Central West Libraries and Orange Family History Group in association with the Society of Australian Genealogists is thrilled to be hosting the Lost in Black Sheep Weekend (7 & 8 November, 2009) and welcomes family history buffs to Orange for this event. We expect more than 70 visitors for the two-day family history weekend being held at the Orange Civic Theatre Forum, Byng Street, Orange. We hope everyone enjoys the range of expert speakers to help further their research. Welcome to Orange.

The Take Time Take Ten Literacy Program celebrates a milestone – handing out its 5,000th book to a newborn since the program began in 2002. The nuts and bolts of literacy are established in childhood and that's why this program is so important. Presenting newborns with a book is the first stage of our ongoing programs for children, we also have our Baby Rhyme and Read program for toddlers, Storytime for pre-schoolers and library resources for school students. We would like to thank the Take Time Take Ten volunteers - Orange Base Hospital Blue Ladies, Orange Base Hospital Maternity Ward, Margaret Schwebel at Book City for purchasing the books and our sponsors. Orange Credit Union has allowed us to purchase books for the 900 or so children to be born in Orange this year. The lucky family receiving the 5,000th Take Time Take Ten book was Amanda and Mark Paterson, of Orange, and their newborn daughter Amelia Jane. Pictured above is the Take Time Take Ten team: Margaret Schwebel of Book City, Blue Ladies President Cheryl Lobsey, Blue Ladies volunteer Mary O'Hare, Orange Credit Union Marketing Coordinator Noelle Cornish and Orange City Librarian Elizabeth Barry. Pictured below is Amanda and Amelia receiving the 5,000th book (and flowers) in the Take Time Take program from current sponsor Noelle Cornish from Orange Credit Union.

You are invited to join Central West Libraries and the Society of Australian Genealogists on a Lost in Black Sheep Family History Weekend to be held at the Orange Civic Theatre Forum, Byng Street, Orange on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2009. If your ancestors were 'black sheep' - divorced, destitute, or spent time in gaol or an asylum, they probably left behind a wonderful paper trail. Come along for the two day seminar featuring experts on State Records NSW, Divorce Records, Bankruptcy Records, Local Studies and Family History, Corrective Services, Greater Western Area Health Service and take a guided walking tour of Bloomfield Hospital and learn more about its records. Registration: $85 SAG members and Orange Family History Group Members; and $95 non-members includes two-day seminar, lunches & morning & afternoon teas. On the Saturday evening a casual dinner will be held for participants in a local restaurant in Orange. If you'd like to attend the dinner please let us know at the time of booking. Cost will be approx. $50 plus drinks per person, payable on the evening.

For more details and to book your place, please call (02) 9247 3953 or visit www.sag.org.au

What a night! Can you believe we were fully booked with 100 people coming along to see Kim McCosker – 4 Ingredients cookbooks author. Co-author Rachael Bermingham couldn't make it on the night but as girls do – Kim called her beautiful mum Jennette and she did a fantastic job helping with food preparation and supporting Kim. The 4 ingredients team have such an inspiring story to tell. They are both busy mums but believed in their idea to provide simple recipes with 4 ingredients or less to get people out of the kitchen and spending time with their families – and who doesn't want that?. Kim spoke enthusiastically about the whole writing recipe and book production process. The audience asked questions and sampled Gluten Free recipes from their latest book - including dips, fruit cake and biscuits. The event was supported by Angus & Robertson Bookstore. Kim is pictured above signing books and entertaining the large audience.

Robots, apples and others things quite unmentionable were topics discussed by best selling children's author Andy Griffiths and his fans at Orange City Library recently. Children asked lots of questions about where his ideas come from, how he came up with his book titles, details about his characters and what's coming up next. The author was in Orange to promote his latest book Robot Riot and he encouraged children to tell their own stories, getting them to generate ideas throughout his talk and even calling on volunteers to perform a robot showdown. It was all in good fun as he took time to sign autographs, shake hands with fans and learn from them their favourite things about Orange. He suggested a name change was in order because the city was known for apples but no one in the large audience voted yes. The event was a joint presentation with Angus & Robertson Bookstore. Pictured above is Kaleb Cook meeting Andy and below is Orange City Librarian Elizabeth Barry getting up close to Andy's touring bus.

Please join us at Orange City Library Monday 28 September 2009, from 10.10am for fantastic morning of new things to learn followed by a sausage sizzle to celebrate Adult Learners Week.

First there will be an official welcome & hear about the experience of adult learners ... then Join in with Information sessions including: 10.30 – 11.30am - Making a will and power of attorney and from 11.45am • Making your own worm farm • Learning opportunities for adults • How to use a digital camera • Using online government and banking • Restoring and preserving photographs • Have you thought about becoming a writer? • Making a porcelain doll. These are drop in sessions and run all morning. Stay and enjoy some lunch, tea & coffee. It all finishes around 1pm. The event is free but bookings are essential by telephoning 6393 8132. See you there.

Prepare to be amazed as we link Dracula and Dorian Gray to Jane Austen. True. Our Classics Book Club readers are enjoying catching up with Thomas Hardy novels and some gothic horror by revisiting Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. Did you know that Bram Stoker attended dinner parties hosted by Oscar Wilde's mother Lady Jane Francesca Elgee Wilde at the family's chicly bohemian salon. And guess which star from the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice is to star is a film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray? Yes that's the Austen connection – would you believe Colin Firth? as Lord Henry alongside Ben Barnes as Dorian Gray(pictured). Sounds all good so far.

And the next Classics Book Club meetings are:

Blayney Library on Tuesday 22 September from 11am - 12 noon to talk about Under the Greenwood Tree and Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.

Orange Daytime Group on Thursday 24 September 12.30pm - 1.30pm to discuss Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Orange Evening Group on Thursday 24 September 5.30pm - 7pm to discuss Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Cowra Library on Tuesday 29 September from 12.30pm - 1.30pm to talk about Bram Stoker and Dracula.

PS. If you want to see a combined storyline with Frankenstein and Dracula then check out the film Van Helsing – stars Richard Roxburgh, Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsdale – great for the special effects and Brides of Dracula.

Journalist and author Peter FitzSimons was in full storytelling mode as he told yarn after yarn at the Hotel Canobolas on Friday afternoon. Visiting Orange courtesy of Angus & Robertson and Orange City Library to launch his book Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Those Magnificent Men, the ex-Wallaby couldn't resist a few rugby tales, some choice French phrases, anecdotes from his experiences writing biographies and of course the amazing story of Smithy. Most of the large crowd took time out to enjoy lunch and had the opportunity to ask a few questions learning about his research and work on the book. Thank you to everyone who came along for a unique literary lunch in the pub.

Unfortunately we have had to postpone two events planned for History Week 2009 featuring author Pam McGlinn. The events were planned for Blayney Library on Thursday 10 September at 11.30am and Orange City Library at 6pm. Pam is not able to travel to the region at this time. It is hoped we can host Pam's visit next year. Thank you for your understanding.

Follow the footprints......

We are celebrating Children's Book Week - the longest running children's festival in Australia, celebrating its 64th birthday in 2009. The theme in 2009 is... Book Safari. Come and follow the animal footprints to see the 2009 Children's Book Council of Australia Award winning books on display along with lots of toy jungle animals to delight children.

The Book of the Year for Older Readers is Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan, and the Book of the Year for Younger Readers is Perry Angel's Suitcase by Glenda Millard and illustrated by Stephen Michael King and the Picture Book of the Year is Collecting Colour by Kylie Dunstan. For a full list of award winning books please visit the Children's Book Council of Australia website www.cbc.org.au And don't miss local author Charlotte Calder reading her book Stuck! at Storytime tomorrow at 11am and launching her book at 6pm.