blog updates

It's been a while, but the Reference & Information Services, RISG-New Technologies, and Readers Advisory blogs have returned with a fresh face-lift & some new content.
With recent posts on cutting edge technologies in libraries, Storify, and e-readers and the national year of reading there is lots of information to share and learn from.

I'm looking forward to seeing what else there is in store from the RISG & RA crowds this year!

My year in tweets as a word cloud

http://yearinstatus.com/s/?1ocjmj99

movies based on ...... games, graphic novels, books ...... an incomplete list

This is purely for my own edification, you know, things to do to while away a lazy Monday afternoon when I really should be doing something else... Me? Procrastinate? Never!!

Movies based on games:

• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
• Doom (with a mix of live and game-based action)
• Super Mario Bros (ok, this was a serious flop)
• Halo (okay, so it's not out yet, but uit will be!! one day. I'm sure of it. True.......)

Movies based on comics / graphic novels:

• Sin City
• Daredevil
• Elektra
• Constantine
• Hulk
• Superman
• Batman
• Spiderman
• Ironman
• Conan
• X-Men / Wolverine
• Captain America
• Thor
• The Avengers
• Catwoman
• Ghost Rider
• Green Lantern
• Hellboy
• Judge Dredd
• V for Vendetta

Movies based on plays (ie, have Shakespeare, will travel):

• Hamlet
• Macbeth
• King Henry VIII
• A Midsommers Night Dream
• Much Ado About Nothing
• Romeo and Juliet
• etc, etc, etc

Movies based on books:

• Apocalypse Now (Heart of Darkness)
• Beastly
• I am Number Four
• Die Hard 4.0 (actually based on a Wired magazine article: "A Farewell to Arms" by John Carlin)
• Dune
• Bridge over Terabithia
• Tomorrow when the war began
• The Road
• No Country for Old Men
• Master & Commander: the far side of the world
• Caddie
• Careful He Might Hear You
• I can jump puddles
• For the term of his natural life
• The Shiralee
• Seven Little Australians
• The Searchers
• One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
• Catch 22
• The Colour of Magic
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• 20,000 leagues under the sea
• A Christmas Carol
• Bleak House
• David Copperfield
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame
• The Three Muskateers
• The Man in the Iron Mask
• The Count of Monte Christo
• Moby Dick
• The Name of the Rose
• Wuthering Heights
• Dracula
• Pride and Prejudice
• Sense and Sensibility
• The Jane Austen Book Club
• Harry Potter (series)
• We Were Soldiers
• War of the Worlds
• The Day of the Triffids
• The Vampire's Assistant (The saga of Darren Shan / Cirque du Freak)
• The Saint
• Toy Soldiers
• Stormbreaker
• Peter Pan
• A Series of Unfortunate Events
• Out of Africa
• Gorillas in the Mist
• Battlestar Galactica
• Jurassic Park
• The Andromeda Strain
• Outbreak
• The 13th Warrior (Eaters of the Dead)
• Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?)
• I am Legend
• I, Robot
• Total Recall
• 1984
• The Firm
• The Pelican Brief
• Carrie
• Pet Sematery
• The Shining
• James Bond (series)
• Watership Down
• Force 10 from navarrone
• Where Eagles Dare
• The Great Escape
• The Dam Busters
• The Missing
• The Last of the Mohicans
• The War Wagon
• True Grit
• Rooster Cogburn
• They Were Expendable
• Red River
• Rio Grande
• North to Alaska
• Hatari
• Commancheros
• The Shootist
• The Undefeated
• The Green Berets
• E Dorado (John Wayne / Robert Mitchum)
• In Harm's Way
• The Sons of Katie Elder
• The Longest Day
• The Odd Angry Shot
• Mister Roberts
• The Hunt for Red October
• Hart's War
• Stalag 17 (also, Hogan's Heroes TV series which was based on the movie based on the book)
• Full Metal Jacket
• Empire of the Sun
• The Eagle has Landed
• D-Day
• A Bridge Too Far
• Zulu
• Breaker Morant (Shoot Straight You Bastards)
• The Bridges at Toki-Ri
• Black Hawk Down
• The Blue Max
• ANZIO
• Anne of Green Gables
• The Bourne series
• Coraline
• Limitless

..... and they're just the ones I could think of this afternoon, there's sure to be more.

Gets me thinking though, about movies based on songs, movies born from TV series (eg. S.W.A.T., Doctor Who, and so on), movies based on a poem (The Man from Snowy River) .............. mmmm, ..........curious.

Biblio Turismo 2011 road trip

"Biblio Turismo is the NSW public library event of the year when librarians from across the state meet and visit public libraries over a three day period. We do it on motorbikes and use the event to help market public libraries. All those working in the library industry and their partners are invited to come."

Biblio Turismo went on its first ride in 2006 and since then has visited (2006) Springwood; Bathurst; Orange; Cowra; Cootamundra; Tumut; Tumbarumba; Corryong; Holbrook; Wagga Wagga; Gundaroo; (2007) Engadine; Corrimal; Bowral; Ulladulla; Bateman's Bay; Narooma; Bombala; Eden; Merimbula; Tathra; Bermagui; Nowra; Kiama; (2008) Gosford; Maitland; Gloucester; Tamworth; Armidale; Dorrigo; Bellingen; Coffs Harbour; Nambucca Heads; Stuarts Point; Taree; Forster; (2009) Singleton; Denman; Mudgee; Wellington; Dubbo; Parkes; Forbes; Eugowra; Canowindra; Blaney; Bathurst; Katoomba; (2010) Campbelltown; Mittagong; Goulburn; Braidwood; Queanbeyan; Canberra; Tidbinbilla; Cooma; and Thredbo libraries. 

 

(the 2011 Biblio shirt)

This year (Dec 1-3) I joined the 'mild ones' as they set out to visit Cessnock; Muswellbrook; Scone; Gunnedah; Manilla; Walcha; Wauchope; Port Macquarie; Nabiac; Raymond Terrace; Tomaree; and Shoal Bay libraries.  
I also tweeted the event (a first for biblio apparently - http://storify.com/CatyJ/biblioturismo2011 also http://storify.com/CatyJ/road-trip) and kept my family fully informed of my progress via Facebook (always good to keep in touch!)...... At each library I was sure to be the one running straight to a PAC asking "can I log on?".....

Riding down from Grafton I got as far as Bulahdelah before stopping for the night (beating a torrential thunderstorm by only minutes). I have to say the Bulahdelah Motor Lodge is a friendly spot, they offered to let me park my m50 in their locked garage overnight keeping it well out of the rain and safe and secure. The motel restaurant is also out of this world (I recommend the gnocci & prawns in blue cheese sauce followed by the home-made sticky date pudding).

I left Bulahdelah the next morning in the pouring rain and headed in to Cessnock where I planned to meet the rest of the Biblio Turismo crew. This year it consisted of Alan Flores (Gosford), Alan Arnold (Campbelltown), Leon Alavoine (Blacktown), Ian McCallum & Sherrey Quinn (ACT), Ross Balharrie (State Library) & myself (Coffs Harbour). Thankfully along the way the weather cleared and when I finally turned up at Cessnock Library (well before everyone else) I was more than happy to remove my "Michelin Man" wet weather gear (aka 'the pool liner').

 Cessnock Library provided our first ever Biblio Cake!!

Rose-Marie offered that I could bring my bike into the library foyer where she would also be setting up morning tea for us - so I did. When the rest of biblio turned up Alan brought his Ducati inside too and then decided to try out what it feels like to sit on a "real" bike!!

(now Alan, this is a real bike!)

From Cessnock we headed out to Muswellbrook. Now according to the map, the plan, and the instructions we were travelling via Denman. I must've double, triple & quadruple checked this with Alan before we left........ anyway, I went via Denman, everyone else followed Alan and hurtled straight up the highway....... Mind you, they did hold off on eating lunch at Muswellbrook Library until I got there which I though was nice of everyone.


At Muswellbrook Ross left us and returned to Sydney whilst the rest of us took a quick jaunt up the highway to Scone Library for more tea, coffee, and cake - trust me, you can never have enough cake!  

(Scone Library)

The original plan from Scone to Gunnedah had been to ride via Caroona, Spring Ridge, Premer, Tambar Springs, and Mullaley. Given the heavy rainfall and road closures of the week before it was decided to simply head straight up from Scone to Gunnedah via Quirindi. This was a good plan and managed to put us back on schedule (with some creative riding thrown in for good measure).


I love these roads. Turning left off the highway at Willow Tree saw us move on to some lovely open pavement with sweeping bends and little traffic. Perfect. Ian & Sherrey hurtled ahead to make sure someone got to Gunnedah Library before they closed. As it was we ended up arriving fairly close to each other and well in time for Alan to bring his Ducati into the library and read the kids a delightful story - "Once upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude". The ensuing line up of kids to have their photo taken on Alan's Ducati seemed endless!!


After locating our various accommodations we then met up at the Courthouse Hotel for drinks, dinner, and good conversation. By the end of the evening though the weather had turned decidedly chilly and a touch on the breezy side - a portent of what the next day would bring.


Meeting again outside Gunnedah Library the next morning we were all fueled up and rearing to go. So we headed up the Oxley past Carroll and then turned north towards Manilla, skirting around Lake Keepit and leaning into that cool southerly wind tearing across the Manilla plains. A short ride later we arrived at Manilla Library well ahead of time and happy. Alan once again motored his Ducati into the library and was content.

 

(Manilla Library)

From Manilla we began the trek to Walcha Library via Tamworth - so that Alan could fuel up, having a bike with a range of 125kms certainly provided the rest of us with much mirth. After a brief pause at the Moonbi Roadhouse, we then headed up the Moonbi's to Bendemeer and then right onto Walcha Road and through the ranges to Walcha Library where we were met with a much appreciated hot lunch. At this point I was feeling the chill factor and dashed across the road to Vinnies to stock up on some extra layers - which I was rather grateful for later on.

(Walcha Library)

Leaving Walcha we trundled along at a steady pace as we waited for Alan to catch up to us, which he finally did at the Apsley Falls turn off (it would have been nice to stop for a look but we were on a fairly tight schedule). After a brief pause at Gingers Creek (where I donned my wet weather gear again - more for the added protection from the cold than the threatening rain) we then continued down Walcha Mountain. This is where the others moved ahead. I'll be the first to admit I lack confidence on mountain bends. I love them but I'm also rather cautious around them. I guess having had a few near misses with oncoming trucks over the years has added to my caution. The addition of numerous roadworks featuring loose gravel also slowed things down a bit. ......... Bottom line though, it was a great ride!

(Jim Maguire documenting the evidence of a Ducati in one of his libraries)

I finally arrived at Wauchope Library an hour later than scheduled but all in one piece and fairly close behind everyone else (Ian & Sherry had arrived at 4:30 so I didn't feel too badly being only 20 minutes behind them). Jim Maguire met us there with tea, coffee, and some scrumptious carrot cake while Alan again manoeuvred his bike into the library.  Earlier in the day Ross had a replied to a tweet of mine making the comment that 'the Ducati has been in more libraries than popular fiction titles' - this is oh, so true. (I vaguely remember visiting Wauchope Library as a small child in both its previous locations. I also mentioned to Jim that I'd also done my Year10 work experience at Port Macquarie Library in its original location. I was certainly on some home territory here.)


After Wauchope I left biblio and rode to Taree (for the best & quietest night's sleep I'd had in ages) while they headed to Port Macquarie for the night and then on to Nabiac, Raymond Terrace, Tomaree, and Shoal Bay Libraries the next day. 


On Saturday morning after a relaxed morning spent chatting with my parents I then headed home to Grafton. Just north of Kew I passed the biblio crew heading south. I waved and wished them well.


I had a great biblio. By the time I arrived home I was exhausted but happy and felt I could do it all again in a flash - once you get on the bike and start going all the tiredness just melts away. Nothing beats it.


Already the planning for Biblio Turismo 2012 has started as Alan begins to plot and scheme a trip down south and across the border into Victoria. 2013 will hopefully see everyone head up north towards Byron Bay (I have my fingers crossed for this one as there are some great bike roads up here) and I dare say 2014 is shaping up for a visit to Western Australia (why the heck not?!). Already I'm working out whether to put the bike on the Indian Pacific and train across or fly to Perth and hire something. It's contagious this bike trip stuff. Darwin anyone??

Happy Biblio Turismo 2011 one and all - see you next year!

Vale - Anne McCaffrey (1926 - 2011)

It was with great sadness that I learned today of the death, at 85, of Anne McCaffrey on November 21 in Ireland.
McCaffrey introduced me to the world of Pern, to dragonriders, to crystal singers, to a world of wonder and delight. I devoured Anne McCaffrey's books with relish and often returned to them time again to revisit old friends and take comfort in their worlds. My battered copy of  The Crystal Singer (1982) once was new but now shows many reads, as do my remaining few copies of titles from the Pern series.
Whilst I may have moved on to other fantasy authors and explored new worlds with them I nonetheless owe a huge debt to McCaffrey for first feeding my burgeoning teenage love of fantasy fiction and providing a balance to my reading. At the same time I was first reading about Pern I was also devouring tales of Middle Earth and The Land, McCaffrey helped counter the huge landscapes and epic tales of Tolkein and Donaldson with shorter, often bittersweet tales of dragons and acceptance and discovering oneself in the larger community.
She is greatly missed.

#readit2011 - #goreads in June

Throughout June the #readit2011 theme has been travel, using the hashtag #goreads.

Added to this has been the further challenge to the #readit2011 team of stepping up to blog every day of June.

And what a challenge it has been!

Jenn ( @wateryone) summed it up pretty much with her tweet

blogging every day this month with the #readit2011 team made me realise how many different types of journeys and travels there are! #goreads

It has also been a wonderful journey of its own. Challenging in working together to ensure that posts are up each day, exciting considering the nature of travel and all its forms - fiction and nonfiction (ooh, and games!), and rewarding - at the end of the day each of us has come away with a deeper understanding of each other, ourselves, our shared experiences, and how the idea of 'travel' or 'travelling' can be applied to so many forms of expression - from travel guides, to cook books, from console games, to movies, from verbal narrative, to journeys of the soul.
 
My favourite post? Mmmmm, I really can't pick just one, they all offered so much. I will admit though it was fun to use the challenge as an excuse to write a post involving Halo: combat evolved. Ellen had written an earlier post touching on game-play but I knew I could slot one in referencing both that and Star Wars. Cheeky but fun!
 
I've really enjoyed this month. Even though making sure we had a post to go each day and using a googledoc to track who was doing what had its moments, in the end it worked and it showed that with just a little organisation and committment we can pull it off. I don't think I could have personally committed to blogging every single day but being able to share the workload made it so much more achievable and allowed the converstaions to flow in exciting ways. Being responsible for maybe 5 or 6 posts was something I could handle (along with all my other committments) and being able to use the blog's functions to draft them and schedule their publication meant I could write when I had the chance, reducing a lot of the pressure.
 
I look back on this month and I think I can say with all honesty "we done good". Congratulations team.

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Stuff

One of the cool things about Twitter is the way you quite simply stumble upon some absolute gems - this is a video from Phil Bradley (UK) http://youtu.be/HECUTJ-BCpY which I stumbled upon via a tweet from Aaron Tay which first sent me to The Infectious Library blog and then on to the YouTube link.

The gist of Phil's talk to CLIPWALES links 11 social media resources which libraries need to use more to 11 Dr Who regenerations. It's a great list, a great video, and an engaging way of remembering what we should be trying to do - going where the conversations are.

And before I forget ................ #readit2011

The #readit2011 Twitter reading fest has been an amazing journey so far. All the details can be found here - http://readit2011.wordpress.com/ - and here - http://readersadvisory.wetpaint.com/page/2011+Twitter+Reading+Group

Not to mention the shirts you can buy the shirts from RedBubble here - http://www.redbubble.com/explore/readit2011

There are plans afoot to continue the love next year too in conjunction with the National Year of Reading and make it bigger and better and broader and bookier!! .............. is that a word? You get what I mean, I'm just a tad excited about it all.

Now, I'd best be off to update my reading challenge list on the RA wiki .............................

And now for something completely different.......... #risg2011

Last Tuesday, May 24th, was the annual Reference @ The Metcalfe seminar, #risg2011.

The day had an exciting line-up, including David Lee King (via skype), Craig Thomler, Mitchell Whitelaw, Paul Hagon, and Ross Balharrie. Not to mention Megan Pitt doing her bit to showcase CNRL's fabulous CWA Country of Study webpage. Plus loads more.

All the details and presentations can be found here.

I missed attending this day in person, but thoroughly enjoyed following the action via twitter. A huge bonus has been the ability to view the Twapperkeeper stats and feed after the event to catch up on those moments when I wasn't shackled to my desk following the twitterstream.

As always a huge thank you to the RISG team for putting this event together and especially to Ellen Forsyth (@ellenforsyth) for all the hardwork she puts in when the rest of us simply can't make it to the post.