Lilydale Library expected to open as usual tomorrow

Lilydale Library is expected to open tomorrow at 10am. The driers are currently being removed and although there's not yet carpet in the affected area the library should, barring the unexpected be able to open.

Thank-you for your understanding.

Cheers, Maryanne

Harry Potter coming to Overdrive eLibrary soon

Overdrive have entered into an arrangement with J.K. Rowling which will see all 7 of the Harry Potter eBooks and eAudiobooks made available in our Overdrive eLibrary.

Eastern Regional Libraries will initially be buying 2 copies of each. The eAudiobook version is the one read by Stephen Fry.

The titles will be released to the eLibrary on the 30th April but our members will be able to place reservations on the titles before then.

The books will appear in the eLibrary in the next couple of days.

Cheers, webgurl

Find out what herb aids digestion at this month's Gully Gardeners

Do you know which herbs are good for promoting good skin? Or which herb aids digestions?  Or which herbs make great teas?

Carol Hooper is very knowledgable about herbs and will encourage you to make medicines from your garden. Plus you will be given free hardouts.

This month's Gully Gardeners will meet at Coonara House, 20 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully.

Refreshments provided
When: Thursday 1st March 2:30pm
Where: Coonara House, 20 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully
Cost: Gold coin donation appreciated
Bookings essential phone 92948140

Cheers, webgurl

Confused by your mobile phone? Get help at Rowville Library

On the first Thursday of the month at 9:30am staff and friends from the Stud Park Telstra Shop will be available at Rowville Library to assist you with any brand of phone or carrier.

Book in for tomorrow's session. All welcome.

When: Thursday 1st March 9:30am
Where: Rowville Library, Stud Park Shopping Centre, Stud Rd, Rowville
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 92941300 or online - Mobile Phone

Cheers, webgurl

Be one of the 366! Unique reading event tomorrow, support your library

2012 has been designated The National Year of Reading. 

Boronia Library is seeking 366 individuals from across the community to come together on one day – March 1st, to take part in a reading event whereby all participants read aloud from the same text, at the same time, for one minute. 

There's still time to register!

When: Thursday 1st March 11am
Where: Boronia Library, Park Crescent, Boronia
Cost: Free event
If you would like to be part of this event, please register your interest with one of our branches, or call Linda on 9762 4099

Cheers, webgurl

Lilydale Library closed today due to flooding

Lilydale Library is closed today due to flood damage caused on Monday night. They will be drying out the carpet.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused. Items may be renewed online by logging in via our website and going to My Account. If you are unable to do so please contact us via the website and we will extend the period for you.

Cheers, webgurl

Eastern Regional Libraries launches National Year of Reading #1000thpost

Photos from the successful launch of the National Year of Reading for ERL have been uploaded to the Love2Read Facebook page.

The launch was celebrated at Croydon Library with ambassadors Ilsa Evans and Adam Wallace in attendance and signing books for fans. In addition Cr Natalie Thomas (Maroondah), Mayor Adam Gill (Knox), Cr Paul Macdonald (Maroondah) and Chief Executive Joseph Cullen were also there to celebrate.

National Year of Reading - ERL Launch

With this, we celebrate 1000 Twitter tweets!

Cheers, webgurl

Farewell Ranges Mobile, Hello Yarra Ranges Outreach

Friday staff took the books off the Ranges Mobile library in readiness for the new service - Yarra Ranges Outreach. The Yarra Ranges Outreach will operate using the Valley Mobile's trailer and will visit a combination of popular sites on the previous timetable.

I managed to snap a few photos.


Grant will be driving the Yarra Ranges Outreach Vehicle


Empty shelves


Grant's gloves & witches hats


Old Ranges Mobile

The new timetable will operate from Monday 27th February and Grant will be driving this vehicle.

Yarra Ranges Outreach Timetable

Powelltown
The Yarra Ranges Outreach Vehicle will continue to visit Powelltown every second Tuesday as timetabled until a computer service is available at the Powelltown Hotel. Powelltown schedule
 
Yarra Glen
The Yarra Ranges Outreach Vehicle will continue to visit Yarra Glen on a Friday until the opening of the Yarra Glen Community Reading Room. Yarra Glen schedule


Cheers, Maryanne

View the changes to library charges, starts 1st March

As from Thursday 1st March Eastern Regional Libraries will be increasing the overdue charge from 25 cents to 30 cents per day per item for both Adult and Junior items.
Cheers, webgurl

Lilydale Library flooded, Birds of Yarra talk cancelled

Lilydale Library suffered some flooding last night. As a result the Birds of the Yarra Catchment talk has been cancelled and rescheduled for Tuesday 17th July.

The library will open as normal, however the affected areas have been partitioned and if driers are needed to dry the carpet, the library may need to close at some time during the day.

I will keep members apprised of the status of the library as information comes to hand.

Cheers, webgurl

eLibrary collection continues to grow

We have recently added 424 new eBook titles to the eLibrary that can all be accessed from wherever and whenever you are if you have a connection to the internet. The latest update includes children's novels, picture books, graphic novels, crime fiction, romance, recipe books, self-help manuals, histories, true-crime, joke books, classics, biographies, westerns and much, much more.

Enjoy your eReading.

Cheers, Paul.

Mango Languages online resource to be replaced

We have decided not to renew our subscription to the Mango Languages online resource - the pricing structure has changed rather dramatically. Instead we will be subscribing to a similar product in the not too distant future - we'll keep you informed.

Cheers, Paul.

Ringwood Library's phones are currently down

Ringwood Library's phones are currently down and are expected to be down over the weekend. Phone renewals, PC bookings and enquiries can be made by contacting any branch. Phone 1300 737 277 and select any other branch.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Cheers, Maryanne

Updated Yarra Ranges Outreach timetable available now

I've just uploaded a new timetable for the Yarra Ranges Outreach vehicle. The new timetable will operate from the 27th February until mid September 2012. I've also added timetables for Yarra Glen and Powelltown.

From 27th February 2012

Yarra Range Outreach timetable
Yarra Glen timetable
Powelltown timetable

Cheers, Maryanne

Busythings Business

For those of you who are fans of 'Busythings', found on our Online Resources page, you may have noticed that you are now asked for your Eastern Regional Libraries barcode number when logging in. This will make it a lot quicker for the games to load.

There is also a new section called 'Busy Box' which contains a whole host of short games and that allows us to compete against other libraries around Australia. Log in now and make ERL number one in Oz!!

Cheers, Paul.

PS: Your barcode number is the one beginning 20023 on your card - you will need to type the whole number in.

Ask our expert: Finding your way around eBooks and eLibrary

• Ready - choosing the right device
• Set - Loading the correct program
• Go - Checking out our catalogue

Paul Burden will share his experiences with this exciting new technology.

When: Friday 17th February 1pm
Where: Yarra Junction Library Hoddle Street, Yarra Junction
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 59671588 or book online - eBooks
Cheers, Maryanne

2012 Year of the Water Dragon - what it means for you

Join Edgar Lok Tin Yung Chinese Astrology and Feng Shui expert for secrets on what 2012 Year of the Water Dragon means for you.

When: Wednesday 15th February 6:30 pm
Where: Boronia Library, Park Crescent, Boronia
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 97624099 or book online - Year of Water Dragon

Cheers, Maryanne

Feng Shui workshop - how it can work for you

This ancient Chinese practice is believed to utilise the laws of heaven (astronomy) and earth (geography) to improve life by receiving positive Qi (energy).

Find out more about how Feng Shui can work for you, with Edgar (Lok Tin) Yung, Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology expert.

All Welcome!

More information about this fascinating topic can be found on Edgar’s website www.loktinfengshui.com.

When: Tuesday 14th February 7pm
Where: Ringwood Library, 4 Melbourne Street Mall, Ringwood
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 9870 0177 or book online - Feng Shui

Cheers, Maryanne

Knox Mobile update: Service to Wantirna Mall site has been suspended until further notice

Eastern Regional Libraries has suspended the Wantirna Mall site until further notice as the mobile cannot exit the site safely. We apologise for any inconvenience. The nearest mobile site is at Bayswater Shopping Centre (Tuesday 9:30am-11:30am, Thursday 3-5pm, Saturday 9am-12 noon).

Cheers, Maryanne

Upcoming Beginner's Internet training dates for February - book now!

We're trialling a brand new format for Internet Training - on-demand training. Members register their interest in the branches and a trainer will contact them to arrange the session. Then we'll advertise those sessions to try to get a couple more people to them.

I've just arranged the following Beginner's Internet training sessions for February

When: Tuesday 14th February 10am
Where: Boronia Library, Park Crescent, Boronia
Cost: $30
Bookings essential phone 98006438

When: Thursday 16th February 10am

Where: Knox Library,  425 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South
Cost: $30
Bookings essential phone 98006438

When: Thursday 23rd February 1pm

Where: Croydon Library, Civic Square, Croydon
Cost: $30
Bookings essential phone 98006438

The main requirement is that trainees can use a mouse. To book for any of these sessions  or to start a new session please call Maryanne on 9800 6438. Payment is needed before the training day.

Cheers, Maryanne

New additions to ERL eLibrary

We have just added a couple of hundred new titles to the virtual bookshelves of our eLibrary. Amongst the quality titles you will now find waiting to be downloaded to your eReader of choice are the following eBooks:

The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins (these are also available as eAudiobooks)

The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater (numbers 1 and 2 are also available as eAudiobooks)

Extra copies of the highly popular Harry Bosch series of books by Michael Connelly.

Other authors included are Marcia Muller, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Howard Jacobson and Andrew Klavan.

And for your listening pleasure the following eAudiobook titles are available:

Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose

Brick Lane by Monica Ali

The Firm by John Grisham

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

Enjoy your eReading and eListening!

Cheers, Paul.

Library overdue charges to increase from 1st March 2012

As from 1st March 2012, the charges for overdue items will be:

• 30c per day for adult item (up to a maximum of $10)
• 30c per day for each junior & teenage item (up to a maximum of $5)

Once charges on a card reach $10, you will be unable to renew or place holds on items through the web catalogue or check out new items on our checkout machines.

Don’t forget you can avoid overdue charges by:

• returning your library items on or before the due date
• renewing the items by phone (Ph: 1300 737 277) or online at www.yourlibrary.com.au
• register your email to receive a pre-overdue reminder email

Maryanne

From 27th Feb there's a new combined schedule for the Ranges & Valley Mobile

From Monday 27th February we will be introducing the Yarra Ranges Outreach vehicle which will combine the Ranges and Valley Mobile service and have a new schedule.

View the Yarra Ranges Outreach schedule.

Please note: No Service provided on listed public holidays and days of Total Fire Bans. 

As a result of the changes we have temporarily taken the Ranges and Valley Mobiles off the Hold Pickup List until we start the new service. It also means that members will not be able to place holds on items that belong to those mobiles.

We have also arranged for extended due dates for members borrowing on these mobiles until the 29th March 2012 for the rest of February.

Cheers, Maryanne