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ebooks internet libraries popular culture websites

National Library now collecting everything

National Library makes digital history

On 17 Feb Thomas Keneally’s latest novel Napoleon’s last island became the first ebook to be collected by the NLA under Australia’s new legal deposit legislation. The novel tells the story of Napoleon’s exile on St Helena through the eyes of 13 year old Betsy.

New amendments to the Copyright Act allow the NLA to collect everything – ebooks, blogs, websites, social media etc The digital record will be protected in the same way as print. Publishers and authors can now upload ebooks, journals, magazines and newsletters through the NLA’s website. The collection of digital publications will be available later this year.

https://www.nla.gov.au/media-releases/2016/02/17/nla-make-digital-history-today

https://www.nla.gov.au/media-releases/2015/07/02/library-captures-the-internet

 

National Library Digital Classroom

Important cultural items from the Treasures Gallery are brought into the classroom, with teacher resources aligned to the Australian Curriculum. Through an inquiry approach, students analyse sources, develop historical skills and draw their own conclusions. Currently resources are available for Years 3 to 6 – more will be added. Resources include: Edward Koiki Mabo, First peoples, Communication, Designing the Sydney Opera House, A national identity.

https://www.nla.gov.au/digital-classroom

 

Categories
books literature popular culture

New Harry Potter book, Leigh Hobbs and bestsellers

Leigh Hobbs: Australian children’s laureate for 2016-2017

Leigh Hobbs, our new Australian children’s laureate for 2016-2017, provides some great illustrations from Australian children’s literature that depict the concept of place. “What links all of the books selected for this gallery of Australian illustrators is a love and feel for place and, no matter where it is, it becomes the illustrators’ place through the telling of the story – coming from the heart and from memory”. Illustrators include Shaun Tan, Bronwyn Bancroft, Alison Lester, Bob Graham, Freya Blackwood, Armin Greder. There are some great titles here to add to our collections and to encourage students to consider the concept of place in books that they read.

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/gallery/2016/feb/09/australian-illustrated-childrens-books

 

A new Harry Potter book: Harry Potter and the cursed child

Announced 10 Feb – based on the play which opens in London 30 July 2016, from an original idea by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. Set 19 years after the last book, Harry is an overworked employee at the Ministry of Magic and a father of 3. Harry and his youngest son Albus learn that sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places.

http://blog.booktopia.com.au/2016/02/11/breaking-news-new-harry-potter-book-to-be-released/

 

Australia’s bestselling book 2015: The 65-storey treehouse

The book by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton, was Australia’s bestselling book in 2015, with other titles in the series taking the top 5 spots by Australian authors. The 78-storey treehouse is due in August. Old school: diary of a wimpy kid took second place. Adult colouring books took 4 spots in the top 10.

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/andy-griffiths-65storey-treehouse-tops-the-bestseller-lists-for-2015-20160107-gm177u.html

 

Nielsen BookScan Australia

Analyses sales from more than 1000 outlets, including online. See this month’s top 10 Fiction, Non Fiction, Children’s and the Hot 10.

The dressmaker by Rosalie Ham – number 1 Fiction title.

Harry Potter: the official adult colouring book – number 7 Non fiction title. Colouring books by Millie Marotta hold places 3 and 4.

Old school: diary of a wimpy kid by Jeff Kinney – number 1 Children’s, followed by The 65-storey treehouse by Andy Griffiths. The 13-storey treehouse and The 26-storey treehouse hold places 6 and 10. Very popular series!

http://www.nielsenbookscan.com.au/controller.php?page=108

 

Categories
libraries popular culture

#ColorOurCollections

From 1 Feb – 4 Feb libraries and museums around the world joined the adult colouring book craze and made available online free colouring books containing artwork from their collections. You could then tag your work on social media – a great way to engage with rare books and promote them.

If you like colouring in, here’s a great list – The NY Public Library; The Bodleian Library; The Smithsonian Libraries; The Folger Library; Europeana….

http://www.openculture.com/2016/02/download-free-coloring-books-from-world-class-libraries-museums.html

http://bookriot.com/2016/02/02/coloring-books-libraries-museums-colorourcollections-week/

State Library of Victoria:  http://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/news/colour-our-collections/

Museum of Victoria: http://museumvictoria.com.au/about/mv-blog/feb-2016/colour-our-collections/

 

ColorOurCollections could tie in nicely with Library Lovers’ Day/Week at our schools, starting 14 Feb. Students could colour illustrations from books in our collections, promoting titles to potential readers.