Library update

All libraries are open Saturday 28th February according to their usual schedule.

View branch hours

Cheers, Maryanne

Knox Festival

Don't forget it's the Knox Festival this weekend. Ferntree Gully Library is preparing for an influx of visitors for their fantastic program. The library will be open from 10am - 4pm Saturday and Sunday during the festival. Everyone's welcome, you can also check out the library since it's had a refurbishment.

Saturday 28th February
Artrageous are running continuous ‘make and do sessions’
12noon - ‘Magic Guy’ Terry McSweeney
2pm - Author John Marsden

Sunday 1st March
Artrageous are running continuous ‘make and do sessions’
12noon - Puppeteer Claire Everton
2pm - Author Bob Graham

Where: Ferntree Gully Library, 1010 Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully.
Cost: Entry to the festival is $6 Family, $2 Adult, $1.50 child/concession. All money will go to the bushfire appeal. No further cost for any library activities.
Parking: Parking is available for a gold coin donation at St. Josephs College, Brenock Park Drive, Ferntree Gully - right across the road from the main festival entrance. Alternatively you can leave your car at home and use public transport (Connex train timetables, BusVic - Metlink bus timetables). A free festival bus will shuttle every 20 minutes between the Ferntree Gully railway station (bus stop opposite railway station on Station Street) and the Burwood Highway entrance to the festival site. The bus will operate between 11am and 4pm both days.

Cheers, Maryanne

Feel like 4 Wheel Driving?

Want to know more about 4-wheel driving? Glen from The Yarra Valley 4x4 Club is coming to Lilydale Library to answer your questions.

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

Cheers, Maryanne

Meet Helene Chung Martin

Many long term ABC television viewers will remember newsreader and journalist Helene Chung.

Helene did her first report on radio program AM in 1968; from there she travelled the world as a freelance journalist, until joining This Day Tonight in 1974. In the 1980's Helene was the ABC's foreign correspondent in Beijing. Helene has freelanced for a number of broadcasters.

Ching Chong China Girl (2008) follows Helene's life from Tasmanian convent girlhood through triumph and heartbreak to the present.

'This is an autobiography like no other.'
Mike Bingham, Sunday Tasmanian

Books available for sale and signing.

When: Wednesday 18th March 7pm
Where: Knox Library, 425 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 98011422

Cheers, Maryanne

Meet Ian Gawler

Ian Gawler’s personal story of recovery and hope has led him to develop programs that offer health and well being to both body and mind. Countless people have been helped by Ian’s books and the work of the Gawler Foundation.

Copies of Ian's books will be available for sales and signing.

When: Wednesday 18th March 1pm
Where: Yarra Junction Library Hoddle Street, Yarra Junction
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 59671588

Cheers, Maryanne

More closures for Friday 27th February

Things happen fast around here. Just as I posted this updated list of library closures for Friday 27th February, I got another set.

• Belgrave, Healesville, Montrose, Mt Evelyn and Yarra Junction libraries are closed for the day
  
• The Knox Mobile will off the road all day
• The Ranges Mobile will be off the road all day
• The Valley Mobile will be off the road all day

We'll be getting council advisory messages and checking CFA reports with regards to Saturday, so please check the blog as I'll login in the morning from home to see if there are any updates on closures.

I'll keep updating this as information comes to hand, so check the blog before visiting the libraries in the Yarra Ranges.

While I'm talking about closures you can check the Education Department website for a list of school closures for Friday.

Cheers, Maryanne

Montrose Gardeners - Peter Douglas

Peter Douglas, Manager of Scotsburn Nurseries will give an inspiring presentation on the art of hanging baskets. In 2001, Scotsburn Nurseries helped establish The Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria's Great Victorian Hanging Basket Competition at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. Scotsburn Nurseries, established in 1935, supplies flower & vegetable seedlings to many retail outlets.

When: Tuesday 17th March 1pm
Where: Montrose Library, Corner Mt. Dandenong Tourist Road & Swansea Road, Montrose
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 97284224

Cheers, Maryanne

So you wanna write a romance novel?

Well known romance novelist, Ally Blake, is coming to Montrose. Ally is going to talk about:

• how to start a book
• how to stay motivated
• how to write all the way through to the end
• polishing the finished product
• and the steps to hopefully getting published.

A rare opportunity to interact and learn from a published author. This is Montrose & Lilydale Library joint event.

When: Tuesday 17th March 12:30 - 4:30pm
Where: Montrose Library (Community Room), Corner Mt. Dandenong Tourist Road & Swansea Road, Montrose
Cost: $10 Includes afternoon tea
Bookings essential phone 97284224

Cheers, Maryanne

iBistro catalogue users - Red Cliffs library closed

I've just been advised by our colleagues at the Mildura Rural City Council Library Service that their Red Cliffs branch will be closed for redevelopment from Saturday 28th February until the beginning of August. During this time all items at Red Cliffs will be unavailable and from Monday 2nd March you will be unable to place holds on their copies.

Please contact library staff if there is an only copy of an item you want at Red Cliffs during this time, as we may be able to source it elsewhere.

Cheers, Maryanne

Mobile update for the rest of the week

I've been given an update on the mobile library operating schedules for the rest of the week.

Thursday 26th February

• All mobiles are on the road.

Friday 27th February

• The Knox Mobile will be off the road all day. (updated 26th Feb)
  
• The Ranges Mobile will be off the road all day.
• The Valley Mobile will be on the road all day (we will advise if this changes).

Cheers, Maryanne

Poetry workshops cancelled

I've just been advised that the March poetry workshops at Belgrave Library have been cancelled due to lack of numbers.

Cheers, Maryanne

Easy gourmet vegetarian

Get some fantastic recipes, both easy and nutritional. Meet our chef Kris who is passionate about healthy and tasty vegetarian cooking. Forget the reputation for vegetarian food being bland, taste test these really delicious recipes.

When: Monday 16th March 12:30pm
Where: Mt Evelyn Library, 50 Wray Crescent, Mt. Evelyn
Cost: $7.50 including afternoon tea
Bookings essential phone 97363851

Cheers, Maryanne

Lunch @ Your Library - Meet Stephen Powell

In 2008 as an appreciation of his magnificent wildlife paintings a benefactor presented Stephen Powell with a painting safari to Africa. Stephen will show the fruits of his visit and talk about his wildlife inspirations over lunch.

When: Thursday 12th March 1pm ** now on Thursday 19th March 1pm
Where: Ferntree Gully Library, 1010 Burwood Hwy, Ferntree Gully
Cost: $6.50 includes lunch
Bookings essential phone 92948140

Cheers, Maryanne

Book Bites - Kevin Rabalais

Kevin Rabalais is an author, editor, reviewer, critic and a reader. It is in his capacity as a book lover that we have invited him to be our guest, to talk about some of the books and writers that have influenced him in his literary career.

This lunch is an opportunity to share in the joy of reading, and is really not to be missed.

When: Thursday 12th March 12:30pm
Where: Croydon Library, Civic Square, Croydon
Cost: $7.50 includes lunch
Bookings essential phone 92945640

Cheers, Maryanne

Library Service Points Closed Tuesday 24th February

The following mobile library stops are closed today.

Valley Mobile: Poweltown, Millgrove, East Warburton and Warburton

Ranges Mobile: Macclesfield

All other libraries are open according to opening hours.

Cheers, Maryanne

Flowers and gardens of the world

Join Growville Growers for the session with Paul Lucas who will be hosting his exquisite presentation of ‘Flowers and gardens of the world’. These images are to die for! Even if you are not an avid gardener you will love this session All Welcome.

When: Friday 6th March 2pm
Where: Rowville Library, Stud Park Shopping Centre, Stud Road, Rowville
Cost: Gold coin donation please
Bookings essential phone 92941300

Cheers, Maryanne

Meet Stephen Powell - Wildlife artist

Since taking up art as a full time career, Stephen Powell has established himself as a successful wildlife painter and art tutor. Stephen recently returned from a painting safari in Africa and did a talk a couple of days at Belgrave. If you missed that one, here 's another chance to see the stunning results of the African trip and hear about his painting techniques.

When: Thursday 5th March 7pm
Where: Rowville Library, Stud Park Shopping Centre, Stud Road, Rowville
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 92941300

Cheers, Maryanne

Update of times for Knox Festival events

Please note the updated times for the Ferntree Gully Library's events for the Knox Festival.

Saturday 28th Feb
12noon Fun Magic Guy
2pm John Marsden

Sunday 1st March
12noon Puppet Fairytales
2pm Bob Graham

View the Knox Festival library program.

Cheers, Maryanne

Using Ancestry in your research

Frustrated at not getting the most out of Ancestry.com (available for free via the library computers), then attend this free talk presented by Gail White. Gail will demonstrate how to use Ancestry in your research and explain the Ancestry records and collections.

When: Thursday 5th March 1:30 pm
Where: Healesville Library, 231 Maroondah Highway, Healesville
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 59624423

Cheers, Maryanne

Image workshop

Rachael from Swish Mobile Beauty will discuss the basics of good image through hairstyle & makeup. This workshop is discussion only but we plan to have a hands-on follow up later in the year. Each participant will receive a show bag of goodies.

When: Wednesday 4th March 7 - 9pm
Where: Lilydale Library, Anderson Street, Lilydale
Cost: $5
Bookings essential phone 92943120

Cheers, Maryanne

Bright Star for babies 4-6 months

Bright Star is a special four week program for babies 4-6 months. In a relaxed atmosphere, interact with baby through a range of traditional and new rhymes and songs. Enjoy stories and learn some baby signing. Places are limited and bookings are essential.

When: Tuesday 1st March 2pm
Where: Boronia Library, Park Crescent, Boronia
Cost: Free event
For further information and bookings contact Bernadette on 97624099

Cheers, Maryanne

Comforts of home talk cancelled

The Comforts of Home talk scheduled at Lilydale Library tonight has been cancelled due to the bushfire in the Healesville area. We hope to reschedule this event for another time. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Cheers, Maryanne

ERL collecting money for the CFA

Eastern Regional Libraries would like to thank the CFA and it's members for their amazing effort during the bushfires. We are currently collecting money for the CFA through tins located at the desks of all of our branches. The money collected will be donated to the CFA brigades within the ERL area and the local brigades can put the money towards equipment that might help in future fire situations.

Cheers, Maryanne

Knox Youth Short Film Festival

There's only a couple of weeks left for entries to the Knox Youth Short Film Festival. Submissions are sought from filmmakers 10-25 years old.

Entries can be any genre. Follow these guidelines:

• The majority of the film crew lives, works, studies or hangs out within the City of Knox
• All films need to be of PG Rating
• All films need to be submitted on VHS or DVD
• All films to be no longer than 10 minutes long

Important dates:
Applications and entries due Wednesday 25th February 2009
Short films will be shown on Monday 30th March 6:30–9pm at the
Knox Community Arts Centre, Bayswater, as part of National Youth Week 2009.

Check out an ad for the Knox Youth Short Film Festival on Youtube - Green Foot Flicks



Cheers, Maryanne

Knox Festival Sat. 28th February - Sun. 1st March

It's only a couple of weeks until the Knox Festival and Ferntree Gully Library will be taking part in the festivities with the following events.

PLEASE NOTE: Updated times

Saturday 28th February
The ever popular Artrageous will be running continuous ‘make and do sessions’ on both days.

12noon - ‘Magic Guy’ Terry McSweeney
Terry has performed at Crown Casino, the Comedy Festival and has even appeared on Neighbours as …. a magician.

2pm - Author John Marsden
John has been acclaimed for his Tomorrow series and the Ellie Chronicles. He has sold over 3 million books worldwide. In 2006 John was presented with the Lloyd O’Neil Award for service to the Australian book industry. This is a not to be missed opportunity to hear an internationally recognised young peoples’ author. There will a sales and signing session following the talk.

Sunday 1st March
The ever popular Artrageous will be running continuous ‘make and do sessions’ on both days.

12noon - Puppeteer Claire Everton
Claire Everton will delight the audience with her fairytale puppets. She is a very experienced performer whose outstanding singing and theatrical talents will make this performance something to remember.

2pm - Author Bob Graham
Lovers of picture books, both big and small, will want to see Bob Graham. Bob is one Australia’s most respected illustrators and authors. Bob is a past winner of the UK’s prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal and three times winner of the Australian Children’s Book of the Year Award.

Thanks to the generosity of a local manufacturer, the youth of Knox have been invited to decorate two hundred pairs of sneakers. The finished products will be on display at the library during the Festival.

Come and join us for a great weekend.

Where: Ferntree Gully Library, 1010 Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully.
Cost: Entry to the festival is $6 Family, $2 Adult, $1.50 child/concession. All money will go to the bushfire appeal. No further cost for any library activities.
Parking: Parking is available for a gold coin donation at St. Josephs College, Brenock Park Drive, Ferntree Gully - right across the road from the main festival entrance. Alternatively you can leave your car at home and use public transport (Connex train timetables, BusVic - Metlink bus timetables). A free festival bus will shuttle every 20 minutes between the Ferntree Gully railway station (bus stop opposite railway station on Station Street) and the Burwood Highway entrance to the festival site. The bus will operate between 11am and 4pm both days.

Cheers, Maryanne

Love Bites event cancelled

The Lilydale event on Saturday called Love Bites has been cancelled due to lack of numbers.

Cheers, Maryanne

Mooroolbark is back up

Mooroolbark's network is back up and their public Internet PCs are available for booking. Just a reminder that you can now book the public PCs form home via our website.

1. Go to the Email & Search page on our website.
2. Click on Book a PC.
3. Select a branch and a date from the drop down menus and click the Check available times button.
4. Click on the desired time.
5. Fill in the form with your name, library barcode and PIN and click the Book Now button.

Cheers, Maryanne

Thursday update on Healesville and the Valley Mobile

Just an update on our libraries:

Healesville Library
Healesville Library will resume normal operating hours today (Thursday). ** updated 10:24am**

Valley Mobile
The Valley Mobile will operating as normal today (Thursday).

Please note the Yarra Junction Library is open but this will be continually monitored and we'll advise if this changes.

Cheers, Maryanne

Friday @ your library - Easter delectables

Come and join us while Jill Hess shows us how to make some delicious treats for Easter.

When: Friday 27th February 12 noon
Where: Knox Library, 425 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 98011422

Cheers, Maryanne

Moorolbark is still down

Mooroolbark's network is still down. We hope to have it restored at some stage tomorrow.

Cheers, Maryanne

Update on Healesville Library and the Valley Mobile

Just updating you on the closures for today:

Healesville Library
Healesville Library will be closed today (Wednesday). Management will make decisions for the rest of the week on a day by day basis.

Valley Mobile
The Valley Mobile only be visiting Wonga Park today 3 - 5:30pm (Wednesday).

Please note the Yarra Junction Library is open but this will be continually monitored and we'll advise if this changes.


Volunteering - Victorian bushfire support
The Victorian Government is helping to coordinate the support for communities affected by bushfire. Anyone willing to volunteer time and skills should call the Information Victoria Bushfire Volunteer Hotline on 1300 366 356 (local call cost) or complete the registration form at Volunteering Australia

Emergency and relief agencies are very grateful for the generous offers of assistance and are working with the Government to determine how to make best use of the help in coming days. Thank you to everyone offering support to the people affected by the bushfires.

Please note you may not be contacted immediately as agencies are concentrating on volunteers who are already trained.

Cheers, Maryanne

Mooroolbark network down

Mooroolbark Library's network is still down from yesterday. Therefore there is currently no Internet and staff are checking out items offline.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Cheers, Maryanne

Library closures due to bushfire risk

Just alerting everyone to the following closures:

Healesville Library
Healesville Library will be closed today. Management will make decisions for the rest of the week on a day by day basis.

Valley Mobile
The Valley Mobile will not be on the road today. Management will make decisions for the rest of the week on a day by day, site by site basis.

Please note the Yarra Junction Library is open but this will be continually monitored and we'll advise if this changes.

Stay safe everyone.

Cheers, Maryanne

Receiving email notices

If you have your library record set up to receive email notices instead of the phone calls or paper notices for overdues and holds you might need to make sure that the notices aren't going to your Spam/Junk Mail folder.

If you think you should have received a notice, check your Spam/Junk folder first to see if the notice is there.

Email notices for overdues and holds have the following email address as the sender:



The subject is called:

Library Notice - Automated notice - Do Not Reply

Check your email settings to see if you can add this address into a safe list so that emails from this address are never sent to the Spam folder.

If you haven't yet set your record up so that you receive email notices, please ask staff to do this on your next visit. It's really easy and means you won't be woken up at 9am by the automated system. Of course you'll have to make sure you don't exceed your email quota as the emails won't get through.

Cheers, Maryanne

Literary Lunch - Ilsa Evans

Since her debut novel Spin Cycle was released in 2002, Ilsa Evans has gone on to publish six further novels. Drip Dry and Odd Socks continued the Laundry Series to be followed by two stand alone novels Each Way Bet and Flying the Coop. The sixth novel Broken (2007) was a complete breakaway in style from light fiction, to a work that looks at marriage breakdown and its effects on the family. Broken was selected as an Australian Women's Weekly Good Read, and as a 'Summer Read' in the State Library of Victoria's Summer Reading list.

Her seventh novel The Family Tree will be released in February 2009.

When: Thursday 26th February 12:30pm
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave
Cost: $7.50 includes lunch
Bookings essential phone 9754 7266

Cheers, Maryanne

Price It! Antiques appraisal and valuation

Do you have a special small antique that you want to know more about? Bring along your treasures to be appraised and valued by antique expert Lester Devere from Auction Central. Lester Devere has over 25 years experience in the antique trade as a commission agent and auctioneer.

When: Wednesday 25th February 1:30pm
Where: Healesville Library, 231 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 59624423

Cheers, Maryanne

The Eastern Regional Library Show 4th February 2009

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

It doesn't take a lot of energy to turn the pages of a book, and even less to press the DVD play button. If you're tired of the tennis, worn out by world affairs, visit the library and pick up something fresh to watch or read or listen to. You can even save time and energy by placing holds on items via the website and just ducking into the library to collect your treasures when they turn up. Mind you, quite a few people have discovered that our cool libraries with their comfortable armchairs are very pleasant places to while away a few hours on the hottest day.

If you have been a keen reader of Marcia Muller's detective series featuring PI Sharon McCone, then you probably have already placed a hold for her latest, Burn Out. Lyn has been reading about McCone since the series began, set in San Francisco of the 'flower power' era, and says it has been consistently engrossing. The heroine has aged with the series and the stories are now dealing with the modern world of constantly changing technology and Internet crime. In the latest, Sharon is literally 'burnt out' and retreats to her husbands ranch to recuperate. Mystery and death however seem to follow her, and before long she is involved in investigating the disappearance of the overseer's niece.

Now if a novel can't hold your attention, a good short story will, and Lyn is recommending a collection of Peter Lovesey's crime short stories, Murder on the short list. Lovesey has also been writing crime for many years, and has several central characters who feature in these short stories. If you have been a fan of his characters Peter Diamond, Cribb and Thackerey of Scotland Yard, Edward Prince of Wales (the wayward son of Queen Victoria) or the latest heroine, Hen Mallin, then these stories are for you.

Alternatively, if you became fascinated by the story of Georgianna, Duchess of Devonshire in the late 1700's, and the colourful, complex and restrictive world of the English aristocracy as shown in the recent film Duchess, then you will enjoy Lady Worsley's Whim by Hallie Rubenhold. In a life with many parallels to Georgianna's, Dorothy Seymour married Sir Richard Worsley at the age of seventeen, and found that once she had produced the necessary heir, was of little interest to her husband. After a series of affairs to which her husband turned a blind eye to, she fell in love with George Bisset and eloped with him. Sir Richard proceeded to take his wife and her lover to court for having a 'criminal conversation' which would have ended in a legal separation, but was defended by George and Dorothy. It is a fascinating insight into a major scandal of the time, and also to the constraints on women which meant that they were either the property of their parents, or their husbands.

Music today was from Classic Marches performed by the Royal Australian Navy Band, which will be added to our collection in the coming weeks, along with A Flagship Recital Mark II.

---- Lesley

Poetry workshops with Steve Smart

Steve Smart is a young Melbourne poet, and former Director of the Overload Poetry Festival. He is both a writer and a performance poet. Steve has appeared in print, on stage and television, on the stage at the Opera House, in the Sunday Herald Sun and on Radio 774. His first anthology Urgent Blood will be published in 2009.

Steve will present a series of four workshops looking at all aspects of contemporary poetry.

Bookings essential
Series cost: $20 Concession $15
Individual workshop cost: $5 each
Bookings are welcome for individual workshops

Week 1 - Contemporary Australian Poetry
When: Tuesday 3rd March 1pm
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave

Explore a range of Australian poets, from formal poetry to free verse (no rhyme, no rules) to hip hop. Through the workshop the students will read and discuss various poems and at then perform a poem of their choosing.


Week 2 - Writing Poetry
When: Tuesday 10th March 1pm
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave

Discover how to draw inspiration from your life and the world around you. Then get down to the nitty-gritty of getting these ideas out of your head and onto the page. Sometimes all it takes is one line, one word even, to spark off a great poem.


Week 3 - Performing Poetry
When: Tuesday17th March 1pm
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave

Use your voice and your body to share your words. A hand gesture, a tilt of the head, one line soft another line LOUD - every poem has different ways of being performed. Students are invited to bring their own poems, but there will be books on the day to choose poems from.


Week 4 - Zine making
When: Tuesday 24th March 1pm
Where: Belgrave Library, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave

A 'zine’ is a small magazine - handwritten and drawn, designed on computer or created using collage. The point is getting your words into a format you can give, sell, or swap with others. Students are asked to bring their own poetry in a form they don't mind cutting up.

Cheers, Maryanne

Looking for Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford

This just in from Lyn, our Collections Manager:

The new Sunday night classic serial on the ABC is Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford.

This adaptation adapts Cranford plus two other Elizabeth Gaskell stories, My Lady Ludlow & Mr Harrison's Confessions.

All of these stories are available in the edition Cranford & other stories (find Cranford and other stories in our library)

Cheers, Maryanne

An update on yesterday's outages

Just updating everyone on the outages yesterday at our branches. Croydon Library have their power restored and will be open as normal today.

Most of our branches had their network down yesterday due to an issue outside of Eastern Regional Libraries. They are all now back up and are able to offer Internet bookings.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Cheers, Maryanne