Monday, December 24, 2012

A Weekend of Christmas Creative Programs at Hurstville Museum & Gallery

The Museum and Gallery was awash with festive cheer last weekend, as we celebrated the holiday season with two Christmas themed programs. Our Youth class created wrapping paper and gift tags using a range of unusual printing techniques, while our Adult class created a cheery Christmas choir.

Image courtesy Bing Wu

What kind of art and creative programs would you like to see run at Hurstville Museum & Gallery? Post your responses below or send us an email.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

And the winners are...

As we prepare to farewell the National Year of Reading we can now announce the winners of our digitial photography and crying to win reading competitions. The winners were officially announced by Clr Philip Sansom at a reception evening held at Hurstville Library on Tuesday 18 December.


The winner of our Digital Photography Competition was Ashleigh Silva for her photograph 'Faith and Love’ and the winner of the staff choice award was Rebecca Cundasamy for her photograph What’s in here...?

The winners of our crying to win reading competition were Peggy Kuo for her entry on Suzanne Collins book The Hunger Games and Andrew Lim for his entry on the DVD Watchmen.


Thank you to everyone who was involved in the competitions, we were very impressed with the creative responses we received.

Faith and Love by Ashleigh Silva
What's in here...?  by Rebecca Cundasamy

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

December photography competition winner

The winner of the December heat of the digital photography competition is Vincent.ZZY with his "relaxing morning" image. This photograph impressed the judges with it's use of composition, blurring and unique interepretation. The photo is a lovely representation of December's theme "Love to Read". Congratulations Vincent.ZZY

A reception for the contributors is being held tonight at Hurstville Library when the winners of the iPad 3 for best photo and the Sony eReader for the staff choice award will be announced. The winners of our adult reading competition will also be announced at this function.


Friday, December 14, 2012

LMG Photography Competition

The winner of the November heat of the competition is wandagirl21 with her "broken tree" image which impressed the judges with it's originality and creativity. The photo is a poignant interpretation of November's theme "Cry". Beautifully done wandagirl21.
All contributors to the competition are invited to a reception on Tuesday 18th December at 6:30pm at Hurstville Library when the winners of the iPad 3 for best photo and the Sony eReader for the staff choice award will be announced. Refreshments will be provided so bookings are essential. Phone 9330 6142. 

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Patrick Moore, 1923-2012



The renowned astronomer Sir Patrick Moore passed away on Sunday. He was author of over 70 books on astronomy and the presenter of The Sky at Night making him the Guinness Book of World Records holder of the worlds longest serving television presenter having presented every episode, bar one, since the programmes inception in 1957 (what turned out to be his final episode only went to air the Monday before he passed away). He was also a keen pianist and accomplished xylophone player and was thought to have been the only person to have met the first man to fly (Orville Wright), the first man into space (Yuri Gagarin) and the first man to land on the moon (Neil Armstrong). And he was never afraid to send himself up as his many appearances on The Goodies attest!

But Sir Patrick will be remembered as one of the great educators of modern television. Following his death, scientist Maggie Aderin-Peacock was quoted as saying: "What he did was something very straightforward - he would tell us what to look for and where to look for it, which for budding astronomers everywhere is what we need - that information. But he would tell us more; he would go into depth; he would take us on a journey through space, and we can't ask for better than that really."

Coming Soon:Christmas Movies and Music

The following Christmas movies and music are now available or coming soon to the library collection.  All titles are free to borrow if you are a member of Hurstville City Library.

New DVDs - coming soon:
A selection of DVDs in our collection now:
New CDs coming soon:
A selection of CDs in our collection now:
Don't forget to check our free music download collection for all your favourite Sony Christmas songs. Artist's such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Brenda Lee, Choir of Kings College Cambridge and more.  To access our free download collection go to the library website and select eLibrary catalogue.

Thursday, December 06, 2012

Win a Westfield Gift Voucher just in time for Christmas


Don't miss your chance to win a $100 Westfield Gift voucher before Christmas.
Make sure you enter our 'Crying to Win' Reading Competition before entries close on Friday 14 December.

To enter simply register for the competition and tell us in 100 words or less about something you have borrowed since October 8 that has reduced you to tears.

Whether it was a book, CD, DVD, audiobook, magazine article or e-book; horrendous or hilarious, tell us what it was and why it made you cry.


Don't forget to read the competition rules to make sure you are in with a chance of winning the gift voucher.

Friday, November 30, 2012

ARIA Award Winners: Free Music



The ARIA awards are over for another year but the music lives on.  The list below contains winners from the awards and are in our CD collection here at Hurstville Library.  All the titles below are available for loan, for free if your are a member of the library. 
*Free downloads for all your favourite Sony artist's are available from Freegal via the library website, click on eLibrary catalogue.  You must be a member of Hurstville City Library to take advantage of this fabulous collection.

The One That Started It All



If you liked  Fifty Shades of Grey why not read the book that started it all.

In 2003 Nikki Gemmell created waves when, writing under the tag 'Anonymous', The Bride Stripped Bare became a literary sensation, with its raw and unflinching depiction of female sexuality.

Eight years later Nikki Gemmell followed it up with another little gem called With My Body. This novel  addresses the questions of what is intimacy and whether it is ever truly possible to know another person.

Both titles are available at the Hurstville City Library and they make for interesting holiday reading.


Monday, November 26, 2012

Google street view gets off road

Google has just launched Street View access to Taronga Zoo and Luna Park.  Google started filming from the Taronga Zoo walkways back in 2010 using a multi-lens camera secured ontop of a trike. They plan to capture other famous Australian places where there is no road vehicle access, like the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Imagine studying your overseas destinations before you arrive! Now, how do I get back that hotel...



https://maps.google.com.au/

rach.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Free Music - ARIA Award Nominees

The 26th ARIA Awards are happening Thursday 29 November at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.  Hurstville Library have an extensive list of nominated artists in our CD collection as well as our free download music collection.  Have a look at the following list.

Nominees:
360 - Falling & Flying:  Album of the Year; Best Male Artist; Breakthrough Artist; Best Urban Album; Best Australian Live Act; Best Cover Art
Making Mirrors - Goyte: Album of the Year; Best Male Artist; Best Pop Release; Best Australian Live Act
The Ol' Razzle Dazzle - Missy Higgins: Album of the Year; Best Female Artist; Best Adult Contemporary     Album
Prisoner - The Jezabels: Album of the Year; Best Group; Best Independent Release; Best Australian Live Act; Best Cover Art
Temper Trap - The Temper Trap: Album of the Year; Best Group; Best Rock Album
Broken Brights - Angus Stone: Best Male Artist; Best Blues & Roots Album
Vows - Kimbra: Best Female Artist; Best Pop release
To The Horses - Lanie Lane: Best Female Artist; Breakthrough Artist; Best Blues & Roots
Insomnia - Washington: Best Female Artist
Drinking From The Sun - Hilltop Hoods: Best Group; Best Urban album- "I Love It" featuring Sia: ARIA Song of the Year
Big Man (Moonfire album) - Boy & Bear: Best Group
No Plans - Cold Chisel: Best Group; Best Rock Album: Best Live Australian Act
Do It Like That (Fear & Freedom album) - Ricki-Lee: ARIA Song of the Year

Nominees (available from our free download collection)
Battle Scars - Guy Sebastian: Best Male Artist: Best Pop Release
Don't Worry Be Happy - Guy Sebastian: ARIA Song of the Year
Gotcha - Jessica Mauboy: Best Female Artist; Best Pop Release
Galaxy - Jessica Mauboy & Stan Walker: ARIA Song of the Year
Sitting On Top of the World - Delta Goodrem: ARIA Song of the Year
Good Night - Reece Mastin: ARIA Song of the Year
Set It Off - Timomatic: ARIA Song of the Year
Boom Boom - Justice Crew: ARIA Song of the Year
Songs & Pictures - Beccy Cole: Best Country Album
Hoodoo Gurus: Best Live Australian Act
Kate Miller-Heidke: Best Live Australian Act

All titles are free to borrow or download from the library. For more information see one of our friendly staff at the service desk.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

St George Art Awards 2012 - Public Programs



Join in the fun of the St George Art Awards 2012 with our range of public programs and classes for young people and adults. All events are held at Hurstville Museum & Gallery - 14 MacMahon St, Hurstville.

Upcoming events include:

Highlights Tours

Join Museum & Gallery staff and trained volunteers for a guided tour of our current exhibitions, the St George Art Awards 2012 and Living on the Water’s Edge: Stories of St George.

Date: Saturday 10 November repeated Saturday 8 December
Time: 2.00pm – 3.00pm
Cost: Free event, bookings recommended

Art Awards Storytime – Storytime Goes to the Museum

Come to the Museum & Gallery for a special art themed storytime. A selection of Junior Art Literacy resources will also be on display.

Preschool storytime

Date: Thursday 22 November
Time: 10.00am – 10.45am
Ages: 3 – 5 years (families with older or younger siblings are welcome provided the children are adequately supervised)
Cost: Free event, bookings not required

Primary School Storytime

Date: Thursday 29 November
Time: 4.00pm – 4.45pm
Ages: For primary school children (families with older or younger siblings are welcome provided the children are adequately supervised)
Cost: Free event, bookings not required

Coffee and Art Appreciation

Calling all art lovers! Join us for a viewing of the St George Art Awards 2012 Exhibition, followed by coffee and informal discussion. Parents with bubs welcome.

Date: Thursday 29 November
Time: 10.30am – 11.30am
Cost: Free event, bookings not required

Guest Speaker

Join us for an illustrated talk on contemporary art in Australia. The speaker, Dr Oliver Watts, is an artist and art historian. He lectures at Sydney College of the Arts in contemporary art. Dr Watts is also a director of Chalk Horse Gallery in Surry Hills.

Date: Sunday 2 December
Time: 3.00pm – 4.00pm
Cost: Free event, bookings essential

School Education Programs

Guided tours and education programs are available for Primary and Secondary school groups. Please contact us for further details and bookings.

Booking information:

For all programs that require booking, please call 9330 6444 or email
For programs with a cost, payment is required within 7 days of booking.
No refunds for cancellations or missed bookings.
Payments can be made by cash, cheque (cheques payable to Hurstville City Council) or credit card. Credit card surcharges apply.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

St George Art Awards 2012 – Winners Announced!

We are excited to announce the winners of the St George Art Awards 2012.

Winner of the St George Art Prize 2012
Glenn Locklee for Nightcrawling - urban awakening.

Winner of the St George 3D Art Prize
Dianne Yensch for Carbon Collectors.

Winner of the St George Local Youth Prize (Secondary/Tertiary)
Oliver Xu for A touch of serenity.

Winner of the St George Local Youth Prize (Primary)
Sylvia Liang for The famous art gallery.

Images of all winning and highly commended works are available on the St George Art Awards website. The People’s Choice winner will be announced on 13 December.

For more information, visit our our What's On page.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Winner for October decided

Every so often people submit photos with a bit of cheek. Sometimes the risk taking pays off, other times it doesn't. This time it has. The theme for October was "explore", and, according to the judges, the winner could not have captured it any better. The photo submitted by psychopyko literally defined what it means to explore. The judges could not deny that the photo matched the theme, but what they really appreciated was the simple yet effective technique applied. They noted how the rule of thirds was easily identified through the spine of the book and the change in sharp and soft focus. Well done psychopyko.

explore by psychopyko, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by  psychopyko 

The judges wanted to share these two photos with everyone, as they were a close second and third.

The Potala Palace at night Oct-Explore by Oasis1213, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by  Oasis1213 
The judges thought the photo of the Tibetan palace was something they would like to explore and the angle of the photo represented the magnificent architecture of an ancient time.

The other photo the judges thought was worth mentioning, was the exploring children watching the sun set after a big day out. The photographer's ability to capture the vibrant colours of a dwindling day, produced an amazing photo. Well done Max.

On to November with the theme "Cry". The tag for the theme is "lmg_cry". Below is a slide show of all photos submitted for October (a staggering 78: competition record).

Harvest Festival 2012



The Harvest Festival is happening this coming Saturday 17 November at Parramatta Park and it is looking like an incredible day out. There is a fantastic variety of music, vintage markets; sideshows and much more. Hopefully it will be topped off with a perfect Spring day.  The festival is described as "the best run festival in Australia", and "a perfect weekend of music."

If you are going to the festival or not maybe you would like to borrow a couple of CDs and listen to some of the artists appearing at the festival? All CDs in our collection are free to borrow as long as you are a member of Hurstville City Library.

The list below are some of the bands featured at the festival and are in our CD collection:
Beck - Modern Guilt; Guero; Odelay
Beirut -The Rip Tide
Sigur Ros - Valtari
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Mike Patton - Mondo Cane
Santigold - Master of My Make-Believe
Cake - Showroom of Compassion
The Dandy Warhols - The Dandy Warhols Best of Capitol Years 1995-2007
Dexys - One Day I'm Going To Soar
Chromatics - Kill For Love
Crazy P - When We On
Liars - WIXIW=Wish You
Dark, Dark, Dark - The Snow Magic

We also have free online music in our collection.  You are entitled to 3 free music downloads per week.  For more information please see one of our friendly staff at the Service Desk.

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Author Talks: Robin de Crespigny

Join Sydney film-maker, producer, director and writer Robin de Crespigny at Hurstville Library when she introduces her prize winning book, "The People Smuggler". Winner of the 2012 Queensland Literary Award for nonfiction, "The People Smuggler" is the true story of Iraqi refugee Ali Al Jenabi who became a people smuggler to save his family, and who ultimately came to be seen not as a heinous criminal but as the "Oskar Schindler of Asia". This is an epic tale that leaves it up to the reader to ask themselves what they would do in the same situation.
"The People Smuggler" was the highest selling Australian book at the Sydney Writers Festival, the Sydney Morning Herald's Pick of the Week, and has recently been hovering at the top of bestseller lists in bookshops around the country.


Robin de Crespigny
During the evening Robin will talk about the story, how, when and why she came to the project, her writing process and how she worked with Ali despite their cultural differences all interspersed with readings. The evening will then be opened up for a Q &A session which promises a vigorous discussion on this topical subject.

“An engrossing account of a figure seen by some as saviour and others as criminal. A significant book”, Thomas Keneally

Friday 9 November @ 7pm
Hurstville Library
cnr Queens Rd & Dora St, Hurstville
Bookings: 9330 6142
Copies of book available for sale and signing.






Passions, interests and hobbies

                         

Millions of people in the world have a passion for many types of interests and hobbies. Having something you really enjoy and share with other people, regardless of age, can offer many benefits that are not often articulated.  This month Hurstville City Library is hosting a series of talks by passionate people about their particular hobby. The four separate talks represent very different interests that these enthusiasts are happy to share with others. 
Sometimes a passion can be useful in assisting others, such as family history research, or sharing a passion for the Dr Who TV series phenomena, which has been watched and enjoyed by generations all over the world. Have you ever wanted to work on a community radio station or go travelling on a Harley Davidson? 
Whatever your passion, come along to one of our Passionate People: Hobbies and Interests talks and share our passion or ignite your own.







Monday, November 05, 2012

Top Ten Free Downloads for Hurstville Library

  1. Die Young - Ke$ha
  2. Wish You Were Here - Delta Goodrem
  3. Gangnam Style - Gangnam Style
  4. Battle Scars - Guy Sebastian
  5. Girl On Fire - Alicia Keys featuring Nicki Minaj
  6. Live While We're Young - One Direction
  7. Some Nights - What Do I Stand For
  8. Try - Pink
  9. Americano/Dance Again - Glee Cast
  10. Blow Me (One Last Kiss) - Pink
Check out Freegal which is our free online music collection. If you are a member of Hurstville Library you are entitled to 3 free downloads per week.  Freegal can be found via the library website.  All you need is your library card number and your pin number to check out all your favourite Sony artists online.

There is a huge variety of genres:  Rock, Pop, Classical, Country, Indie, Alternative, Big Band and many more.

For more information ask one of our friendly staff at the service desk.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

BOOK SALE





Don't forget about our 2 day mega book sale starting this Friday.  Doors open at 9.30 am. Come early and grab some great bargains. All stock available on Friday.

Kids books: $1.00
Fiction books: $2.00
Non-fiction books $3.00
DVDs & CDs:  $2.00
Magazines 5 for $1
Some items with prices as marked.

Where:
Hurstville Library, Cnr. Queens Road & Dora Street, Hurstville.
Friday 2 November 9.30am to 8.30pm
Saturday 3 November 9.30 to 3.00pm

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Did unapproved building alterations exacerbate a fatal Bankstown apartment blaze?



There is evidence to suggest that illegal building alterations may have contributed to a recent fatal  fire in an apartment building at Bankstown.1 The fire reached an explosive state known as 'flashover' in its first 15 minutes, and the intense heat led two young women to jump from the fifth-floor balcony, where the fire had started.2 Yinuo Jiang, a 27-year-old student, managed to survive the fall - although she is still recovering from severe injuries. Her friend, 21-year-old Connie Zhang, died at the scene.

According to a recent Sydney Morning Herald report, the roof which covered an interior atrium was not included in plans approved by council.3 The enclosed atrium is thought to have contributed to the accumulation of trapped dense smoke inside the building, which hindered residents' access to internal fire escapes. (To read more about this tragic accident, login to the ANZ Reference Centre (Ebsco) with your library card's barcode.)

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) provides the minimum regulatory requirements for all building work in Australia. If you would like to access the BCA and Standards Online database for quick and convenient access to vital building information, ask staff at the information desk of Hurstville Library to log you in with the required password.

Rayyan

References
1Sean Nicholls and Josephine, T 2012, 'Roof of fatal fire block 'not approved'', Sydney Morning Herald,  8 September, Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre, EBSCOhost, viewed 5 October 2012. 

2Stuart Washington, A 2012, 'Fire flat building changes: 15 minutes to 'flashover'', Sydney Morning Herald, 21 September, Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre, EBSCOhost, viewed 12 October 2012.

3 Op.cit.


Friday, October 26, 2012

Eid Mubarek (Happy Eid) to Australian Muslims


'Id al-Fitr: father and son in Lahore, Pakistan. [Photograph]. In Encyclopedia Britannica Online Library Edition. Retrieved from http://library.eb.com.au/eb/art-99574
Australian Muslims today celebrated the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha or the 'Feast of Sacrifice', which commerates the Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham) willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of submission to God. This festival, which is celebrated by Muslims worldwide, also marks the culmination of the Hajj rites at Mina in Saudi Arabia. In Australia, Muslims on this day will pray at the mosque, visit friends and relatives and endeavour to give money/food to the poor and needy.

Eid al-Adha is one of the two Islamic festivals that is held annually, the other being Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of Ramadan (the month of fasting). If you would like to learn more about these festivals, login to the Encylopaedia Britannica Online database, which can be accessed from home (or in the library) with your library card's barcode.

Rayyan.

Bookan Chinese eMagazines


好市围图书馆的会员们现在可以透过博看电子中文期刊资料库 - 世界上最大的中文杂志资料库,来阅读到超过2,500种中文杂志。杂志种类多样,从政治、财经和科学,以至健康、文学和娱乐都有,全部向图书馆会员们免费提供。在家或在图书馆内,都可以凭借书证上的电脑条码登陆博看网.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

MEGA BOOK SALE AT HURSTVILLE LIBRARY 2-3 NOVEMBER 2012

It's time for our annual book sale once again.  We have an incredible range of items available for purchase which will cater to all ages.

Kids books $1.00
Magazines 20c
DVDs & CDs $2.00
Fiction $2.00
Non Fiction $3.00
Some items with prices as marked

Where:   
Hurstville Library,
Cnr. Queens Road and Dora Street, Hurstville.

Time:     
Friday 2 November 9.30am - 8.30 pm
Saturday 3 November 9.30 am - 3.00 pm

Money raised in the book sale goes towards the purchase of new library resources so come along and support your local library and grab a bargain as well.  All sale stock will be available for purchase on Friday 2 November, so don't miss out.  First in best dressed!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Bag It!


As part of National recycling week, Tim Silverwood will host the FREE screening of the award winning documentary "Bag it". The film will be followed by a Q&A discussion led by Tim Silverwood and Tony Wales.

About the film...
Bag It (G) follows "everyman" Jeb Berrier as he navigates our plastic world. Jeb is an average guy who decides to take a closer look at our love affair with plastics. Jeb's journey starts small but when he takes a closer look he discovers that the problem extends further than he ever imagined.

When: Monday 12th November 2012
For more information and bookings, click: http://www.hurstville.nsw.gov.au/BagIt.html

Friday, October 19, 2012

Bring up the bodies

Who could resist a title like that? The judges of the Man Booker Prize couldn't when they awarded the second instalment of Hilary Mantell's Tudor epic the prestigious gong for 2012.

And there are certainly enough bodies about in this fastidiously researched, smartly written imagining of the maelstrom that was the life of Thomas Cromwell. The story began with Wolf Hall and Thomas' rise from what his arch enemies the Boleyn's considered coarse beginnings, his Dad owned a brewery, to Henry VIII's most trusted minister. Bring up the bodies maintains the pace with more intrigue and wives done wrong. You've got to love the Tudors.

And if you like them a bit better looking, cleaner and sexier, why not try the DVD series The Tudors, guilty of one of the worst cases of miscasting in cinematic history. (Watch it and you'll see what I mean.)

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

If you enjoy reading Maeve Binchy why not try........................

Bestselling Irish writer Maeve Binchy, died recently after a short illness aged 72.
Her family sagas and short stories focussed on small-town Irish life and explored the friction between tradition and modernity. Her work included Circle of Friends which was made into a popular film.
 If Maeve Binchy is one of your favourite authors why not see who else writes like her on Friday 19 October at Hurstville Library when books by authors written in a similiar style and with similiar themes will be on display and available for loan.
Read more about Maeve on her website http://www.maevebinchy.com/




Friday, October 12, 2012

Winner for September Announced

We are now past the half way point for the LMG Digital Photography competition. So far we have had close to 200 photo submitted and 85 participants. Way to go Hurstville! This is a fantastic effort.
There were 40 submissions for September's heat. The theme was "Grow", and as you can imagine there were plenty of animal and foliage shots. The judges met and narrowed the pool of 40 shots down to 3. In third place the judges selected this growing fern by Wandagirl21. They saw how the fern was about to hit a growth spurt and explode into a fully grown tropical masterpiece.

The second photo which inspired the judges was the flowers growing out of the pack. They thought the colour white was symbolic of innocence, and that the photo displayed technical ability. Well done Sharon, you've captured a beautiful image.

However, the judges selected the trees below by le2018 as the winning photo for September. They saw how the growing trees met the criteria, and  felt the photo brought an abstract quality to the competition. Well done Le.

September was a really good round. Everyone who contributed deserves congratulations for their efforts. Photos submitted were easily identifiable with the theme. The judges also commented on how everyone's technical abilities have grown throughout the competition. Good work.


Grow up by le2018, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by  le2018 

We are now entering the final rounds of the competition. This means there are only a few opportunities left to snap your best shots. This month's theme is "Explore". Good luck everyone, we are looking forward to seeing what you can produce.


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Author Talks: David Hill "The Great Race"

Popular author David Hill who has written extensively about many key periods in Australian history will be Hurstville Library's next guest author. David's newest book  The Great Race: : The Race Between the English and the French to Complete the Map of Australia is an account of  the thrilling race between Frenchman Nicolas Baudin and Englishman Matthew Flinders to chart the coast of Australia. On the afternoon of 8 April 1802, in the remote southern ocean, the two explorers had a remarkable chance encounter. Written from diaries and other first-hand accounts, this is the fascinating story of men whose drawings recorded countless previously unknown species and turned mythical creatures into real ones, and whose skill and determination enabled Terra Australis Incognita to become Australia.
David Hill has had a remarkable career as chairman then managing director of the ABC, chairman of the Australian Football Association, chief executive director of the State Rail Authority NSW, chairman of Sydney Water Corporation and chairman of CREATE, a national organisation responsible for representing the interests of young people and children in institutional care.

  • The Gold Rush: the fever that forever changed Australia,
  • The Forgotten Children: Fairbridge Farm School and its betrayal of Australia's migrant children
  • 1788: the brutal truth of the First Fleet: the biggest single migration the world has ever seen.
Thursday 25 October @ 7pm
Hurstville Library
cnr Queens Rd & Dora St, Hurstville
Bookings 9330 6142 or at Service Desk
Books available for sale & signing

Friday, October 05, 2012

Poetry Slam 2012

On September 20, 2012, 17 people came to Hurstville Library to perform in the National Poetry Slam Competition organised by WordTravelsAs each person anxiously awaited their turn to spill out their hearts and minds to the all embracing audience, they were entertained by the MC. The show began with a bang as  Hurstville Library's own Kate Campion opened the evening. From that point on the library’s Exhibition Space was transformed into a daring arena where only the bravest of slammers were willing to compete for the title of the 2012 Hurstville Poetry Slam Champion. 


The evening was filled with tongue twisting soliloquies, alliteration, metaphors and prose all of which combined to offer an enticing evening for the audience. The performances were all highly commendable, and two lucky slammers were able to progress into the next round of the National Competition.

A big congratulations goes out to Alan Pham and Jessica Santosa. Their poems touched the hearts and souls of audience members. Congratulations also go to Gloria Demillo who came in a close third. The next slam heat will be held in Glebe for those who are interested. For those who were part of the audience,  leave a comment saying which poem was your favourite and why.

If you want to slam with the best of them, there is still time. Marrickville is hosting a wild card heat at Urchin Books on October 21. Glebe's Friend in Hand pub will also be hosting a heat on November, 6. Let your heart write your soul out on paper and slam it out at either one of these locations - who knows, you may end up winning.
 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

October Dragon’s Lair Gallery exhibition – Draw Paint Show


Hurstville Museum & Gallery will be hosting DRAW PAINT SHOW in the Dragon’s Lair Gallery in October. This exhibition is part of the 2012 Discovery Festival of Community Arts, and consists of a selection of recent works by artists from the St George Mental Health Arts Development (MHAD) Group. The exhibition will be on show from Friday 28 September to Sunday 14 October 2012. Artworks include oil paintings, acrylic paintings, works on paper and mixed media, and many will be available for sale.

We will also be hosting a Diwali Lamp Art Workshop in conjunction with the 2012 Discovery Festival. The Diwali Festival of Light is a popular Indian event celebrating the victory of good over evil and of enlightenment over ignorance. At the workshop, participants will learn about the importance of Diwali and the significance of Diwali Lamps, and will decorate their own clay lamps. These lamps will be used in the Discovery Festival’s Diwali Family Festival of Light at Woodville Park, Hudson Street, Hurstville on Saturday 3 November from 5.00pm – 8.00pm.

Workshop details:

Date: Sunday 14 October
Time: 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Cost: $10 per person
Ages: 12 to adult

For more information or to book, contact the Museum & Gallery on (02) 9330 6444 or via email.

Monday, September 24, 2012

GROW: reading in the digital age

Grow your mind this September by immersing yourself in a good book. Read or listen to some of our great books available online for download from our e-catalogue.

The e-catalogue is easy to use, free for all library members, available 24/7. There is a fantastic range to  choose from; mystery, suspense, romance, biographies, humour, self-improvement, business and much more.

Featuring audio books and e-books (electronic books) the e-catalogue allows you to borrow up to 5 titles at a time and best of all there are no late fees. So what are you waiting for? Visit the e-catalogue today.

Great
Reads
Online at
www.hurstville.lib.overdrive.com

Author Talks: Anne Henderson















Hurstville Library's next guest author is Anne Henderson, author, editor and  deputy director of The Sydney Institute who will be presenting a talk about Joseph Lyons the subject of her  highly acclaimed biography Joseph Lyons: The People's Prime Minister.  Australia's tenth prime minister between 1932 and 1939, Joe Lyons dominated Australian politics throughout the 1930's but has, until this book, been largely neglected by historians. He survived three consecutive elections, served through the era of the Great Depression and was a popular figure at the time. Denounced for leaving the ALP and under recognized by the conservatives this new full biography attempts to set the record straight.


"In this finely worked biography of the first Australian prime minister to die in office, Henderson makes a convincing case that Lyons, up to now, has not been afforded his rightful place in our political history. This book deserves a wide readership." Ross Fitzgerald The Lyons redrawn: PM gets his due in The Australian October 22, 2011

ABC 7.30 Report Forgotten prime minister remembered  view report and interview 18/10/11

Hurstville Library
cnr Queens Rd & Dora St, Hurstville
Wednesday 26 September  @ 7pm

Bookings & enquiries 9330 6142
Book available for sale & signing