Author John Tate Talks @ Sutherland Library

Did you go along to the talk by John Tate? What did you think? The recent author talk by John Tate at Sutherland Library attracted some negative comments. Do you agree or disagree? Let us know.

Here's a wrap up of the talk by one of the Library staff here:
Berry Berry I and II were the topic for an entertaining look at the socio-political world as seen through the eyes of a former Shire resident. Last Saturday John Tate spoke at the Library on his reminiscences and views of the political world from local to international. Although his initial reason for putting pen to paper was to write and publish plays John Tate has instead been successful in print with two loosely autobiographical books. In order to illustrate his style John quoted and read extensively from both works.

If seen as an expression of personal and humourous views the intent is clear. The work is reflective and at the same time poses viewpoints to ponder. John admits that the content, particularly for Berry Berry 1, largely comes from his days in the Shire (until the age of 24) and his teaching career thus far. There were, of course, some moments which the entire audience could relate to, such as car trips taken with endless stops to see yet another scenic view! The audience were attentive and interested and sales of the book were made at the end. It is great to see locals returning to the Shire to share their experiences.
Let us know what you thought. Click on the link below to share your comments.

...And here's one to put in your diaries. Award winning local author Markus Zusak will be giving an author talk at Sutherland Library on 4 September at 7pm. More about this soon...

NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2007

The winners for the 2007 NSW Premier's Literary Awards on 29 May 2007 .

Christina Stead Prize for Fiction
Peter Carey, Theft: a Love Story

Douglas Stewart Prize for Non Fiction
Robert Hughes, Things I Didn't Know: a Memoir

Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry
John Tranter, Urban Myths: 210 Poems

Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature
Narelle Oliver, Home

Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature
Ursula Dubosarsky, The Red Shoe

See the full list of award winners and judges notes on shortlisted works on the arts/nsw web site.

$18,133 Raised During Library Book Sale!

That's right, the Library raised over $18,000 during our recent book sale - our best result ever!


Created with Paul's flickrSLiDR.


We're sending out a BIG thank you to all those who came along and bought something. The money raised will be put towards future library projects.

We hope you all enjoy your new purchases and hope to see you all again next year.

Library Week @ Menai Library

Help Menai Library celebrate Australian Library Week by joining us at one of our activities.

Library Week @ Menai Library

On Thursday 24th May from 9am to 12 noon, come and join us for a cuppa as part of Australia's Biggest Morning Tea in the Menai Library forecourt - and support the fight against cancer.

Have you ever wondered what we do with all those new books? Come and checkout What's Under Wraps on Friday 25th May at 11am where we will be unveiling a selection of new books.

How long have you lived in the Menai area? Reminisce over a display of historic photos of the area. Would you like your memories of the Menai area to be recorded for posterity? We invite you to tell us some of your memories of Menai and the surrounding area.

Are you feeling lucky? Enter our a guessing competition to win a jar of lollies or borrow a book to get an entry in our raffle. You could win a lovely hamper of goodies.

We look forward to seeing you in Library Week - Menai Staff

Library Week @ Caringbah Library

As you have probably picked up by reading the other library news items, Library Week is approaching fast! Caringbah has a few activities planned for library week, one of which is another What's Under Wraps. For those of you out there who weren't here last year, What's Under Wraps refers to an unveiling of some of the library's newest books. If you are interested in having a look at some of the library's newest books, come down to Caringbah Library on Wednesday the 23rd of May at 11am. We can guarantee you that we will have something for everyone!

The other events that we have planned for Library Week include a morning tea, a book chat and a couple of competitions. On Wednesday the 23rd of May at 10am, we encourage you to come along and have a cuppa while you chat about books and perhaps broaden your horizons. The two competitions that we have include a lolly guessing competion (in which borrowers will be invited to guess the number of lollies that are in a jar) and a raffle for a hamper, where every borrower is eligible for a free ticket.

Hope to see you in Library Week! - Caringbah staff.

Fiction Follies: May 2007

Fiction Follies is a monthly newsletter containing a selection of NEW fiction added to the collection of the Sutherland Shire Libraries. Click on the book title to reserve your copy.

New Mysteries

The hollow core by Leslie Horton
Behind closed doors, every family has its secrets. The Ingleby family must look to theirs, when Diane Ingleby is shot after a family outing. DI John Handsford and DS Kahlid Ali are called in to investigate and it soon emerges that Diane's husband, Maurice, is widely suspected to be the money behind the local branch of the BNP.

Down into darkness by David Lawrence
The naked body of a young woman is found hanging from a tree on a London roadside. Scrawled across her back, the words 'DIRTY GIRL'. Detective Sergeant Stella Mooney and the AMIP 5 squad are faced with a murder as baffling as it is chilling.

Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott
Dr Gillian Beer: 'This daring mystery tangles occult and scientific knowledge with obsessive love and hidden world events. It is wonderfully down to earth, and genuinely eerie. Once in, you are not likely to leave off reading until after the very last twist.'

The pact by Roberta Kray
From Publishers Weekly: Eve Weston's younger brother is in jail, her cancer-ridden father has committed suicide and she's been fired from her job for something she didn't do—then things get really complicated.

New Thrillers

Switchback by Matthew Klein
Timothy Van Bender takes other people’s money and plays the stock market. When he loses $24 million he has to lie, cheat, seduce and deceive to stay in business.

Fear by Jeff Abbott
From the bestselling author of 2005's critically acclaimed Panic, Fear is a gripping, timely, and entirely original thriller that will solidify award-winning author Jeff Abbott as the "latest master of the fine art of the page-turner". Booklist starred review.

Sign of the cross by Chris Kuzneski
The first victim is abducted in Italy then crucified over a thousand miles away. The next day, the same crime is repeated--this time in Asia and Africa. Three different continents but one brutal pattern: someone is reenacting the execution of Christ.

New War Fiction

Band of eagles by Frank Barnard
Continuing the brilliant World War Two fighter pilot series - this time the theatre of war is the incredible story of the Siege of Malta. Summer 1941. By turns brutal, funny, tragic and heroic here is a spellbinding tour de force, a brilliant sequel to the best-selling Blu Man Falling.

New Romance and Chicklit

Natural born charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
When millionaire Dean Robillard meets Blue Bailey, she couldn't be more down on her luck; her ex has stolen all her money and she's got no place to go. despite Dean's misgivings the two find themselves thrown together and soon Blue has moved into his home and is merrily turning his world upside down.

The egg race by Polly Williams
Having explored the pressures of new motherhood in The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy, Williams turns to the biological clock and the silly things it makes thirtysomething women do.

It’s not you, it’s me by Helen Dunne
32-year-old Holly Parker is a corporate investigator. Yet while she helps countless high profile companies to find their Mr Right For The Job, her personal life is littered with romantic disasters, men who dump her using the same tired old cliche, 'It's not you, it's me!

Sea of lost love by Santa Montefiore
Celestria meets an enigmatic stranger and confronts unwelcome truths about her family -- and about herself. Once she has done so, she is able to transform herself from selfish girl to mature woman and save the family home.

New fiction

Sweetheart season by Karen Joy Fowler
It's 1947 and America has once again made the world safe for democracy. A can-do optimism governs the land - nowhere more so than in America's heartland, the picture-perfect town of Magrit, Minnesota

A factory of cunning by Philippa Stockley
One freezing May morning, two veiled women step off the boat from Holland. They are on the run: a French lady, calling herself Mrs Fox, and her maid. Immoral and beautiful, Mrs Fox has always used men to support and amuse her, she manipulates others to survive.

Affinity by Sarah Waters
The New York Times Book Review, Nancy Willard: There are two kinds of mystery novels. The first gives us the crime and the clues; the guilty party is then unmasked and the mystery solved. In the other, the crime is solved but not the mystery, which arises from a dark corner of the human condition. Sarah Water’s remarkable second novel, Affinity, is both of these -- and also a wrenching love story.

You suck by Christopher Moore
Being dead sucks. Make that being undead sucks. Literally. Just ask Thomas C. Flood. Waking up after a fantastic night unlike anything he's ever experienced, he discovers that his girlfriend, Jody — the woman of his dreams — is a vampire. And surprise! Now he's one, too.

* Note, many descriptions of books are taken from the publishers synopsis and websites.

Have you recently seen an interesting book that we don’t have? Visit our web site to Suggest an Item for the Library's collection.

Author John Tate Talks About his Books @ Sutherland Library

Dr John TateSutherland Library invites you to join us for an entertaining talk by the author of 2 books inspired by his childhood experiences growing up in Sutherland Shire, as part of our Australian Library and Information week celebrations.

Berry Berry I, John Tate's first book, is a parody of life in a quiet leafy suburb of the Sutherland Shire. Following on from his first book, Berry Berry II provides a humourous insight into the political and social fabric of contemporary life in Australian society.

Berry Berry IIDr John Tate is a lecturer in politics at the School of Economics, Politics and Tourism, University of Newcastle. He lived in "Berry Berry" until the age of 24 during which time he keenly observed its inhabitants at close quarters.

Listen to and meet the author of Berry Berry I and II at Sutherland Library on Saturday May 26 at 2pm. There is no charge and you do not need to book - just show up!

Copies of both books will be available for purchase following the talk and I'm sure (if you ask him nicely!) that John will be happy to sign your copy.

Help us celebrate and check out our other Library Week events.

Library Book Sale is on Again

Sutherland Shire Libraries Annual Book Sale is on again. Come in to Sutherland Library from Friday 18 May until Sunday 20 May and grab yourself a bargain. Every year the book sale just seems to get bigger and bigger. There will be plenty to choose from with donations from the community and discards from the Library's collection providing a broad selection and with nothing over $5 there will be something for everyone.
  • Friday 18 May: 9.00am - 8.45pm
  • Saturday 19 May: 9.00am - 3.45pm
  • Sunday 20 May: 12.00pm - 3.45 pm
2006 Library Booksale
Don't miss our other Library Week Events!

What's Under Wraps this Time?

Last year we asked you What's Under Wraps? and invited you to be the first to see and borrow selected new books. Well, we're doing it again to celebrate Library and Information Week.

Between Saturday 19 May and Friday 25 May our branch libraries will be unwrapping a selection of new books - new authors, new recipes, new adventures!
Help us celebrate Library Week. Come on in and grab yourself a brand new book or get involved in one of our other Library Week events.