Overdrive is Live at St Brigid's!

At St Brigid’s, Marrickville our school library is a hub of learning, where students are keen to discover the latest in information technology and the benefits of engaging with reading.

Our library used to be inside a building, but the walls of this building are now opening wide.  Through our Oliver OPAC, we are able to access quality weblinks, connecting us with places and people all over the world.

Today we moved even further into the 21^st century, when we went “Live with OverDrive”. We now have access to eBooks 24/7 – every day of the year – during school terms and during holidays. These eBooks can be read on our iPads, laptops and desktops. It is now possible to change the font size, page colour and line spacing of text, allowing our students to tailor the print to their own preference.

Are we excited? We certainly are!

We’ve been waiting for OverDrive for many months now, with the excitement building each week. And it’s not just the students who are excited, it’s also our teachers, support staff and parents.

eBooks here we come!

Author: Jackie French

I recently went to Darling Harbour to hear another Australian children's author, Jackie French, speak. Well, actually it was more of a performance than a talk. Jackie is a theatrical presenter whose passion for her writing is quite contagious. 

Jackie introduced us to some of her favourite picture books and had the whole audience participating in no time (the adults as well as the children). She told us of her life and of her struggles. 

Image from Jackie French's website

Amazingly, Jackie is dyslexic and this fact makes her success as an author even more amazing. Here is a link if you would like to know more about this: I Speak of Dreams

I found her to be an inspiring speaker and it you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak I would highly recommend that you go.

Mem Fox @ Newtown Library

Last week, I attended a presentation by the wonderful Australian author, Mem Fox at Newtown Library. 

She spoke with great passion about her books. She promoted the idea that children need to be read to by their parents and grandparents. 

Mem also made the point that a child who has only a digital device for company can be very lonely and isolated. She said that connections with significant adults through books are vital, if we are to help children love reading.

CC image courtesy of Philip Martin

Marrickville Library - BOOKS AT BEDTIME

On Tuesday 19th November, 2013

at Marrickville Library

Join everyone for an evening storytime with Books at Bedtime.

Don't forget to wear your pyjamas and bring along 

your favourite teddy or toy to share the fun.

This event is recommended for 4 - 10 year olds.

Light refreshments will be available. 

Bookings can be made by phoning 9335 2173 or going online at http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au

Welcome back to Term 4!

This year is disappearing so quickly. We have a few short weeks left before the Christmas holidays.

Last week in library lessons we learned to use the Drawing app in Google Drive. We were able to create posters using images that were free to use (Creative Commons) and we added a title using WordArt. 

This week we will be discussing what it means to be good digital citizens by staying safe on the internet and behaving responsibly. We will also learn how to comment on this blog and create alerts using students' school email addresses.

Creative Commons image from Google Images. Original from 

http://www.tidesinc.org/resources/digital-citizenship/

Marrickville Library School Holiday Activities

There are so many exciting activities happening at Marrickville Library these school holidays. 

Now you can even book your place online, just click on the links below.

Youth holiday activity: Zine workshop

Design and create your very own zine with Vanessa Berry, who has been immersed in the world of zine publishing for many years. Visit Vanessa's website, http://vanessaberryworld.wordpress.com/zines  to get inspired! For 10-18 year olds. All events are free of charge. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au

• Wednesday 25 September, 1pm – 4pm: Marrickville Library

 Youth holiday activity: Mosaic tile workshop

Design and create a tile mosaic, using a range of stones, and pearl mosaic stones. For 10-18 year olds. All events are free of charge. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au

• Thursday 26 September, 11am – 12 noon: Marrickville Library

Youth holiday activity: Wii player challenge

Sign up and take on the challenge – have fun and win prizes! For 10-18 year olds. All events are free of charge. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au

• Friday 27 September, 1pm – 4pm: Marrickville Library

Kids holiday activity: Earthbeats music workshop

Description: Find your rhythm with music from around the world, using percussion, drums, singing and movement. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 Septemberhttp://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Tuesday 24 September, 2pm – 3pm, Marrickville Town Hall

Kids holiday activity: Marshmallow challenge

Create the best construction from spaghetti and marshmallows, and win a delicious prize. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

Tuesday 24 September, 11am – 12 noon, Stanmore Library

Kids holiday activity: Circus collage

Let your imagination loose to create a colourful circus collage from textured paper, feathers, fur fabric and more. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September athttp://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Monday 30 September, 2pm – 3pm, Dulwich Hill Library

Kids holiday activity: Medieval castle model

Construct a medieval castle with turrets and drawbridge. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Thursday 26 September, 2pm – 3pm, Stanmore Library

Kids holiday activity: Bouncing bats

Make a spooky bouncing bat to hang in your bedroom for Halloween. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Friday 27 September, 11am – 12 noon, Marrickville Library

Student Tuition: July - October 2013

In partnership with the University of New South Wales, free tuition is now offered for students at Marrickville and Dulwich Hill Libraries. Help for Science, Mathematics, English, ESL, History and Geography is available for high school students, with selected hours also open for primary school students. No bookings are necessary.

Download the dates and subjects available for tuition (PDF)

Youth holiday activity: Street art workshop

Learn the techniques to create professional street art and work on an exciting group project, designing and painting a wall. This event will run over two days. Book into one day or both. Please note: this event is held at the Marrickville Youth Resource Centre (MYRC) and will require a completed parental slip before a booking can be confirmed. Pick up a permission slip from the MYRC or any Marrickville Library branch. For 12-18 year olds. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au

• Wednesday 2 October, 10am – 4pm, Marrickville Youth Resource Centre, Yabsley Ave, Jarvie Park, Marrickville
• Thursday 3 October, 10am – 4pm, Marrickville Youth Resource Centre, Yabsley Ave, Jarvie Park, Marrickville

Youth holiday activity: Chocoholics workshop

Create a selection of yummy chocolates, using dark, milk and white chocolate and a variety of sweet fillings. For 10 - 18 year olds. All events are free of charge. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au

• Friday 4 October, 2pm – 3pm: Marrickville Library

Kids holiday activity: Circus collage

Let your imagination loose to create a colourful circus collage from textured paper, feathers, fur fabric and more. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 Septemberhttp://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Monday 30 September, 2pm – 3pm, Dulwich Hill Library

Kids holiday activity: Family history scrapbook

Bring along your favourite family photos to create a family scrapbook page. This workshop will celebrate the History Week 2013 theme, Picture This. For 5–12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Monday 30 September, 3pm – 4pm, Marrickville Library

Kids holiday activity: Marshmallow challenge

Create the best construction from spaghetti and marshmallows, and win a delicious prize. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Tuesday 1 October, 11am – 12 noon, Stanmore Library

Kids holiday activity: What’s the joke? show

Bestselling children's author, Andy Jones, presents a hilarious musical show about jokes and humour. There’ll be audience interaction, electric drums, guitars, silly songs and rhymes. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au

• Tuesday 1 October, 2pm – 3pm, Marrickville Town Hall

Kids holiday activity: Bouncing bats

Make a spooky bouncing bat to hang in your bedroom for Halloween. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Wednesday 2 October, 2pm – 3pm, St Peters Library

Kids holiday activity: Medieval castle model

Construct a medieval castle with turrets and drawbridge. For 5 - 12 year olds. There is a maximum of three workshops per child. Phone 9335 2173 or book online from Tuesday 3 September http://marrickvillelibrary.eventbrite.com.au.

• Thursday 3 October, 2pm – 3pm, Marrickville Library

Parent Workshop for the Library

This week I will be running a Parent Workshop in the library to inform parents about using our library computer system from home.

I will run the same workshop twice:

Wednesday 18th September   9:00am - 9:30am

Thursday    19th September   8:15am - 8:45am


If you are unable to attend either of these sessions, you can access the presentation (which contains explanations, screen shots and links) by clicking on the image below.

Book Week - Read Across the Universe

And the winners are......

Each year the Children's Book Council of Australia, chooses the best books that have been published during that year. There are 4 categories of books for preschool/primary school aged students. Several books are chosen to be on the shortlist in each category. One of these is chosen as Book of the Year, in that category and there are 2 honour books. Click on the links below to see the lists.

Children's Book of the Year Short List 2013

2013 Children's Book of the Year Award Winners


Leading up to Book Week, each class has chosen a book from the Short List to focus upon. They have produced an enlarged version of the book cover and have created an item to make others want to read the book. They will present this at our Book Week assembly.

Today in the library I read The Terrible Suitcase to several classes. This book was the winner in the Early Childhood category.

"Ronin" by Lucille Violet Molineux

This week in the library we have been sharing the picture 

book titled "Ronin" written and illustrated by Lucille Violet 

Molineux. This book is dedicated to Ronin Kelly. 

It is now available in St Brigid's Library for you to reserve on 

Oliver. Just log in with your CENet details.

Or you can purchase your own copy 

online by clicking on the link below. 

Proceeds from the sale of this book go to 

the Asthma Foundation. 

Buy the "Ronin" Book

National Literacy and Numeracy Week

This week is National Literacy and Numeracy Week. In the library we will be sharing a special book, Herman and Rosie, which was written and illustrated by Gus Gordon.

Gus Gordon is an illustrator and author. He grew up on a farm in northern NSW and, after leaving school, worked on cattle stations all over Australia before deciding to pursue a career in drawing.

Gus illustrated his first children's book in 1996 and has now illustrated and written over 70 books for children.

Gus's illustrations are known for their loose and energetic line work, mixed media and humour. His writing is always anthropomorphic—where animals take the place of humans in the narrative. He attributes this to his love of Wind in The Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

Gus's first picture book, Wendy, is about a motorcycle-riding stunt chicken and was selected as a Children's Book Council of Australia Notable Book in the 2010 Book of the Year Awards.

Gus lives with his wife and three children on the Northern beaches of Sydney.

Discover more about Gus Gordon, his writing and his illustrating on his exciting website.

Read reviews on Herman and Rosie and get a sneak peak at the book.

Watch the Auslan translation of Herman and Rosie. Use this fantastic translation simultaneous mass read during NLNW 2013.

Information and images taken from the NLNW website http://www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au/national-celebration-literacy/read-australia

Welcome Back to Term 3!

Can you believe how fast this year is whizzing by? We are over half way through the year now with only 2 terms of 2013 to go. Term 3 is always a really productive term.

CC image by Philip Martin

Term 3 is also a great term in the library because we celebrate Children's Book Week. 

Source: joondalup.wa.gov.au

This year it is in Week 6, from Saturday August 17 until Friday August 23.

The theme is "Read Across the Universe". Each class will focus on one of this year's shortlisted books and will make a presentation at a special Book Week assembly. More information on this later.

Marrickville Library School Holiday Activities

Polar Diorama

Create your own Antarctic 3-D world complete with polar animals and icebergs. For 5 - 12 year olds. Bookings for events are essential and will be taken from Tuesday 18 June 2013 onwards. Phone 9335 2173 so you don’t miss out!

• Tuesday 2 July 11am - 12pm: St Peters Library
• Monday 8 July 3pm - 4pm: Stanmore Library

Sparrow Sports workshop

Shake out the winter cobwebs in this fun, physical session, including games of Stuck in the mid, slingshots, tug of war, sack races, team games and more. For 5 - 12 year olds. Bookings for events are essential and will be taken from Tuesday 18 June 2013 onwards. Phone 9335 2173 so you don’t miss out!

• Tuesday 2 July 2pm - 3.30pm: Marrickville Town Hall

Egyptian Pharaoh craft

Transform into an Egyptian pharaoh complete with jewelled head-dress and collar. For 5 - 12 year olds. Bookings for events are essential and will be taken from Tuesday 18 June 2013 onwards. Phone 9335 2173 so you don’t miss out!

• Wednesday 3 July 11am - 12pm: Stanmore Library
• Friday 12 July 2pm - 3pm: Marrickville Library

Pterodactyl Mobile

Be transported to a prehistoric forest when you create a mobile of flying dinosaurs. For 5 - 12 year olds. Bookings for events are essential and will be taken from Tuesday 18 June 2013 onwards. Phone 9335 2173 so you don’t miss out!

• Thursday 4 July 2pm - 3pm: Dulwich Hill
  Tuesday 9 July 2pm - 3pm: St Peters

Tropical Bird Collage

Create a tropical jungle collage where birds of paradise and toucans flash their fine feathers. For 5 - 12 year olds. Bookings for events are essential and will be taken from Tuesday 18 June 2013 onwards. Phone 9335 2173 so you don’t miss out!

• Friday 5 July 3pm - 4pm: Marrickville
• Wednesday 10 July 2pm - 3pm: Dulwich Hill

Circus skills workshop

An exciting workshop run by Circus Unique, offering training in unicycle, stilts, pois twirling, juggling and more. Please note this event is for 8-12 year olds. Bookings for events are essential and will be taken from Tuesday 18 June 2013 onwards. Phone 9335 2173 so you don’t miss out!

• Monday 8 July 10.30am - 12pm: Marrickville Town Hall

NAIDOC Dreamtime stories and craft

Celebrate NAIDOC Week by listening to Dreamtime Stories and making Australian animals to decorate your bedroom. For 5 - 12 year olds. Bookings for events are essential and will be taken from Tuesday 18 June 2013 onwards. Phone 9335 2173 so you don’t miss out!

• Tuesday 9 July 11am - 12pm: Marrickville Library

Learning to Search the Internet for Information

In library lessons we are learning about searching the internet for information. 

Last week we learned about website evaluation. It is important to make sure a website has been created by someone you can trust and who knows about the topic. Also, the information must be up to date and easy for you to understand.

We viewed a hoax website about octopuses that live in trees. It was designed to teach us about website evaluation. 

Nearly everyone was tricked, but we learnt a valuable lesson - not everything on the internet is true! Click on the link below to visit the site.

The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus

Kathy Schrock has developed the 5Ws of Website Evaluation. Click on the link to find out what the 5Ws are.

This week we are going to try searching for information with a kid-friendly search engine called KidRex. Let's see how  much good information we can find.

             Searching for Information? 

                         Try KidRex.