SLV Email Newsletter March 2006
**********************************
In this issue:
1. Internet access, collection items unavailable temporarily
2. New collection acquisitions
3. Your Treasures – new Library website
4. Commonwealth Writers’ Prize winners
5. Listen to the 2006 Keith Murdoch Oration
6. Victoria @ the Games
7. MyLanguage a finalist in Stockholm Challenge
8. Library opening hours
9. Live @ the Library
10. Travelling Treasures
11. National Treasures events
12. Experimedia events
**********************************
FROM THE INFORMATION DESK
SOME STORED MATERIALS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE
Due to building works in the Library's storage area from 3 to 10 April there will be no access to some collection items:
- S 000-299
- SLT, SLTF and SLTEF sequences
- AJCP and LTM series microfilm
- and the Theatre Programme collection.
Retrievals from these collections will recommence on 11 April. We apologise for any inconvenience.
FULL INTERNET ACCESS NOW AVAILABLE
Since the end of February full internet access has been available on most Library workstations, and bookings are no longer required. To ensure waiting time for users is minimised, a number of workstations in each reading room now have a 15-minute time limit during busy periods.
Other planned service improvements for 2006 include free wireless broadband access in the Redmond Barry Reading Room and Experimedia after Easter, and an upgrade to public-access workstations over the next six months.
**********************************
NEW COLLECTION ACQUISITIONS
With the support of the State Library Foundation, the Library recently acquired three important items at auction from the Second Sale of the Rodney Davidson Collection, the most valuable holding of Australian rare books in private hands. All were significant documents relating to Victoria's first settlement. The items - an archive relating to William Buckley, a John Batman letter and documents relating to William Lonsdale – will become part of the Library’s Manuscripts Collection.
For more information on the purchase see:
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/about/news/latest/150306.html
**********************************
WATCH OUT FOR…
YOUR TREASURES - NEW LIBRARY WEBSITE
The State Library of Victoria will soon launch a new website that invites people to share their treasures with others by contributing a digital photograph and a written description of an object that is important to them (this could be anything from a favourite childhood toy or found object to a precious antique).
‘Your Treasures’ will also allow people to share their knowledge with each other via a comments box, as well as provide hints on how the Library can help people find information about their treasure, and more…
‘Your Treasures’ will be accessible from the Spotlight area on the Library website homepage:
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au
**********************************
COMMONWEALTH WRITERS’ PRIZE WINNERS
Australia’s Kate Grenville was awarded Best Book, and Guyana’s Mark McWatt won Best First Book in the 2006 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. A fun-filled program of events featuring previous winners and current regional winners led up to the award ceremony held at the Library on 14 March. His Royal Highness, The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, KCVO, ADC presented the prizes.
To read more about the awards see: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/literary/cwp/index.html
**********************************
LISTEN TO THE 2006 KEITH MURDOCH ORATION
On 16 March, Lord Sebastian Coe KBE delivered the 2006 Keith Murdoch Oration. He spoke on the importance of sport in young people’s lives and how it is under threat in modern society. The speech is now available to hear via podcast or audio download from the Library’s website. A full transcript is also available.
For more information see:
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/ltf/lectures/kmo/2006/index.html
**********************************
VICTORIA @ THE GAMES
Share your stories of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games by contributing digital photos to a special community website, 'Victoria at the Games', created by the Library’s Vicnet division. Send in any images, taken between 15 and 26 March, that show how you, your family and friends experienced the Games - whether you attended official Games events, joined in community activities, or simply watched and celebrate at home. The closing date for contributions is Friday 26 May.
To find out more:
visit http://www.photos.vicnet.net.au/
**********************************
MYLANGUAGE A FINALIST IN STOCKHOLM CHALLENGE
The MyLanguage web portal, in which the Library was a key player, provides access to online information resources in more than 60 languages. Its success in serving Australia’s multilingual communities since its launch in late 2005 has been reflected in its selection as a finalist in the Stockholm Challenge. This international competition rewards projects which use IT to improve living conditions and economic growth. Winners will be announced in Stockholm in May.
For more information see:
http://www.mylanguage.gov.au and http://www.stockholmchallenge.se
**********************************
LIBRARY OPENING HOURS
EASTER AND ANZAC DAY HOURS
The Library’s opening hours vary over the Easter break and Anzac Day:
Good Friday (14 April) - Closed
Easter Saturday (15 April) – Exhibitions open 10am-5pm, Library services closed
Easter Sunday (16 April) – Open 10am-6pm
Easter Monday (17 April) – Exhibitions open 10am-5pm, Library services closed
Anzac Day (25 April) – Exhibitions open 10am-5pm, Library services closed
EXTENDED EXPERIMEDIA HOURS
The Library’s Experimedia space, where you can interact with the latest technology, will be extending its opening hours on a trial basis from Monday 27 March until the end of June 2006. The new opening hours will match standard Library hours - Monday to Thursday 10am-9pm and Friday to Sunday, 10am-6pm.
For more information on the Library’s opening hours see: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/about/visiting/hours.html
**********************************
WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH
LIVE @ THE LIBRARY
Sample award-winning theatre and meet emerging playwrights at the State Library of Victoria at this series of events. April features Alexandra Collier and her play Still Waiting, and Tee O’Neill’s Stalking Matilda. In May, see David Blackman and excerpts from his play The Revisionist. All writers were winners in the 2003 RE Ross Trust Playwrights’ Script Development Awards.
To find out more see: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/events/2006/live_at_library.html
**********************************
TRAVELLING TREASURES
Mornington, Rosebud and Queenscliff residents will have the chance to see five magnificent items from the Library’s collection during April. Collection experts will provide insights into a 15th-century book of hours, Shakespeare’s Fourth Folio, Hooke’s Micrographia, Copernicus’ De Revolutionibus and Parkinson’s Endeavour journal. Free, but bookings are essential.
For more information see: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/events/2006/travelling_treasures/index.html
**********************************
NATIONAL TREASURES EVENTS
During April enjoy three events associated with National Treasures from Australia’s Great Libraries. National Obsessions are the theme for two events. Hear Martin Flanagan and a panel of other good sports discuss Australian Rules football, and Matt Preston and a panel of epicureans give food for thought on the notion of an Australian cuisine. Also hear the story of Sydney Parkinson, ship-board artist on Cook’s first voyage to the South Seas.
For more information about these events see: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/exhibitions/kmg/2006/nationaltreasures/program_of_events.html
**********************************
EXPERIMEDIA EVENTS
It’s all happening in Experimedia this month. Get the lowdown on copyright from Moyra McAllister, Copyright Officer at the Australian Library & Information Association, at Experimedia’s free Digital Forum on 4 April.
On 19 April Experimedia hosts a free event to help artists and designers make the most of the Library’s image collections. The State Library: A wealth of inspiration for artists features artists’ stories and advice from specialist librarians.
If you can’t make it to an event, take advantage of Experimedia’s extended opening hours (see above) to explore the latest technology.
For more information see:
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/ltf/forums/digital.html and http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/new_media/index.html
****************************************
|
