Just wanted to let you all know about the revamped Teen Online site. It's always been our most popular site and now I've converted the reviews section into a blog - Teen Online Reviews (TOR).
Teens can send in book, CD or computer/console game reviews to the blog or check out the fantastic links on our Fashion and Funstuff pages, among others.
Also, have a peek at the fantastic photos from Croydon Library's Star Wars activity. Darth Vader reading House and Garden in the library is a classic!
Cheers, Maryanne
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
The Eastern Regional Library Show
Library staff member Lesley Conway runs a radio show each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm on Eastern FM 99.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Tune in this Wednesday for a great show.
On today's show (hot off the presses!)
Many of us are inspired to write, but we don't always have the 'craft' at our fingertips. If you are searching for the ways and means to help you develop some skills, there are many resources available. The library has titles which cover an extensive range of writing styles, such as Secrets of film writing, Writing comedy, Not now Jack - I'm writing a novel, Writing a 'non-boring' family history, Non-boring travel writing and even The book of letters.
The author Hazel Edwards, who wrote the 'non-boring' books has run many successful writing workshops, and is constantly extending her writing boundaries. She has recently collaborated with her son Trevelyan Quest Edwards to publish a book based on his email diary of a cycling journey. The book is Cycling Solo : Ireland to Istanbul, and could inspire others to pull the adventure of travel into a story to share.
If you feel that attending workshops and courses would help the Victorian Writers' Centre (www.writers-centre.org) is an excellent starting point, but also, local community houses and TAFE colleges are good places to look for some practical assistance.
Finally, an incentive to pick up your pen is the ERL National Story Writing Competition, open to entries now and until September 14th. If you are interested in reading entries which have been successful in previous years, all branches have copies available.
Music today
Dirt music : music for a novel
I love a rainy night from Country Legends
---- Lesley
On today's show (hot off the presses!)
Many of us are inspired to write, but we don't always have the 'craft' at our fingertips. If you are searching for the ways and means to help you develop some skills, there are many resources available. The library has titles which cover an extensive range of writing styles, such as Secrets of film writing, Writing comedy, Not now Jack - I'm writing a novel, Writing a 'non-boring' family history, Non-boring travel writing and even The book of letters.
The author Hazel Edwards, who wrote the 'non-boring' books has run many successful writing workshops, and is constantly extending her writing boundaries. She has recently collaborated with her son Trevelyan Quest Edwards to publish a book based on his email diary of a cycling journey. The book is Cycling Solo : Ireland to Istanbul, and could inspire others to pull the adventure of travel into a story to share.
Letters and diaries of well-known people are constantly being published, and if you want to have a taste of how entertaining these can be, you can't go past Decca : the letters of Jessica Mitford. Someone whose name is not as well known as one of the Mitford sisters is Frances Partridge, whose The diaries of Frances Partridge 1939-1972 are engrossing reading and provide insight into the literary world of England over many decades.
If you feel that attending workshops and courses would help the Victorian Writers' Centre (www.writers-centre.org) is an excellent starting point, but also, local community houses and TAFE colleges are good places to look for some practical assistance.
Finally, an incentive to pick up your pen is the ERL National Story Writing Competition, open to entries now and until September 14th. If you are interested in reading entries which have been successful in previous years, all branches have copies available.
Music today
Dirt music : music for a novel
I love a rainy night from Country Legends
---- Lesley
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Eastern Regional Library Show
Library staff member Lesley Conway runs a radio show each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm on Eastern FM 99.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Tune in this Wednesday for a great show.
On last week's show
Lyn Baines emerged out of a thick mist on the moor to bring us some recent arrivals to the collection. Memories of the storm by Marcia Willett is set on the moors of southern England, a story which moves between events during the second World War and today, teasing out relationships, misunderstandings and secrets of two women who were friends. Another favourite author of Lyn's is Margaret Foster, who began her writing career in the 1960's with Georgie Girl. Her latest book is Over about a family torn apart by the death of a teenage daughter. Finally, The yellow-lighted bookshop by Lewis Buzbee is a lovely indulgence for book lovers, an autobiographical memoir of a book salesman who loved, and still loves, spending time in bookshops.
Lyn and I chatted about the pleasure of listening to stories on CD and cassette tape, of which ERL has many hundred. There are a lot of Margaret Forster's books on CD, read by Susan Jameson, who Lyn says is an excellent reader. I recommend anything read by Prunella Scales, who did a particularly good job with junior stories by Eva Ibbotson, and has made many adult recordings, such as Summer at Fairacre by Miss Read and Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
---- Lesley
On last week's show
Lyn Baines emerged out of a thick mist on the moor to bring us some recent arrivals to the collection. Memories of the storm by Marcia Willett is set on the moors of southern England, a story which moves between events during the second World War and today, teasing out relationships, misunderstandings and secrets of two women who were friends. Another favourite author of Lyn's is Margaret Foster, who began her writing career in the 1960's with Georgie Girl. Her latest book is Over about a family torn apart by the death of a teenage daughter. Finally, The yellow-lighted bookshop by Lewis Buzbee is a lovely indulgence for book lovers, an autobiographical memoir of a book salesman who loved, and still loves, spending time in bookshops.
Lyn and I chatted about the pleasure of listening to stories on CD and cassette tape, of which ERL has many hundred. There are a lot of Margaret Forster's books on CD, read by Susan Jameson, who Lyn says is an excellent reader. I recommend anything read by Prunella Scales, who did a particularly good job with junior stories by Eva Ibbotson, and has made many adult recordings, such as Summer at Fairacre by Miss Read and Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
---- Lesley
Local to Local - Calling all poets
Join Janette Fernando for an hour of poetry. Janette will read some of her works and you are welcome to bring along your own poetry to read.
When: Saturday 16th June 10:30-11:30am
Where: Mooroolbark Library 7 Station Street Mooroolbark
All welcome. Tea and coffee provided. Bookings essential 9726 8200
Cheers, Maryanne
When: Saturday 16th June 10:30-11:30am
Where: Mooroolbark Library 7 Station Street Mooroolbark
All welcome. Tea and coffee provided. Bookings essential 9726 8200
Cheers, Maryanne
Water-wise gardening
Di Cotter, a consultant with Sustainable Gardening Australia, will talk about water-wise gardening and the whole question of sustainability. What is it? Is it worth the effort? And what will it cost? It’s a timely and most relevant topic.
When: Saturday 16th June 11am
Where: Yarra Junction Library, Hoddle Street, Yarra Junction 3797
Bookings Appreciated phone 59671588
Refreshments provided
Cheers, Maryanne
When: Saturday 16th June 11am
Where: Yarra Junction Library, Hoddle Street, Yarra Junction 3797
Bookings Appreciated phone 59671588
Refreshments provided
Cheers, Maryanne
Friday, June 08, 2007
Valley Mobile off the road today
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Valley Mobile will be off the road today. It will be back on the road on Monday.
Items can be renewed via the web catalogue if you know your PIN or via library staff at one of our branches.
Cheers, Maryanne
Items can be renewed via the web catalogue if you know your PIN or via library staff at one of our branches.
Cheers, Maryanne
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
The Eastern Regional Library Show
Library staff member Lesley Conway runs a radio show each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm on Eastern FM 99.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Tune in this Wednesday for a great show.
On last week's show
Unapologetically Australian, is how a new series of books for younger readers between 8 and 11 years of age is described. Our guest today, author Delwyne Stephens has written one of the series, published by Aussie School Books. The Copperhead tells the story of a young girl who often acts before she thinks, but when faced with her younger brother being bitten by a snake, must show how resourceful she can be. Delwyne has another book published, for teenagers, titled Wheels. This book is a down to earth, fast paced and realistic look at what an active young man has to deal with when he becomes a paraplegic. The book tackles some big issues, such as how do friendships stand up to the challenge of disability, dealing with an ambitious father and an honest look at the uncomfortable physical consequences that are rarely talked about.
Delwyne shared some thoughts on the challenges of reaching publishers, and how to decide what to write. She has only recently employed an agent, and initially did all the leg work of contacting companies, and organising publicity herself. She suggests researching as much as possible via the net, finding out about different publishing companies and their focus, subscribing to online newsletter and chat rooms such as Pass It On (for those interested in the children's writing industry), and making use of organisations such as The Victorian Writers Centre.
I look forward to talking to Delwyne in the near future, as she has several books with publishers at the moment, and it would be interesting to hear more about them. Wheels can be found in the ERL collection, and The Copperhead will be in the near future.
Cheers, Maryanne
On last week's show
Unapologetically Australian, is how a new series of books for younger readers between 8 and 11 years of age is described. Our guest today, author Delwyne Stephens has written one of the series, published by Aussie School Books. The Copperhead tells the story of a young girl who often acts before she thinks, but when faced with her younger brother being bitten by a snake, must show how resourceful she can be. Delwyne has another book published, for teenagers, titled Wheels. This book is a down to earth, fast paced and realistic look at what an active young man has to deal with when he becomes a paraplegic. The book tackles some big issues, such as how do friendships stand up to the challenge of disability, dealing with an ambitious father and an honest look at the uncomfortable physical consequences that are rarely talked about.
Delwyne shared some thoughts on the challenges of reaching publishers, and how to decide what to write. She has only recently employed an agent, and initially did all the leg work of contacting companies, and organising publicity herself. She suggests researching as much as possible via the net, finding out about different publishing companies and their focus, subscribing to online newsletter and chat rooms such as Pass It On (for those interested in the children's writing industry), and making use of organisations such as The Victorian Writers Centre.
I look forward to talking to Delwyne in the near future, as she has several books with publishers at the moment, and it would be interesting to hear more about them. Wheels can be found in the ERL collection, and The Copperhead will be in the near future.
Cheers, Maryanne
Friday, June 01, 2007
National Storywriting Competition
It's that time of the year and the National Storywriting Competition is now open.Entry is for Australian residents. Short stories should be original, previously unpublished work and stories should not exceed 3,000 words.
View the competition entry form
The judge for this year is James Phelan. James Phelan writes both fiction and non fiction and has written for a variety of publications, including The Age and Griffith Review. He is a MA Writing graduate and a current PhD student at Swinburne, where he tutors.
Prizes:
Adult 1st Prize $1500
Local Award $500 For residents in Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges
Teenage 1st Prize $350 13-18 years sponsored by DLS Australia
Junior 1st Prize $250 9-12 years sponsored by The Little Bookroom
Thanks to all of the competition sponsors.
Entries close Friday 14th September.
Cheers, Maryanne
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