If you're young, listen up!

Many readers and members of Hurstville City Library may remember Rong Liang - our first ever Youth Liaison Officer. Rong recently relocated to Melbourne with her family which meant we had to go in search of a new Youth Liaison Officer. Along came Stuart Barber. Stuart brings to the LMG extensive experience as a Youth Coordinator as well as fantastic artistic and programming skills. Stuart has already ‘hit’ the library floor to chat with young people. We caught up with Stuart to ask about his new role and all the exciting activities and events he’ll be working on over the next few months.

What are the secrets to being a good youth worker?

Well, I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you it’s the Youth Worker Code, kind of like a Ninja... But seriously, listening to young people, showing respect and a genuine interest in the types of issues faced by young people all help in being a good youth worker. We’re not convinced, tell us more Patience and some empathy are also pretty useful at times too!

How can you help young people using the LMG?

I can help with basic stuff, such as finding resources and using the library space and equipment. I am also really keen to help develop the services for young people here at the LMG. I want young people to put forward ideas to make the LMG even more useful and engaging for them, and look forward to hearing feedback and suggestions I’m always happy to chat and ready to listen.

What do young people have to look forward to over the next few months?

The team and I are currently planning a series of events and support sessions for the HSC, including subject lectures, dedicated study spaces for HSC students and skills sessions to help you stress less at exam time. We are also gearing up to start offering writing workshops and plenty of other fun, creative projects. Again, we want these to be the best programs they can be - input from young people is vital. We want to hear from you!

What’s one piece of advice you’d share with a young person?

Do the best you can, try not to stress too much, treat people how you would wish to be treated and you’ll be fine! Stuart is currently roaming the library floor in search of young people to assist and chat to. If you see him, say ‘hi’.

So you want to volunteer?

To celebrate National Volunteer Week 2010 (10-16 May) we sat down with JP and asked him to tell us a little about himself and about volunteering at Hurstville City Library. JP came to the LMG via St George Sutherland Community College. At the time, the library was moving from a manual computer booking system to the new self service system. The LMG receives a large number of volunteer requests and JP stood out for his excellent customer service skills, Information Technology (IT) background, and willingness to assist staff.

Tell us a little about yourself

I was a recent arrival to Australia, and by profession I am a software engineer. I hoped to start a new career in Australia. I live in the St George area and enjoy the cultural diversity here.

What made you want to volunteer at the LMG?

Hurstville City Library is one of the busiest libraries in the St George area. It is not only equipped with a huge number of public computers but also provides many services to the community. Being a resident nearby, I’ve always wanted to contribute to the community and learn to work in a multicultural environment like the library, especially in the IT area. I was lucky to be introduced by St George and Sutherland Community College and in a short time had the opportunity to volunteer in the library.

What skills make a good volunteer?

A good volunteer should perform tasks with dedication and respect. Meeting the needs of LMG customers is so important. Volunteers need to be ethical, honest and well meaning when dealing with customers. What do you enjoy most about volunteering? Volunteering is one way to participate in the local community and to gain work experience. The thing I enjoyed most was the knowledge and skills learnt from the library staff. Library staff are helpful, patient and always willing to share their knowledge. Also, I’ve greatly improved my communication skills since I joined up as a volunteer.

What advice would you give anyone interested in volunteering?

Always be willing to learn and ask for guidance from the staff, and be ready to provide assistance to the staff at any time when required. Always share the knowledge you have with others.

NOTE: JP was recently appointed the Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery’s new Intranet/IT Facilitator. Congratulations, JP! To volunteer at Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery, go to: http://lmg.hurstville.nsw.gov.au/Become-a-volunteer.html

History of Internet in 8 minutes

"History of the internet" is an animated documentary explaining the inventions from time-sharing to filesharing, from Arpanet to Internet. The history is told using the PICOL icons, which are available on picol.org. You can get news about this project on blog.picol.org.

Voice-over by Steve Taylor http://voice-pool.com You can get more information on this movie at http://www.lonja.de/motion/mo_history... or on the PICOL-Project site where you can download a pre-release of the icons. http://blog.picol.org/

Love is in the...library shelves?

Libraries have long harboured both emerging information technologies and casual infatuation. Now, thanks to a university library based social networking site in the UK, the people you fancy on the other side of the Quiet Study Area may become more than the idle fantasy you have been cultivating as a welcome distraction from studying...um, what was I studying again?

There's a reason that so many people visit our libraries throughout the year. And clearly, it's love.

Ray Martin coming to Hurstville

Ray Martin will be speaking about his extrordinary life and signing copies of his recent autobiography "Stories of my life." Hurstville City Library, cnr Queens rd and Dora Street Hurstville. Friday 30th April from 12pm. This is a free event. Bookings are essential phone 9330.6142

Coming soon Non Fiction DVDs and Music CDs

New titles for Non-fiction DVDs and a selection of music CDs will be available soon and are free for library members to borrow. Take a look at a small selection of titles below.

Non Fiction DVDS

• Elders with Andrew Denton series 1 and series 2
  
• Battlefield Mysteries - four part series containing war footage that uncovers the truth behind histories most significant battles.
  
• Grand Designs - the complete series 1, 2 and 3
  
• Inside the Vatican -a two-part documentary looking at everday life inside the Vatican

Music CDs

• Ocean Eyes - Owl City
  
• The E.N.D. - The Black Eyed Peas
  
• Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
  
• Songs from the Last Century - by George Michael
  
• Mao's Last Dancer - (Soundtrack)
  
• Putumayo Presents Rhythm & Blues
  
• Quiet Nights by Diana Krall
  

New Fiction at the Library

Great news, look what has just arrived at the Library get in early and make your reservations.

Jodi Picoult - House rules
Mystery Fiction

Lee child - 61 Hours
Suspense Fiction

Danielle Steel - Big Girl
Domestic Drama

Andy McNab - Drop Zone
Suspense Fiction

Linda Fairstein - Hell Gate
Mystery Fiction

Mary Higgins Clark -The shadow of your smile
Mystery Suspense Fiction

Karen Robards - Shattered
Romantic Suspense Fiction

For all these titles and many more please check Library Website.

DJ Jake @ Hurzi Mix

Join Jake Ribarovski as he DJs at Hurzi Mix - an under 18s dance party. The event, run by Hurstville City Council, is part of celebrations for Youth Week 2010. Full details are avaialble via the Council website. Meanwhile, check out a video of Jake in action.
Source: St George & Sutherland Shire Leader

Take our online services survey

Updated: 19/04/10 Survey closed. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Here at Hurstville Library, Museum and Gallery we like to know what our customers think about us. We also like to know what new things you are interested in so we can better prepare and deliever services to you.

So here is an opportunity to help shape the future of your Library, Museum and Gallery's online services. Click here to take our survey. This small survey is anonymous, easy and open to both member and non-members of the Library, Museum and Gallery. So tell us what you think today, we are listening.

New Books in Large Print

The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick Botanist Lucinda Bromley can detect almost any type of poison, especially ones that originate in the botanical kingdom. At the investigation scene of a murdered lord, she picks up traces of a poison containing a species of fern found only in her conservatory. To try and find the real murderer, Lucinda hires Arcane Society member Caleb Jones - and together they are drawn into a dangerous and deadly conspiracy.


Wild Goose Chase: a Quilting Mystery by Terri Thayer A computer techie by trade, Dewey Pellicano would rather swallow needles than be pinned down to a life of quilting. But when her mother passes away, Dewey must learn the quilting business as the new proprietor of Quilter Paradiso. During a national quilt show, quilting celebrity Claire Armstrong offers to buy the shop, but before Dewey can accept, she finds the famous quilter lying dead on the floor.


The Secret River by Kate Grenville Winner of the Orange prize for fiction. Following a childhood marked by poverty and petty crime in the slums of London, William Thornhill is sentenced in 1806 to be transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. He arrives with his wife and children to the harsh land of the infant Sydney town. Among the convicts, the word is that lush land can be claimed by the Hawkesbury River and as Thornhill and family stake their land, battle lines between old and new settlers are drawn.



A Good Woman by Danielle Steel Annabelle Worthington was born into a life of privilege in New York. But the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 altered her world forever. Finding strength within her grief, Annabelle pours herself into volunteer work, nursing the poor, igniting a passion for medicine that will shape the course of her life.




Petals in the Wind by Christina Green Leaving the bustle of London behind to return home to Dartmoor after the death of her father, Alison Bourne finds her stepmother Julia has unwelcome plans for her childhood home.

Walkley Award Winners at the Library

The Walkley Award for Best Australian Non-fiction Book is awarded as part of the annual Walkley awards for excellence in journalism.
Walkley Foundation website

Graham Freudenberg, Churchill and Australia, 2009 Winner
Churchill was a titan of the 20th century, universally acknowledged as one of the greatest leaders of his age. Yet his relationship with Australia was a fraught one, tainted by the military failure of the Gallipoli campaign in WWI and the disaster of Singapore in WWII.

2009 Runners Up included:

Peter Hartcher To The Bitter End: The Dramatic Story of the Fall of John Howard and the Rise of Kevin Rudd

On 24 November, 2007 Australia changed its government. Peter Hartcher explores in dramatic detail the downfall of John Howard and the rise of Kevin Rudd.

Jenny Hocking, Gough Whitlam: A Moment in History
This first volume of the biography of Gough Whitlam covers the early years of his life up until Labor's 1972 election win."--Provided by publisher.

Mary-Rose MacColl, The Birth Wars
There is a secret war going on in Australia. It is a war of technology versus nature; of 'mechanics' against 'organics'. On one side is the traditional medical establishment and the obstetricians; on the other are midwives and natural birth practitioners.

Iain McCalman, Darwin’s Armada
Recounts the intertwined sea voyages in the southern hemisphere of four men - Charles Darwin, Thomas Huxley, Joseph Hooker and Alfred Wallace - who combed the world for evidence of evolution by natural selection.

Sally Neighbour, The Mother of Mohammed
Born and raised in Mudgee, Rabiah Hutchinson seems an unlikely jihadist. But this former country girl is a veteran of the global holy war. To Western intelligence analysts she is "the matriarch of radical Islam" Sally Neighbour explores this mysterious black-veiled woman, with the broad Australian accent and fiery Scottish temperament, who has Western governments so unnerved.

By the cover

As much as we all should not do it, we all end up doing it. Thus. the cover of a book really should be something all publishers put some thought into and dollars behind. Over at wellmedicated.com they have a love post of 45 beautifully designed book covers. You might even see some covers we have in our collection.