Sutherland Shire Libraries News

Monday 17 May 10-11am at Sutherland Library.

Learn about the law concerning retirement villages to help you make important lifestyle decisions. What questions should you ask yourself or the management before entering into a prospective village? Or as a current resident of a retirement village you may have some problems and need answers.

Bookings are essential. Phone 9710 0351.

Do you find it difficult to locate what you need on council's web site? You can help improve the site and make it easier for everyone to find the information they need.

Sutherland Shire Council is asking visitors to their web site to help them sort the wide range of council information available online in the most meaningful way for visitors.

You can have your say by completing this online sorting exercise (consider it the SSC web site game!)

On Monday 22nd March there will be two sessions designed to help you get more from your library membership, computer and the internet:

Online Computer Training - How to start
Time: 9.30am – 10.30am

Health Information Online - Where to look
Time: 11am - 12noon

These sessions are designed for those who have a little knowledge, but would like some more to be going on with.
There will be a general overview of what you can do, online, with your library membership and then a look at specific resources that should be of relevance.

Bookings are essential.
Please ring Sutherland Shire Library Reference Services 97100351

Living Books are available at your Living Library… Thursday, November 19th, 10am – 12noon.

The Living Library works like any other library; you borrow, read and return books. The difference is that in this case, the ‘Books’ are people and so it is an interactive experience.

Here’s your chance to gain some insight into what it would be like to be the individual behind the ‘Title’.

You can come and ‘Borrow’ a ‘Book’ for a 30 minute, one on one, conversation, in a safe and friendly environment. You are encouraged to ask questions to increase your understanding.

Our ‘Books’ are volunteers from the local community, and so are people you might walk past every day. They are from a range of backgrounds and a wide variety of life experiences are covered.

Here is a taste of two of the newest Books on offer, one never before read!

The Road to Marriage CelebrancyMarried young and moved to the bush…Engadine! In the 1950’s Sutherland Shire was still very isolated and Engadine particularly was only just beginning to change from farming to ‘town’ life. There was no power, phones or transport, raising children in these circumstances teaches resilience and self reliance and a ‘can do’ attitude. Higher education after the children are set, and a new life, helping celebrate the turning points in the lives of others.

Tale of a Faraway Land: Chittagong Hill Tracts.Growing up in the mountains, between Bangladesh, and India, but identifying with neither peoples. The people are being pushed to the edge, as colonialism forced them to abandon the river mouth and take to the hills for survival, but it’s a hard living to be made. The journey to Australia and the creation of a new life.

Other Titles in the catalogue include these tasty titbits:

Great Times in Life and Sport
Growing up in Bondi in the 50’s, focused on outdoor pursuits of any variety. Fun was physical and fitness was just part of life. Squash became a particular passion, always competing in some way and getting to know ‘the’ players and officials. When supporting a family became a necessity, the opportunity of operating a squash centre, seemed the perfect answer. It provided unforseen troubles, as well as unbelievable opportunities.

Buddhist Nun, wife and mother…
This book seemed be living life like everyone around her. Growing up in a Catholic family, moving on to her own marriage, having children and questioning the teachings of her upbringing. Searching led her to learn about mediation and eventually to adopt Buddhism as her way of life. Hear how her family came to accept her decision, and the meaning her life now has as she works for her/our community.

My Voluntary WorkVoluntary work is extremely rewarding and has taken many forms over the years. It’s fitting I’m now a Book, as I was once a voluntary librarian. Hospital visitation has many rewards, as does working with new migrants, helping them learn English for their survival.

Know Yourself Heal Yourself
Learning to accept yourself, with all one’s faults… and features, is an issue for many of us. Hitting the bottom can teach one a lot about ‘up’. Whilst still relatively young, this book started on the long haul up from rock bottom and hasn’t stopped climbing since, literally!

My Lucky Life
An ‘idyllic’ childhood in the 40’s and 50’s. Everyone got together to play, and sport was everything. Squash became a great passion and a life long pursuit. Competition at NSW level and representing Australia, led to travelling the world and meeting many famous people. But there is life after competition, and raising a family in its shadow has its own challenges.

Not all Books are available at each session. Click here to see more titles and read more about what a Living Library is.

A change is coming to the Library's Wireless Hotspot Service. For some time now customers of Sutherland Library have been able to access the Internet using their own devices, eg. laptops and web enabled mobile phones, using our Wi-Fi hotspot.

Our current hotspot service, which has been providing free access, will be replaced in November with an improved service covering both levels of Sutherland Library. In addition, the Wi-Fi service is being extended to other locations across the Council's library network.

To take advantage of this facility customers will be able to purchase cards for wireless Internet access. There will be a choice of either a $5 card for 24 hour access or a $2 card for 2 hour access over a 1 week period.

Sutherland Shire Council is implementing this option as a low-cost alternative for library customers.

Visit our web site for more detail about the Library's Wireless Hotspot Service or pick up a brochure at any branch library.

With the closure of the Library at Surf Rd, Cronulla on Saturday we have begun to move into the New Library at Cronulla Central in Croydon Street.

There's still lots to do but here's a sneak peak at the new Cronulla Library. There's more photos on Flickr too...

The Shire Community Living Library is open again on Tuesday 8th September between 10am – 12 pm. If you’ve missed out previously, or loved taking part in it, here’s another chance to find out more about the people in your community.

There are some new books, waiting to be read for the first time, as well as some old favourites. Take the time to enjoy a conversation with a person you wouldn’t meet via your regular routine.

Why not combine borrowing a Living Book with picking up your regular reading – viewing - listening material!

Living Books cannot be taken home, they are Reference material, and therefore they must be read in the Library. Allow yourself an extra 30 minutes to challenge yourself to something different.

Here’s a glimpse of the newest Book on offer…

Lifequest : Oh, my goodness, Oh, my glory, on this page is my story.
Working with the people on our city streets who need support in so many aspects of their lives, and the major charities which support them, prompted this Book to dedicate himself to establishing a number of Foundations to provide relief in areas he could see, were not being adequately serviced.

This book relates how the toll of his charity work has led him towards a change of career into relationship counselling and personal training, and the satisfaction this provides him, to be part of the solution and help avert the crisis, rather than just pick up the pieces and try to reconstruct lives from scratch.

He can tell stories of the people he has met over the years in the pursuit of his charity work, both those requesting, or needing help and the Hollywood stars and Royalty who were patrons, attended the functions and donated.

Other titles in the catalogue include:

Turning the Shadow into a soft light
A woman who was determined to live a normal life although her husband was diagnosed with MS early in life, before much was known about it. She supported her husband and children by teaching music. She worked towards raising the awareness of MS and received awards for her efforts. She is now losing her own sight and learning life anew.

Being an Oblate of the Jamberoo Abbey
Fascination with mediation and spiritual traditions from around the world, spending time in Hindu, Christian and Buddhist ashrams. Committing to become an oblate of the Benedictine abbey, and what this means for oneself and the community.

Brown bread and liverwurst - growing up in Sydney being different
Coming to Australia – are there kangaroos in the street? Being a teenager is hard enough, but without being able to communicate at all school is a nightmare. Finding out that children can be so very cruel. Coming from Germany, had it’s own special issues!

Life giving experiences when caring for dying people
Caring for people with HIV/Aids, and volunteering to work with the poor in Calcutta, helping them to die with dignity, and how this makes one aware of what is important. Saying goodbye to a much loved Mother.

A Blessed Light in my Darkness
Losing his sight at 21, did not deter hthis Book from living a full life. He has married, had children and is now enjoying the chaos grandchildren can bring. Woodwork has continued to be a passion, using the skills he learnt as an apprentice. A friend introduced him to cycling and has been an avid long distance cycler for pleasure as well as for fund raising for various charitable organisations. Tandem is his bike of choice!Working as a telephone counsellor he has been able to support and assist many people in their time of need and is active in the local Baptist community.
Broken Pieces, whole story
Depression manifests in many forms, this is just one. Deliberate self harm becomes an addiction, and needs to be accepted as such, acknowledged and have a strategy in place to control it. The long road to regaining control, relasping and starting again and looking toward the future.

Immigration from Germany
Hear about social conditions in Germany before the rise of Hitler, and the losses that all war brings to any caught up its grip. Living in the partitioned Germany with family on either side, leads to emmigration to Australia. Immigration camps, finding work, housing the family, building a business and becoming involved in the community whilst providing for the family’s future, all feature in this book. As does the sadness, frustration and sense of loss that dementia brings to a family.

Let's blow the myth of ageing
How attitudes from one’s youth can colour one’s outlook forever. Marrying late and having 3 children quickly leads to struggles with depression. Recovery comes about with forgiveness and self acceptance. Working and learning all the while despite dyslexia. Started training in Feldenkrais movement therapy and began teaching it at 60. Living life to the full, whilst caring for a partner with Parkinson’s disease, from 80 on the journey continues.

Australia, my heart is in yours
Escaping a husband, with connections to Columbia’s drug trade, after he shot her, she landed in Australia with nothing – except the baby she hadn’t known she was carrying! Spending two years in detention centers, looking after her baby and having no English, she gained residency. Quickly learnt English and has been working ever since to provide for her daughter and make Australia her home.

Success through faith and perseverance
Born to Chinese parents in Indonesia under Dutch, then survived the Japanese occupation. Experienced the people’s revolution at first hand lead to Indonesian self rule. Education was now possible. A scholarship for University in Holland, led to work experience in England, and return home to serve his country with aeronautical engineering credentials. Emmigration to Australia provided a much more secure future for his children. Now works with overseas students and their host families, offering his services where they will help and contributing to build a future progressive modern Australian society.

Not all Books are available, on each occasion.

Cronulla Library will close its current location on Monday 21 September 2009, while it is relocated to a bigger and brighter space in the new Cronulla Central.

The doors will close for last time after 40 years at Surf Road on Saturday 19 September. This will be your last opportunity to borrow or return books and/or collect holds from Cronulla Library in its current location. The new Library will open for business in Cronulla Central (entry from Cronulla Plaza or Croydon Street) on Monday 19 October.

During the closure Cronulla Library will not be accepting returns. Any items being held for you will need to be collected from Caringbah Library.

We look forward to seeing you all in our fresh new space in October but during the closure all enquiries should be directed to Sutherland Library. We are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.

You have donated, 56 completed rugs and 660 squares, (enough to make another 23 rugs) for the Wrap with Love project via your Library service and many, many more through the Stapleton Avenue Community Centre.

 Sutherland Library and Caringbah Library are proud to host a Knit In to support the Wrap With Love organisation. Over the past few years, the Wrap With Love organisation has sent more than 184,000 beautiful handmade wraps to those in need. Australian knitters contributed 2,223 wraps in 2008.

To be part of this event all that is needed is spare yarn and a pair of knitting needles or a crochet hook. Knitting instructions and further information on the Knit In can be found on the ABC Sydney Knit In web site. The libraries will have copies of the instructions.

Come and join your fellow knitters for a chat and coffee.

Friday 7th August 9am-11am (or later if you wish) at:

Sutherland Library
30-36 Belmont Street
Sutherland
Enquiries 9710 0351

Caringbah Library
376-378 Port Hacking Road
Caringbah
Enquiries 9524 3803

If you can't attend our Knit In on that day completed squares or wraps can be dropped off by 28th August at:

Any Sutherland Shire library

Sutherland Shire Council Service Centre
Eton Street
Sutherland

Sutherland Shire Adult Leisure Learning Centre
3A Stapleton Avenue, Sutherland

National Diabetes Week 2009 is being held on 12-18 July.

An estimated 275 Australian develop diabetes every day making diabetes our fastest growing disease. It was estimated that in 2007 about 890,000 Australians were diagnosed with diabetes. The total number of diagnosed cases and those with pre diabetes was a staggering 3.2 million.
In conjunction with Diabetes Week, a Clinical Nurse Educator from Kareena Private Hospital will be conducting Blood Glucose Level testing and providing advice on the prevention and management of diabetes.

Sutherland Library
Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th July
10am to 12 noon.

The library has books on this condition as well as many cookbooks to inspire healthy eating choices.

You can now play OverDrive WMA (Windows Media Audio) audiobooks from Sutherland Shire Libraries Digital Downloads on your iPod. Until now iPod owners have been limited to mp3 format audio books from our Digital Downloads collection due to rights issues, which has meant that iPod owners have missed out on many of the best sellers and most popular audio books. (Typically mp3 files have been restricted to classics and out-of-copyright titles)

That has just changed!

Nearly all OverDrive WMA Audiobooks in our download collection are now compatible with the iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPod nano, as well as Zune and thousands of other portable devices.

To access this new functionality all you have to do is upgrade OverDrive Media Console to version 3.2 on Windows PCs.

There are a few requirements for transfering WMA audiobooks to Apple devices, which you can read about in the Overdrive Help.

OverDrive Media Console's enhanced Transfer Wizard will expand the largest selection of iPod-compatible audiobook titles for libraries by making the vast majority of existing audiobook titles playable on Apple devices.

We still have a few places remaining in our final Introduction to the Internet and Email course for the term beginning on 23 June 2009.

The course is aimed at absolute beginners. You will learn how to find information on the Internet as well as how to send a receive email.

Full details can be found on our Events Calender.

Australian Hearing will be conducting free hearing screenings at Caringbah Library for seniors, pensioners and DVA clients on 3 June 2009 from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Full pension and Veteran Affairs card holders will receive full screening and fully subsidised services. Other residents will receive a free screening with free advice inlcuding hearing level information, which you can take to you G.P. for a referral.

Bookings are essential - for more information see our Events Calendar.