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books ebooks films Indigenous resources libraries literature

Happy Book Week! 17-23 October 2020

This year the celebrations were postponed from August until now. Theme: Curious creatures, wild minds.

The library has some curious trivia questions to be answered, as well as some displays of good reads. This year’s award winners from the Children’s Book Council (picture books, chapter books and young adult) include Bruce Pascoe for Young dark emu and Indigenous illustrator Jasmine Seymour for Baby business.

https://cbca.org.au/winners-2020

https://www.magabala.com/blogs/news/cbca-win-2020

 

What are the benefits of reading?

Benefits include increased empathy, stress reduction, prevention of cognitive decline….

https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-reading-books

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/pop-culture/why-getting-lost-book-so-good-you-according-science-ncna893256

 

Better Reading

Reading suggestions and Weekly Top 10.

Includes All our shimmering skies – Trent Dalton; The survivors – Jane Harper; Honeybee – Craig Silvey; Think like a monk – Jay Shetty.

http://www.betterreading.com.au/

2020 Better Reading Top 100

Includes The tattooist of Auschwitz – Heather Morris; Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine – Gail Honeyman; Scrublands – Chris Hammer; Where the crawdads sing – Delia Owens.

https://www.betterreading.com.au/news/exciting-announcement-the-better-reading-top-100/

More good reading suggestions: http://www.betterreading.com.au/book_list/

 

Goodreads Best Books of 2019

Annual list voted for by readers. Categories include fiction, mystery and thriller, fantasy, science fiction, horror, memoir, non fiction, graphic novels, young adult. Winners include: The testaments – Margaret Atwood; The silent patient – Alex Michaelides; Ninth house – Leigh Bardugo; Recursion – Blake Crouch. 2020 list due in December.

https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2019

 

Magabala Books

Excellent resources from this Broome-based company, specialising in books by Indigenous authors. 15 new titles are published annually – picture books, memoir, fiction (junior, YA and adult), non-fiction, graphic novels, social history and poetry. Includes:

Living on stolen land – Ambelin Kwaymullina. ‘A prose-style manifesto about our settler-colonial present; a call and a guide to action…challenges Australia to come to terms with its own past and its place within and on ‘Indigenous Countries’.’

Blakwork – Alison Whittaker. ‘A powerful collection of memoir, reportage, fiction, satire, critique’ that interrogates our colonial past and present.

https://www.magabala.com/

 

Took the children away – Archie Roach

Archie Roach reads the picture book (2010) of his powerful 1990 song, with illustrations by Ruby Hunter.

https://ab.co/3jhJ3O0

 

Books made into films 2020

Some of these probably didn’t get released this year. Includes: David Copperfield (Dickens); Chaos walking (Ness); The witches (Dahl); The invisible man (Wells); Rebecca (Du Maurier); The secret garden (Burnett); Deep water (Highsmith); Dune (Herbert).

https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/books-becoming-movies-in-2020-46949591?stream_view=1#photo-47180684

 

2020 Ned Kelly Awards

For Australian crime writing. Winner 2020: The wife and the widow – Christian White. Best International Crime Fiction: The chain – Adrian McKinty.

https://www.austcrimewriters.com/news/2020/10/14/the-2020-ned-kelly-awards-winners

 

Dymocks

2020 Top 101: Includes Throne of glass series – S. Maas; Magician – R. Feist; Good omens – T. Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. https://www.dymocks.com.au/getmedia/0adc3f76-c6a3-4f37-a922-1f78d4b6d6a0/Dymocks_Top101_2020.aspx

Top 10 in many categories. https://www.dymocks.com.au/promotions/top-10

https://www.dymocks.com.au/

 

2020 Indie Book Awards

Includes: Tell me why – Archie Roach; There was still love – Favel Parrett.

https://www.indiebookawards.com.au/

 

Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) 2020

Includes Sand talk: how indigenous thinking can save the world – Tyson Yunkaporta.

https://abiawards.com.au/year-won/2020/

 

Books and Publishing: Inside the Australian Book Industry

News, reviews, book awards.

https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/

 

The case for reading fiction

Benefits include increased social acuity, the ability to comprehend other people’s motivations and keeping an open mind.

https://hbr.org/2020/03/the-case-for-reading-fiction

 

Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming

Fiction – the gateway drug to reading.

https://www.betterreading.com.au/kids-ya/neil-gaiman-why-our-future-depends-on-libraries-reading-and-daydreaming/

 

Book quotes

https://www.shortlist.com/news/the-40-most-powerful-literary-quotes

https://www.bookbub.com/blog/famous-book-quotes

https://www.stylist.co.uk/books/the-best-100-closing-lines-from-books/123681

https://bookroo.com/blog/the-100-best-quotes-about-reading

Quiz: https://brokebybooks.com/an-epic-list-of-50-literature-trivia-quiz-questions/

 

Book covers

Iconic covers…The great Gatsby, Catch-22, A clockwork orange….

https://www.abebooks.com/books/rarebooks/book-design-collectible-famous/iconic-book-covers.shtml

https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/book-cover-quiz/

 

How you feel when you finish a great book

This is absolutely a real thing!

https://bookriot.com/psychology-of-a-book-hangover/

 

Categories
books libraries literature popular culture

Happy Book Week 19 – 26 Aug 2017! Theme: Escape to everywhere.

To celebrate, we have had some fun activities on offer. Students can solve the puzzles in the ‘Escape from the library’ game; enter our Signpost quiz (what book is the destination on the sign from?); take part in our ‘Escape to everywhere’ quiz with escape-themed questions or enter the visual art competition.

 

Book Week 19-25 August. Theme – Escape to everywhere.

Each year the Children’s Book Council of Australia chooses the best Australian children’s books in various categories – early childhood; younger readers;  picture books; older readers and information books. The ‘older readers’ books are suitable for high school and college. https://cbca.org.au/

Winners: https://cbca.org.au/winners-2017

Shortlist: https://cbca.org.au/short-list-2017 and Notables: https://cbca.org.au/notables-2017

 

Better Reading Australia

Some great reads can be found in the Better Reading Australia’s Top 100 list. The votes are in – new list for 2017 out soon.

http://www.betterreading.com.au/book_list/australias-top-100-for-2016/

Reading suggestions and weekly best-sellers: http://www.betterreading.com.au/

Themed book lists and book suggestions: http://www.betterreading.com.au/book_list/

Top 50 Kids’ Books 2017: http://www.betterreading.com.au/book_list/better-reading-presents-australias-top-50-kids-books/

Reading helps develop empathy: http://www.betterreading.com.au/kids-ya/the-power-of-reading-how-books-help-develop-childrens-empathy-and-boost-their-emotional-development/

 

Dymocks Top 101 2017

  1. All the light we cannot see 2. The book thief 3. The girl on the train 4. Harry Potter series 5. The light between oceans

https://www.dymocks.com.au/top-101

New releases and bestsellers: https://www.dymocks.com.au/?gclid=CjwKCAjwrO_MBRBxEiwAYJnDLDfzZFhAM-toicJoUPGaO9b4wj2dE2f1slJ9iSBKoeKB-gFRYds63hoCMS8QAvD_BwE

 

Goodreads Choice Awards 2016

The only major book awards decided by readers – over 3.55 million votes. Fiction winner: Truly madly deeply by Liane Moriarty. Sci fi winner: Morning star by Pierce Brown. Mystery & thriller winner: End of watch by Stephen King.

https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-fiction-books-2016

 

Goodreads

World’s largest site for book recommendations, quizzes, quotes – owned by Amazon.

Books with different kinds of escapes: https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag/escape

Escaping from difficult situations: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/15465.Escape_Books

 

Indie Book Awards 2017

Awarded by Australian independent booksellers. Winner: The dry by Jane Harper. Young adult winner: Words in deep blue by Cath Crowley. Children’s winner: Circle by Jeannie Baker.

https://www.indiebookawards.com.au/

 

Australian Independent Bookseller

New releases, weekly top 10, literary awards news. The 91-story treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton is top this week.

http://www.indies.com.au/indie-book-awards#sthash.TCqx1sDo.dpbs

 

Tsundoku anyone?

The condition of acquiring reading materials but letting them pile up in your home without reading them….From the Japanese ‘tsunde’ (to stack things) ‘oku’ (to leave for a while) and ‘dokusho’ (to read).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/theres-a-japanese-word-for-people-who-buy-more-books-than-they-can-actually-read_us_58f79b7ae4b029063d364226

 

Artificial Intelligence creates romance book titles!

20 000 Harlequin Romance novel titles were given to a neural network, a type of artificial intelligence that learns the structure of text. The AI created its own titles and authors, including: The savage bride; Surgery seduction; Impossible Santa wife; Under the cowboy and the bestselling Sob over the boss…

https://medium.com/towards-data-science/romance-novels-generated-by-artificial-intelligence-1b31d9c872b2

 

Minimalist book covers

https://au.pinterest.com/nwelindt/minimalist-book-covers/

 

Book covers for 1984 the novel

https://bookriot.com/2017/03/03/1984-in-covers/

 

10 words for book lovers

Hamartia: refers to a fatal flaw that leads to the downfall of a tragic hero. Or maybe you are a librocubicultarist – someone who reads in bed.

http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/08/unusual-words-for-book-lovers/

 

Why did they choose that as the book title?

Moments in popular books where book titles are mentioned.

http://forreadingaddicts.co.uk/quotations/book-titles-appear-book/19471

 

25 fun bookish quizzes

Is it a line from The great Gatsby…or is it a Jay-Z lyric? What classical character are you? Match the author with the ailment.

http://bookriot.com/2013/04/10/25-fun-bookish-quizzes/

 

What can you learn from a book?

Biologists at Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries have investigated the 12th century book the Gospel of Luke and discovered holes from 900 year old bookworms, microbes from people who coughed on the book and the various animal skins used in the parchment – 8.5 calves, 10.5 sheep and half a goat. They want to build a parchment DNA library, using ancient DNA from various sources.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/07/goats-bookworms-monk-s-kiss-biologists-reveal-hidden-history-ancient-gospels

 

Why we love the smell of old books

Many people think old books smell like chocolate, followed by coffee. However, old libraries smell ‘woody’, ‘smoky’, ‘earthy’….

http://www.stylist.co.uk/books/old-book-smell-why-love-science-study-chocolate-coffee-scent

 

Interesting literature facts for trivia lovers

https://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/20-literary-facts-to-impress-your-friends-with?utm_term=.frO83w87L4#.qnkMQJMjkL

 

Canberra Writers’ Festival 25-27 August

http://www.canberrawritersfestival.com.au/

 

OverDrive ebooks and audiobooks

All ACT government staff and students have access to a great collection of over 5000 ebooks and audiobooks  – for primary, high school, college and adults, accessible on all devices. Find them in Oliver, the library catalogue, available in the Backpack. Search for titles, authors and subjects in Oliver (ebooks have a tablet icon), click on it and then click Borrow OverDrive ebook. For personal devices, allow pop-ups in your browser and download the OverDrive app: http://app.overdrive.com . Have a browse – there’s lots of great titles to be discovered!

Categories
books ed tech future internet libraries Maker movement popular culture

Libraries, bookshops and makerspaces

The bookshop that bans mobile phones and tablets

London bookshop Libreria has declared itself a “digital detox zone”, banning customers from using mobile phones and tablets within the store. It is attempting to “immerse the visitor in the visceral joys of reading and the pleasure of physical books, as well as to reawaken the art of real-life conversation, debates and talks, a sense of conviviality and a taste of the unexpected”. Visitors can take photos, but if they are caught texting, phoning, using the internet or social media, they are politely requested to stop. Most people are happy to oblige. Libreria’s founders believe “we have reached a ‘cultural tipping point’ with book lovers rebelling against the ‘digital deluge’.” Other London bookshops are following suit. Libreria groups books according to loose themes rather than genre eg. the sea and the sky. Guest curators have also made selections eg. Jeanette Winterson.

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160324-could-this-be-your-new-favourite-bookshop

 

Why the internet hasn’t killed the library (yet) – Donald Barclay, Deputy University Librarian, Uni of California, Merced.

Most reference questions in US academic libraries are now via email or web chat. Over 400 academic libraries provide 24/7 reference services as members of OCLC’s 24/7 Reference Cooperative. Circulation and in-person reference transaction numbers have decreased markedly, but there has been a steady increase in the number of people setting foot in academic libraries. These libraries have been reinventing themselves and converting printed book space to space for students to study, collaborate, learn and even socialise! Libraries offer consultation services and spaces for research, writing, analysing data, graphic design, presentation practice, digital media preparation, makerspaces, music practice, funding opportunities etc Some spaces are open 24/7 and many have relaxed food and drink rules (!)

https://theconversation.com/has-the-library-outlived-its-usefulness-in-the-age-of-internet-youd-be-surprised-58198

 

Create knowledge and other stuff at your library!

The availability of makerspaces in many US public libraries has had many benefits. Libraries are now “places where people can not only consume knowledge, but create new knowledge” (Miguel Figueroa, ALA). 3D printers have allowed many people to create prototypes, models and parts far more cheaply at their library than through commercial manufacturing.

The Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago set up their Maker Lab to support 21st century learning, as a trial in 2013. It was very popular and current sessions are usually fully booked in advance. 68% of participants are women; 55% are 26-45 year olds; 70% visited the lab to try something new. Pop-up labs visit some neighbourhoods. 3D printing, the Laser Cutter and the Vinyl Cutter are all popular. Non-digital craft programs are also offered.

http://www.cplfoundation.org/site/DocServer/Maker_Lab_White_Paper_2015_web.pdf?docID=681

http://www.chipublib.org/maker-lab/

https://psmag.com/libraries-are-the-future-of-manufacturing-in-the-united-states-5509c61ac87f#.qk9t4rw6v

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/03/everyone-is-a-maker/473286/

Long but interesting: Will makerspaces last? Do they help their members earn a real living or to learn more than a smattering of skills?: https://placesjournal.org/article/makerspace-towards-a-new-civic-infrastructure/?gclid=CjwKEAjwyPW5BRCC3JaM7qfW_FwSJACM3jz9-nMuaAiFaYD46C0nOojQ9fFuvs37reC2tsLTlPOGwBoCi1fw_wcB

 

Tablets out, imagination in: the schools that shun technology

In Silicon Valley, California, the Waldorf School of the Peninsula does not use technology in the classroom but employees of the tech giants still send their children there. Innovative thinking skills and creativity are emphasised. At the London Acorn school, the internet is banned for everyone under 16 years – at home and at school. Computers are used only with those over 14 years. “The problem with instant information is that the ease with which you can get from A to B and find the answers doesn’t reflect real life” (Sarah Thorne, principal)

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/dec/02/schools-that-ban-tablets-traditional-education-silicon-valley-london

 

Kansas City Library, Missouri

How awesome…the façade of the parking garage of the Central Library is made of 8 metre tall book spines – the “Community Bookshelf”. The community voted on the 22 titles to be displayed, including Lord of the rings, Fahrenheit 451, Catch-22, A tale of two cities, Charlotte’s web, To kill a mockingbird, The invisible man, Romeo and Juliet….

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kansas-city-library-s-giant-bookshelf

http://www.kclibrary.org/community-bookshelf

Categories
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
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.

Categories
books films libraries literature popular culture

Happy Book Week 22-28 August!

Theme: Books Light Up Our World

Book Week winners (includes Older Readers category):  http://cbca.org.au/winners-2015.htm

Shortlist and notables: http://cbca.org.au/awards.htm

Here at Dickson College Library we are celebrating with trivia questions each day with prizes for the first correct answers – literature, films, quotes, science, geography, history, music etc. To tie in with the theme Books light up our world, students can also identify literature quotes from books and write the titles of their favourite and least favourite books – the “light” and “dark” side of reading.

 

CharacTOUR: find characters you love

Launched 4 August, this fun online database is devoted to fictional characters from movies, TV shows, books and video games. CharacTOUR helps people make reading and viewing choices based on characters, rather than just titles and genres. Each character gets their own profile page – currently there are 4 500 spoiler-free profiles about characters’ origins, interests, skills and journeys. Viewers can take personalised match quizzes; create character mash-ups; browse by genre, plot, era, quotes etc;  find similar characters (If you like ….you may like ….) and vote for favourites. Interesting for classes – more for high school. The content is well written and informative but there is space for user comments….and we all know how that can end up.

https://boingboing.net/2015/08/05/new-website-charactour-is-an-e.html

 

Dymocks Top 101 2015

As voted by readers. 1. The book thief 2. Pride and prejudice 3. To kill a mockingbird 4. Magician 5. Lord of the rings 6. The fault in our stars 7. The hobbit 8. Jane Eyre 9. Alice’s adventures in Wonderland 10. Harry Potter series. Lots of other good reading suggestions.

https://www.dymocks.com.au/top101

 

Little Free Library

“Take a book. Leave a book”. Free books housed in small containers in local communities – over 15 000 worldwide in 40 countries. Also known as pop-up libraries and community book exchanges.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Free_Library

In Canberra: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-03/little-free-library/6277200

 

Books on screen

An interesting list of over 100 titles…and the book is always better than the movie J

http://www.bookdepository.com/dealsAndOffers/promo/id/1273

These books would make great movies: http://www.bookdepository.com/books-that-would-make-a-great-movie

 

50 literary quotes

“Not all those who wander are lost” – Tolkien. “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow up to be” – J.K.Rowling.

http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/books/50-literary-quotes-to-start-your-day-with#

 

50 most inspiring quotes about books and reading

“A book is a dream that you hold in your hand” – Neil Gaiman. “There comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page and closing the book” – Josh Jameson.

http://ebookfriendly.com/best-quotes-books-reading/

 

50 coolest book covers

http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/the-50-coolest-book-covers#

 

“Weapons of Mass Instruction”

Argentinian artist Raul Lemesoff drives around cities and rural areas in a car/tank armed with 900 books, giving away free books to liberate people from illiteracy.

http://www.lostateminor.com/2015/03/10/artist-turns-car-into-a-tank-armed-with-900-books-to-be-given-away-for-free/

 

Why are children reading books?

Sales of children’s books are increasing – printed books are special.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sable/why-are-children-reading-books-dont-they-know-its-digital-first_b_7313188.html?ir=Australia

Categories
books ebooks future libraries

ebooks, printed books and libraries

Print books outsold ebooks in first half of 2014 in the US

Nielsen Books and Consumer survey – paperbacks 42% of sales; hardcovers 25%; ebooks 23%. Will paper books and ebooks coexist peacefully in the future? “A healthy, diverse marketplace with multiple format, price point, and channel choices for the consumer is generally a positive for readers, authors, and publishers overall” (Steinberger; Perseus Books). Stephen King: print books have a bright future – “books are going to be here for a long, long time”.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/06/ebooks-print-books-outsold_n_5940654.html

 

Yes we still love print!

The 2 second-hand bookfairs held by Lifeline in the ACT during 2014 were the most successful ever (and the biggest in Australia). It’s a great way for the community to recycle their books and support a great cause!

 

Nieuwe Bibliotheek (New Library) in Almere, Netherlands

Faced with declining visitors, traditional methods of library organisation were discarded in 2010 and a retail model was followed. Books are now grouped by area of interest with fiction and non fiction combined and many face-out displays. The library is a Seats2meet (S2M) location where people connect with each other in exchange for a free workspace. It also has a gaming facility, a reading garden and a large events program. And of course it has a café! It is now considered one of the most innovative libraries in the world and is the most successful cultural organisation in Almere – showing that “a physical public library has a right to exist in the future and will not disappear by increasing digitization and the internet” (Roy Paes).

http://www.shareable.net/blog/how-a-new-dutch-library-smashed-attendance-records

 

Ebook readers on the way out

Forrester Research World eReader Adoption Forecast 2014-2019 predicts the death of the eReader as its functions are absorbed by other devices such as smartphones and tablets. Global sales peaked in 2011 but will decline steadily through 2019. Why carry another device? Ebook spending will continue to grow. Kindles have great battery life, but even Amazon will invest in newer devices like wearables, 3D printers and drones.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/technology/ereaders-wearables-endangered-species/story-e6frgakx-1226976266208?nk=26a8c2b5d63817978c49aef08dca9819

http://bit.ly/1zqOkto

 

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon has launched its Kindle Unlimited ebook & audiobook subscription service, following its US debut in July. It will have an emphasis on bestsellers with unlimited access to more than 650 000 ebooks and 2000 audiobooks for eight pounds per month. Authors will be paid each time someone reads more than 10% of one of their books (roughly $2 per unit). http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/sep/24/amazon-kindle-unlimited-ebooks-uk

 

“The fate of our literary culture is sealed” – Will Self

Deep, serious reading and writing is under threat from the digital revolution – it is clear, however, that digital media and the web will lead to new forms of learning, memory, understanding and even consciousness. The majority of the text currently read in the technologically advanced world is already digitised – the book is in “desperate, riffling retreat” and half of today’s revenue from British book sales goes to Amazon. We no longer have to rely on our memories to analyse or find new information – we have outsourced our mental operations to algorithms owned by money-making companies such as Google et al.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/oct/03/fate-literary-culture-sealed-internet-will-self

Categories
books libraries popular culture

Happy Book Week 16-22 August

Here are some interesting sites celebrating books and reading (college/high school focus):

The Children’s Book of the Year Awards

http://cbca.org.au/awards.htm

Australian Independent Bookseller – good books and bestsellers in Australia.

http://www.indies.com.au/

Top 100 books – all good reads.

http://www.angusrobertson.com.au/top-100

LibraryReads – the top 10 adult books published each month as voted by library staff in the US.

http://libraryreads.org/

The greatest books – generated from over 50 other “best of” lists; favourite books of each decade; links to many other book lists and award sites.

http://thegreatestbooks.org/

100 best first lines from novels

http://americanbookreview.org/100bestlines.asp

Favourite opening lines from books

http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/the-best-100-opening-lines-from-books

Famous book quotes

http://www.pinterest.com/jerichobooks/famous-book-quotes/

50 literary quotes to start your day

http://shortlist.com/entertainment/books/50-literary-quotes-to-start-your-day-with

Popular science books

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/science

100 all-time greatest popular science books

http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/100-all-time-greatest-popular-science-books/

FableCroft – tune into Tehani Wessely’s publishing website for some great speculative fiction and the Cranky Ladies of History upcoming book.

Genrefluent – helping readers find the books they will love.

http://www.genrefluent.com/

Aurealis Awards – Australian awards for sc-fi, fantasy & horror fiction.

http://www.aurealisawards.com/finalists_winners.htm

Australian Women Writers – supporting and promoting books by Australian women

http://australianwomenwriters.com/

 

Categories
books ebooks iPads libraries literature

Indie Book Awards

Interesting to see the winners announced on 26 March, chosen by the independent booksellers of Australia (200 shops nationally)…

Indie Book Awards

The narrow road to the deep north by Richard Flanagan was voted as the booksellers’ favourite Australian book from last year and the winner of The Indie Book of the Year Award 2014.    

Category winners:

FICTION AWARD:

The narrow road to the deep north by Richard Flanagan (Random House Australia)

NON-FICTION AWARD:

Girt by David Hunt (Black Inc)

DEBUT FICTION AWARD:

Burial rites by Hannah Kent (Pan Macmillan Australia)

CHILDREN’S AWARD:

Kissed by the moon by Alison Lester (Penguin Australia)

http://www.indies.com.au/IndieAward.aspx

 

Current Indie Top 10 bestsellers include Burial rites, The fault in our stars, The blazing world, I quit sugar for life (!), The Rosie project, Beams falling….

http://www.indies.com.au/Default.aspx

 

Interesting/cute article in the Sunday paper last week (does anyone buy them anymore?) – iPad dad who won’t let his (2 and a half year old) son read books…and the mum who smuggles them in:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/the-ipad-dad-who-wont-let-son-read-books/story-fni0cx4q-1226868554082

The article included a comment by Sophie Higgins from Dymocks, who said the market for children’s books has felt no impact from tablets like the iPad. “Sales of children’s books last Christmas were up 11.4% in value, that’s huge growth, and that growth was consistent all year.”

Other interesting info in the article: 376 public libraries in NSW; 3.2 million members and 35 million visits in 2012. Yay for libraries!

 

 

Categories
ebooks libraries

ebooks at the National Library

Some info about finding ebooks available freely online through the National Library….

The National Library has a wide range of ebooks. For most of these you will need an NLA library card (apply online). A search for ebooks in eResources shows resources such as Ebsco ebooks; OECD iLibrary; Oxford Reference; Early English Books Online and titles in Gale Virtual Reference Library.

http://www.nla.gov.au/app/eresources/search/ebooks/?rows=10&start=0&context=ebooks

Many titles are also accessible in the NLA catalogue.

Ebooks: a guide to finding ebooks at the NLA: http://www.nla.gov.au/research-guides/ebooks

When you do a NLA catalogue search and hit enter, look for the Narrow Search option on the far right of the screen and choose E-resources. Choose All Online to get resources with online links, such as ebooks. Click on a title and login with your NLA library card. You can also find books digitised by the NLA in the catalogue by adding the delimiter “NLA digitised material” to your initial search. The catalogue also has links to titles that can be found in Google Books – what an excellent resource this is for accessing full text chapters of books to read online.

 

Currently there are 897 non fiction Ebsco ebooks in the NLA catalogue (search for ebscohost to see the complete list). Ebsco ebooks can be downloaded to your device and accessed for 5 days. Only one person at a time can view the Ebsco ebook. http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Search/Home?lookfor=ebscohost&type=all&limit%5b%5d=&submit=Find&filter%5b%5d=format:%22Book%22

Guide to using Ebsco ebooks: http://www.nla.gov.au/research-guides/ebooks/ebsco-ebooks