National Storywriting competition

Well the deadline to the National Storywriting Competition is approaching. Have you submitted your entry yet? Don't miss out!

Storywriting Competition entry form. Entries close Friday September 15.

Note: You can find all of the conditions of entry on the entry form itself.

The competition is open to Australian residents and there are heaps of great prizes including:

Adults 1st $1500
Teenage 1st $350 (13-18 years)
Junior 1st $250 (9-12 years)
Local Award $500 (for residents in Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges)

The judge this year is Joy Dettman, author of Jacaranda Blue and One Sunday and previous winner of this competition.

Cheers, Maryanne

Healthy teeth, confident smile

Special event for the Chinese community. Local Malaysian dentist Dr Low will be visiting Knox Library to talk about family dental care. The talk will either be in Mandarin or Canatonese, depending on the language preference of the audience. Inquiries will always be answered in the person's preferred language.

When: Saturday 16th September 2-3pm
Where: Knox Library 425 Burwood Highway Wantirna South

Bookings phone 9801 1422

Free activity.

Cheers, Maryanne

The Eastern Regional Library Show

Each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm Lesley Conway does a radio show on Eastern FM 99.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Just in from Lesley.

On Wednesday's show

Children's Book of the Year Awards winners were announced last week, and there is a list in the ERL blog. Jill McCallum, manager of Youth Services, was with us on the programme today to introduce and discuss not only the winners and honour books, but some of the other wonderful titles which made the shortlist.

There are delightful picture books to read with your children or grandchildren, and books which will appeal to adults as well as children, such as Hoosh : camels in Australia, which tells the story of the Afghan traders who travelled the inland with their camels, or Once by Morris Gleitzman whose novels for kids and teenagers combine a quirky sense of humour with serious and topical subjects.

Next week, cd's and talking books, some new, some old favourites.

Cheers, Maryanne

Next week @ ERL

Thursday 31st August 1pm
Literary Lunch with Tony Wilson - Belgrave Library

Wow! Short week :-)

Cheers, Maryanne

Sara Hardy - The Unusual Life of Edna Walling

The gardens of Edna Walling are much loved and admired. Sara Hardy looks at the life of Edna - her enormous energy and her distinctive garden style. Sara will talk about the development of her fascinating biography, The Unusual Life of Edna Walling. Copies of Sara's book will be available for purchase and signing.

When: Thursday 14th September 7pm
Where: Rowville Library, Stud Park Shopping Centre, Stud Road Rowville

Bookings Essential Ph: 9294 1300

Cheers, Maryanne

Stephen Powell Wildlife Artist

Stephen Powell, local wildlife artist, will talk about the history and techniques of wildlife painting illustrated by examples of his work.

When: Tuesday 12th September 7pm
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave Ph: 9754 7266

Cheers, Maryanne

New Books Day

Lots of great new books to borrow!

When: Friday 8th September 10am onwards.
Where: Rowville Library, Stud Park Shopping Centre, Stud Road, Rowville

Cheers, Maryanne

Homeschooling meetings

Belgrave Library invites homeschooling families to use the library for regular meetings. We will provide a meeting room with light refreshments and a fifteen minute chat on tips for making the most of the library and internet pcs.

First meeting: Thursday 7th September, 2-3pm, thereafter monthly

We hope you can take advantage of the opportunity to meet socially and exchange ideas, in the most scenic library in the hills. Liaison librarian is Judy Wolff. Please register your family's interest by phoning us on 9754 7266

Belgrave Library is located on the corner of Reynolds Lane and Alexanders carpark, above Belgrave shopping centre (Melway 75: E 10).

Cheers, Maryanne

Bottling and Preserving

A Cook's Kitchen event. Bottling and preserving is back in fashion. Join Jennifer Upton from Maroondah Orchards as she shows you this simple, enjoyable and economical way of preserving fresh seasonal produce.

When: Thursday 7th September 2 pm
Where: Healesville Library 231 Maroondah Highway Healesville Ph: 5962 4423

Cheers, Maryanne

Knox Read & Chat group - Centrelink talk

Sally Chan, Centrelink's Multicultural Service Officer, will give a talk about the new welfare policies in English and Cantonese at the Chinese Read & Chat session at Knox Library.

When: Monday 4th September 2-4pm
Where: Knox Library 425 Burwood Highway Wantirna South Ph: 9801 1422

Cheers, Maryanne

Children's Book of the Year Awards

The winners of the Children's Book of the Year Awards have been announced.

Older Readers
Winner - The Story of Tom Brennan by JC Burke
Honour Books - No Worries by Bill Condon & Lost Property by James Moloney

Younger Readers
Winner - Helicopter Man by Elizabeth Fensham
Honour Books - Millie and the Night Heron by Catherine Bateson & Once by Morris Gleitzman

Early Childhood
Winner - Annie's Chair by Deborah Niland
Honour Books - Kisses for Daddy by Frances Watts Illus David Legge

Picture Book
Winner - The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley by Amy Lissiat [AKA Colin Thompson], Text Colin Thompson
Honour Books - The Sound of the Sea by Warren Crossett , Text Jacqueline Harvey & The Island by Peter Sheehan, Text John Heffernan

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books
Winner - Scarecrow Army: The ANZACS at Gallipoli
Honour Books - Hoosh! Camels in Australia by Brian Janeen & The Glory Garage: Growing up Lebanese Muslim in Australia

Cheers, Maryanne

Next week @ ERL

Monday 21st August 7pm
Nutrition Counselling with Dietician Julie Viney - Mt Evelyn Library

Thursday 24th August 1:30pm
Oriental Bookbinding with artist Dineke McLean - Ringwood Library

Friday 25th August 12noon
Friday @ your library - Shoe and Tell with Ann Dixon- Knox Library
Come along and see Ann's wonderful collection of shoes from bygone days to the present.

Saturday 26th August 8am
8th Yarra Junction Library Bird Walk -Yarra Junction Library

Saturday 26th August 2pm
Consumer Affairs Victoria - Chinese - Knox Library

Cheers, Maryanne

The Eastern Regional Library Show

Each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm Lesley Conway does a radio show on Eastern FM 99.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Just in from Lesley.

On Wednesday's show

A change of emphasis from print to audio and visual today. There are new dvds and cds coming in all the time, and two that I featured today are the CDs Jussi Bjorling and ABC Jazz : Jazz without borders. Other CDs which have recently been added to the collection (and have been well reviewed) are The classic 100 opera : your 100 favourite opera moments, St Elsewhere from Gnarls Barley and The best of The Doors.

Two new DVDs which come highly recommended are Damien Parer's Kokoda and Classic collector's cars.

Next week Jill McCallum/Youth Services will be in to tell us which books have won awards in the Children's Book of the Year .

Cheers, Maryanne

New cds @ our branches

We've also been busy buying new CDs. Check out the following:

A musical banquet : a feast of sumptuous harp musi, McGuire, Marshall
Acoustically., Anu, Christine
American V., Cash, Johnny
Anythings, sure things, other things., Thomas, Mick
Appalachian spring suite., Copland, Aaron
Arias and duets from Verdi's La Traviata, Verdi, Giuseppe
Arias., Gedda, Nicolai
Bach cantatas : Vol.8: Bremen/Santiago., Bach, Johann Sebastian
Bach cantatas :, Bach, Johann Sebastian
Beethoven sonatas., Beethoven, Ludwig van
By the time it gets dark., Black, Mary
Celtic spirit
Christmas songs featuring the Clayton Hamilton Jaz, Krall, Diana
Classical spectacular
Daytime and the dark., Seymour, Mark
Diana Doherty plays Ross Edward's oboe concerto., Doherty, Diana
Ella Fitzgerald sing the Cole Porter song book., Fitzgerald, Ella
Energia., Carreras, Jose
Essential carols : the very best of King's College
Harpsichord works., Buxtehude, Dietrich
Haydn : string quartets Op.71., The Lindsays (Musical group)
Heavenly voices : J.S. Bach's most beautiful arias, Bach, Johann Sebastian
Howling Bells., Howling Bells (Musical group)
I want to read!
Inner thoughts., Kennedy, Nigel
Joie de vivre!, Farrugia, Amelia
Life is beautiful : with ABC classic FM
Like drawing blood., Gotye
Love song., Galway, James
Macabre masterpieces
Mantras for madmen., Manx, Harry.
Mozart Great Mass in C minor ; Berenice, che fai?
Natural selection., Fuel
One mo" time., Black Sorrows
Opera without words
Plucked., Mental as Anything
Real street., Sholtez, Mark
Road ragas live., Manx, Harry
Rodrigo guitar concertos., Grigoryan, Slava
Scriabine., Melnikov, Alexander
Sentimento latino., Florez, Juan Diego
Smetana : Ma Vlast., Smetana, Bedrich
Sonatas and partitas for solo violin., Bach, Johann Sebastian
Souvenirs., Doherty, Diana
Superwoman., Paulini
Surprise., Simon, Paul
Symphony No. 6., Mahler, Gustav
Ten Part Invention : live at Wangaratta., Ten Part Invention
The Choirboys., The Choirboys
The classic 100 opera : your 100 favourite opera
The Diabelli variations., Beethoven, Ludwig van
The holy ground., Black, Mary
Trumpet magic : a tribute to Rafael Mendez
Unassisted arrivals (NSW) index 1842-1856
Waiting on an angel., Kerrigan, Annalisa
War requiem., Britten, Benjamin
Word Wizard : spelling and vocabulary

Search for them in our web catalogue. Type in your search in the box next to Find a Book. If you have a password on your card you can reserve books, cds & dvds to be sent to your closest branch. It costs $2.20 per item for adults, $1.10 for govt. concession card holders, free reservations for children.

Find out about reserving and more with the catalogue tutorials. You can now renew dvds so long as they haven't been reserved by someone else.

Cheers, Maryanne

New dvds @ our libraries

Time to sit down with a bowl of popcorn and your favourite beverage and check out these great dvds:

Angelina Ballerina : Princess Dance
Angelina Ballerina : The big performance
Arsenic and old lace
Babar : The city of elephants
Babes in Toyland
Baby Beethoven : symphony of fun
Baby MacDonald : a day on the farm
Baby Mozart : music festival
Baby Newton
Baby van Gogh : world of colours
Batman : mask of the Phantasm
Benjamin's farm
Benjamin's farm
Benjamin's farm
Benji off the leash!
Billy Connolly : erect for 30 years
Billy Connolly : Two night stand
Billy Connolly live at the Odeon, Hammersmith, London
Blue heelers
Carousel
Casanova
Charlie and the chocolate factory
Cinderella
Close encounters of the third kind
Cries and whispers
Cromwell
Dad's army : the complete fourth series
Daisy Miller
Damage
Daniel Deronda
Days of being wild
Dragon Booster : Release the dragon!
Duma
Everyday people
Get a clue
Hi-5 : Move your body ; Summer rainbows
Hooley Dooleys : All together now
Hooley Dooleys : At the farm
Hooley Dooleys : Oopsadazee ; Keep on dancing
Ice Princess
Justice League
Little Red Tractor : Winter lights
Lizzie McGuire : Lizzie in the middle
Madagascar
Neighbourhood animals
New tricks
Numbers nursery
Ocean's eleven ; Ocean's twelve
Pippi Longstocking : Pippi returns to Villa Villekulla
Pirate Islands
Pooh's Heffalump movie
Shameless
Shiloh Two
Shiloh
Skippy : adventures in Bushtown
Star Wars : Attack of the clones
Star Wars : Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars : The phantom menace
Superman : the last son of Krypton
Tarzan
The Barchester chronicles
The biscuit eater
The Brittas Empire
The comfort of strangers
The crucible
The good life : the complete series 1
The last flight of Noah's Ark
The Muppet movie
The Muppet show
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Today's horse for today's kids
Toddler taming : the guide to your child from one to four
Who framed Roger Rabbit?
World animals
Young black stallion

Search for them in our web catalogue. Type in your search in the box next to Find a Book. If you have a password on your card you can reserve books, cds & dvds to be sent to your closest branch. It costs $2.20 per item for adults, $1.10 for govt. concession card holders, free reservations for children.

Find out about reserving and more with the catalogue tutorials. You can now renew dvds so long as they haven't been reserved by someone else.

Cheers, Maryanne

New non-fiction @ our branches

We've also been busy adding the following non-fiction titles:

EPF Lynch ~ Somme mud : the war experiences of an Australian infantryman in France 1916-1919
Halina Robinson ~ A cork on the waves
Helen Botham ~ La Trobe’s Jolimont : a walk round my garden
James Morrison ~ Blowing my own trumpet
Joyce Rupp ~ Walk in a relaxed manner : life lessons from the Camino
Judy Collins ~ Sanity and grace : a journey of suicide, survival, and strength
Liz Porter ~ Written on the skin : an Australian forensic casebook
Martin Dugard ~ Chasing Lance : the 2005 Tour de France and Lance Armstrong’s ride of a lifetime
Martin Gilbert ~ The Somme : heroism and horror in the First World War
Martina Navratilova ~ Shape your self : my 6 step diet and fitness plan to achieve the best shape of your life
Michael Veitch ~ Flak : true stories from the men who flew in World War Two
Paul Barry ~ Spun out : the Shane Warne story
Paul Sheehan ~ Girls like you
Rick Gallop ~Rick Gallop’s GI diet ; green-light cookbook
Sheryle Bagwell ~ My French connection : coming to grips with the world’s most beautiful but baffling country
Sylvia Martin ~ Ida Leeson : a life
Tony Hardy ~ Race around the sports world : one man’s travels to the greatest sporting events on the planet
Tony Hawks ~ A piano in the Pyrenees

Search for them in our web catalogue. Type in your search in the box next to Find a Book. If you have a password on your card you can reserve books, cds & dvds to be sent to your closest branch. It costs $2.20 per item for adults, $1.10 for govt. concession card holders, free reservations for children.

Find out about reserving and more with the catalogue tutorials.

Cheers, Maryanne

New fiction @ our libraries

The following fiction titles have been added recently:

Barbara Erskine ~ Daughters of fire
Barbara Nadel ~ After the mourning
Bleak House ~ Charles Dickens
Charlotte Bingham ~ In distant fields
Frederick Forsyth ~ The Afghan
George Pelecanos ~ The night gardener
Iris Johansen ~ An unexpected song
Jacquelyn Mitchard ~ Cage of stars
James Lee Burke ~ Pegasus descending
Johanna Lindsey ~ Captive of my desires
Joseph Finder ~ Killer instinct
Karen Robards ~ Superstition
Kay Hooper ~ Golden threads
Lilian Harry ~ A song at twilight
Mercedes Lackey/James Mallory ~ When darkness falls (Book 3 The Obsidian trilogy)
Peter Robinson ~ Piece of my heart
Sandra Brown ~ Ricochet
Stephen Baxter ~ Emperor
Stephen Coonts ~ Traitor
Tami Hoag ~ The last white knight
William McInnes ~ Cricket kings

Search for them in our web catalogue. Type in your search in the box next to Find a Book. If you have a password on your card you can reserve books, cds & dvds to be sent to your closest branch. It costs $2.20 per item for adults, $1.10 for govt. concession card holders, free reservations for children.

Find out about reserving and more with the catalogue tutorials.

Cheers, Maryanne

Next week @ ERL

Monday 14th August 12:30pm
Reading Cafe - Judith Armstrong - Lilydale Library

Tuesday 15th August 7pm
Learn to make a Mini Book with artist Joy Serwylo - Ferntree Gully Library

Thursday 17th August 1pm
Book Chat - Ferntree Gully Library

Thursday 17th August 7pm
Helping your child to read and write : how children learn literacy - Rowville Library

Friday 18th August 9:30am
Short Story Writing Workshop with Ilsa Evans - Ringwood Library

Friday 18th August 2pm
Library Growers & Weeders - Mooroolbark Library

Saturday 19th August 11am
Celebrate Children's Book Week 2006 - Boronia Library
Tony Bones Entertainment will perform Irving the Magician

Cheers, Maryanne

Camera to computer fully booked

Well it seems the Camera to Computer talk at Yarra Junction on Saturday has proven so popular that it's fully booked.

Staff have advised me that there is another session on Saturday October 28 11am.

So join Chris Hamnett and learn how to capture, transfer, edit and organise digital images on to the computer. Morning tea provided. Bookings on 5967-1588.

Cheers, Maryanne

Storytime at Monbulk

Bring your kids along to a good old-fashioned storytime at the Ranges Mobile Library Monbulk stop in Main Street. I've been a guest at one of these storytimes and they're great fun.

When: Friday 1st September 12:30-1:30pm
Where: Ranges Mobile Library - inside RSL hall, Main Road, Monbulk.

Cheers, Maryanne

8th Yarra Junction Library Bird Walk

Join Ken Simpson on the Yarra Bridge Circuit - Koo Wee Rup/Healesville Rd. Launching Place Mel 286 G8.

When: Saturday 26th August 2006 at 8am.
Where: Yarra Junction Library, Hoddle Street, Yarra Junction Ph: 5967 1588

• Morning tea approx. 10am
• Enter and park only on the western side of the new Yarra River Bridge - Mel 286 G8
• Please bring thermos of hot water. All other refreshments provided.

Bookings essential phone 59 671 588

Cheers, Maryanne

Mt Evelyn Cookery Club - Nutrition Counselling.

Dietician Julie Viney will give a talk on food, health, body image issues and other nutritional topics.

Tea & coffee provided. Gold coin donation. Bookings essential

When: Monday 21st August 7 -8.30pm
Where: Mt Evelyn Library, 50 Wray Crescent, Mt. Evelyn Ph: 9736 3851

Cheers, Maryanne

Celebrate Children's Book Week 2006

Tony Bones Entertainment will perform "Irving the Magician" written by Tohby Riddle and shortlisted for the Children's Book Council of Australia's Picture Book of the Year Award 2006. Should be great fun!

When: Saturday 19th August 2006 at 11am
Where: Boronia Library, Park Crescent, Boronia

Bookings phone 9762-4099

Cheers, Maryanne

The Eastern Regional Library Show

Each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm Lesley Conway does a radio show on Eastern FM 99.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Just in from Lesley

On Wednesday's show

Memory is a fickle thing! Last week I said I would be talking about international travel, completely forgetting that I have done that earlier this year. So, today I introduced memories in the form of memoirs and biographies, some of my favourites, and all good reads.

The moon's a balloon by David Niven

My love must wait by Ernestine Hill (Matthew Flinders)

The life of Matthew Flinders by Ernest Scott

Songlines by Bruce Chatwin and also Anatomy of restlessness

Hear the train blow by Patsy Adam-Smith

My mothers house by Colette

The Frenchwoman's cookbook by Brigitte Tilleray

Last week's books:
The farm, by Richard Benson
Love over Scotland, by Alexander McCall Smith

Music on Wednesday:
The Perry Como Show 1943

Cheers, Maryanne

New books day

Rowville's having a new books day on Friday. Come browse the great collection of fiction, non-fiction and picture books.

When: Friday 11th August from 10am
Where: Rowville Library Stud Park Shopping Centre Stud Road Ph: 9294 1300

Cheers, Maryanne

Ringwood refurbishment

The recent Ringwood Library refurbishment went very well. During the closure walls were painted, shelving and the information desk were moved and a stocktake was undertaken. A very cute boat was added to picture book area. I'm sure this is going to be a big hit with the kids.

Congratulations to the staff for their hard work. If you're in the neighbourhood, check it out!

Cheers, Maryanne

The future of plants in your garden

Ben Scobel and Mitchell Hamish from Tesselaar will talk about exciting new plants for your garden.

When: Friday 18th August 2pm
Where: Mooroolbark Library, 7 Station Street, Mooroolbark

Bookings essential, phone 9726 8200

Top 10 Reads for August

The following books are the Top 10 Reads for August 2006:

Alexander McCall Smith ~ Love over Scotland
Allison DuBois ~ We are their heaven
Ann Granger ~ A rare interest in corpses
Dean Koontz ~ The husband
Elizabeth Lowell ~ The wrong hostage
James Patterson ~ Judge and jury
Janet Evanovich ~ Twelve sharp
Linda Lael Miller ~ The man from Stone Creek
Peter FitzSimons ~ Tobruk
Susan Hill ~ The risk of darkness

I can vouch for Evanovich's Twelve Sharp. Stephanie Plum is as funny as ever.

Cheers, Maryanne

New non-fiction @ our libraries

It's been a bit quiet for non-fiction titles lately. The following have been added:

David Potts ~ The myth of the Great Depression
Kelly Tyler Lewis ~ The lost men : the harrowing story of Shackleton’s Ross Sea party
Michael Walsh ~ Brothers in war
Patrick Marnham ~ Wild Mary : the life of Mary Wesley
Soname Yangchen/Vicki MacKenzie ~ Child of Tibet : the story of Soname’s flight to freedom

Search for them in our web catalogue. Type in your search in the box next to Find a Book. If you have a password on your card you can reserve books, cds & dvds to be sent to your closest branch. It costs $2.20 per item for adults, $1.10 for govt. concession card holders, free reservations for children.

Find out about reserving and more with the catalogue tutorials.

Cheers, Maryanne

New fiction @ our libraries

Just catching up on all of the new books. The following fiction titles have been added to our branches:

Barry Maitland ~ Spider trap
Carole Nelson Douglas ~ Cat in a quicksilver caper
Danielle Steel ~ Coming out
Elizabeth Adler ~ Sailing to Capri
Elizabeth Buchan ~ The second wife
Faye Kellerman ~ The Garden of Eden and other criminal delights
Fern Michaels ~ Lethal justice (Book 6 – Revenge of the Sisterhood)
Harry Turtledove ~ End of the beginning
Ian Irvine ~ Torments of the traitor
Joe R Lansdale ~ A fine dark line
John D Macdonald ~ Clemmie
Joseph Finder ~ Killer instinct
Julie Ellis ~ A new day dawning
Larry McMurty ~ Telegraph days
Laurell K Hamilton ~ Danse macabre (Book 13 – Vampire hunter)
Linda Howard ~ Cover of night
Margaret Drabble ~ The sea lady
Mary Jane Clark ~ Lights out tonight
Nora Roberts ~ Angels fall
Nora Roberts ~ Before dawn
Robin Cook ~ Crisis
Sara Donati ~ Tied to the tracks
WEB Griffin ~ The saboteurs

Search for them in our web catalogue. Type in your search in the box next to Find a Book. If you have a password on your card you can reserve books, cds & dvds to be sent to your closest branch. It costs $2.20 per item for adults, $1.10 for govt. concession card holders, free reservations for children.

Find out about reserving and more with the catalogue tutorials.

Cheers, Maryanne

I'm back

I can't believe it's been over a week since I last blogged. I haven't been anywhere exciting - just home sick. Well a lot has happened since I last blogged. On Monday we changed over our Internet Service Provider. It resulted in a regionwide outage that day as we installed new equipment. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. We look forward to improving the Internet services offered at our library branches.

Cheers, Maryanne