Philip Pullman's 'The Golden Compass'

The Golden Compass is good movie, but the book Northern Lights is better.

Well, that's my opinion anyway, feel free to disagree. If you haven't seen it yet, The Golden Compass is a fantasy movie, starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards and many others. You are swept into a parallel universe, where 'Dust' is not just lint and dust bunnies. The Golden Compass is an adaptation of Philip Pullman’s book : Northern Lights. The movie is very intricate for someone who hasn’t read the book.

Considering how hard it is to adapt a 400-or-so-page novel, in a 114-minute movie. The result is entertaining, but personally a let down (i knew i shouldn't have read the book first) , parts of the book have been cut, and the end is different. The movie stops earlier than the book, which will leave Pullman’s fans a little wanting.

But there are two sequels to Northern Lights : The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. Both ready for their big screen close-ups.

You can learn a little about 'daemons' with the Jan YouTube Lit Link on the right.

Season's Greetings

You may have noticed Tom and Jerry's 'the night before Christmas' is this months Lit Link. This is one of my favorite Chrissie cartoons, I remember watching it with my brothers every year during the festive season. I though you may like a laugh, as tis the season to be jolly after all.
I hope every one is happy with their end of year results, be they a UAI, exam marks, or just a satisfying feeling that you did good. Congratulations to all those who have now finished high school and received their UAI's. Best of luck in the uni offers.
I hope everyone has a fantastic Chrissie and a blast of a New Year.
Talk to you in 2008!

Savage Chicken's

Just wanted to share, It tis the season you know!

Musicovery

Music for any mood!
Carleen, from the US posted this fantastic little gem that I had to share.

'Usually it’s the teens in our library who help me keep up with all the new or “it” websites but this time, it was actually my husband'

'Musicovery is an interactive radio website that allows you to choose music according to your mood. You can then narrow your search by music decade or music type. Your search results show up as a kind of funky selection web, then you can choose what song you want to listen to from there. It doesn’t stop there, it also provides additional suggestions according to the artist being played.'

Cybils: blogger book award

Let me introduce you to the internet's first literary awards!
Check out the Cybils Widget!

Like all revolutions, this one started small, with a single post on a blog devoted to children's literature. The Newbery Awards seemed too elitist and the Quills, well, not enough so. Was there a middle ground, an annual award that would recognize both a book's merits and popularity?

The Cybils are the middle ground. The public nominates their favorite children's books from 2007 in seven categories: Picture Books; Non-fiction Picture Books; Middle Grade fiction; Poetry; Young Adult fiction; Non-fiction (YA/MG); and Graphic Novels.

Anyone with an e-mail address can nominate one book per category. Then groups of bloggers get to work. First, a nominating committee reads ALL the titles in a given category. After nearly two arduous months, this committee winnows the nominees to five finalists. A second committee of bloggers considers the shortlist and, after much debate, chooses the best of the best for 2007.

The Cybils is a blogger-run, blogger-inspired awards process... make sure you cast your vote!

Workplace Learning aka. Work Experience

In case you didn't know Ashfield Library provides work experience to high school students through the Workplace Learning Program.

Workplace learning programs are part of the NSW secondary school curriculum. The programs encourage young people to gain practical experience of workplaces and learn industry and workplace skills as part of their studies.

This Blog provides information about work experience opportunities that the Ashfield Library offer. Please read through the posts and have a look at the Reflection Blogs as well.

The Library tries to make the workload as varied and interesting as possible. Students will be required to follow as schedule set down by the library which can contain activities such as helping with kids craft activities, Storytime or Tiny tots's sessions, working with the Housebound service, an introduction to the online library, as well as shelving and circulation duties.

Each student will keep a Workplace Learning Reflections Blog, in which a daily reflection on will be added.

Street Fiction / Gangst Fiction

Hot new blog!

Street fiction, also known as urban fiction, street lit, or gangsta fiction, is one of the fastest growing genres, these books expose the reader to drugs, violence, sex and and the gritty realities of street life in urban America.

Street Fiction is a blog dedicated to reviewing this genre. Daniel Marcou, creator of this blog, is a corrections librarian, creative writing instructor, and author.

The latest title under review is Naughty Girls byAlisha Yvonne. "Ivy Lee Jones and Candy Cane are a couple of sexy girls gone wild. Just look up the meaning of fierce in the dictionary, and you’ll find a picture of both Ivy Lee Jones and Candy Cane with sinister smiles on their faces."

Another book that caught me eye was Going Broke by Trista Russell, "Sarai Emery loves her life. Enclosed in the luxurious penthouse-style apartment just minutes from the beach, Sarai drives a tricked-out S.U.V. and sports a Beyonce-worthy hair weave, but what Sarai prizes above all else is Damian Carter, the man who makes this whole overpriced lifestyle possible. Despite all the bling, Sarai is drowning in debt."

Don't forget, if you find a book you want, feel free to leave me the details in a meebo message (with your ashfield library card number), or email me alexanderm@ashfield.nsw.gov.au.nospam, when it comes in I will reserve it for you.

New Youtube Lit Links

There are some really cool clips on Youtube and I bumbled across this one ( read procrastination), The potter puppet pals in 'the mysterious ticking noise'. I thought you might like it, so it's posted down on the left above the book sites.

Tadah! the birth of Lit Links, once a month I will post a new clip that features some literary expression. If you come across a great clip, post a link here in a comment and share it! It doesn't have to be a book, it could be a piece of poetry, a song or a twisted tale, etc.

By the way, if you have an idea for a Lit Link Clip of your own, email it into me (alexanderm@ashfield.nsw.gov.au.nospam) and we'll see if we can make it and post it to Youtube, and of course feature as a Lit Link!

Check out my new Widget!

I'm off to see the Widget, the wonderful Widget of Oz!
(your supposed to sing that or it's not funny)

Well, you don't have to come into the library to talk to a librarian. The widget is a tool you can use to contact me any time. I'm not always online, but you can leave messages for me. Make suggestions for library items I need to buy, ideas for what you would like to see in the library, things you think the library could do for teens.

Or just say hello!

There are also two new sites listed for Online Homework help.

Ask Now is IM chat with a reference librarian, available from Monday to Friday 9.00am - 7.00pm AEST. AskNow is staffed by librarians across Australia. Depending on the time you try the service, you may be chatting to a librarian in any of the States and Territories. You can ask them any questions you need help with, for example if you want to know how the state government works, or if penguins fly?

Your Tutor is available for students from Year 4 to Year 12. All the tutors are qualified experts in their subject areas and specially trained in online tutoring for young people. Students can access one on one support in the areas of Mathematics, Science, English, Essay writing, Assignment Research or about Study Skills. Log on between 4pm to 8pm on weekdays for free.

Carnival of Cultures 07

Sunburn, Sparkles and Sausage Sizzles
Thousands of people turned out for the Ashfield Carnival of Cultures last Sunday (14 October). We had a small library stall (next to Mr Whippy - yummy) and we displayed our wares. Story telling, homework help, craft, all knowingness and books of course.

The Library sold 2 truck loads of old books at our book sale for 50c each (its not for profit, believe me). We had people looking for all sorts of treasures! We managed to sort and shuffle box's of books around our little tent searching for the pony books or NSYNC Cd's and even old encyclopedia sets in Chinese.

Staff helped aspiring young artist design 600 bookmarks and 400 door hangers at the craft table. The glorious sun shone, the cool breeze carried the smell of the scouts sausage sizzle to our nostrils and there was not a blow fly or bull ant to be seen, a wonderful day, I can't wait till next years carnival.

the Gnomes are coming, the Gnomes are coming!!!

This school hols, get down, dirty and express yourself with a warrior Gnome.

Terracotta Warrior Gnomes
For teens who would like to exercise their artistic side,
Clay modelling to design your own warrior Gnome.
2pm Tuesday 2 Oct @ Ashfield Library

2pm Tuesday 9 Oct @ Haberfield Library

Contact the Library or speak to Children’s Librarian for more details (02) 9716 1827

For the full holiday program checkout the library website.

Get active in Ashfield

The Ashfield Carnival of Cultures is coming up on Sunday 14 October 2007.
The event will run from 10am to 4pm at Ashfield Park, on the corner of Parramatta Road and Orpington Street in Ashfield. The Carnival is Ashfield Council's premier outdoor community event, attracting more than 20,000 visitors in 2006.

The theme for this year's events is "Active and Healthy" with a focus on encouraging our community to lead active and healthy lifestyles. Browse the Carnival pages to see the great range of free entertainment and activites on offer this year, including:

• Live performances on the Main Stage
• Free giant slide, pony rides, jumping castle and cup and saucers
• New Active Zone, with soccer, netball, aerobics and AFL Auskick
• Interactive Food Market
• Community and Commerical Market Stalls

Reading matters

You will notice on the right a few links for good book sites. If you know of any good book sites let me know and I will add them in. Good book sites only please!
You will also notice Pink Books listed there, there not pretty pink books or even books written by that Pop Diva Alecia Moore (aka P!nk) , but rather Gay and Lesbian themed books.
ta,

I'm here and there's no excuses!

Hey, I have finally got the guts to mash up my 'library world' with your online reality, and yes there is a library world, you just need to discover it!
This Blog is called Pretxts, cause it is subliminally providing you with cool library world things like, interesting information, what's happening updates, links that make homework easier and more.
ta

“Youth does not require reasons for living, it only needs pretexts.”
Jose Ortega y Gasset Spanish philosopher / humanist.