#whodoneit month concludes

Next: #geekreads

The time is almost over for #whodoneit readers to tweet about their favourite and latest crime reads as part of Read It 2011.

All readers can join the monthly themed Twitter reading group by tweeting with the relevant # hashtag. Twitter is a free service that enables you to share your world in 140 characters or less. You can follow the Library on Twitter too and receive regular updates including new book, CD and DVD alerts.

The Read It 2011 genre for August is science fiction, which uses the #geekreads signature on Twitter.

harps

ALIA support Victorian public library users

"We fear this may be the thin end of the wedge..."

The peak body for Australian libraries, ALIA (Australia Library and Information Association), is supporting Victorian library users following the State Government's decision to cut library funding. In a media release issued yesterday, ALIA point out that the $5.7 million cutback in funding announced after Councils had set their 2011-12 library budgets is in stark contrast to the government's pledge to increase library funding whilst in opposition.

ALIA notes that "Victoria is currently the fifth worst funded state in relation to public libraries and now looks like it will fall further behind the majority of States and Territories." They also observe that it's not a good look for a state that boasts a UNESCO City of Literature.

To support your public libraries, please see the Save Our Libraries Facebook page and sign the online petition.

harps

State Government cuts Library funding

Support your local library

If you aren't already aware, after Victorian Councils had finalised their 2011/12 budgets, the State Government advised in July the level of funding for local libraries. This was less than the previous year. This has left many councils, including Frankston, with a financial shortfall for these services.

If this decision is not reversed by the State Government, then public libraries may have to consider alternative actions to account for the reduction in money, such as shorter opening hours, fewer new acquisitions, or cancelling community programs, to name a few. 

If you, like us, believe that Libraries are a critical and integral part of all local communities, then please take the time to take a look at the Save Our Libraries Facebook page set up by the Municipal Association of Victoria  (MAV).  Further still, if you "Like" the page or sign the petition opposing the funding cuts or forward the details on to all your friends, then you will help to convey the message to the current State government that libraries are valued and supported by the Victorian community.

Frankston City Libraries Management and Staff

Round 18 round up

8 is a good number

At last the Saints are back where we belong! After an humiliating end to last season and a heart-breaking pre-season, the Seaford-based team has clawed its way back into finals contention. We're in the 8 and it feels good again.

In what turned out to be a predictable round for the fans (Saints win, Pies and Cats win, teams from Adelaide and Queensland loose), 12 Blogalogue tipsters picked 8 wins each. Bottle, kiwi sok and Magpie Magic are sitting pretty as the top 3.

Nicky

Customer feedback from July, 2011

Appreciations and suggestions

I know that some readers of the Library's customer feedback are dismayed to read the nice things that some of our customers say about the us. Unfortunately, for those who only want to read the negatives, this month's feedback has a kinder, gentler feel to it. There's a whole lot of love out there.

As always, enjoy.

harps

The body in the library

#whodoneit and where?

Here's your quick guide to finding crime books in the library:

• In the catalogue, mystery fiction is a good place to start
• and quite a few of the adventure novels have crime in them too
• then there's sub-genres like legal fiction and novels about assassins
• and the mystery books have their own Sherlockian stickers like the ones shown above
• as do the trench coated suspense novels which also tend to have criminal acts in them (but don't have a separate identity in the catalogue to link to)
• and you can find a selection of the mystery and suspense novels together in their own fast fiction area
• and then there's true crime in the 364s on both the non-fiction and biographies shelves
• and finally you can click on any crime book's title in the catalogue and use the LibraryThing tags and suggestions to find more of the dastardly books that you like!

Libraries are full of crime.

harps

Round 17 round up

New leaders!

In a difficult round to pick, Freo beat the odds and beat the Swans in the Sydney rain. While not as good as last year, we're still a force to be reckoned with. Only 3 Blogalogue tipsters picked the Dockers, and 2 of those topped the round with a score of 6.

Meanwhile, there's been a revolution at the top of the Blogalogue tipping ladder. Long-time leaders harps and MandyH both had shocking rounds, with just 3 and 1 wins respectively, seeing both fall out of the top 3. Bottle's top score of 99 places him or her 2 games in front of Magpie Magic and kiwi sok, both on 98.

Pav

PS: Because so many away teams won, those who failed to tip this weekend picked a maximum 5 wins by default!

Fiction helps

Are fiction readers soft and fuzzy?

It's official: reading fiction helps to make you a better person! According to Keith Oatley, Emeritus Professor at Toronto University, university studies prove that people who read more fiction are more empathic than those who read less fiction.

Fiction exposes readers to complex situations and characters, helping readers gain an insight in to how real people tick and respond to their environment. Rather than bookworms being unable to cope with the real world, they tend to have a better social understanding of the complexities of human nature.

You can here Prof Oatley discuss this research on the BBC website.

harps

Prime Minister's Literary Awards 2011

And the winners are...

Here's your links to the winners of the 2011 Australian Prime Minister's Literary Awards:

• Fiction: Traitor – Stephen Daisley
• Non-fiction: The Hard Light of Day: An artist’s story of friendships in Arrernte Country – Rod Moss
• Young adult fiction: Graffiti Moon – Cath Crowley
• Children's fiction: Shake a Leg – by Boori Monty Pryor and illustrator Jan Ormerod

You can place any or all of these books on reserve for your reading pleasure.

harps

Round 16 round up

The run home

Bazza's back in form and the Doggies are bouncing back with a late charge to the finals. A lot of the teams in the 8 are pretenders, and now that the woof woof's are biting as good as their bark they'd better watch out.

It's a pity that only 2 Blogalogue tipsters picked the Western Bulldogs to win. The best anyone got was 6. harps, MandyH and Bottle still cling to the top spots, although they all under-performed with only 5 wins.

DogBear

Movies nights through to November

Free films in the Long Room

Our popular free movie nights in the Frankston Library Long Room continue with a strong selection of recent films.

• The Town 28 July
• Tron: Legacy 25 August
• The Fighter 22 September
• The King's Speech 17 October
• Julie and Julia 24 November

Please follow the links for more information and session times. All films require bookings, as places are limited.

harps

#whodoneit and #readit2011

In the library with the lead pipe


'Putting 2 and 2 together'
by  flickr user tim_ellis

To celebrate #whodoneit month on Read It 2011, it's crime month at Frankston City Libraries. To start, let's look at a selection of book and screen cross-overs. Each link will take you to the relevant DVDs and books in the Library's collection.

• Cadfael from the books by Ellis Peters
• George Gently based on the books by Alan Hunter
• Dexter based on the novels of Jeff Lindsay
• Inspector Morse and Lewis both characters created by Colin Dexter
• Midsomer murders is probably more famous than the original books by Caroline Graham
• Miss Marple, Partners in Crime and Poirot have been endlessly adapted from the works of Agatha Christie
• Rebus started life in the books by Ian Rankin
• Ruth Rendell Mysteries are based on the books by Ruth Rendell
• Sherlock Holmes based on the stories of Conan Doyle
• Wire in the blood from the best selling novels of Val McDermid

The on-screen versions of the books are usually quite different. See the show and read the book, and it's two completely different experiences. Sometimes, it's not even the same villain!

harps

Round 15 round up

The million dollar blunder

Not intimidated by betting plunges, recent losses, respective ladder positions or our opponent's unbeaten 2011 record, Hirdy's Bombers used all their inside knowledge of the Cats to win against the odds on Saturday night. Predictably, out of 41 Blogalogue tippers, only BomberBeauty picked the right answer.

In a round of upsets, no one printed out the bun voucher, but 5 did pick 6. Ladder leaders harps and MandyH both frittered away their advantage with a paltry 4 wins each, ensuring Bottle's round of 5 was enough to join them on 89 wins apiece. It's tough at the top. Ask Geelong.

Donny Watson

Mayor's Reading Challenge

Encourage reading these school holidays

St Kilda Football Club player
Lenny Hayes at the
Mayor's Reading Challenge launch

The Mayor's Reading Challenge is for children aged 0-5 and the aim is for the child or their parent/carer to read a book, sing a song or recite a nursery rhyme daily until 1 September 2011.

It's a great way to introduce young children to reading and there are lots of incentives and prizes along the way, including stickers and badges.

You can join the Mayor's Reading Challenge at the Frankston or Carrum Downs libraries. It's free and it's fun!

The program will climax on Thursday September 1st, at the usual 10.30am storytime held at Frankston Library.
 
harps

IELTS online update

The Library's popular IELTS online service

will be out of action during

the weekend of 2-3 July

while the service upgrades their computers.

IELTS online provides free access to the
 International English Language Testing System

for both the academic and general modules.

You can usually access IELTS online
at any time via the E-Library.

harps