'Digital Literacy' - discover and use tools for the digital age

'Digital Literacy' is an online resource that has been created with the sole purpose of giving people, especially teenagers, the knowledge and skills to safely and effectively navigate the digital world. Learn how to protect yourself from cyberbullying and to avoid predators online; find out about digital ethics and what your digital footprint reveals about you; you can also find out about jobs in the digital age and where to go looking for them.

Just go to the link above and then click on "Library Card Login" - you'll need to type in the number beginning 20023 on your card to access this incredibly useful and relevant resource.

Busy Projects - latest 'Wonderful Thing' to be added to our list of Online Resources

The latest 'Wonderful Thing' to be added to the smorgasbord of Online Resources our members can access from home is "Busy Projects" which comes to you courtesy of the very creative folks at 'busythings'. With "Busy Projects" you are given a number of picture templates that you can colour in, write on and then print out at home. Make your own Father's Day card, design your own super hero, colour in your own Aboriginal dot painting.... the choice is yours. There are over 50 different projects you can complete so there is no reason for the kids to say they are bored these coming school holidays.

Enjoy!

Beat the heat - download free magazines from home

Zinio, the world's largest newsstand, offers full colour, interactive digital magazines for your enjoyment. Browse from the library's collection of popular titles with no holds, no checkout periods, and no limit to the number of magazines you can download.

• Current Issues — New issues are released simultaneously with the print edition - many are available before they arrive at the library and are ready for immediate download. Many of the magazines have back issues available which you can also download.
• Easy browsing — Browse the library's collection of titles one at a time, search for your favourite magazines by title or use the convenient category feature to find new magazines which meet your interests. There are over 200 titles to choose from.
• Manage your collection — Using the personal account you will create, you will have the opportunity to checkout the magazines you choose and read them instantly on your computer (both PC and Mac) or access the content on a portable media device. (Note: viewing options, including the ability to download or view the content while online, may differ based on the device and/or magazine publisher)
• No limits — Check out as many issues as you want and keep them in your account as long as you wish. 

You can watch a tutorial on how to set up your accounts here.

Happy eReading, Paul.

Zinio Magazines - good news and bad news

Greetings everybody we just wanted to bring you up to speed with what is happening with the Zinio eMagazine online resource.





First the good news - we will be renewing our subscription to the resource. There will be 217 titles available which our members can download and keep on their device be it a PC, laptop, smart phone, iPad or tablet computer. We have had over 30,000 downloads since September 2012!

Now the bad news - a number of magazine publishers have chosen to remove their titles from the list of magazines available to libraries through Zinio.... and of course several of these titles are amongst the most popular with our members. Obviously the publishers were not making enough money from members clicking through and deciding to purchase a subscription for themselves. Here is the list of soon to be removed titles:

Australian Home Beautiful
Australian Men's Fitness
Australian Shape
Australian Sky & Telescope
Australian Yoga Journal
BBC Easycook
BBC Good Food
BBC olive
Better Homes and Gardens Australia
Bride to Be Australia
Brides
Business Traveller
Classic & Sports Car
Clean Eating
Coast
Combat Aircraft Monthly
Conde Nast Traveller UK
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan UK
Country Life
Country Living UK
Countryfile Magazine
Diabetic Living Australia
Digital Arts
DIVA
Easy Living
Esquire UK
F1 Racing UK
Girlfriend Australia
Glamour UK
Good Housekeeping UK
GQ UK
Gramophone Magazine
Harper's Bazaar UK
Harper's Magazine
HELLO! magazine
House and Garden
House Beautiful UK
iPad & iPhone User
Italia magazine
Lonely Planet Magazine: Dream Trips
Macworld Australia
Marie Claire Australia
Men's Health Australia
Military History Monthly
Motorsport News
New Scientist
Oxygen
Practical Parenting Australia
Science
Whole Living
Your Garden

As with all things digital there is a chance that the magazine publishers may choose to put their titles back into the Zinio for Libraries pool and we will be able to resubscribe to them. In the meantime several of the deleted Australian publications have an equivalent UK or US publication which we have subscribed to - eg: 'Marie Claire Australia' will go but we still have access to 'Marie Claire - US' and 'Marie Claire - UK'.

Our apologies but we are powerless in this circumstance.

Paul.

UPDATE 2 Oct 2013 - there is currently a problem with Zinio as there are only 3 magazine titles available. We have contacted them and hope to have this rectified soon.

Choice magazine content currently unavailable via Gale OneFile

We've been advised that content from Choice magazine is not currently available via the Gale OneFile database while they negotiate a new license for the content.

We apologise for any inconvenience. Choice magazine is still available in physical format from our branches and may be accessed on library PCs via Choice Online from Online Resources on our website (under Other).

We will advise if and when this changes.

Cheers, webgurl

eMagazines for eAster

The library is going to be closed for 4 days over the Easter break and it looks like it's going to be cold outside so what better time to download an eMagazine and curl up somewhere cosy and read in comfort.

The library has subscribed to a service called Zinio that allows you to download and keep the latest issue of over 250 Australian and international magazines. The most popular title in the collection so far has been 'Better Homes and Gardens' closely followed by 'Australian Good Taste' and 'The New Scientist'.

In order to use Zinio you will need to set up 2 accounts: an ERL Zinio account to select your magazines and a Zinio.com account to read them.

Setting up an ERL Zinio account
Connect to the ERL Zinio page using your internet browser.
Click the Create Account button.
Enter your library card number, click Validate.
Enter your email address, password and name.
Click Create Account (a validation email is sent to your nominated email account).
Check your email account for an email from RB Digital Portal.
Click on the link in the email to activate your account.

Select eMagazines
Connect to the ERL Zinio page using your internet browser.
Login with your email address and password.
The covers of all available magazines from the library will display
Click on an eMagazine to place it in your ERL Zinio account.
A new window opens asking you to create a Zinio.com account.

Set up a Zinio.com account to read and manage eMagazines
Once you have created an ERL Zinio account you must create a Zinio.com account.
Enter the same name, email and password that you used for your ERL Zinio account.
You will be asked to fill in a personal preferences form but none of the responses are obligatory. Complete the form and click Submit.
If you already have a Zinio account click Sign In Here and sign in to your account.
The eMagazine you selected will be in your Zinio account. Click on it to start reading.

Read eMagazines
Go to Zinio.com
Click on Log In at the top right of the screen and enter your email and password.
Click on Read to view the eMagazines you have selected.
Click on the eMagazine cover to open and read.

Important note follows..... To get new issues of a title you must log in to your ERL Zinio account and then add the new issue to your Zinio.com account.

Zinio Apps
As well as reading eMagazines through your web browser you can also read them through apps for PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry. These are available at the bottom of the ERL Zinio page.

Read eMagazines Offline 
You must be online to select eMagazines and download them.
Open your ERL Zinio account and select an eMagazine.
Open the Zinio app on your mobile device.
Select an eMagazine to download.
When the download is complete you can read that eMagazine offline.
Only eMagazines that have been downloaded through the Zinio app can be read offline.

Additional Information
There is no loan period for Zinio eMagazines.
There is no limit to the number of eMagazines you can download.
Your Zinio.com account is personal and cannot be viewed or checked by library staff.
You can use your Zinio.com account to purchase other eMagazine titles from the commercial Zinio site.

eNjoy your eAster eMagazine eReading!!

Cheers, ePaul.

The British Newspaper Archive at ERL

We have just added 'The British Newspaper Archive' to our growing suite of online resources available from our webpage. The genealogists amongst us will love this resource because it gives you access to hundreds of regional British newspapers published between 1710 and 1960 - perfect for tracking down long-lost relatives and their doings in Dorset in the 1860s.

Licensing restrictions mean that you are unable to search the BNA from home but will need to come into a branch in order to be able to use it. The good new is that after registering to use BNA you are able to save articles to your own BNA account (called 'My Research') which you can access from home. A trifle confusing but in a nutshell what it means it that you need to come into the library to search the resource and then you can go home and read through the fruits of your labours.

Gail White will be running a training session on how to use the BNA at the Lilydale branch in March - if you would like to know how it all works you can make a booking via this link:

Accessing British Newspaper Archive Online


Cheers, Paul.

The heat is on...

Hi all,

as that great philosopher Glenn Frey once mused 'The Heat is On', and now that I have that aural worm implanted in your heads I will get to the gist of this post which is to remind you that you can enjoy all of the benefits of the eLibrary from the air-conditioned comfort of your own homes. There are over 15,000 eBooks and eAudiobooks available for you to download to your PC, tablet, eReader or smart phone via the Overdrive page of our eLibrary. The latest notable authors to appear in the eLibrary are Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher stories, and Kate Morton, the Australian author of the latest bestseller 'The Secret Keeper'.

You are also able to download and keep copies of over 200 popular Australian, American and British eMagazines via the Zinio page of the eLibrary. The biggest hits with our members so far are 'Better Homes and Gardens', 'Australian Home Beautiful' and 'New Scientist'. It is a bit fiddly to set up the service and I thoroughly recommend that you read the User Guide that will help you through the process of registering an account but the benefits far outweigh the temporary inconvenience..... the quality of the graphics from 'National Geographic' is brilliant on the new iPads.

Happy eReading, Paul.

PS: Don't forget that there are a whole host of other Online Resources that you can access from home to entertain and educate yourselves and any young persons living in your household. My particular favourite is 'Busythings' - who can resist a pink doughnut eating monkey?

Read Magazines on your eReader with Zinio

Alrighty, folks - we are very proud to release the latest in our online resources... **drum roll**...Zinio!

Zinio is an online magazine platform that allows you to download your favourite magazines right into your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire and Blackberry Playbook. With over 200 titles to choose from, with another 100 to be added over the next couple of months - there is plenty to help keep boredom at bay.

Zinio comes with a number of fantastic features:

• Zinio will notify you when the next edition of your magazine is available to download (we love this!), so you'll never miss out on an issue ever again.
• There is no limit to the number of magazines you "subscribe" to.
• There are no due dates and therefore no overdue charges with using Zinio. Also, once you have downloaded your magazine copy, it is there to view whenever you want.
• No more waiting lists (how good is that??). You can download the latest issue straight away. Zinio works on a multi-user model, so an unlimited amount of people can access the same publication simultaneously. Hooray!

Want to get started? Simply login to Zinio with your library account and follow the prompts. There is also a User Guide and a Video Tutorial available, too. Soon you'll be reading your favourite magazines wherever you are - in bed, on the train, or even the salon.

New Travel Guides in the eLibrary

Lonely Planet are one of the latest publishers to release their books in the eBook format and you can now find over 40 of their latest titles available in our eLibrary. So if you are considering a trip overseas you can log on to the eLibrary and download a guide that will help you plan your great adventure. And while you are at it why not brush up on your foreign languages by registering with our Mango Languages online resource. By registering you are then able to download an App from the Apple App Store or the Android equivalent from Google Play that will allow you to learn your language on the go.

Aurevoir, Paul.

beamafilm - watch docos online via the library website

Dare I say it...... but if you're tired of watching the Olympics on your TV why not take a look at our new Online Resource 'beamafilm'. You can watch over 40 award winning documentaries from around the world in the comfort of your own home. Some of the Australian titles include, 'Cane Toads' by Mark Lewis and 'The Triangle Wars' by Rosie Jones. All you need to do is click the link above and then enter your library card number when prompted - the one beginning 20023 on your card.

Happy viewing.

Cheers, Paul.

Learn a new language online

Are you about to head off overseas and would like to be able to order a caffe latte in Italian, French, Indonesian or Japanese? Or are you a native Mandarin speaker and would like to brush up on your English conversational skills? Or would you like to develop your swashbuckling and improve your command of 'Pirate'? Than our new language learning resource, 'Mango Languages' is the place to go.

There are over 40 foreign languages to explore and over 15 ESL (English as a Second Language) courses provided. You can also learn Ancient Greek, Latin or Biblical Hebrew if you are of a Classical mind! My favourite is Pirate.... avast there landlubbers!!

Go to the Online Resources page on our website and scroll down to Language Learning to access Mango. You can also download an App from the Apple Store or the Android Market so that you can learn on your smart device.

Aurevoir, 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.

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.

Lost searching Military History databases? Get the results you want

Discover some of the Military History databases available on the Eastern Regional Libraries website. Find out where to search for World War One Australian service records, WW2 Nominal Rolls, details of soldiers killed in WW1 & WW2....plus much more.

When: Thursday 23rd June 6:30pm
Where: Yarra Junction Library, Hoddle St, Yarra Junction
Cost: Free event
Bookings essential phone 59671588or book online - military history

Cheers, Maryanne

Set yourself up with a profile for Mango Languages & track your progress

Eastern Regional Libraries has recently subscribed to the Mango online language learning system. Mango uses real-life situations and actual conversations to more effectively teach a new language. Develop your conversational skills in 34 different foreign languages. English as a Second Language courses are also available for 15 community languages.

You can start learning immediately however, if you want to track your progress, you'll need to set up a profile.

1. Go to the ERL Online Resources page and select Languages from the menu at the right.
2. Click on either Learn from home or Learn from Library under Mango
3. Login with your user ID (library card number after 20023) and PIN
4. Click on the Mango Languages link
5. If you don't need to track your progress you can click the Start Learning button.
6. However if you wish to track your progress, fill out the Create a Profile form by entering your email address and creating a password and click signup.

7. An activation email will be sent to you. Open the Mango Languages email and click on the link supplied or copy/paste the link into your browser.
8. You will be taken to the User Dashboard.

Dashboard - track your progress through the courses
Courses - Select a foreign language or english courses
Translate - translate a block of text
Support - Support topics

Cheers, Maryanne

New 3 month temporary memberships with access to online resources and holds

Eastern Regional Libraries is now offering a 3-month membership to the library service. Members get a temporary user ID and PIN, get instant access to the online resources and can place holds on titles in our collection. To receive a permanent library membership the person will need to visit a library to show current identification and receive their library card.

Current library members already have access to our online resources, including Britannica, ANZ Reference Centre, NovelistPLUS and Road to IELTS.

Cheers, Maryanne

Read your favourite newspapers online with PressDisplay

The latest addition to Eastern Regional Libraries' family of online resources is PressDisplay and can be found in Online Resources under Newspapers and Magazines of the library website.

With PressDisplay you can read your favourite newspapers online. Access newspapers from Australia and around the world on the day they are published.
Instant access to 1400 newspapers from 82 countries in 39 languages.

All of the newspapers have been digitised which means that you can read the entire edition as well as looking at the photos, cartoons, classifieds and all.

We have 3 consecutive users so please make sure you sign out once you finish.

Cheers, Paul & Maryanne

Do you know someone learning English? Show them Road to IELTS

We've just subscribed to a great new online resource called Road to IELTS designed for those who are learning to speak, read and write English for the first time. IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System.

Each module contains 12 units based on commonly used IELTS topics, and covers reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Road to IELTS provides 120 hours of free online self study materials. Once members log on, from home or in the library, they can:

• practice IELTS listening tasks under timed conditions 
• view sample videos of speaking tests, highlighting good practice 
• develop techniques and vocabulary for writing tasks 1 and 2 
• work on authentic texts for the reading test, simulating the real exam 
• develop vocabulary in areas commonly used in the IELTS exam

Road to IELTS can be found on our Online Resources page of the website.

Cheers, Paul & Maryanne

Intrepica - new online resource available

We have just subscribed to a new online resource that will help children with their reading skills. It's called "Intrepica" and contains over 10,000 interactive learning activities that will help children in the areas of Phonics, Vocabulary, Reading, Spelling, Grammar and Comprehension.

All you need to do is go to the Library Users page and fill in a short form with your details and those of your child - make sure that you choose "Eastern Regional Libraries" on the drop down menu next tot he "Library" box. You'll then be sent an email with your login details and away you go.

This testimonial is from one of the Year 4 users Marina:

"I like Intrepica because it is a fun place to learn. When you play a learning game you earn coins to buy clothes from the shop for your avatar. Cool! I love selecting different looks for my cute little avatar. I also really enjoy the different spelling games, they help me improve my spelling skills. The donkey race in the Arena is a fun competition, although I keep losing."

Cheers, Paul.