and haven’t quite worked out what should come next. If that happens, I give myself time to figure it out. I often solve plot problems while walking or taking a shower.
I also acknowledge that every writer has good days, when the writing flows easily, and bad days, when it doesn’t. Then I give myself permission to enjoy a break.

Anything new being worked on at the moment?
Yes, I’m not too far off finishing a second novel. I hope to complete the first draft by the end of this year.

How can fans get updates for your upcoming books?
Via my website, which will hopefully have a brand new look complete with updates very soon.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I like walking, watching movies, catching up with friends for lunch or coffee, and of course, reading.

For more information on the COOL Awards click here

To see what other books are on the shortlist click here

Our Story: One Country Reading

2011-10-18T17:50:00.000+11:00

Next year is the National Year of Reading in Australia and it starts with the opportunity for you to vote for the book that you think should represent the ACT as one eight titles on a national recommended reading list for 2012.

For 2012, a collection of books is being created which, when read together, will describe the Australian experience. It is hoped that thousands of readers will take a journey around Australia through the pages of these eight books and come out of it with an even greater depth of understanding about what it means to be Australian.

The list of eight winning titles, and the start of Australia’s biggest book group for the National Year of Reading, will be announced at the launch of the National Year of Reading campaign on 14 February 2012. Book groups and individual readers will be able to go online and register as a member of Our Story, joining in the discussion about the books the nation has chosen.

The state and territory shortlists, chosen by independent panels of readers, have been announced, and the shortlist is available on the National Year of Reading website www.love2read.org.au.

Voting commences 1 November 2011 online at www.abc.net.au/yearofreading and in participating libraries and book shops. The closing date for votes is 6 January 2012.

Here are the shortlisted books for the ACT. Start reading them now!

John Clanchy, Vincenzo’s Garden, University of Queensland Press

Alan Gould, The Lake Woman, Australian Scholarly Publishing

Marion Halligan, The Fog Garden, Allen & Unwin

Jack Heath, The Hit List, Pan Macmillan Australia

Dorothy Johnston, The White Tower, Wakefield Press
Kel Robertson, Smoke and Mirrors, Pan Macmillan Australia

Find out more at www.love2read.org.au and stay tuned for more exciting National Year of Reading news

COOL Awards shortlisted author Pat Flynn

2011-10-17T10:00:00.002+11:00

The COOL Awards are the Children's Choice Book Awards in the ACT.

Pat's book The Tuckshop Kid has made it onto this year’s shortlist in the younger readers category. Read on to find out more about Pat, what inspired him to be a writer and more.

As a boy I loved reading but I also loved sport. I wanted to be a tennis star - practising every day against a brick wall that was really tough to beat. The window next to it, however, was much easier to crack. My accuracy improved and I won my first state title at 10 and moved to the AIS in Canberra at 15 where I lived for three years. My dream was so close but once I hit the pro circuit it felt like running in quicksand. My best world ranking was 390; I needed a new dream.

I always loved reading and writing. When I was in Year 4 my teacher read my mystery story out to the school cleaner. In high school my English teacher read my love story out to the class without saying who wrote it. Someone figured out I was the author and it was really embarrassing, but also a little thrilling.

When I hit 30 I decided to write a book. My first one was rejected, it was depressing. But a publisher wrote, 'Pat, you show some potential. Change your style from less serious to more fun and I'll consider your next book.'

It was a bit like saying, 'Pat, you're ugly, but get plastic surgery and I'll think about going out with you.' I did what the publisher said and wrote another book about a boy named Alex Jackson who loved skateboarding. I got a phone call a few months later. 'Pat, you are going to be a published author,' said the editor.

I pumped my fist.

'If,' she continued, 'you're willing to totally rewrite the book.'

'Oh,' I said. I took a deep breath and thought for a few seconds. 'Okay, I'll do it.'

Since then I've written 17 books about skating, surfing, tuckshop food, young love and tennis. Some of my latest books include The Best Ballgirl, The Trophy Kid and How to Get Dumped. I write about real life but focus on the funny side. Life's better when you laugh.

To see my life story in 3.30 minutes click here

For more information on the COOL Awards click here

To see what other books are on the shortlist click here

COOL Awards shortlisted author Katrina Germein

2011-10-15T10:00:00.002+11:00

The COOL Awards are the Children's Choice Book Awards in the ACT.

Katrina's book My Dad Thinks He's Funny made it onto this year’s shortlist in the Picture Storybooks category. Read Katrina's confession below about her secrets to successful writing.

Never Trust an Author

I’m an author with a confession to make. I lie. I cheat. And I steal. You should never trust an author. Let me explain.

1. I lie
Of course I lie. I make up stories all of the time. That’s what authors do. One of my books is titled My Dad Thinks He’s Funny but my own dad doesn’t even tell very many jokes. He prefers to share stories. To write that book I used jokes from my husband, his dad and my sister in law but I thought a book called My Husband, His Dad and My Sister in Law Think They’re Funny didn’t sound very catchy. So I lied. I pretended the book was about one dad.

2. I cheat.
All of the words in my books are spelt perfectly but in fact I’m terrible at spelling. Just ask any one of my school teachers or even my university lecturers. Spelling is something I’ve never found easy and so I cheat. I find ways to check my spelling before anyone even notices how many errors I‘ve made. I have a dictionary on my desk. I use the spell check on my computer. I have a spell checker on my phone and I ask my husband to check words for me. You don’t have to be a fabulous speller to be an author. You just need to know how to cheat.

3. I steal.
I’ve already told you that the jokes in my book My Dad Thinks He’s Funny are from my husband, his dad and my sister in law. I stole their jokes to write a book. Whenever I heard one of them say something funny I wrote it down until finally I had enough gags for a book. Authors do this all the time. They watch people and listen carefully to find writing ideas. We steal all our best story ideas from other people’s lives.
So now you know. Authors lie, authors cheat and authors steal. Maybe you could be an author too?

Never Trust an Author © Katrina Germein 2011

Stay tuned for more blog posts by COOL Award shortlised authors!

For more information on the COOL Awards click here

To see what other books are on the shortlist click here

COOL Awards shortlisted author Gabrielle Wang

2011-10-13T12:08:00.000+11:00

The COOL Awards are the Children's Choice Book Awards in the ACT.

Gabrielle's book The Race for the Chinese Zodiac made it onto this year’s shortlist in the Picture Storybooks category. Read on to find out more about Gabrielle, what she's working on at the moment and more.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I wanted to be an artist, archaeologist or a zoo keeper.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? And what prompted you to become a writer?
I used to be a graphic designer and illustrator, so naturally I wanted to write and illustrate picture books. But after several rejections I thought I wasn’t good enough and gave up. Then one night in 1999, I had a dream that was different from all my other dreams because it was unusually bright and clear. The next day I wrote it down and as I was writing, a story evolved about a girl and a magic box of pastels. That story later became my first novel, The Garden of Empress Cassia.

Are you inspired by any particular books or authors?
When I was a child my favourite book was The Magic Faraway Tree and my favourite series was The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton so my novels are a blend of magic realism and adventure.
In my teen years, one of my favourite authors was Ray Bradbury. He has since become my writing hero.

What’s on your bookshelf?
At the moment I’m reading The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, the first in his trilogy. I’m also reading Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami.

If you could work with any author who would it be?
My writing hero, Ray Bradbury.

What’s your writing process like? Do you make an outline or just start writing?
If I’m writing historical fiction, like the Poppy series for Our Australian Girl, I do a lot of research before I begin. Then I create an outline.
If I’m writing a novel that stems purely from my imagination, like A Ghost in My Suitcase, I collect bits and pieces and jot these things down in a notebook. When the notebook is full, it’s time to begin.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I write everyday of the week from 8.30 to 2.30. It’s not easy and I usually have to force myself to sit in front of my laptop, but without this rhythm of work I would never produce a book.

The dreaded writer’s block; Ever have it? How do you beat it?
I have never had writers block and don’t understand it. If I can’t think of what to write, I read, look at magazines, visit new places, go for a walk, put the story I’m writing away for three months then take it out again. I have so many ideas for stories that I wish there were two of me.

What is your favourite word and why?
‘Crunkle’ This is a word I made up but haven’t used in a book yet. The definition of it is a crinkle but with much deeper folds. I like the sound of it.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I like to walk, read, travel, horse ride, cook, watch movies.

Anything new being worked on at the moment?
I’m writing a ghost short story for an anthology which will be published next year called 13 Ghosts. It’s for 12 -14 year olds. I’m also working on a new novel called The Wish Bird.

How can fans get updates for your upcoming books?
I have a website and a blog http://www.gabriellewang.com/ and I’m also on Twitter @GabrielleWang and Facebook under Gabrielle Wang Author.

Do you have any special aspirations for the future? Would you ever consider being anything other than a writer?
I don’t see myself doing anything else. Being an author is something that happened late in my life and now I love writing for young people. I love creating new worlds and playing around with characters. It’s definitely the best job!

Stay tuned for more blog posts by COOL Award shortlised authors!

For more information on the COOL Awards click here

To see what other books are on the shortlist click here

Breaking the boundaries

2011-09-28T12:56:00.001+10:00

Join Alan Hodge, Chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing on the International Day of Older Persons which is being celebrated on 1 October 2011.

Saturday 1 October 1 2011
10.30 am - 11.30 am
Civic Library

Alan will discuss:

The changing demographics of older people in the ACT
Progress on the ACT Government's Strategic Plan for Positive Ageing and development of Canberra as an age friendly city
Outcomes of the Older Persons' Assembly being held in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Friday 30 September 2011 (the first such event to be held in Australia).
Alan will also talk about the Life's Reflections photographic competition (which closes on 1 December 2011 and is open to children and adults of all ages).

People of all ages are welcome to participate and learn more about ageing in Canberra.

Bookings are recommended.

Before Sherlock

2011-09-28T12:50:00.001+10:00

Sherlock fans may be interested in news that Arthur Conan Doyle's first novel, was published for the first time this week.

The Narrative of John Smith was released by the British Library on Monday. "The novel, written between 1883 and 1884, gives a fascinating insight into this early period of the author's creative development, only a few years before his creation of Sherlock Holmes would earn him an enduring place in the history of English literature."

October School Holiday Program open for bookings

2011-09-20T10:05:00.002+10:00

Looking for something to do during the October school holidays? The Libraries ACT holiday program is now open for bookings. There's lots to learn and do, including singing, painting, puppet shows, exploring the natural world, cartooning and scrapbooking.

Bookings are essential. To see the full program of events and secure your place, visit http://www.librariesact.eventbrite.com/.

COOL Awards Shortlisted Author Susannah McFarlane

2011-09-15T11:53:00.004+10:00

The COOL Awards are the Children's Choice Book Awards in the ACT.

Susannah's book EJ12 Girl Hero: Rocky Road has made it onto this year’s shortlist in the younger readers category. Read on to find out more about Susannah, what inspired her to be a writer and more.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I first wanted to be a cowboy and then, for a long time, a vet. It was not until late in high school that I wanted to work with books and I began work in publishing when I finished university.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? And what prompted you to become a writer?
For a long time I didn't want to be a writer at all - I loved working in publishing with authors, as a publicist, in marketing and then as a publisher but I didn't think I was a writer. I had always written but committing to a book is much a bigger, and scarier thing!

Are you inspired by any particular books or authors? What’s on your bookshelf?
Lots of them, normally the last one I read. I love reading one particular author but then also discovering a new one. Our bookshelves take over our living room - it's fantastic to see all your friends up there.

If you could work with any author who would it be?
I have been so lucky to work with so many authors but as a writer now, I would love to collaborate with illustrators more, it's a very special thing when you put an author with an illustrator, the words and pictures inter-twine and feed off each other to produce something better than either could have produced by themselves

What’s your writing process like? Do you make an outline or just start writing?
I spend a lot of time thinking around the book which is the fun part - it's like a giant brain-storm and you don't have to commit to anything! Then the hard part is to make the choices about what will build the story. There are quite a few false starts and lots of re-writes.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I remember one writer saying you need to treat it like any other job: sit at your desk and do it, you can't just wait to be 'feeling creative'. I think that's true and even if you write rubbish, you can fix rubbish but you can't fix a blank screen!

The dreaded writer’s block; Ever have it? How do you beat it?
Write through it. It can be quite painful, writing stuff you don't like but in amongst all that stuff is normally a little hint of something that might work

What is your favourite word and why?
Discombobulate (to throw into a state confusion) - it is almost onomatopoeic, like whoosh, which I also like a lot.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I like cooking and eating (luckily I also like exercise) and I love laughing so going to comedy shows, listening to funny friends and family. My family tells me my jokes are not so funny

What does your family think of your writing?
I am not sure - I will ask them!

Anything new being worked on at the moment?
I am pretty busy with new EJ12 Girl Hero stories (that girl has a lot of very tricky missions coming up) and also a picture book series I write called Little Mates. There is a one book for each letter of the alphabet about an Australian animal: Amazing Amelia the Ant, Bouncy Ben the Bilby etc - I dreading X! I have also begun to think of a new series of books for girls but it is still just swirling around in my mind for now

How can fans get updates for your upcoming books?
There is a new website coming in October susannahmcfarlane.com and EJ12 fans can always check out ej12girlhero.com and Boy vs Beast fans, boyvsbeast.com - the games are great but I can never get on the high-score board

Do you have any special aspirations for the future? would you ever consider being anything other than a writer?
I have only really just started being a writer so I think I will enjoy that for now!

Stay tuned for more blog posts by COOL Award shortlised authors!

For more information on the COOL Awards click here

To see what other books are on the shortlist click here

Talking about Jane Austen in Baghdad

2011-09-12T08:19:00.001+10:00

Talking about Jane Austen in Baghdad, by Bee Rowlatt and May Witwit, is described as "the true story of two women, two worlds and an unlikely friendship." It's the story of an Iraqi woman living in Baghdad, and a London mum of three who get to know each other and share each others lives through email.

Get Reading ... The Land of Dragons and Ten Short Stories You Must Read in 2011

2011-09-09T08:59:00.003+10:00

In September, during Get Reading! month, readers who "buy any book from the 2011 edition of 50 Books You Can’t Put Down from a participating bookseller" will receive a free book. There are two free titles to choose from: a collection of short stories for adults, and for children there is a brand new book of Deltora stories by Emily Rodda. Both books, and all the titles in the 50 Books You Can’t Put Down guide, can also be borrowed from Libraries ACT.

Here's a quick look at the children's book, as read and reviewed by an almost ten year old.

The Land of Dragons
By Emily Rodda

This book has lots of different short stories in it, from legends of ancient Deltora and newly discovered tales of Dorne. My favourite story was The Sorcerers of Dorne which was really exciting. The story's very detailed and takes place before the battle with the Shadow Lord. I recommend any Deltora fans to read it.

COOL Awards Shortlisted Author Ursula Dubosarsky

2011-09-02T14:53:00.019+10:00

The COOL Awards are the Children's Choice Book Awards in the ACT.

Ursula's book The Terrible Plop has made it onto this year’s shortlist in the Picture Book category. Read on to find out more about Ursula, what inspired her to be a writer and more.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Well, I decided I was going to be a writer when I was six years old. Before that, I wanted to be a tightrope walker ...

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? And what prompted you to become a writer?

When I learned to read in Year One, I realised that books not only had titles but names of authors on them. So when I found out what an author was (I asked my mum) I thought to myself, I like making up stories. I think I will become an author!

What’s your writing process like? Do you make an outline or just start writing?

I usually just start writing. I might get an idea from something I hear or see or read about. Usually the idea involves a character and a situation. It might not be the key situation of the story, but somehow I'm interested in it and I want to write about it. So I start writing and see where it takes me.

I do think it would be better in many ways if I did do an outline, as I know many writers do. But somehow my brain just doesn't seem to work that way - I can't think what might be going to happen until I start writing.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I try to write in the mornings, from about 9am, and to about the middle of the day. After that I'm exhausted! I'm quite a slow writer, and have do a lot of rewriting.

The dreaded writer’s block; Ever have it? How do you beat it?

If I'm stuck on something I like to sit on the sofa and close my eyes and listen to music. And just daydream about the story. It almost always works.

What is your favourite word and why?

Today my favourite word is "meekly". I just like the sound of it, and it makes me smile to think of it (very meekly).

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I read a lot, like most authors! I like walking the dog along the river, and I like cooking cakes. I like going to the theatre too. It's great seeing live human beings creating a story on stage, while you sit in the darkness watching them...

Anything new being worked on at the moment?

I've got a picture book coming out in November called "The Carousel". It's a poem about the experience of being on a merry-go-round as a child. Very magical! They book is BEAUTIFULLY illustrated by a painter named Walter di Qual. It glows in the dark (well that's how it feels!)

Tohby Riddle and I are also very happily working on a "Word Spy Activity Book" which will come out early 2012. It's looking great fun - a book of wordy activities that children can write in and draw in and colour in and cut up and all that sort of thing.

How can fans get updates for your upcoming books?

I've got a website www.ursuladubosarsky.com

There's also a special website just for my book "The Golden Day" - www.thegoldenday.info

Both of my websites were put together by my clever daughter, Maisie. (Thanks a million, Maisie!)

Stay tuned for more blog posts by COOL Award shortlised authors!

For more information on the COOL Awards click here

To see what other books are on the shortlist click here

COOL Awards Shortlisted Author Belinda Murrell

2011-08-26T14:35:00.001+10:00

The COOL Awards are the Children's Choice Book Awards in the ACT.

Belinda's book Locket of Dreams has made it onto this year’s shortlist in the older readers category. Read on to find out more about Belinda, what inspired her to be a writer and more.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
When I was young I wanted to be a vet like my dad, so I could have lots of animals to heal and look after. The only problem was I was really good at English but completely hopeless at maths and chemistry so I became a writer instead – and what a good move that was!

Are you inspired by any particular books or authors? What’s on your bookshelf?
My bookshelves have literally thousands of books on them so it’s hard to choose! Some of the books I like are the Narnia series, the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne-Jones, Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan, the Harry Potter series, nineteenth century literature by Jane Austen and the Brontes, and books by my sister Kate Forsyth.

If you could work with any author who would it be?
Lots of kids ask me if I would ever write a book with my sister Kate because we both love to write exciting, adventure stories for children and we spend lots of time together visiting schools and talking about books. But then when I think about it, I worry that we’d just end up arguing over what should happen next! So perhaps it’s safer if we just write our own books. However when the Governor-General of Australia was looking children’s authors to design and run a series of writing workshops at Government House of course we jumped at the chance to do it together with the lovely Deborah Abela.

What is your favourite word and why?
Travel! To me this word conjures up exotic images of excitement and adventure. Bring it on!!

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Travel! I love holidays with my family – we always manage to have lots of fun and adventures whether it’s skiing in Switzerland, horse riding on my brother’s farm, sailing in the Whitsundays or surfing up the north coast. My family recently went travelling for two years all through Europe and around Australia while we home schooled my three kids. Every day was a joy and an adventure.

What does your family think of your writing?
My three children are probably my greatest fans. They love to read my books while I am trying to write them and are always giving me suggestions, ideas and encouragement. They have also had the chance to meet lots of famous authors and get copies of their books before they come out in the shops which they think is great.

Anything new being worked on at the moment?
I am writing a new historical adventure book called The Forgotten Pearl which is due at the publishers in four weeks! Eeek! It is nearly finished and it is about a heroine called Poppy and her friends Maude and Jack, and the adventures they have during the war.

How can fans get updates for your upcoming books?
Check out my website http://www.belindamurrell.com.au/ My latest book is called The Ivory Rose which came out a couple of months ago. I have had so many emails from kids telling me how much they love it which is such a thrill.

Do you have any special aspirations for the future? Would you ever consider being anything other than a writer?
I want to keep writing books that kids love. One of the things I love about being a writer is that it involves so many fascinating experiences, which people are often surprised about. I might have to explore ruined Scottish castles or ride a horse across the moors as I did when researching The Locket of Dreams; or for The Ruby Talisman take a sword fighting lesson or discover the catacombs under Paris. Once the book is published I go on tour, travelling all around the country visiting schools and talking at festivals and events. For the launch of The Ivory Rose, I even dressed up in nineteenth century clothes and was interviewed as a ghost on ABC 3 TV for kids. I can’t imagine another job could ever be so much fun!

Stay tuned for more blog posts by COOL Award shortlised authors!

For more information on the COOL Awards click here

To see what other books are on the shortlist click here

Meet the Authors: Troy Simpson and Denise Sutherland

2011-08-25T17:31:00.000+10:00

Bring your lunch and be entertained by Troy and Denise as they discuss their books Funny English Errors and Insights and Cracking Codes and Cryptograms.

Thursday 15 September 2011

12.30 pm - 1.30 pm

Civic Library

Book now for this event

About the Authors

Troy is a Canberra writer and lawyer-by-training. He has written and co-written several books in the legal field including Win More Cases: The Lawyer's Toolkit and encyclopaedic entries for The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia. He is the author of Funny English Errors and Insights: Illustrated, which has just gone into its second printing. Fascinated with the funny mistakes we all make with English, he has several other books in the same vein underway.

Denise is a syndicated puzzle writer and author, also based in Canberra. She is the author of Word Searches for Dummies and Cracking Codes and Cryptograms for Dummies, and the Canberra Puzzle Book series.

Together Troy and Denise run the English Language Skills web site which provides advice on good spelling, grammar and other literacy issues - and a healthy dose of humour. Visit the website at http://english-language-skills.com

Click here to search Libraries ACT for books by Troy Simpson and Denise Sutherland

Happy 112 Birthday, Jorge Luis Borges

2011-08-24T14:54:00.000+10:00

"I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."

"Let others pride themselves about how many pages they have written; I'd rather boast about the ones I've read."

"A book is more than a verbal structure or series of verbal structures; it is the dialogue it establishes with its reader and the intonation it imposes upon his voice and the changing and durable images it leaves in his memory. A book is not an isolated being: it is a relationship, an axis of innumerable relationships."

Those words were written by Jorge Luis Borges, Argentine surrealist writer and poet (August 24, 1899 – June 14, 1986). He worked as director of the Biblioteca Nacional (National Public Library) and was professor of Literature at the University of Buenos Aires. His work has been translated and published internationally.

Click here to read works by and about Jorge Luis Borges through Libraries ACT.

Get Reading! 2011

2011-08-24T11:28:00.001+10:00

Get Reading! is Australia's largest annual celebration of books and reading. Previously known as Books Alive, Get Reading! is a month-long, nationwide campaign to encourage more Australians to discover or rediscover the pleasure of reading books. The campaign is an Australian Government initiative developed through the Australia Council for the Arts. In 2011 Get Reading! runs from Monday, 29 August to Thursday, 30 September.

Visit the official Get Reading website for news and events, first chapter downloads, reviews, and a downloadable "50 books you can't put down" guide (available soon). Titles on the Get Reading! list will be available to borrow from Libraries ACT.

ACT Writers Centre event: 'It's the end of the world as we know it' with Kassia Krozser

2011-08-19T16:06:00.001+10:00

This event is part of a regular series of 'Tuesday Chats' presented by the ACT Writers Centre.

Right now we are in a period of incredible change in the publishing industry. From writers to readers, this change impacts every person involved in the publishing industry. Publishing's digital revolution means new players are involved with publishing and selling books, new business models are being tried, and new opportunities for reaching readers are available to authors and booksellers. This presentation discusses the various changes happening in the industry while looking at ways creative people and companies are facing publishing’s unpredictable future.

Kassia consults with publishers about digital publishing opportunities at Oxford Media Works, and writes about current digital publishing trends at booksquare.com She is a passionate advocate for readers and has a lot to say about where reading writing and publishing is headed. Her trip to Australia is supported by if:book.

Date and Time: 9.00 -10.30 am Tuesday 6 September
Venue: Fireplace Room, Gorman House, Ainslie Ave, Braddon Cost: $12 non-members and $6 members payable at the door (includes coffee and cake).
Bookings essential on 6262 9191 or admin@actwriters.org.au by 2 September.

For more information visit www.actwriters.org.au

Visit if:book A Project for the Institute of the Future of the Book

Children's Book of the Year 2011 Winners Announced

2011-08-19T15:43:00.000+10:00

The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards were announced today. Click on the links below to borrow these titles from Libraries ACT.

Older Readers

Winner: The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett
Honour books: Graffitti Moon by Cath Crowley; The Life of a Teenage Body-Snatcher by Doug Macleod

Younger Readers

Winner: The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody
Honour books: Just a Dog by Michael Gerard Bauer; Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot by Anna Branford

Early Childhood

Winner: Maudie and Bear by Jan Ormerod
Honour books: The Tall Man and the Twelve Babies by Tom Niland Champion & Kilmeny Niland; Look See, Look at Me! by Leonie Norrington

Picture Book

JOINT WINNER: Mirror by Jeannie Baker AND Hamlet by Nicki Greenberg
Honour books: Why I Love Australia by Bronwyn Bancroft; My Uncle's Donkey by Tohby Riddle

Find out what other titles were shortlisted for these awards at the CBCA website http://cbca.org.au/Shortlist_2011.htm

National Science Week 2011

2011-08-12T12:24:00.000+10:00

Join in the celebration of all things science during National Science Week 13 - 21 August 2011. Some great ways to get involved are listed below.

Science ShowOffs

"Adventure through the awesomeness of science in this fun family show, with heaps of experiments, laughs, learning and of course volunteers."

Tuesday 16 August 2011
4.30 pm - 5.00 pm
Tuggeranong Library
Book now for this event

Wednesday 17 August 2011
4.30 pm - 5.00 pm
Gungahlin Library
Book now for this event

Science Trail

Libraries ACT have created a Science Trail to highlight the science we use every day. Download the Science Trail now or drop into a branch between Saturday 13 - Sunday 21 August for a hardcopy (while stocks last) and visit Libraries ACT to discover how science is a part of the library.

The trail includes:

Science in fiction and fact
Wireless Internet
Radio Frequency technology

Most of the trail stops can be found at any library branch, however a couple are specific to certain branches. It’s up to you how you make use of the Science Trail.

Click here to view library locations and opening hours.

Digital Dinosaurs

During National Science Week, augmented reality is bringing dinosaurs to back life! By using instructions to find the dinosaurs and downloading an app to your smart phone, you’ll be able to see these prehistoric creatures brought to life in the heart of Canberra. One of the dinosaurs, a Pteranodon, can be found very close to Civic Library. They’re only visiting Canberra for National Science Week, so start exploring now.

• Discover how to find a digital dinosaur

• Enter a photo of the dinosaur in the national competition (closes 21 August)

• Learn more about augmented reality on Wikipedia

Free, legal music yours to keep

2011-08-11T16:35:00.003+10:00

Libraries ACT members can download free music from the Sony Music catalogue through the Freegal Music service. Members have access hundreds of thousands of tracks in many different genres. Music includes both Australian artists (e.g. Pete Murray, AC/DC, and Guy Sebastian) and international artists (e.g. Il Divo, Beyonce, P!nk, Bob Dylan, and Usher).

Library members are entitled to download up to three (3) tracks per week for free. You will need a valid library membership number and PIN to access this service.

How Freegal Music Works:

Library users have a weekly download limit of three (3) tracks.
Keep track of your downloads in the upper right corner of the site.
Every song has a sample clip you can listen to before you download.
Go to “My Wishlist” in the upper right corner and queue up for future music.
Downloads are all in the MP3 format with no Digital Rights Management (DRM).
This service will work with any MP3 player, including iPod, and can be loaded into iTunes. It works on both PCs and Macs.
Be sure to check out the browsing areas, especially Artists A to Z (bottom of page) and the genre lists (menu bar).
Click on see all genres to view dozens of categories.

ACT Writers Centre: Get your facts right

2011-08-10T15:29:00.003+10:00

Are you writing about crime? Does your novel have a futuristic theme? Does your story include forensic investigations, environmental apocalypse, genetic engineering or good, old-fashioned space travel? Getting the facts right can make or break a good piece of fiction.

This FREE event is presented by the ACT Writers Centre and will be held at the CSIRO Discovery Centre, Clunies Ross St, Black Mountain, this Saturday 13 August 2011 10 am - 3 pm.
RSVP to admin@actwriters.org.au. Find out more information at http://www.actwriters.org.au/.

Libraries ACT and Livingston Public Library virtual exchange

2011-07-21T15:11:00.001+10:00

Libraries ACT and Livingston Public Library in New Jersey, USA are going on virtual exchange!

For our part of the exchange, Libraries ACT have created a blog. Kids from Canberra and Livingston can post comments on the blog to share what it's like living in those cities and what their favourite things are. Everyone will be able to read the posts. To help us get started, visit our blog for Livingston at http://dear-livingston-library.blogspot.com and answer these four questions:

My favourite book is...
In July I like to...
The thing I like best about where I live is...
My favourite food is...

Kids in Canberra can also learn about Livingston and see their answers to these questions by visiting the special page at Livingston Public Library http://livingston.bccls.org/virtualexchange-canberra.html.

Meet the Author: Nicole Murphy

2011-07-21T12:32:00.003+10:00

Bring your lunch and join us for a chat with Nicole about her Dream of Arsarlai trilogy.

Thursday 18 August 2011
12.30 pm - 1.30 pm
Civic Library
Book now for this event

Maggie Shaunessy is used to keeping secrets. She's a fabulous teacher but she's also gadda, part of a hidden, powerful race - and she had a habit of annoying the wrong people...

Until Lucas Valeroso met Maggie, he had no idea what awaited him: super-human powers, a smart and beautiful woman interested in more than unlocking his new abilities and, above all, a sense of belonging. But dark ambition and dangerous bigotry are emerging in the gadda ranks. Lucas' new family might cast him out before he's even truly found his place. And Maggie must work with new allies to find and retrieve a missing artefact before the entire world is changed for all time.

Eight years ago, Nicole Murphy was trying her hand at epic fantasy and space opera and it wasn't quite working for her. Then she realised she wasn't kidding anyone and she might as well bite the bullet and try writing a romance.

Thus began a long, at times convoluted journey that finally resulted in the release of the Dream of Asarlai trilogy in 2010/2011. Nicole will talk about the mis-steps, necessary pitstops and sacrifices involved in getting what started (literally) as a dream about a woman hiding her magic powers from her lover to a published trilogy about a secret magical race fighting to save the world.

About the Author

Nicole Murphy has been a primary school teacher, bookstore owner, journalist and checkout chick. She grew up reading Tolkien, Lewis and Le Guin, spent her twenties discovering Quick, Lindsey and Deveraux and lives her love of science fiction and fantasy through her involvement with the Conflux science fiction conventions. Her urban fantasy trilogy Dream of Asarlai is published by HarperVoyager. She lives with her husband in Queanbeyan.

Visit Nicole Murphy's website.

Borrow Nicole's books from Libraries ACT.

Author Guest Blog: Paul Collins

2011-07-12T09:39:00.002+10:00

Children’s author Paul Collins answers questions about what it is like to be a writer and discusses his new dystopian SF thriller, Mole Hunt, in this special guest blog.

Mole Hunt is book one of a trilogy called The Maximus Black Files. You can borrow Mole Hunt from Libraries ACT and see a book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S-eKDYqpEs.

Do you wait for a flash of inspiration before starting a book?

Sometimes. Ideas for contemporary stories are all around us – anecdotal stories are great in that the plot is already there. Writing science fiction is somewhat more challenging. I initially thought that I’d like to write about a character that is an anti-hero. I’m fed up with nice guys winning all the time. The possibilities are limitless in outer space, so I figured SF would give me broader horizons in which my character would develop.

Mole Hunt has been described as “like a cross between The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Total Recall and Dexter”. Is there an influence to your writing, especially Mole Hunt?

Certainly. I used to read Marvel Comics when I was a kid. I loved The Hulk, Captain America, Daredevil and others. Much of my writing is often described as “filmic” and action-packed. I think readers will see this in The Maximus Black Files. Too, I love Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl books. I think of Max as Artemis’s evil twin. I also enjoy reading Philip Reeves’s Mortal Engines and Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series. I loved Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser books and Robert E Howard’s Conan the Barbarian series. I haven’t read the Dragon Tattoo book, but I do love Dexter and I’ve seen Total Recall. Mind you, I’d like to think that what I’ve written is wholly original. Jumble up all the above reading material and you might see a resemblance in Maximus. Another reviewer in Viewpoint thought it is a combination of Star Wars, Spooks with a little McGyver thrown in. Sounds like a good book, huh?! lol

How did you get started writing science fiction? Do you need to be a tech-head to write it?

I used to publish a science fiction magazine called Void. At that time it was Australia’s only SF magazine. I met some wonderful Australian authors like Wynne Whiteford, Frank Bryning, Jack Wodhams and Sean McMullen. They all mentored me. I still brainstorm ideas with Sean. These days I write more fantasy than SF, so Mole Hunt is a return to something I used to write. I’m not actually technically savvy, believe it or not. My “trick” is to write science fiction as though I know what I’m talking about! The science behind the fiction has to sound reasonable and logical. It has to be watertight in the logic department. You’ll see in Mole Hunt that I don’t use gratuitous science – everything is there for a reason, and hopefully, it all sounds plausible. The other secret to writing good SF is to have friends who are tech-heads, and can tell you if you’re off-beam or not.

You mentioned before that writing contemporary fiction is easier that say science fiction. Is that because you need to use your imagination more in writing SF than you do in other genres?

I think so, yes. The nuts and bolts of creating characters in any book can be derived from true life. For example, I use my martial arts experience in most of my action-based books, but the plot itself in SF can’t really be conceived from personal experience.

Do you suffer from writer’s block - if so, how do you get around it?   

I don’t really have that problem. If I did, I’d simply start another story. You usually find a solution somewhere down the track to any problem. And if you can’t, you can always brainstorm with someone. Two minds are always better than one. Sometimes I might be discussing a problem with a friend, and just by talking about it the solution with present itself. Meredith and I are always asking one another for plot solutions. We’re possibly luckier than most authors in that we have instant brainstorm partners.

What are you working on at the moment? 

Dyson’s Drop, which is Book #2 in The Maximus Black Files. I already have the first draft. So now it’s time to fix all those niggling problems that I’m discovering.  You have an exclusive here: a French publisher is in discussion with my foreign agent re French rights. Only sticking point at this moment is when I can deliver book #2. So I’d best get cracking on it.

Last but not least, how do you write? Rough drafts first, sentence-by-sentence and not moving on till everything is perfect? How did you approach writing Mole Hunt?

I vary my approach. Sometimes I start off not knowing where my characters are going to wind up – this was the case with The Slightly Skewed Life of Toby Chrysler. Other times, I need a draft. Because the Maximus trilogy is so long and complex, I really needed to know where that was headed. So I actually have a first draft for book #3, too.

Thanks Paul! Looking forward to reading The Maximus Black Files.

Borrow other Paul Collins titles from Libraries ACT.

Paul Collins and illustrator Jo Thompson at a signing for their book The Glass House

The winners: PM's Literary Awards

2011-07-08T10:51:00.001+10:00

The winners of the 2011 Prime Minister's Literary Awards, recognising excellence in Australian literature, have just been announced.

Fiction: Traitor by Stephen Daisley
Non fiction: The hard light of day: an artist's story of friendships in Arrernte Country by Rod Moss
Young Adult fiction: Graffiti moon by Cath Crowley
Children's fiction: Shake a leg by Boori Monty Prior and illustrator Jan Ormerod

Join our online book club

2011-07-05T14:03:00.000+10:00

No time to join a book club but enjoy reading and discussing what you have read?

Why not join our online book club, Booked-On, where you can review and/or comment on the selected book of the month. If you wish you may comment on what you have been reading or make suggestions of good books to read.

All readers are invited to participate in Booked-On. Each month a new title, topic or genre will be posted. Participants can read the suggested title or topic, and then post comments or reviews to the blog. You can also comment on comments made by other participants in order to create a discussion.

Truth, fiction and publishing at ACT Writers Centre

2011-07-04T12:04:00.000+10:00

Do you write? If you are interested in working with true stories, creating science fiction, or want to know more about how to get published, take a look at these workshops being run by the ACT Writers Centre this month.

Tuesday Chat: Stranger than fiction with Elisabeth Holdsworth

1-2pm Tuesday 19 July

Fictionalising true stories is highly contentious and a minefield of ethical dilemmas. Come along and hear how one writer navigated that minefield. Elisabeth Holdsworth is an essayist, reviewer and short story writer. She won the inaugural Calibre Prize for an outstanding essay in 2007. Her novel, Those who come after (Picador, 2011), is based partly on her own life, and explores the legacy of the war that ravaged Europe and the people who survived. It is a story of resilience, emotional fall-out and an era that slowly collapsed.

Tuesday Chat: Generating ideas for science-fiction and fantasy stories with Ian McHugh

1-2pm Tuesday 26 July

Writers often get asked, 'where do you get your ideas?' But getting the ideas can be less of a problem than figuring out how to turn them into stories that work. In this talk, Ian will share some of the methods he's come across and developed himself for generating and combining ideas in ways that bring stories to life. Part of the session will involve working through a random story generation exercise as a group. The focus of the talk will be writing science fiction and fantasy stories, but the methods covered are applicable to any genre.

The inside story with Sue Whiting

5.30pm Friday 29 July

Sue Whiting's role as Publishing Manager at Walker Books, as well as eight years' experience as a children's book editor and her own experiences as a published author, enables her to speak about the publishing process from a variety of perspectives. In this talk she will provide insight into the world of publishing with tips about how to get a story off the slush pile.

Find out more and book for these programs at The ACT Writers Centre website.

Inky Awards longlist announced

2011-07-01T11:32:00.003+10:00

The Inky Awards, coordinated by the Centre for Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria, have announced the longlist for 2011.

The Inkys are international awards for teenage literature that are voted for online by the readers of insideadog.com.au. It recognises the fantastic home grown writing talent from Australia with the Gold Inky and also titles that come from across the ocean with the Silver Inky.

Click here to search Libraries ACT for the following titles.

Gold Inky Long List - Australian titles

Pigboy by JC Burke
Good Oil by Laura Buzo
Just a Girl by Jane Caro
The FitzOsbourne’s in Exile by Michelle Cooper
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
This is Shyness by Leanne Hall
Black Painted Fingernails by Steven Herrick
Silvermay by James Moloney
The Comet Box by Adrian Stirling
All I Ever Wanted by Vikki Wakefield

Silver Inky Long List - International titles

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
No and Me by Delphine de Vigan
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
The Agency: The Body in the Tower by YS Lee
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
First Light by Rebecca Stead
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork
Violence 101 by Denis Wright

Look out for the short list and voting opportunities from 1 September.

"Books are now in your hands"

2011-07-01T10:34:00.001+10:00

At the Hay Literary Festival in late May, an exciting new website was launched. Unbound is a "crowd-funded" online publishing platform with the tagline "books are now in your hands." It's based in the UK, but readers around the world can participate.

Unbound is a new way of connecting with writers. Most of the writers on our site will be well known, others will appear here for the first time.

What's different is that instead of waiting for them to publish their work, Unbound allows you to listen to their ideas for what they'd like to write before they even start. If you like their idea, you can pledge to support it. If we hit the target number of supporters, the author can go ahead and start writing (if the target isn't met you can either get your pledge refunded in full or switch your pledge to another Unbound project).

There are several levels of support, each with different rewards. The higher your pledge, the greater the rewards you'll receive, from your name in the back of the book to lunch with the author. Plus you can alert your friends and earn Unbound credits on the site when they support a project too.

Current authors on Unbound include Terry Jones, of Monty Python fame, and Amy Jenkins, creator of the 90s television series This Life.

To learn more, visit the Unbound website: http://www.unbound.co.uk/

Poems About Portraits with Samuel Wagan Watson

2011-06-29T16:56:00.008+10:00

The ACT Writers Centre is hosting a poetry workshop for Indigenous writers this weekend.

Event: Poems About Portraits

Date and Time: 10am-12.30pm Sunday 3 July

Cost: Free. Morning tea provided

Venue: The Studio, National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes. Underground parking provided

Bookings essential on 6262 9191 or to admin@actwriters.org.au

Samuel Wagan Watson is a contemporary Indigenous Australian poet. His poetry ranges from observation of everyday experience to the effects of colonisation in a vividly direct, almost tactile, language.

His publications include: Hotel Bone (Vagabone Press, 2001); Itinerant blues(UQP, 2002); Of muse, meandering and midnight the winner of the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Indigenous Writers for 1999); Smoke encrypted whispers (winner of the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry Book of the Year for 2005).

Samuel Watson has also received a Highly Commended in both the Anne Elder Awards and the 2000 Award for Outstanding Contributions to Australian Culture.

In this workshop, participants will produce poems from portaits - undertaking a poetry commission and creating a textual landscape from someone else's art. This workshop is presented by the ACT Writers Centre with support from the National Portrait Gallery and the ACT Arts Officers.

This workshop is for Indigenous writers.

Visit ACT Writers Centre website

Borrow Smoke Encrypted Whispers from Libraries ACT.

The Gruffalo's Child visits Canberra Theatre and Libraries ACT

2011-06-29T15:06:00.001+10:00

The Gruffalo said that no gruffalo should

ever set foot in the deep dark wood…

If you loved The Gruffalo, don't miss the sequel - The Gruffalo's Child. Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's bestselling book has once again been adapted for the stage by London's Award Winning Tall Stories Theatre Company (the team behind The Gruffalo), and produced in Australia and New Zealand by CDP.

One wild and windy night the Gruffalo's child ignores her father's warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn't really exist… does he?

Songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 4 and up, and their adults.

To celebrate the Canberra Theatre performance of The Gruffalo's Child, Libraries ACT will be hosting two special story times:

Civic Library

Tuesday 12 July

10.30 am - 11.30 am

Dickson Library

Thursday 14 July

10.30 am - 11.30 am

You might even meet the Gruffalo himself!

There is no need to book in for these special sessions, just come along.

Click here to borrow The Gruffalo's Child from Libraries ACT.

Book now for the holidays

2011-06-29T13:46:00.001+10:00

The July School Holiday Program is available, with places booking out quickly.

School holiday activities are targeted for school aged children to encourage them to visit the library during the holidays to have fun and learn something new. There are are a range of activities for different age groups including origami, manga drawing and animal pilates.
To make a booking:

1. Click here to view the full program of activities and reserve a place
2. Phone 6205 9000 OR
3. Visit any branch in person

Please note: Story Time and Giggle & Wiggle are only held during school terms.

Meet the Author: Jennifer Horsfield

2011-06-22T12:25:00.001+10:00

Bring your lunch and join us for a chat with Jenny about her book Mary Cunningham – An Australian Life.

Mary Cunningham lived at Tuggeranong Homestead from the 1880s to 1914. Her life was bound up with some of the great stories of early nationhood: the prosperity brought by wool, the arrival of Federation, the imperial enthusiasms of the Edwardian era, the creation of the national capital, and the sorrows and losses of the Great War.

Date: Thursday 28 July 2011

Time: 12.30 pm - 1.30 pm
Venue: Civic Library
Book now to secure your place

About the author

Jenny is a Canberra writer and historian with a strong interest in the lives of post-Federation Australian women, especially those seeking a new and more challenging role at a time of great social change.

Jenny’s book Rainbow: the story of Rania MacPhillamy was chosen as Non-Fiction Book of the Year at the ACT Writers and Publishers awards in 2008.

Her latest book, Cara and her daughters: the story of the Edgeworth David women, will be published early next year by Rosenberg Press.

Borrow books by Jenny from Libraries ACT

Read more about the Cunningham family

August's local author is Nicole Murphy.

Library staff book review: "Just a Dog" by Michael Gerard Bauer

2011-06-20T17:08:00.003+10:00

Shortlisted in the Younger Readers category of the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards, Just a Dog by Michael Gerard Bauer is presented as a series of journal entries or short tales about the adventures of Mister Mosely, the much loved pet of young Corey and his family. As Corey writes in his journal we learn of Moe’s adventures and although the tales at first seem random, it soon becomes apparent that there’s an underlying story here about a family struggling through difficult economic times.

Although he’s just a dog, and a gangly, dopey looking one at that, Mister Mosely (or Moe as he is affectionately known) is so much more. He is ever present within the household and depending on the situation provides friendship, protection or comic relief to both Corey and his parents.

The beauty of this tale is that it could be about any pet dog because Moe is so ordinary. As young Corey says ‘he didn’t have any special super powers and he didn’t go around rescuing people or catching bad guys the way that police dog on TV does’.

This is a touching story that will have some readers reaching for the tissues. It would be suitable for newly independent readers who will be able to relate to Corey’s love for Moe and the special bond that can form between a child and a pet. Even if you’re not a dog person I think you’ll love Just a Dog.

Click here to borrow Just a Dog from Libraries ACT.

You can also borrow other titles by Michael Gerard Bauer.

To be a judge: deciding on the Book of the Year Awards

2011-06-16T09:30:00.001+10:00

What does it mean to be one of the judges for the Book of the Year Awards (Children’s Book Council of Australia). How do you decide which books are the “best” and whose works should receive special recognition? And how does life change, once you become a judge?

Below, Rosemary Thomas, ACT’s judge for the Book of the Year Awards, shares a little of her experience, and also provides some insight into this year’s predominant themes.

The angst of a judge

Judging is not undertaken lightly and involves a lot of commitment and knowledge of children’s literature. As a judge I am acutely aware of how the professions of writers, illustrators and publishers can be affected by my decisions. This is an award that is recognised worldwide and sets a standard for high quality children’s literature in Australia. It is not a popularity award; there are other awards out in each state for that.

A judge’s term of office lasts for two years. However, the judging panel changes every year with half the panel retiring. This means that in your first year as a judge you are reading next year’s entries while talking about the books that are notable in this year’s awards - quite a feat!

Judges are looking at plot, themes, characterisation, setting and quality production of the novel: editing, grammar, paper, illustrations (where applicable), cover). Regardless of whether the book is professionally or self published, they are all treated with the utmost care and respect for the work within.

Many hours are voluntarily given to be a judge. A box of books comes every three weeks and contents range from 18-60+ titles, the average being 25-35 books per box. These must be read, shared with students and children in the appropriate age group, discussed with peers and an evaluation report written about each book. The reports are then sent in to be correlated with the other judge’s reports. Often they are sent back and you have to reread the book if opinions vary greatly from yours. Annotations are allocated and need to be written for books with possible notable status (usually one to three per box). The entries are increasing each year so over my two years as Judge I have read nearly 800 books while still carrying on my day to day life!

At present all judges are travelling around their area talking with students, parents and community organisations about the judging process, and about notable and shortlisted books. This usually continues until the week after Book Week.

It is such a rewarding experience to attend the judging conference held in April each year. I felt very privileged to be able to converse on such a high level about my passion for children’s literature.

Themes from this year’s entries

The older reader section saw a lot of books exploring the death of a female protagonist. Toxic friendship was also explored this year. As usual there were a lot of novels involving self identity and growing up, but these seemed to have a more positive outlook than last year. Across all categories, friendship, history and family were strong themes, and cross cultural themes were also prominent in all categories except early childhood.

Click here for more information on the Children’s Book Council of Australia.

Click here to find shortlisted titles in our library catalogue.

Cupcake decorating competition for all ages this Friday

2011-06-15T17:18:00.000+10:00

What does it take to bake great cakes? The icing on the cake is what's at stake at the cupcake decorating competition being held by 666 ABC Radio this Friday at Gungahlin Library.

Bring your decorated cupcake masterpiece to the library to enter and you could win an ABC prize pack.

Event: Cupcake Decorating Competition
Date: Friday 17 June 2011
Time: Drop off your cupcake between 10.00 am and 3.30 pm
For: Any age - there are categories for children and adults

You can read more about the competition here.

Celebrations marking the official opening of Gungahlin public library

2011-06-11T15:37:00.001+10:00

Join us for an afternoon of performances and fun activities to celebrate the official opening of the new Gungahlin Library this Friday. Enjoy school choirs, bands, poetry performances and ‘meet and greet’ sessions with local authors Stephanie Owen Reeder, Anthony Hill and Daniella Brodsky.

666 ABC Canberra Drive program presented by Louise Maher will be broadcast live including interviews and entertainment. Louise will delve into life in Gungahlin and what it’s like living in the fastest growing area of Canberra. Ask questions direct to the ABC 666 chefs in the Kitchen Clinic between 3.30 pm – 4 pm or bring along a cupcake that you have decorated and enter their inaugural cupcake decorating competition.

Event: Celebrating Gungahlin Library's Official Opening
Date: Friday 17 June 2011
Time: 3.00 pm - 6.00 pm
Cost: FREE

There is no need to book in for this event, just come along and enjoy.

The shortlist: 2011 Prime Minister's Literary Awards

2011-06-09T16:30:00.002+10:00

The Prime Minister's Literary Awards are now in their fourth year of operation and growing every year. Entries are accepted in four categories:

Fiction
Non-fiction
Young adult fiction
Children's fiction

This year, 379 entries have been received and the judging panels have had the difficult task of reducing this number to five shortlisted titles in each category. Being shortlisted is quite significant, as all shortlisted candidates will receive a tax-free prize of $5,000. For the winner in each category, recognition amounts to a tax-free prize of $80,000.

To be eligible for entry in the 2011 Awards, a book must have been first published in 2010, in English. The author must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, and self-published works are not accepted.

Titles shortlisted this year:

Fiction

Glissando by David Musgrave
Notorious by Roberta Lowing
That deadman dance by Kim Scott
Traitor by Stephen Daisley
When colts ran by Roger McDonald

Non-fiction

How to make gravy by Paul Kelly
Sydney by Delia Falconer
The hard light of day by Rod Moss
The party by Richard McGregor
Claude Levi-Strauss by Patrick Wilcken

Young adult fiction

About a girl by Joanne Horniman
Good oil by Laura Buzo
Graffiti moon by Cath Crowley
The piper's son by Melina Marchetta
The three loves of Persimmon by Cassandra Golds

Children's fiction

April Underhill, tooth fairy by Bob Graham
Why I love Australia by Bronwyn Bancroft
Shake a leg by Boori Monty Pryor and Jan Ormerod
Now by Morris Gleitzman
Flyaway by Lucy Christopher

Click here to learn more about the Prime Minister's Awards.

Click here to find shortlisted titles in our library catalogue.

Closed for Queen's Birthday public holiday

2011-06-09T12:58:00.000+10:00

All library branches and the mobile library will be CLOSED for the Queen’s Birthday public holiday on Monday 13 June 2011.

Library staff book review: "Hamlet" by Nicki Greenberg

2011-06-09T09:45:00.000+10:00

Shortlisted in the picture book category for the Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Awards, Hamlet: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, staged on the page by Nicki Greenberg is a stunning graphic work that will appeal to teenagers and adults alike.

Greenberg serves up a visual feast with her original take on Shakespeare’s classic tale of madness and revenge. Prince Hamlet, represented here as an inkblot, is a tortured soul who undertakes to avenge his father’s murder while despairing at the moral decay surrounding him. Love, desire, trickery, corruption, villainy and death all play a role here.

Greenberg brilliantly captures Hamlet’s descent into madness through her bold illustrations. Each page is a riot of colour and movement which can perhaps best be summed up by quoting the bard himself: ‘in form and moving how express and admirable’. With over 400 detail-packed pages, readers will discover something new with each re-reading. And this book does demand to be read more than once.

Hamlet isn’t Nicki Greenberg’s first foray into classic literature. Her graphic adaptation of The Great Gatsby beautifully portrayed the melancholy mood of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s original novel. Let’s hope there are many more to come.

For newcomers to William Shakespeare this book would serve as a fabulous introduction to his work, while seasoned fans will equally enjoy this adaptation. If nothing else it should win an award for most creative use of doilies in a graphic work!

Click here to find copies of this and other Nicki Greenberg titles through Libraries ACT.

Click here to learn more about the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards.

Meet the Author: Tania McCartney

2011-06-07T15:30:00.001+10:00

Bring your lunch and join us for a chat with Tania about her journey as an author from Beijing to Canberra and hear about her most recent books:

Riley and the Curious Koala: A journey around Sydney, a multi-media travelogue picture book and fourth in the series of Riley books.

Handmade Living: A Designer Collective, a beautiful glossy publication featuring over 70 gorgeous handmade projects (in conjunction with Handmade Canberra).

Date: Thursday 16 June 2011
Time: 12.30 pm - 1.30 pm
Venue: Civic Library
Cost: FREE

Book now to secure your place.

About Tania McCartney

Tania is both a published and self-published author of children’s and adult books. Writing since her teens, Tania moved to Beijing with her young family in 2005, where she finally achieved her dream of becoming a full time writer. In 2008, Tania self-published an hilarious memoir, Beijing Tai Tai, and her first children’s book, Riley and the Sleeping Dragon: A journey around Beijing, which featured in the ABA’s Kids’ Reading Guide 2009/2010.

Click here to find Tania McCartney's books through Libraries ACT.

Learn more about Tania’s other books at http://www.taniamccartney.com/.

COOL Awards Shortlist 2011

2011-06-02T10:00:00.003+10:00

The shortlist is out! Which books did you nominate? And did students from across Australia agree with you? Find out below whether your favourite books made it into the list. You might recall that Feathers for Phoebe, one of the favourites in the picturebook category, was the title recently featured in National Simultaneous Storytime.

You might also want to compare the COOL Award nominations with those of the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year Awards shortlist.

To save you a bit of time, there is just one title that made it to both lists: Toppling, written by Sally Murphy and illustrated by Rhian Nest James. Why such a difference? Well, for one thing, the COOL Awards ask you to nominate any Australian books you have enjoyed reading in the last year, while the Book of the Year nominations are limited to just those books published in 2010. So perhaps the Book of the Year Awards shortlist might help you discover some new favourites for 2011.

COOL AWARDS SHORTLISTED TITLES

Picturebooks:

Enigma: a magical mystery, written and illustrated by Graeme Base
Wrong book, written and illustrated by Nick Bland
Feathers for Phoebe, written and illustrated by Rod Clement
Schumann the shoeman, written by John Danalis and illustrated by Stella Danalis
Terrible plop, written by Ursula Dubosarsky and illustrated by Andrew Joyner
My dad thinks he’s funny, written by Katrina Germein and illustrated by Tom Jellett
How to heal a broken wing, written and illustrated by Bob Graham
Mr Chicken goes to Paris, written and illustrated by Leigh Hobbs
Millie, written by John Marsden and illustrated by Sally Rippin
Race for the Chinese zodiac, written by Gabrielle Wang and illustrated by Sally Rippin and Regine Abos

Fiction for younger readers:

Tashi and the phoenix, written by Anna and Barbara Fienberg and illustrated by Kim Gamble
Tuckshop kid, written by Pat Flynn and illustrated by Tom Jellett
Schooling around (series), by Andy Griffiths
Very bad book, written by Andy Griffiths and illustrated by Terry Denton
Just Macbeth, written by Andy Griffiths and illustrated by Terry Denton
What body part is that?, written by Andy Griffiths and illustrated by Terry Denton
Mr Badger and the big surprise, by Leigh Hobbs
4F for freaks, by Leigh Hobbs
Zac Power: test drive (series), by H.I. Larry
EJ12 girl hero: rocky road, by Susannah McFarlane

Fiction for older readers:

Grimsdon, by Deborah Abela
Specky McGee and the best of Oz, by Felice Arena and Garry Lyon
Farticus Maximus: stink-off battle, by Felice Arena
Ranger’s apprentice (series), by John Flanagan
Conspiracy 365 (series), Gabrielle Lord
Book of lies, by James Moloney
Toppling, written by Sally Murphy and illustrated by Rhian Nest James
Locket of dreams, by Belinda Murrell
Keys to the kingdom (series), by Garth Nix
Thai-riffic, by Oliver Phommovanh

Fiction for Years 7-9:

Dancing in the dark, by Robyn Bavati
Stone key, by Isobelle Carmody
Now, by Morris Gleitzman
Grace, by Morris Gleitzman
Girl underground, by Morris Gleitzman
Evil genius, by Catherine Jinks
While I live, by John Marsden
Hell Island, by Matthew Reilly
My big Birkett, by Lisa Shanahan
Hello God, written by Moya Simons and illustrated by Lisa Coutts

Click here to learn more about the COOL Awards.

Click here to find copies of the shortlisted titles through Libraries ACT.

A new library for Gungahlin: drum roll please!

2011-06-01T12:06:00.000+10:00

On Saturday 21 May 2011, the highly anticipated new Gungahlin branch of Libraries ACT opened its doors to the echoing rhythms of West African drumming. It was a dramatic and unforgettable moment as Drumassault launched our community open day in celebration of a beautiful new community facility, many years in the planning.

ABC weatherman Mark Carmody led us through a wide range of spectacular and talented performances throughout the day, generously presented by community groups including the Burgmann and Amaroo schools, the Canberra Celtic Pipe Band and the Australian Tamil Cultural Society. We were also privileged to welcome local authors Jack Heath, Ingrid Jonach and Tania McCartney, and Canberra Raiders Front Row player David Shillington. Those of an enquiring mind were able to gain chess tips from the ACT Junior Chess League and join in the very popular Science ShowOffs demonstration.

It was a big celebration and one that was very enthusiastically received, as the following figures indicate:

Number of visitors: 5,528

Number of loans: 4,875

Number of new members: 134

We are delighted with the response of the Canberra community in supporting our new library and are very impressed that, on a day full of entertainment and opportunity, people did not miss out on finding books, DVDs and more to take away with them. And the enthusiasm has not waned, as staff continue to welcome many visitors every day. We look forward to making our educational and recreational resources, along with our state of the art training and meeting facilities, available to all.

The new library: cnr Hibberson and Gozzard Steets

(From left to right) Top row: Ingrid Jonach, Tania McCartney. Bottom Row: Jack Heath, David Shillington)

"Retracing our steps" photography exhibition starts tomorrow at Civic

2011-06-01T10:49:00.000+10:00

The photographic exhibition featuring the history of the development of the Republic of China (Taiwan) will be on display at Civic Library from 2 – 29 June. Also featured will be the Taiwan rare stamps exhibition.

Please take time to browse and enjoy this fascinating display next time you are in town.

For full details and background to the event, please see our earlier blog post at:

http://actpubliclibrary.blogspot.com/2011/05/retracing-our-steps-photography.html

For more information on the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia, please see www.teco.org.au/

New opening hours start today

2011-05-30T08:58:00.000+10:00

From today our opening hours have changed to provide an improved and more consistent service. The new hours come in response to feedback from library users and analysis of patronage. Families and individuals will have better access library services out of work hours with all branches opening at 10 am each day and closing at 5.30 pm.

Gungahlin, Dickson, Belconnen, Woden and Tuggeranong libraries will now open on Sunday afternoons, late night opening hours will also increase from the current 7 pm to 8 pm.

There is no change to the overall number of opening hours for public libraries in the ACT with the total number of operational hours staying the same

See the new opening hours at http://www.library.act.gov.au/

Cyber Security Awareness Week 30 May - 3 June 2011

2011-05-27T13:40:00.000+10:00

National Cyber Security Awareness Week is an Australian Government initiative held annually in partnership with industry, community and consumer groups and state and territory governments. The Week helps Australians understand cybersecurity risks as well as educates home and small business users on the simple steps they can take to protect their personal and financial information online.

National Cyber Security Awareness Week promotes eight simple tips for better online security:

Install and renew your security software and set it to scan regularly.
Turn on automatic updates on all your software, including your operating system and other applications.
Think carefully before you click on links and attachments, particularly in emails and on social networking sites.
Regularly adjust your privacy settings on social networking sites.
Report or talk to someone about anything online that makes you uncomfortable or threatened – download the Government's Cybersafety Help Button.
Stop and think before you post any photos or financial or personal information about yourself, your friends or family.
Use strong passwords and change them at least twice a year.
Talk within your family about good online safety.

Find out more at http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/

June is National Young Writer's Month

2011-05-26T11:26:00.000+10:00

From June 1 - 30 Express Media are hosting National Young Writers' Month 2011. This is a chance for anyone who is under 25 years old and interested in writing to access information and inspiration, share their work and connect with fellow writers in Canberra and across Australia.

To help you get writing, participants are encouraged to set and achieve their own writing goal. At the website you'll find a blog, forums, writing exercises, interviews, multimedia, competitions, freebies and more.

In the ACT, two free writing workshops will be held on Sunday 29th May at 11am and 3pm at the ACT Writers Centre. To register for a workshop or for further information email the ACT Ambassador Duncan Felton at duncanfelton@gmail.com.

Find out more about National Young Writers' Month and register for participation at www.expressmedia.org.au/nywm.

Library staff book review: "The Life of a Teenage Body Snatcher"

2011-05-26T10:00:00.002+10:00

The life of a teenage body snatcher by Doug MacLeod is one of the titles shortlisted in the Children's Book Council of Australia's older readers category for 2011. It is a witty and fast paced adventure suitable for those aged around 14+.

Set in England in 1828, the story takes place during a time in history when a shortage of corpses available for medical research saw a rise in the ‘profession’ of grave robbing. Enter 16 year old Thomas Timewell, who had promised his recently buried grandfather he would ensure his body was donated to science. While exhuming his grandfather’s body in the cemetery in the dead of night he is taken by surprise by a man who introduces himself as Plenitude. They soon get to arguing about the fate of the body and Plenitude asserts:

'Your grandfather is most certainly not going to Dr Luscombe. I know his anatomy school and it is not a good one. He once dissected a deer. Now, what are the students going to learn from that? How to remove a person's antlers?’

What follows is a comical and sometimes gruesome series of misadventures as Thomas tries to fulfil his dying grandfather’s wish. Along the way he encounters a series of colourful and often shady characters including a meat cleaver-wielding gypsy and the grim reaper.

Not unexpectedly, given the title, the story is quite gory in places so be warned. Despite being set in the 19th century the language used in this book is very accessible to modern audiences. It should appeal to those who like their comedy inky black and razor sharp. In one laugh-out-loud passage, a reluctant Thomas has the facts of life explained to him by his hopelessly laudanam-addicted mother.

This is Doug MacLeod at his very best!

To borrow this and other titles by Doug MacLeod, search our catalogue.

To find details of other shortlisted titles, visit the Children's Book Council of Australia website.

National Simultaneous Story Time Wednesday 25 May 11.00 am

2011-05-24T17:25:00.001+10:00

Tomorrow 170,000 Australian children read the same book at the same time.

It’s fun, it’s feathery and at 11am tomorrow, Wednesday, May 25, it will have at least 170,548 children spellbound. It’s Feathers for Phoebe by Rod Clement, this year’s book selection for National Simultaneous Storytime.

A feature event in the Australian Library and Information Week (ALIA) calendar, National Simultaneous Storytime is Australia’s biggest single storytelling event. It is celebrated in schools, public libraries, kindergartens, childcare centres and bookshops. This year, 1,102 simultaneous readings will take part across the nation, including, for the first time, children with vision and hearing impairments, and children in detention centres.

“2011 is the eleventh year of National Simultaneous Storytime,” Australian Library and Information Association Executive Director, Sue Hutley said.

“Over those years, the idea of sharing in the reading of one book, altogether and at the very same time, has captured the imaginations and hearts of children and adults alike,” Ms Hutley said.

“Each year, it grows, and it is very special for everyone who works with children in libraries, in the education sector and children’s services to mark the 11th anniversary of National Simultaneous Storytime by expanding the program to involve children who could not be involved before.

This year, the program has expanded once again and includes a number of locations who will be translating the book into community languages. The book has also been made available as a Podcast for children with vision impairments and a Podcast with AUSLAN translation for deaf children.

Published by HarperCollins, Feathers for Phoebe was selected as this year’s book because of its themes of self-acceptance and learning that appearances aren’t everything - a very important lesson for children in today’s body-image conscious society.

“Everyone can relate to wanting to be happy about who we are and what we look like” said Ms Hutley. “For libraries, there’s a special connection because we strive to serve and connect the whole community.”

Author Rod Clement, whose day job is cartoonist for The Australian Financial Review, loves to use humour and the animal world in his picture books, which also include the bestselling Edward the Emu and Edwina the Emu.

“Wow, to be chosen for National Simultaneous Storytime is such an incredible honour!” said Rod Clement. “The fact that all over Australia kids will be reading Feathers for Phoebe at the same time makes my head spin. It's time to put away my headdress and throw away my tail feathers as THAT is how to get noticed!”

Author Tania McCartney will present a special National Simultaneous Story Time at Civic Library tomorrow morning. Story Time begins at 10.30 am.

Borrow Feathers for Phoebe from Libraries ACT.

We find stuff!

2011-05-24T13:50:00.001+10:00

Libraries enable access to a range of information, services, facilities, events and community contacts. What can the library find for you?

23 - 29 May 2011 is Library and Information Week, a chance to celebrate the role of libraries in the community and discover more about what we provide for you. See what Libraries ACT has to offer:

Explore our website http://www.library.act.gov.au/
Attend events
Request items from the catalogue
Visit us

EVENT: Nutrition and physical activity for children 0 - 5 years old

2011-05-22T01:58:00.001+10:00

Join Kids at Play and Libraries ACT for a fun information session for parents to attend with their children. The session will be presented by Nutrition Australia health professionals and focus on practical ways to encourage children to eat vegetables and fruit as well as participate in new games and activities to support their physical development.

Kids at Play promotes the health and wellbeing of ACT children aged 0-5 years by encouraging healthy eating and physical activity.

There are two dates to choose from:

Thursday 9 June 2011
10.30 am – 12.30 pm
Tuggeranong Library
Book now for this session to secure your place

Friday 1 July 2011
10.30 am – 12.30 pm
Belconnen Library
Book now for this session to secure your place

For more information and bookings for either session, visit http://www.library.act.gov.au/ or call 6205 9000.

For further information on the Kids at Play project, contact 6269 2651 or email kidsatplay@heartfoundation.org.au.

Gungahlin Library Community Day this Saturday

2011-05-20T17:06:00.000+10:00

Join us at the new Gungahlin Library location this Saturday for a day of fun and festivity.

Date: Saturday 21 May 2011

Time: Anytime between 10 am and 3 pm (library open til 5.30 pm)

Location: Corner of Hibberson Street and Gozzard Street

You will be able to:

Explore the new premises and state of the art facilities
Enjoy a range of community performances
Be amazed at a stupendous science show
Meet local authors and players from the Raiders
and much more

See you there!

‘Retracing Our Steps’ Photography Exhibition to be held at Civic Library

2011-05-20T11:48:00.001+10:00

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Australia in association with Libraries ACT will be presenting the “Retracing our steps” Photography Exhibition and the Taiwan rare stamps Exhibition during 2nd – 29th June, 2011, at Civic Library, Canberra City.

The “Retracing our steps” Photo Exhibition features the history of the development of the Republic of China (Taiwan) as part of the celebration of the centenary of the ROC. Visitors to the exhibition will walk away with a greater understanding of the historical development and the significance of the nation’s centenary in the past century since 1911.

At the same time, a number of rare stamps on Taiwan’s culture will also be on display. The focal points of the traditional artworks and Taiwan scenery reflect the economic and social transformation of the country. The exhibition will give some useful insights into Taiwan’s political evolution.

The photographic exhibition, along with the Taiwan rare stamps exhibition, will be available for viewing at Civic library from 2-29 June 2011.

For more information on the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia, please see www.teco.org.au/

The 2011 shortlist: Children’s Book of the Year Award!

2011-05-20T11:24:00.000+10:00

The shortlisted titles for 2011 have been announced by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Readers have just three month to speculate and choose personal favourites. At 12.00 noon on 19 August the judges will announce the official winners.

Ten titles have been shortlisted in each of the following categories:

Older readers (for mature readers)
Younger readers (for independent younger readers)
Early childhood (for pre-readers to early readers)
Picture book (for ages 0-18, covering a variety of maturity levels)
Information books (Eve Pownall Award)

Find details of the shortlisted books here and start reading!

Look for titles in our catalogue here.

The shortlist for the COOL Awards will be announced soon – how will children’s own choices compare with the Book of the Year contestants?

ACT Writers Centre event: researching and writing history

2011-05-18T17:37:00.001+10:00

Are you an aspiring writer of non-fiction history books? This workshop hosted by the ACT Writers Centre will help you to devise a practical schedule and plan to produce a manuscript that can be submitted to potential publishers.

This workshop will help you to focus on what you need to do to frame a research project in history and to finish and publish your historical writing. Course participants will be encouraged to apply the questions and exercises to their own projects. Although Peter Stanley is well known as a military historian, the course will relate to historical writing generally. Topics covered will include:

setting the question
framing the task
identifying and using the sources
planning and writing
finishing the manuscript
getting published

Event: Researching and writing history: how to start and how to finish with Dr Peter Stanley

Date and Time: 1-5pm Saturday 18 June

Cost: $72 members, $64 concessional members, $100 non-members (includes 6 months of membership)

Venue: Yass Valley Library (at the back of the Memorial Hall, off Comur Street), Yass
Bookings: You can book by phone on 6262 9191, online via https://app.formassembly.com/forms/view/1026 or at the office. Payment is required at time of booking.

About the presenter:

Dr Peter Stanley has published 20 books of military, medical or social history. In 2008 he published Invading Australia: Japan and the Battle for Australia, 1942 (Viking Penguin) and A Stout Pair of Boots: Exploring Australia's battlefields (Allen & Unwin). In 2009 he published Far Side of Tears: Remembering the Commandos of St Nazaire (Murdoch Books) and Between Victory and Death: Shadows of Mont St Quentin (Scribe Books). His latest non-fiction book was Bad Characters, and his next will be Digger Smith and Australia's Great War. He is the Director of the Centre for Historical Research at the National Museum of Australia.

This workshop is presented with support from Yass Valley Library and Southern Tablelands Arts.

Click here to borrow books by Peter Stanley from Libraries ACT.

Career development event @ Civic Library

2011-05-10T17:46:00.000+10:00

National Career Development Week (NCDW), an initiative of the Career Industry Council of Australia, is a weeklong celebration held during 16 – 22 May 2011. NCDW aims to promote awareness of career development and encourage all Australians to develop the skills to manage their careers, learning, work and lives.

As a part of NCDW 2011, Civic Library is hosting a seminar presented by the Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA). Find out what a career professional can do for your career at this free information and networking session:

Hear stories about what help career coaches offer
Learn how career professionals support managing talent
Assess your career using a Career Checklist
Put your questions to career professionals
Enter the draw for a free career consultation

Event: Career Information Session for Adults
Date: Wednesday 18 May 2011
Time: 5.30 pm - 6.30 pm
Venue: Civic Library
Book now for this event to secure your place.

The following is a list of resources suggested by the CDAA:

Books:

Working Identity: unconventional strategies for reinventing your career by Herminia Ibarra
G0 Put your strengths to work - Marcus Buckingham
The Element, How finding your passion changes everything - Ken Robinson
What Color is Your Parachute - Richard Bolles
What Next? Your career-change companion - Kaye Fallick
How to Write and Talk to Selection Criteria - Ann Villiers

Tools and websites:
Career Anchors Test
www.careeranchorsonline.com/SCA/startPage.do

Career Development Association of Australia
http://www.cdaa.org.au/

Career Industry Council of Australia
http://www.cica.org.au/

Career Education and Transitions, ACT Government
www.det.act.gov.au/school_education/career_education

My Future, Australia's career information and exploration service
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/

The Job Guide 2011
http://www.jobguide.deewr.gov.au/

Skills Information
http://www.skillsinfo.gov.au/

Services for mature age Australians
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/Programs/ExpPlus/Pages/news_NewSrvMatureAus.aspx

Franchise Council of Australia
http://www.franchise.org.au/

NEW: Visit the Job Help section of our website

Visit the CDAA website: http://www.cdaa.org.au/

New opening hours coming soon

2011-05-09T10:17:00.001+10:00

From Monday 30 May 2011 our opening hours will change to provide an improved and more consistent service. Libraries ACT is always looking at ways to improve our services. Feedback from library users and analysis of patronage has told us that opening libraries at different times is confusing and that there is a need for consistency across all the branches.

The new hours will enable families and individuals to better access library services out of work hours with all branches opening at 10 am each day and closing at 5.30 pm.

Gungahlin, Dickson, Belconnen, Woden and Tuggeranong libraries will now open on Sunday afternoons, late night opening hours will also increase from the current 7 pm to 8 pm.

This change in hours has no affect on the overall number of opening hours for public libraries in the ACT with the total number of operational hours staying the same

For a full list of current opening hours visit http://www.library.act.gov.au/

Safety for Children : A Caring Community Seminar

2011-05-06T12:05:00.000+10:00

There are still places available in our upcoming Kidsafe seminar:

Kidsafe ACT provides information about important aspects of child safety. Topics include safety in the car: laws and standards, rearward facing restraints, correct fitting, everyday use and safety precautions, and car seats and booster seats; and safety at home: looking at things from a child's perspective; the home safety checklist.

Date: Tuesday 10 May 2011
Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Venue: Kippax Library

Book online now or call 6205 9000 to secure your place.

This session is a part of The ACT Library and Information Service’s Caring Community Seminar Series. Keep an eye on our website http://www.library.act.gov.au/ for future topics.

New website launched today

2011-05-05T09:47:00.002+10:00

We are very excited to be launching our new website. The new site includes information about library services, programs, events and facilities and encourages more interactive with the community.

Features of the new website include:

a calendar of events with details of what’s happening at the libraries;
a connect feature that links you to the library’s social media tools including Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, Flickr and Blogspot;
a discover feature which provides links for information discovery;
an improved requests feature; and
a new Libraries ACT e-newsletter.

To complement the introduction of the new library website, the ACT Library and Information Service will be renamed as Libraries ACT.

The library service has been known by various names at different times over many years. Libraries ACT is short and simple and it’s believed it best identifies the organisation’s role in providing both public and heritage library services to the community.

Take a look at the new website: http://www.library.act.gov.au/

Regency Romance this Saturday

2011-04-30T12:17:00.000+10:00

The first session of our new Georgette Heyer discussion group starts this week.

Event: Revisiting Georgette Heyer

Date: Saturday 7 May 2011

Time: 2.00 pm - 3.30 pm

Venue: Dickson Library

Click here to join the discussion. Sessions will run on the first Saturday of the month until November. You are welcome to attend all and any that interest you. Bookings are required - click on the link above or call 6250 9000. A full list of session topics is included on the booking website.

For this session you are encouraged to bring a Georgette Heyer novel of your choice. Click here to borrow a Georgette Heyer novel in book, large print or audio form. You can also borrow items about Heyer's novels and world.

Find out more about Heyer and at http://www.georgette-heyer.com/

Meet the Author: Daniella Brodsky

2011-04-27T13:56:00.002+10:00

Bring your lunch and join us for a chat with Daniella about her new book Vivian Rising:

"Twenty-nine year old Viv's world is falling apart. She's just lost the grandmother who raised her, her boyfriend's gone, and her job soon follows. The stages of grief are hard enough to traverse when you're not worried about losing your apartment. Desperate for meaning in a world that seems to have turned on her overnight, Viv turns to the stars for answers."

Books will be available for sale on the day and Daniella will be happy to sign them for you.

Date: Thursday 26 May 2011
Time: 12.30 pm - 1.30 pm
Venue: Civic Library

About Daniella Brodsky

Daniella works at The Australian National University's Centre for Continuing Education and has led discussions about writing at libraries, bookstores and schools in the U.S. A native New Yorker, Brodsky now lives in Canberra where she is writing two new women's fiction novels and a Canberra-based thriller while exploring the art and craft of fiction and the wonder of libraries.

Daniella's other books include The Velvet Rope Diaries, Princess of Park Avenue and The Girls' Guide to New York Nightlife. Her book Diary of a Working Girl was adapted for the movie Beauty and the Briefcase.

Book now to secure your place for this event.

Click here to borrow books by Daniella from the ACT Public Library

Visit her at http://www.daniellabrodsky.com/

Law for the Community May 2011

2011-04-27T11:09:00.001+10:00

Book now for free community seminars with Legal Aid ACT next month. Click on the name of the library to book into the session you want:

Applying for Legal Assistance

Tuesday 3 May
11.00 am - 12.00 pm
Tuggeranong Library

Thursday 5 May
1.30 pm - 2.30 pm
Belconnen Library

Separation and Divorce

Tuesday 10 May
11.00 am - 12.00 pm
Tuggeranong Library

Thursday 12 May
1.30 pm - 2.30 pm
Belconnen Library

Property and Divorce

Tuesday 17 May
11.00 am - 12.00 pm
Tuggeranong Library

Thursday 19 May
1.30 pm - 2.30 pm
Belconnen Library

Children and Divorce

Tuesday 24 May
11.00 am - 12.00 pm
Tuggeranong Library

Thursday 26 May
1.30 pm - 2.30 pm
Belconnen Library

Wills and Power of Attorney

Tuesday 31 May
11.00 am - 12.00 pm
Tuggeranong Library

Visit the Legal Aid ACT website at http://www.legalaidact.org.au/

EVENT: Keeping your children safe with KidSafe

2011-04-21T11:57:00.000+10:00

Kidsafe ACT provides information about important aspects of child safety. Come and learn about safety in the car and at home. Topics include:

In the car:

Laws and standards
Rearward facing restraints
Correct fitting
Everyday use and safety precautions
Car seats and booster seats

At home:

Looking at things from a child's perspective
Home safety checklist

Event: Keeping your children safe with KidSafe

Date: Tuesday 10 May 2011

Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Venue: Kippax Library

Book now to secure your place for this event.

This session is a part of our Caring Community Seminar Series. Keep an eye on our website http://www.library.act.gov.au/ for future topics.

Visit http://www.kidsafeact.com.au/

Revisiting Georgette Heyer

2011-04-19T14:32:00.001+10:00

Rediscover the work of Georgette Heyer at one of the library’s fun and friendly book discussion groups. Sessions will be facilitated by Julia Ermert and Heather Grove from The Regency Ladies Group. Each session will be held from 2.00 pm – 3.30 pm at Dickson Library. Choose a session that interests you, or come along to all of them.

Click here to book into any of the sessions below.

Saturday 7 May 2011

Theme: Setting the Scene

Bring your favourite Heyer novel

Saturday 4 June 2011

Theme: Marriage a la Mode

With reference to: A Civil Contract and Venetia

Saturday 2 July 2011
Theme: The Heyer Hero
With reference to: Cotillion and These Old Shades

Saturday 6 August 2011

Theme: Bucks, Corinthians and Quiet Gentlemen

With reference to: The Nonesuch and Arabella

Saturday 3 September 2011

Theme: Dressing a Lady of Quality with Aylwen Gardiner-Garden

Saturday 5 November 2011

Theme: Heyer’s High Society

Bring your favourite Heyer novel

Borrow Georgette Heyer novels from the ACT Public Library.

Meet the Author: Stephanie Owen Reeder

2011-04-15T14:44:00.006+10:00

Bring your lunch and join us for a chat with Stephanie about her work, particularly her recent children’s books:

I’ve Got a Feeling!, a lift-the flap book about emotions for preschoolers (An IBBY Outstanding Book for Young People with a Disability 2011)

Lost! A True Tale from the Bush, an historical novel about three young children lost in the bush in the 1860s (Shortlisted, CBC Book of the Year Awards 2010)

Event: Meet the Author: Stephanie Owen Reeder
Date: Thursday 19 May 2011
Time: 12.30 pm - 1.30 pm
Venue: Civic Library

Click here to book for this event.

About Stephanie Owen Reeder

Stephanie moved to Canberra when her twins were just three months old (they’re now grown-ups with children of their own). She has been a teacher, librarian, Hansard Editor, and university lecturer. Stephanie now works as a freelance editor, author and illustrator, and her latest book, Amazing Grace: A True Tale of Shipwreck, Horsemanship and Heroism, will be available in November 2011.

Visit Stephanie’s website: http://www.stephanieowenreeder.com/

This event is part of a series of local author chats. Next month: Tania McCartney.

Mission Australia's 2011 National Survey of Young Australians

2011-04-13T11:10:00.000+10:00

The tenth annual National Survey of Young Australians released by Mission Australia is now open. If you are an Australian aged 11 to 24 you can contribute to the development of programs and sevices that meet the needs of young people by completing this short survey. The survey is available online and in ACT Public Library branches.

Click here to complete the survey online.

Closing date for responses is Friday 1 July 2011.

National Youth Week 2011

2011-04-11T10:28:00.001+10:00

Thanks to everyone who visited us at the National Youth Week Expo 2011 and especially everyone who added links to our World's Longest Paper Chain. At the end of the night the paper chain measured 1720 cm - a little short of our goal of 53 miles but definitely reaching the goal of having a blast and meeting new people!

Mix/Mash/Win with {Library:/hack/}

2011-04-08T00:01:00.013+10:00

Libraryhack is a mashup and apps competition using data from Australian and New Zealand libraries. There are great prizes to win for the best entries.
From February 8, 2011 you can enter the ideas competition by submitting your ideas for mashups and apps using library data.

The Libraryhack competition will be held in May 2011 with mashup and hack events held across Australia. You can check out the Libraryhack competition categories and prizes and start working on your apps and mashups right away. Entries in the competition will be accepted from 1 May.

Keep up to date on the competition and what’s happening for Libraryhack in your part of Australia or New Zealand by checking in on the website, or by following us on Twitter (@libraryhack2011) or Facebook.

For more information visit http://libraryhack.org/

Visit the ACT Heritage Library online and start exploring the possibilities

Meet the Author: Christine McCaffrie

2011-04-07T10:47:00.000+10:00

Bring your lunch and join us for a chat with Christine about her recent book The Janus Illusion:

Matt Martin is an almost perfect young man. Handsome, gifted and kind, he opposes Australia’s entry into World War I, yet he impulsively enlists in the army in support of a friend.
Ninety-one years later Matt finds himself inhabiting the body of a drug dealer, whose character is the antithesis of his own.

Date: Thursday 14 April 2011

Time: 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm

Venue: Civic Library

Click here to book now for this event.

About Christine McCaffrie:

Born in Braidwood, Christine moved to Canberra to complete high school. A teaching career that followed saw her working in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and London. Along with her Bachelor of Education, Christine has a Bachelor of Arts in History and has travelled extensively, living in London, Newport Rhode Island and Washington DC. Now retired, Christine lives in Canberra with her husband Jack.

Visit Christine’s website: http://www.christinemccaffrie.com/

Giggle & Wiggle starts soon

2011-04-06T17:02:00.000+10:00

We are excited to announce that regular Giggle & Wiggle sessions start at the ACT Public Library from the week beginning 2 May.

Giggle & Wiggle is a special program for babies and toddlers aged 0-2 years. It is about learning through language play using interactive rhymes, songs, games and stories. It supports children's development and basic literacy skills and teaches parents and carers fun, simple and practical ways to teach literacy and numeracy.

Giggle and Wiggle sessions last for about half and hour and parents and carers are more than welcome to stay to use the space, catch up with friends, and browse the library. See below for times and locations of our regular Giggle & Wiggle sessions.

Monday 10.30 am @ Gungahlin library
Tuesday 10.30 am @ Dickson library
Thursday 10.30 am @ Erindale library
Friday 10.30 am @ Woden library
Friday 1.30 pm @ Kippax library

Giggle & Wiggle is different from Story Time, which is targeted at children who are 3-5 years of age. This is because the needs of these two age groups are very different.

Giggle & Wiggle involves a lot of repetition, which is an important way for babies and toddlers to learn. Parents and babies get the most out of the program by actively participating through singing along and responding to questions.The repetition becomes enjoyable as everyone learns together.

If you like what you see at Giggle & Wiggle, remember that the rhymes and activites are easy for you to do at home. We look forward to seeing you there!

National Youth Week Expo 2011

2011-03-31T11:08:00.000+11:00

If you're aged 12 - 25, get yourself to Garema Place tomorrow Friday 1 April for the launch of National Youth Week 2011. There will be loads to do and see with performances, art, music, sport and information for and by young people.

The Public Library will be there so come and meet us, grab free stuff and try your hand at book sculpture and zine making.

Event: Launch of National Youth Week 2011 Expo

Date: Friday 1 April 2011

Time: 2 pm - 7 pm

Venue: Garema Place in the City

Meet the Author: Karen Viggers

2011-03-18T14:08:00.000+11:00

Bring your lunch to Civic Library and chat with Karen about her new book The Lightkeeper’s Wife. Books will be available for sale on the day and Karen will be happy to sign them for you.

Event: Meet the Author - Karen Viggers

Date: Wednesday 30 March 2011

Time: 12.30 - 1.30 pm

Book now for this program to secure your place.

The Light Keepers' Wife:

“A woman at the end of her life. A man unable to restart his. A history of guilty secrets and things left unsaid. A powerful, moving novel that will steal your heart.

Elderly and in poor health, Mary has lived in Hobart a long time. But when a letter is delivered to her house by someone she hoped never to see again, she decides to return to Bruny Island so she can live out her last days with only her regrets and memories for company. Years before, her husband was the lighthouse keeper on Bruny, and she raised her family on the windswept island, until terrible circumstances forced them back to civilisation. Now, the secret that has haunted her for decades threatens to break free and she is hoping to banish it before her time is up. But secrets have a life of their own, and as Mary relives the events of her life, she realises her power over the future may be limited."

About Karen Viggers:

Karen was born in Melbourne. She studied Veterinary Science, worked in a mixed animal practice, and completed a PhD in wildlife health at the ANU. Karen’s first novel, The Stranding, was published in 2008, and was described as “an impressive Australian debut."

Visit Karen’s website: http://www.karenviggers.com/

EVENT: Making or Responding to a Civil Claim @ Dickson Library

2011-03-15T11:40:00.000+11:00

Find out about civil claims and ask your questions in an informal setting:

Event: Legal Aid seminar - Making or Responding to a Civil Claim

Date: Thursday 17 March 2011

Time: 1.30 pm - 2.30 pm

Venue: Dickson Library

Book now to secure your place.

Upcoming topics:

Granparent's Rights
Wills and Power of Attorney

Visit our website for details and bookings.

This is part of a weekly series presented by Legal Aid ACT. Watch out for more sessions and topics at other libraries in the coming months. Visit the Legal Aid website http://www.legalaidact.org.au/ .

COOL Awards: one week til nominations close

2011-03-10T08:05:00.001+11:00

Kids - click here to nominate your favourite book for the COOL Awards.The ten most popular books in each category will be shortlisted for an award.

Past COOL Award winners include:

Emily Rodda
Colin Thompson
Andy Griffiths
Graeme Base
Jackie French
John Marsden

Own It! National Youth Week Talent Competition

2011-03-08T12:20:00.000+11:00

The 2011 National Talent Competition is now open, with some awesome prizes on offer for those of you who can RockIT, WriteIT, SnapIT, ShootIT or DesignIT.

If you’re a young unsigned musician, writer, photographer, film maker or graphic designer, we want to hear from you.

By entering the National Talent Competition, you’ll put yourself in the running to win prizes like a $3000 voucher or a 32GB Apple iPad, and have your work judged by industry hot shots in your chosen field.

The National Talent Competition closes at 11.59pm AEST on Sunday 17 April 2011.

Visit the National Youth Week website and enter the competition.

Are you a member of a book club?

2011-03-08T11:08:00.000+11:00

Help us find out how may book clubs there are in Canberra - if you are a member of a local book club or reading group you are invited to participate in our short survey.

Complete the survey here.

Launched on Monday 14 February 2011 (Library Lover's Day), the Canberra Book Clubs Survey has been extended and is now open until mid March.

Library on your mobile phone

2011-03-04T17:36:00.000+11:00

View the catalogue, search, request and renew all from your mobile phone. It's easy!

Just click here: http://tinyurl.com/actlib

This service is now back in action following esssential maintenance.

Community Bus to Woden Library

2011-03-04T14:19:00.000+11:00

The Woden Community Service (WCS) in partnership with the ACT Public Library will be running a community bus route on Mondays (except public holidays) starting from 7 March 2011.

The bus is wheelchair accessible. A gold coin donation is requested (proceeds are contributed toward the community bus service). The bus will endeavour to stay on schedule and commits to picking people up within ten minutes of its scheduled time.

If you have mobility issues and require a door-to-door service please contact WCS on 6282 2644 to make an appointment.

Further information: Woden Community Services on 6282 2644.

Wrap Up Safe

2011-03-04T12:45:00.014+11:00

The ACT Heritage Library is delighted to receive the records of Wrap Up Canberra. The records are currently being arranged and described by the Wrap Up Canberra founder Dianna Budd and staff of the ACT Heritage Library.

Dianna Budd working on the archive in the ACT Heritage Library.

Wrap Up Canberra was a response by a group of Canberra women to the devastation of the January 2003 Bushfires.

A group of friends, who 15 years earlier had created patchwork quilts and organised an exhibition and sale of quilts to fundraise for an ill friend, formed to co-ordinate the knitting of woollen patchwork rugs to support Canberrans who lost their homes in the January 18 fire.

The women recognised that many people in Canberra, other parts of Australia and even overseas were keen to do something practical to help those who lost everything. The intention was to create 530 woollen patchwork as a tangible keepsake representing the support of the Canberra and wider community.

A set of simple instructions for the knitting and crocheting of woollen squares to be patched together to make the rugs was developed and distributed.

18cm squares were knitted or crocheted in woollen 8ply yarn. Approximately 63 were sewn, knitted or crocheted together to create rugs approximately 160 cm x 125cm in size.

The committee of Dianna Budd, Rosemary Cutter, Chris Faulks, Dianne Firth, Rosanna Hindmarsh, Diana Lampe, Sally Milner, Patti Mulcare and Jane Smyth received more than 45,000 squares to create over 800 rugs.

More than 2,200 individual knitters and crocheters contributed to the project from all over Australia as well as from Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

The rugs were exhibited at Parliament House, Canberra between 6 and 8 September 2003. Bushfire affected families were invited to the exhibition and to express interest in individual rugs. The exhibition was opened on Friday 5 September by Marlene Jeffrey, wife of the Governor General. It was her first official function and fulfilled while she was recovering from surgery.

The rugs were distributed through the ACT Bushfire Recovery Centre in late 2003. One rug is included in the archive.

Shaun Tan wins Oscar

2011-02-28T14:20:00.001+11:00

Australian author and illustrator Shaun Tan has won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for The Lost Thing (adapted from the book of the same name).

Visit The Lost Thing website at http://www.thelostthing.com/.

Image copyright of Shaun Tan http://www.shauntan.net/

FREE EVENT: Legal Aid at Woden Library

2011-02-28T09:50:00.000+11:00

Event: Legal Aid Service Introduction
Date: Tuesday 1 March
Time: 11.00 am - 12. 00 pm
Venue: Woden Library

Places are still available in the first of this series of FREE weekly seminars presented by Legal Aid ACT. Come along and hear about the work of Legal Aid ACT and how they can help you. Book now for this session.

Legal Aid ACT helps people in the ACT with their legal problems. They can help in criminal law, family law and some civil law matters.

Participants are welcome to attend one or all sessions. Watch out for more sessions and topics at other libraries in the coming months. View upcoming events at the ACT Public Library.

Creating e-books with Marcus Amann 1-2pm Tuesday 1 March

2011-02-25T11:07:00.000+11:00

[Marcus] will ... talk about his new online e-learning course which teaches people to how create, sell and promote their own e-books, with all the step-by-step instructions and personal support available via his website. If you work through all the steps, you can have your own e-book published by the end of the course. Special pricing is available to those who attend the Tuesday chat on 1st March.

Marcus Amann has been producing e-books since 1995 and is a long-time technical writer and editor for a Canberra-based software company. Marcus has also worked as a freelance writer and has taught internet marketing at the Canberra Institute of Technology. You can follow him at Twitter.com/MarcusAmann

This is part of ACT Writers Centre’s Tuesday Chats program, which allows aspiring writers to learn from other writers, literary experts and professionals, and enjoy the company of like-minded people.

Cost: Free for members, $2 for non-members. Tea/coffee provided.
Venue: ACT Writers Centre workshop room, Gorman House Arts Centre, 55 Ainslie Ave, Braddon
RSVP to 62629191 or admin@actwriters.org.au

Canberra Festival Event: Poetry Performance with Ariette Singer

2011-02-18T16:04:00.001+11:00

As a part of the Canberra Festival 2011 celebrations the ACT Public Library is hosting a special poetry performance with Ariette Singer. The Canberra Festival 2011 runs from 11 - 20 March. Find out more about the Canberra Festival 2011.

Event: Special Poetry Performance with Ariette Singer

Date: Thursday 10 March 2011

Time: 3.00 pm - 4.30 pm

Venue: Civic Library - Mezzanine Level

Places are limited and bookings are essential. Book now for this event.

Ariette’s entertaining poetry writing style is strongly influenced by her previous career as an opera and concert singer. She has won Poetry Union and Wordjammin National Performance Poetry Competitions. Her work has been published in online literary journals, anthologies and recorded and broadcast on radio. Ariette has performed at Poetry Clubs, Blue Mountains International Music Festival (2006 and 2007), Music Clubs, National Poetry Week events and Slams.

Ariette Singer became a poet and music composer after slow recuperation from debilitating chronic illnesses, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Multi Chemical Sensitivities (ME/CFS and MCS), which kept her bed-ridden for several years.

Her poetry book, Emotionally Qualified! was published in 2008, and she is now working transforming her book into a script, for a planned stage production by The Street Theatre.

The International Awareness Day for ME/CFS and MCS is 12 May 2011.

Kids: nominate now...

2011-02-18T10:37:00.001+11:00

The hunt is now on for students to nominate their favourite books for the 2011 Children’s Choice Book Awards Shortlist. The books kids nominate as their favourites will be put together with nominations from other schools and libraries across Australia. The ten most popular books in each category will appear on the short list for that year.

Being involved in the COOL Awards is easy. You can nominate for your favourite books on the ACT Public Library website, and you can do this at the same time as you are participating in other reading programs such as the MS Read-a-thon or the Chief Minister's Reading Challenge .

Nominations can be made online now via http://www.library.act.gov.au/ anytime until Thursday 17 March 2011.

Nominate Now