Central West Libraries - About Us

This week at the Library hot topic ebooks

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:22:00 +1100

So what do you think of ebooks? Your library wants to know. Will books via PCs and mobile phones take off here like they have overseas? Do ebooks signal the end of reading books? Will no one get high on the smell of a new book (tragic I know) but you know what I mean, or linger over beautiful covers, marvel at illustrations and the perfect font. Where is all this headed? A small screen somewhere mobile phone, laptop, kindle etc. Read more in this article titled The Future of Reading by Tom Peters published in Library Journal. http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6703852.html Let us know your thoughts by adding a comment right here, right now.

Storytime on the Move....to Cook Park

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:27:00 +1100

So far mother nature has smiled rays of sunshine upon us for our Pre-Schooler Storytimes in Cook Park. We are taking part in the Orange Blossoms Garden Festival by hosting Pre-Schoolers Storytime next to the Fernery in Cook Park (Clinton Street side) rather than the normal Library location. Join in at 11am on the following days: 17, 18, 19 November and 24, 25, 26 November. If the weather's bad Storytime will be held in the Library. Storytime is a fun way to encourage children under 6 to be interested in books. Come along and enjoy reading in Cook Park then feed the ducks, play on the swings or have a picnic.

Lost in Black Sheep Weekend Thank You

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:43:00 +1100

A big thank you to all the locals and visitors from around the state and Queensland who came along to the Lost in Black Sheep Weekend hosted by the Society of Australian Genealogists, Central West Libraries and Orange Family History Group. More than 70 family historians enjoyed the guest speakers, meals, venue, Library, Orange, book sales, prize draw (won by a Parkes delegate), socialising, family history advice and discovered a wide range of resources to help find ancestor records. Pictured above is Society of Australian Genealogists Executive Officer Heather Garnsey at the seminar book sale table. Read more about the seminar in today's Central Western Daily. http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/news/local/news/general/out-on-a-limb-to-trace-ancestors/1672817.aspx

Welcome to Lost in Black Sheep Weekend at Orange

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:42:00 +1100

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.

Take Time Take Ten (Read to your Child Ten Minutes a Day) Literacy Program Hands Out 5,000th Book

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:40:00 +1100

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.

Lost in Black Sheep Family History Weekend in Orange

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:36:00 +1100

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

4 Ingredients Recipe for Success

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:15:00 +1100

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.

Andy Griffiths - Just Amazing! at Orange City Library

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:14:00 +1100

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.

Adult Learners Information Morning and Sausage Sizzle

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:49:00 +1100

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.

Classics Book Club Links Austen to Dracula & Dorian Gray

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:26:00 +1100

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.

Storytelling at the pub with Peter FitzSimons

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:16:00 +1100

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.

Pam McGlinn History Week event postponed

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:35:00 +1100

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.

Take a Book Safari with Childrens Book Week

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:04:00 +1100

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.

Orange and District Pioneer Register CD-Rom Launch

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:19:00 +1100

Orange Family History Group Vice President Shirley Duckworth presented Central West Libraries, Library Services Manager Jan Richards with a copy of the Orange and District Pioneer Register CD-Rom during National Family History Week. The CD is a compilation of Volumes I and II of the printed versions. The Pioneer Register records the families who contributed to the development of the area up until1888. The CD is available for purchase $20 per copy at Orange City Library. Pictured above is Jan Richards receiving a copy of the Pioneer Register CD Rom from Shirley Duckworth on behalf of the Orange Family History Group. Congratulations to all involved in this valuable project.

Perfume the Guide surprise fun read for Pageturners

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:06:00 +1100

Pageturners book discussion group were chuckling away last night at some of the amusing anecdotes from books they had read in the humour genre. Authors and titles included Kiran Desai for Guava Orchard, My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell, Alphabet Sisters and Odd One Out by Monica McInerney, The Year at Thrush Green by Miss Read, The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian, Bimbo by Keith Waterhouse, Dear Fatty by Dawn French That'd be Right by William McInnes and other authors Bill Bryson, Clive James, Ben Elton, Spike Milligan, Kathy Lette. A surprisingly funny read turned out to be Perfumes the Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez. Here is a small sample "Reviewing Poison is a bit like road testing an Abrams M1 tank in the evening rush hour. People just seem to get out of your way, and if they don't, you just swivel that turret to remind them that your not kidding." Deborah said reading the book may send you scurrying off to your local retailer's perfume department to match the real thing against the insightful, witty and provocative reviews. These two experts combine to rank almost 1500 fragrances from five stars "a masterpiece" to one star "awful". It also included introductions to women's and men's fragrances, essays on trends, history and chemistry and a glossary of materials and terms. The series of Top Ten lists is particularly useful identifying feminine, masculine, floral, quiet and loud fragrances. These last are the fragrances that are room clearers but even they are not proscribed although you are advised not to wear them to dinner. In fact the general thrust of this elegantly designed and produced book is to encourage you to educate your nose and to avoid being timid and rule-bound. You are urged to "try it on. It's only perfume." PS. It made me change my perfume.