Reader's Corner

I have added a feed from the Reader's Corner Reviews to the Reader's Corner website. So when you visit Reader's Corner you will see the latest reviews added to the Reader's Corner Reviews blog appearing in a colum on the right.

The reviews are from staff and visitors to the site, so if you've read something interesting why not send us a quick review. We've already had feedback from members that they've borrowed some of the books reviewed and have loved them.

Now I'm on leave for a couple of weeks so Paul will be stepping into my blogging shoes. Thank-you Paul.

Cheers, Maryanne

New labels on My Account

I've just been adjusting the new labels on My Account. You should find them appearing on Saturday. Some of the changes I've made:

Review My Account will become View items/holds on card
Renew My Materials will become Renew items on card
User PIN Change will become Change your PIN
Change My Address will become Change your address
I have added Get your PIN via email

I have also added a link to the online resources that will appear on Saturday as well.

Cheers, Maryanne

iBistro changes

The IT department have been busy this week upgrading all of the staff computers to the new Symphony software. I anticipate the changes to iBistro will appear in the next day or so. You'll know when it's changed because the catalogue will go from blue to black and green. However it is more than a colour change, as I outlined in last Wednesday's article Software upgrade on Sunday. I imagine most of you will be delighted about the increase in the font size.

Cheers, Maryanne

Boronia Library update

Boronia Library has power but no heating. They will be opening at 3pm today (Wednesday). Bring a warm jacket just in case :-D .

Cheers, Maryanne

Software upgrade on Sunday

On Sunday 22nd June Eastern Regional Libraries will be undertaking a major upgrade to the new Symphony Software with SirsiDynix.

As a result of the upgrade:

• the 5 branches open on Sunday will be working offline


• the iBistro catalogue will be unavailable from Sunday AM - Monday AM


• 10-minute Internet PCs will be unavailable on Sunday, possibly Monday AM (the regular bookable Internet PCs will be available)
  

Apologies for an inconvenience.

I've made quite a few changes to iBistro, including:

• the addition of the new logo and change of colours to fit in with the website


• increasing the font size of text and links


• addition of an Online Resources page - encyclopedias, newspaper/magazine articles and reference books available 24/7 for free with your library card


• a change of the wording for the options in My Account. Feedback has been that some of these options were unclear. Review My Account will be View items/holds on card. Renew My Materials will be Renew items on card. I have also added a link to get a PIN via email if you do not know it.
  


• the addition of the times renewed to the View items and Renew screens.


• advising members of new titles by their favorite author or subject. Members have been saving authors and subjects as favorites and as yet haven't received any emails. Firstly I will be removing the favorites added through borrowing so you might see a couple of authors etc disappear. Don't worry though the favorites you have been manually adding though will still be there. If you have an email address set up on your card you should be receiving notification soon of any new titles added to our collection that match your favorites.
  

Some sneak peeks of the new iBistro catalogue:

The overall front page (enlarged catalogue view with login)





Closeup of the front page




Changes to wording on My Account menu




You can see the number of times an item has been renewed



You will be able to see all of the changes next week once the upgrade has finished. Thanks to all of the members who have given me feedback over the the last year and a bit. I have been able to use that to make some of the changes. There are still a few things that people have suggested that we need to work on - namely being able to see the items on your card belonging to other consortium libraries and being able to view the issue details of magazines in the View My Items screen.

Phew! Can't rest now, we still have work to do for the upgrade.

Cheers, Maryanne

Boronia Library update

Boronia Library is still closed at the moment until power is restored. We apologise for any inconvenience. I will advise through the blog and website as soon as it re-opens (fingers crossed that it is today).

Cheers, Maryanne

Update on Boronia Library

Unfortunately the Boronia Library will not be opening at all today. We have been advised that the problem will be fixed tomorrow but are not sure at what time so the library will remain closed until the power has been restored. We apologise for any inconvenience. Items may be returned to other branches of Eastern Regional Libraries or renewed online through our website if you know your PIN.

Cheers, Maryanne

Discovery Workshop

Join local research scientist, Ken Simpson, for some cool lessons in classifying wildlife and dating objects.

Morning session is on observing and classifying, using shells and shell grit.
Afternoon session on methods used to date material such as rocks, coins and plants, with hands on activities.

Aged 10+

Starts at 11:30am finishing at 2pm with a BYO lunch between.

When: Wednesday 2nd July 11:30am-2pm
Where: Yarra Junction Library, Hoddle Street, Yarra Junction
Cost: Free
Bookings essential phone 5967 1588

Cheers, Maryanne

Boronia Library closed

Due to a burnt out power pole, Boronia Library will be closed until further notice. Depending on repairs, we hope to have them open later today. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers, Maryanne

The Eastern Regional Library Show - 11th June 2008

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

On Wednesday's show

Today was a farewell to Jill McCallum, regional Youth Services Manager, who has been a cheerful and effective advocate for services to, and literature for, young people in our region. Jill looks about 21 still, but is retiring to spend a well-earnt time reading and eating chocolate.

Jill has been a regular visitor to the radio program, particularly for discussion of the winners of Children's Book of the Year awards, with Pia Butcher.

She has been happy to talk about her particular favourites amongst the tens of thousands of books she has seen over the years, and today brought along her all time favourite, Maurice Sendak's Where the wild things are. This classic picture book is now being filmed, and we are looking forward to seeing how the delightful, whimsical pictures of Sendak translate to the screen. I brought along one of my favourite children's authors, who has a lot in common with Sendak. Bob Graham is an Australian author who has the same knack as Sendak of giving the child's perspective of the world, but also layering his story and pictures so that there is much to be discover in them for older readers.

Jill also talked today about a book which is at the other end of the spectrum of picture books. The arrival by Shaun Tan is directed at older readers, and is beautifully illustrated story without words, describing the experience of someone coming to an alien culture. There are moments of isolation, of loneliness and puzzlement, but also hope and friendliness. Tan has produced several books in this style, all quite intriguing.

Music today was Handel's The arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

---- Lesley

The Eastern Regional Library Show 4th June 2008

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

On Wednesday's show

Love on a branch line by John Hadfield is one of my all time favourite 'feel good' reads. An eccentric English Lord lives in his own private train, one of his beautiful daughters is the engine driver, and the other two daughters spend their time attempting to seduce a hapless civil servant who has come to find out why an obscure government department is still operating an office in the ancestral hall, 17 years after the end of World War II. The writing is funny and nostalgic, much in the way of H.E.Bates and his Darling Buds of May series.

This has inspired my theme for this week...trains. After re-reading Love on a branch line two weeks ago, I coincidently came across a wonderful history of British railways, Tickets please! a nostalgic journey through railway station life by Paul Atterbury. Paul "lives and breathes yesterday's railways", and even lives in a converted railway carriage. This is not his first book, he has also written Along country lines, which ERL has copies. The book is full of magnificent illustrations, photos old and new, posters, post cards and brochures. The text is set up in many small segments of information ranging from City Stations and Country Stations to Crashes, Station Gardens and Comic Postcards.

If this has inspired you, then read Patsy Adam Smith's recollections of growing up beside the railways in country Victoria between the wars, Hear the train blow : an Australian childhood. Patsy has a breezy, humourous style of storytelling which captures the smell of the bush and the eccentricity and good nature of the people who lived there.

Finally, Steven Carroll's The art of the engine driver, a novel set in the outer suburbs of Melbourne during the 1950's, gently and sympathetically describes a family in crisis, a time of rapidly changing social values, and the ambitions of an engine driver to become one of the elite drivers, a member of 'The Circle'.

Music today was from High heel sneakers, a double CD of Jose Feliciano's music.

---- Lesley

Scrapbooking workshop

I love scrapbooking. It's a chance to be creative whilst finding a place to store your treasured memories. Join Mary for an evening of scrapbooking. You'll need to bring 6-8 themed photographs - perhaps a holiday or special outing. Material and equipment are provided on the night.

When: Thursday 26th June 6:30-8:30pm
Where: Rowville Library, Stud Park Shopping Centre, Stud Road, Rowville
Cost: $10 for materials and use of equipment - to be paid prior to the session/time of booking.
Bookings essential phone 92941300

Cheers, Maryanne

UPDATE: I've just checked the bookings for this activity and it is currently fully booked. You'll need to add your name to the waiting list.

Literary Lunch - Meet Judith Buckrich

Judith Buckrich came to Melbourne from Hungary as a child in 1958, and looked at her new home with great interest. That childhood interest has lead to a number of histories of famous Melbourne icons and institutions; particularly Collins: Australia's Premier Street (2005) and the lavishly illustrated Melbourne's Grand Boulevard: the Story of St Kilda Road (1996). Author and playwright, Judith is Chair of the International PEN Women Writers' Committee and a sought after speaker for radio and television.

When: Thursday 26th June 12:30pm
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave
Cost: Cost $7.50 includes lunch
Bookings essential phone 97547266

Cheers, Maryanne

Queen's birthday

All branches and mobiles of Eastern Regional Libraries are closed on Monday 9th June for the Queen's birthday holiday. To prevent you incurring fines over the break:

1. Renew your items through the library catalogue (so long as they aren't overdue or have holds on them). Make sure you know the PIN for your library card. You can find this out by contacting library staff on 1300 737 277 during opening hours. You can also apply to receive a PIN via email. It's best to fill out the PIN application today or Friday while staff are at work and monitoring the emails coming in.
2. Return items through the bookchutes. All branches except Croydon have after hours bookchutes.
   
3. If you have any library related issues while the libraries are closed, please fill out our contact form. We will get in touch with you and try to resolve the issue as soon as we are back at work (Tuesday 10th June).

Cheers, Maryanne

Digital Photography : how to get the best out of your digital camera

Wayne Cosshall is coming to Lilydale Library to give a talk on on how to get more from your digital camera. Wayne is the publisher of Digital Imagemaker International

When: Saturday 28th June 1pm
Where: Lilydale Library, Anderson Street, Lilydale
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 9294 3120

Cheers, Maryanne

Make-up and skincare for over 40's

Diane Harris is coming to Lilydale Library to discuss and demonstrate how to look your best over 40 and beyond.

When: Wednesday 18th June 7pm
Where: Lilydale Library, Anderson St, Lilydale
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 92943120

Cheers, Maryanne