Overdrive eBooks and Audiobooks - Website Update

Users of the Library's Overdrive eBooks and Audiobooks will notice a change during the week beginning 11 March to the way they access and download digital books.

The existing Overdrive website is being redesigned.


Overdrive have redesigned our website to make finding and reading audiobooks and eBooks easier and to improve the experience on mobile phones and small screen devices.

The update to our Overdrive website includes “One-Step Checkout”, OverDrive Read (reading eBooks in the browser), and many search and navigation improvements.

Watch a Video Overview

This video from Overdrive introduces the changes and new features that will be implemented in the new design.



A Warning to users of Internet Explorer

The Next Generation digital library website makes use of modern web technologies, which are not supported by some versions of Internet Explorer. Users of Internet Explorer 7 may want to change to a modern browser such as Firefox or Chrome. Otherwise they will be prompted to install the Chrome Frame plug-in. The plug-in is free and only takes a few seconds to install. 

Users of IE 8 & 9 who wish to read eBooks in their browser (Overdrive Read) will also need to switch another browser or be prompted to install the Chrome Frame plug-in.

iBLURB Kids Fiction 3

Quote: 'Reading aloud with children is known to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read'  - Marilyn Jager Adams

Stella by the Sea  by Ruth Starke
Shortlisted  2004
Stella Seaton longs to live in an ordinary house, with an ordinary backyard. Instead, she lives in a luxury penthouse at the top of Bayview Tower with her mum and dad. When Stella finds the perfect girl-sized playhouse -- and tries to make it hers -- how far will she go to become an ordinary girl in her extraordinary world? Grades 3-6

Shortened version
Pollyanna  by Eleanor H. Porter adapted & illustrated by Marion Leighton  The whole town is playing the game, and the whole town is wonderfully happier—and all because of one little girl who taught the people a new game, and how to play it. Suddenly orphaned, Pollyanna is sent across the country to a small town in Vermont, where she will live with her strict Aunt Polly. But Pollyanna doesn't seem to notice how stern and unfeeling her aunt really is. When feeling unhappy, she simply plays her 'glad' game—finding a silver lining in every dark cloud. Eventually, Pollyanna brightens the lives of everyone in town with her infectious game, and finds a home for every stray cat, dog, and child she encounters. But then a terrible accident happens and Pollyanna can't find anything to feel glad about anymore. All of her new friends turn out to support her, but will that be enough to restore Pollyanna's cheerful outlook on life?   (This is the book I dragged to my grandparents every school holidays, it drove them nutso! When the going gets tough, I still secretly play the ‘glad game’ Shhhhh!)  Also in the Original classic text version, the abridged text version, DVD and CD audiobook.

Captain Mack by James Roy
Honour Book 2005
Honour Book 2000
When Captain Mack is released from his prison camp at the end of the war, no one is quite sure what to expect, least of all his son Billy. Will he be the same man who went off to war so full of hope and pride, or will he be different? Will he even remember his own children? Or will his painful experiences on the dreaded railway have changed him forever? In this prequel to the powerful Billy Mack's War, acclaimed author James Roy takes us on a journey back to 1945, to a time when the world was trying to recover after five years of war, and families were learning how to live together all over again.  (These are both time-split novels - learn about our past through a shared conversation with a veteran soldier and his concerned son. Excellent!)

Just for Fun:
What does the Cranky Clam use to call up his friends?  

A Shellular Phone!

85th Academy Awards, 2013: Book Adaptations

The 85th Academy Awards feature a number of movies based on book adaptations! Request and read this selection of books that inspired the movies; all available from the Library.


The Pirates: Band of Misfits.
 Based on the first two books in the series, this movie is nominated for best animated feature film. Request and watch the movie and read the book (you can request them both from the Library).  Which do you prefer, the book or the movie?







Lincoln:  With twelve nominations, this movie is based on the latter part of  'Team of Rivals' by Doris Kearns Goodwin.  This brilliant multiple biography is centered on Lincoln's mastery of men and how it shaped the most significant presidency in the nation's history.




The debut novel 'The Silver Linings Playbook' by Matthew Quick has resulted in a movie adaptation nominated in numerous categories.   Australian Jackie Weaver is nominated for best supporting actress. Request the book from the Library and discover the original story behind the movie.



 


 The movie 'Argo' has been nominated for seven 
Academy  Awards.  Request the book, (released to tie in with the movie)  Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History by Antonio Mendez from the Library,  to discover some interesting and amazing details not found in the movie.





Winner of the 2002 Manbooker prize, 'Life of Pi' by Yann Martel is now a movie as well, with eleven nominations, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Visual Effects.  Request a copy of the book from the Library and tell us- did you  prefer the book or movie?





 A tale of injustice, heroism and love,  the latest movie adaptation of  the novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo has eight nominations. Request and read the inspiration behind the movie (the book of course) from the Library. You can also request a copy of the movie  Les Miserables (2012).


 Nominated for three awards, 'The Hobbit-An unexpected journey' is just the first of three movies being adapted from the  much loved classic book 'The Hobbit- or There and back again' by J.R. R. Tolkien.  Request and read the original story from the Library!






Described by William Faulkner as the best novel ever written,  and by Fyodor Dostoevsky as 'Flawless', what other reasons do you need to request and read a copy of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy? The movie adaptation has four nominations including:  Best Cinematography; Best Costume Design; Best Music (Original Score); Best Production Design Costumes.


'Hitchcock', is based on Alfred Hitchcock and the making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello. A non-fiction  book,  it details every aspect of the making of Hitchcock's famous 1960 thriller  Psycho (you can  request this movie from the Library!).








Kon-Tiki – Best Foreign Feature; based on Kon-Tiki: By raft across the South Seas  by Thor Heyerdahl. Request and read about this true chronicle of six men who undertook a daring journey across the Pacific to prove a theory.






 You can also request the movie - A Royal Affair nominated for Best Foreign Feature; based on the Dais novel Prinsesse af blodet by Bodil Steensen-Leth, from the Library.

Keep Reading: Romantic Comedy


A book like no other, this delighfully quirky tale is full of laughs and charm.
 Read these opening paragraphs  to see if you would like to keep reading this book...


 I may have found a solution to the Wife Problem. As with so many scientific breakthroughs, the answer was obvious in retrospect. But had it not been for a series of unscheduled events, it is unlikely I would have discovered it.

The sequence was initiated by Gene insisting I give a lecture on Asperger's syndrome that he had previously agreed to deliver himself. The timing was extremely annoying. The preparation could be time-shared with lunch consumption, but on the designated evening I had scheduled ninety-four minutes to clean my bathroom. I was faced with a choice of three options, none of them satisfactory.

1. Cleaning the bathroom after the lecture, resulting in loss of sleep with a consequent reduction in mental and physical performance.
2. Rescheduled the cleaning until the followingTuesday, resulting in an eight-day period of compromised bathroom hygiene and consequent risk of disease.
3. Refusing to deliver the lecture, resulting in damage to my friendship with Gene.

I presented the dilemma to Gene, who as usual, had an alternative solution.

'Don, I'll pay someone to clean your bathroom.'

I explained to Gene -again- that all cleaners, with the possible exception of the Hungarian woman with the short skirt, made errors. Short-skirt Woman, who had been Gene's cleaner, had disappeared following some problem with Gene and Claudia.

'I'll give you Eva's mobile number. Just don't mention me.'
'What if she asks? How can I answer without mentioning you?'
'Just say you're contacting her because she's  the only cleaner who does it properly. And if she mentions me, say nothing.'

This was an excellent outcome, and an illustration of Gene's ability to find solutions to social problems. Eva would enjoy having her competence recognised and might even suit a permanent role, which would free up an average of three hundred and sixteen minutes per week in my schedule.


To keep reading this book request it from the Library

Stella Prize Long List, 2013


The long list for the inaugural Stella Prize, 2013,  has been announced. As you may be aware, the Stella Prize is a  new major literary award for Australian women's writing, with a $50,000 prize being awarded to the winner. 

2013 Long List
Floundering by Romy Ash 
Mazin Grace by Dylan Coleman 
The Burial by Courtney Collins
 The People Smuggler by Robin de Crespigny 

Questions of Travel  by Michelle de Kretser 

Sufficient Grace by Amy Espeseth 

The Sunlit Zone by Lisa Jacobson 

Like a House on Fire by Cate Kennedy 

Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan 

The Mind of a Thief by Patti Miller 

An Opening by Stephanie Radok 

Mateship with Birds by Carrie Tiffany 
The judges will announce the shortlist on Wednesday 20 March, and winners will be announced in Melbourne, Tuesday 16th April. 

National Boardies Day - 22nd Feb


National Boardies Day 22nd February
Sheep on a beach  by P. Crumble & Danielle McDonald
This is a great book for kids learning to read, as it starts simply with the word 'Sheep' and page by page builds on that idea, so the sight and sound of the words are repeated over and over. It also works well with simple concepts for children, with things opening (the esky), going up (an umbrella) or going underneath (a towel):
‘Sheep.
  Sheep on a beach.
    Umbrella up, towel underneath.
       Boardies on – sweet!’

To the beach!  by Linda Ashman & Nadine Bernard Westcott
It's a perfect day for swimming, building sand castles, and flying kites. But will this wacky family of seven ever make it to the beach? First they need to go back for Fido. Then there's the cooler full of soda. And what about Baby's beloved ducky pail? Even with all the things everyone has forgotten to bring, the unpredictable weather, and the stop-and-go traffic, this family's beach trip is sure to be the best yet. That is, if they can ever get there!

Beach bag boogie  by Lindsay Wood & Rebekah Holguin
Jasper is camping with his family at the beach. When he wakes up in a tent, at first he doesn't remember where he is, but soon the various sights and sounds of a day at the beach make him dance with joy. This delightful picture book captures the quintessential kid's summer holiday spent at the beach. With a catchy repetitive structure, it will have children chanting along as you read it to them - and a ‘jig-jiggling urge to dance’ will set in!  

The sun is shining, it's hot outside and Lily and Milo want to go to the beach. They choose bathing suits, towels, sun lotion, a beach umbrella, sunglasses and sunhats. They are ready. But can they leave right away? In these charming stories about an innocent rabbit, Lily, and her mischievous mouse friend, Milo, there is a fun focus on a child’s daily activities. The repetition of different objects on each page serves as a memory game for toddlers, the cheeky humour creates a unique learning experience, and rounded corners and heavy paper will stand up to tiny hands turning pages.
Magic Beach  by Alison Lester
Magic Beach is a beautiful picture book which revels in the glory of the imaginative childhood - it delights in our child's ability to turn everything in to such an exciting adventure.  An Australian bestseller this is clearly loved and adored by both children and their parents. I loved the endearing pattern to this book which opens up the imagination.  The first double page describes an element of a beach scene with typical Alison Lester brilliance - rhythm and descriptive excellence;  ‘Surfing and splashing
                                  and jumping the waves,
                                   shrieking and laughing with glee.’

A Surfer's Quote: 'A bad day surfing is better than a good day working' Anon       Cowabunga, Dudes!





iBLURB for Kiddies 3

Quote: "To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark." — Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

YUCK!  That’s not a Monster!    by Angela McAllister & Alison Edgson
Mr and Mrs Monster were very proud of their three eggs. Mr Monster kept them warm by huffing with his hot, stinky breath. Mrs Monster screeched to them. When Mr & Mrs Monster’s three eggs hatch, the first two monsters are FRIGHTFUL and HORRID. Mr and Mrs Monster are delighted!  But the third monster hatches – and he’s fluffy and cute and PINK!  Oh No …   (Sometimes … being different can be VERY handy indeed)

Wombat Stew  by Marcia K. Vaughan & Pamela Lofts
One day, on the banks of a billabong, a very clever dingo caught a wombat …
and decided to make …
Wombat Stew, Wombat Stew,
Gooey, brewy, yummy, chewy,
Wom-bat Stew!

However, when wombat’s friends decide to help, things go very wrong for dingo. (Dingo is a try-hard Master Chef - using a distinctly Aussie cuisine) 

The Terrible Plop  by Ursula Dubosarsky & Andrew Joyner  
Here is the story of the terrible PLOP,
With a bear and a rabbit
and a hop, hop, hop.
But what is the PLOP
And where does it hide?
Open the book and look inside…


Some cute little rabbits are sitting by a lake munching and crunching on chocolate cake when ‘Suddenly comes A Terrible PLOP.' The rabbits, all terrified - take off! Hopping so very fast, they gather an increasingly panicked group of animals along the way. All of them terrified of the ensuing terrible PLOP. The audience of course can see exactly what the PLOP is, an apple falling from the tree into the lake.  (A whole new take on – ‘the sky is falling’)


Clever Quip: Children seldom misquote. In fact, they usually repeat word for word - what YOU shouldn't have said. ~ Author Unknown

Congratulations - Shire Kids

Untangled Tales - Summer Reading Club 2013


Our kids Summer Reading Club officially ended on Friday the 1st of Feb. We had 986 junior participants who read a total of 11,035 books and we had 134 teen readers who read a total of 440 books all up.
Our presentation day was held on Wednesday - and boy, did we have fun! The kids and teens arrived in high anticipation as to the goodies they had won.  I don't think anyone was disappointed, especially when the Chupa Chups were rolled out at the end of the prize giving! 
Mike Batty, Bob Taylor & Councillor Bruce Walton
Councillor Bruce Walton and two directors of the Tradies, Mike Batty and Bob Taylor were there to shake hands, congratulate and present the prizes to our smiling winners.
We would sincerely like to thank the generosity and support of our wonderful sponsors. The Tradies being our major sponsor and with the ongoing support of Sutherland Shire Leisure Centre, AES Library Supplies, Bloomin' Books (Caringbah), The Sydney Tramway Museum and Hazelhurst Regional Gallery.
Yep! I'm a Winner mum!
My magic wand is a Chupa Chup
Keep Reading Guys ... and join up again in December 2014

February Romance Writing Competition: Winning entries





To celebrate Valentine's Day/ Library Lovers Day, aspiring writers were invited to write the opening paragraphs of a story, describing how the hero and heroine met. The winner received a complete boxed set of  “50 shades of Grey”, kindly donated to the Library.  You can read the winning entry and highly commended entries below.




 The winner is…… Patricia Leigh of Sutherland
Jasmin stormed across the roof and clenched the stony wall with both hands, I knew that stance, she was furious; being rescued makes her fiery and so irresistible. The passion in her rage, I was determined to channel into l‘amour.  Pulling out my phone I proceeded to play a romantic, seductive, alluring, hypnotic, song.  Leisurely I draw near to my sizzling flame, placing my phone on a nearby bench.   Positioned behind her I paused for a moment, my breath causing the hairs on her neck to stand on end; then lovingly I wrapped my arms around her, she slaps them away in disgust; undeterred again I wrap my arms around her and kiss her on her neck, she does not fight me and melts into my arms.   We stand swaying to the music for a brief moment until she slowly turns towards me; she engages my lips with her teeth as if to demonstrate she still has the upper hand, then she gently releases until we are standing lips touching lips; just as I am about to ravish them, she suavely slides by me, and continues to move away, sleekly, teasingly glancing back then finally says in a seductively mesmerising  voice “tomorrow!”.

Highly commended:

“Puppy love”  By Bronte Castle
"Fleur was taking a solitary stroll on the moonlit beach, enjoying the sound  of  the calming, soothing music of the waves  lapping the shore.  Feeling relaxed, she sat down to enjoy the view of the ocean and absolute peace.
Suddenly from out of nowhere, a black, boisterous and very wet dog landed in her lap, gazing up at her with warm brown eyes, clearly awaiting a pat.
“You’re gorgeous!”  she exclaimed, instantly forgetting she was now soaked, not  to mention stunned at this  totally unexpected interruption.
“You know what they say, dogs always look like their owners” said a deep baritone voice behind her.
Startled she looked up to meet a pair of playful dark eyes, and thought to herself “mmm…that’s so true” and smiled...


 By Lilian Sauvage
"Dessie stood and wiped her slender arm across her forehead, catching the sweat that had started to bead. Working on the farm was tough, no doubt about that, especially in the summer heat. Looking at her watch, she realised it was past midday and time for a well earned break. She collected her lunch box and walked down to the stopgap creek, where the willows give much needed shade and the cool pool of water shimmered invitingly. The creek was the border between her land and the neighbors and had always been a secluded and peaceful spot for her.
Dessie look furtively about and without a second though whipped off her clothes to plunge into the cool creek pool. The water enveloped her and she instantly felt revived, gasping as her head broke the surface... only to hear a deep chuckle from the other side of the bank. Dessie gasped as she locked eyes with Trent Hazel, who's 6ft frame was now shaking with laughter at having caught her in such an indecent state. ""Looks like you're in a bit of a bind now Dessie"" Trent drawled as his smile widened, showing straight, white teeth offset by his dark, tanned skin.
""What are you doing back!?"" Dessie exclaimed as she tried to dip lower in the water, her dark brown hair swirling around her shoulders, water dripping from her eyelashes. "I haven't seen you in ten years Trent, what the hell are you doing here"?
""Let's just say I'm here to enjoy the view." Trent winked.

"Taming the Groom” by Belle Underhill
The tall, dark, mysterious stranger regarded Mercy through dark hooded eyes.  He looked enticing but dangerous.  With her heart beating loudly, Mercy folded her hand demurely in her lap and lowered her eyes.  She could feel his dark eyes boring into her soul.
After a long silence he spoke in a rich bass voice.  “So you are the lovely Mercy Shrewsbury that I have heard so much about?”
Forgetting herself Mercy replied “And your name Sir?”
The man’s mouth twitched into a glimmer of a smile as he replied “I am Sir Joshua Littlejohn”.
Mercy felt herself go instantly pale.  So this was the man that she was to marry.





iBLURB for Teens 2

Quote:  You are only young once, but you can be immature for a lifetime!  John P. Grier

Divergent by Veronica Roth     
The First of a Bestselling Trilogy
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue — Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is — she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. Soon she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves ... or it might destroy her. (You'll be up all night with Divergent, a brainy thrill-ride of a novel.)

Under Wildwood  by Colin Meloy & Carson Ellis

Book 2 of the Chronicles
Ever since Prue McKeel returned home from the Impassable Wilderness after rescuing her brother from the malevolent Dowager Governess, life has been pretty dull. School holds no interest for her, and her new science teacher keeps getting on her case about her dismal test scores and daydreaming in class. Her mind is constantly returning to the verdant groves and sky-tall trees of Wildwood #1, where her friend Curtis still remains as a bandit-in-training.   
Book 1 of the Chronicles
But all is not well in that world. A hard winter has come and discord reigns in the wake of the so-called Bicycle Coup. Dark assassins with mysterious motives conspire to settle the scores of an unknown client. A titan of industry employs inmates from his orphanage to work in his machine shop, all the while obsessing over the exploitation of the Impassable Wilderness. Under a growing threat, Prue is drawn back into Wildwood, where she and Curtis will face their greatest challenge yet: to save themselves and the lives of their friends, and to bring unity to a divided country. But in order to do that, they must go under Wildwood.  (A breathtaking journey under the Impassable Forest!)

A Master Storyteller
Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy — an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer.
But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack — who has already killed Bod's family...
The Graveyard Book is a thinly disguised parody of, and a tribute to, The Jungle Book. Only, the Indian Jungle here has been translated to an English graveyard. (Time to be spellbound)
Don't forget Valentine's Day tomorrow!  Feb 14th

Jane Austen Book Club- Sense and Sensibility

Can't get enough of Jane Austen? Join the club, the Jane Austen Book Club that is. To celebrate the bicentential publication of Jane Austen's most beloved book, Pride and Prejudice,  each month between February and July, the Library will be holding book group discussions featuring one of Jane Austen's six famous novels. In February, we are discussing Sense and Sensibility at Caringbah Library. Join us for a discussion of the book - over tea, of course, and a chance to win a great prize,  simply by correctly answering some trivia questions.

"Sense and Sensibility" Book Club Meetings

Daytime Session: Tuesday, 18th February, 2.00pm-4.00pm
Evening session: Tuesday, 26th February, 6.00pm-8.00pm.

 All welcome, we hope you can join us. Please call Library Services to book your place in this group.

Sense and  Sensibility, Jane Austen's first published work, was originally written in the epistolary form of letters, being changed to a narrative before publication in 1811, under the pseudonym of  "A Lady".  This story is a portrayal the lives and loves of  two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.

 Request your copy of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen from the Library.

February - HeartReads for Teens

A Straight line to my heart  by Bill Condon   also as an E-Book
Honour book 2012
School is over, not just for the year, but forever. Tiff and Kayla are free, which is what they've always wanted, but now summer is nearly at and end and that means life decisions. Tiff is hoping her job at the local paper will lead to something more... But 'The Shark' soon puts her straight on what it takes to become a hard-nosed reporter like him. At home, Reggie - the only grandad Tiff has ever known - has quit the smokes and diagnosed himself as cactus. Then Kayla hits her with some big news. And into all this stumbles Davey, the first boy who has ever really wanted to know her. Tiff is smart with words and rarely does tears, but in one short week she discovers that words don't always get you there; they don't let you say all the stuff from deep in your heart.  (It's a novel that is deep in it's subtlety, beautiful in it's originality, and heart-wrenching in it's happiness) for grades 7-12  

Shortlisted book 2011
Six Impossible Things  by Fiona Woods
Fourteen-year-old nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with the reversal of his family's fortune, moving house, new school hell, a mother with a failing wedding cake business, a just-out gay dad, and an impossible crush on the girl next door.  His life is a mess, but for now he's narrowed it down to just six impossible things...  A funny, emotionally honest story of first love, with a fairytale backbeat.
"I loved this book so much I wanted to be in it." Kaz Cooke   for grades 7-12

Lola and the boy next door  by Stephanie Perkins
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion... she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- the more sparkly, the more fun,the more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Anna and the French Kiss  by Stephanie Perkins
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris -- until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all... including a serious girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? 
(I absolutely, completely, utterly love this novel! - Lora)