Library News

C-Pen: assistance for dyslexia and learners of English

Picture of C-Pen

We have a C-Pen available for our library community. The C-Pen is a totally portable, pocket-sized device that reads text out aloud with an English human-like digital voice. It can assist anyone learning English or living with reading difficulties such as dyslexia.

Patrons who would like to try the technology before committing to purchasing one of their own are welcome to borrow the library C-Pen and take it home to explore the functionalities. It is user-friendly and comes with instructions for use.

The C-Pen is currently located at the Margaret River Library but is also available for Augusta members to borrow – just ask your friendly library staff to assist if you would like to borrow it.

 

 

 

 

Comics online, any time, any place!

Comic Plus, read all the comics. Comic plus children's library

ComicsPlus offers unlimited access to thousands of digital comics, graphic novels and manga. Every title is available 24/7 on your computer, tablet or phone – no wait lists or holds required – and it’s free with your library membership!

Click here to find out more about our kid-friendly ComicsPlus Children’s Library, in which the adult content has been removed.

Or if you prefer to browse the full ComicsPlus collection (inclusive of kids’ and adult content)click here to get started.

Comics plus children's selection image

Spring School Holiday activities at the Shire libraries

Lego Club

Join our one hour long Lego Club session to take on new challenges. Best suited to children over 5 years and bookings are essential. Lego provided.

Margaret River Library

  • Wednesday 29 September | 2.00pm – 3.00pm
  • Tuesday 5 October | 10.00am – 11.00am

To book call 9780 5600 or visit www.trybooking.com/BUFBA

 

Augusta Library

  • Thursday 30 September | 10.00am – 11.00am

To book call 9780 5600 or www.trybooking.com/BUGWN.

The Augusta Library Lego Club also features craft activities for all ages.

Please book only one session per child to allow as many people as possible the chance to attend.

Snake Safety and Reptile Myth Busting Presentation

Join us at the local Margaret River Library to hear Becca Bolton from Discover Deadly – our local Reptile Centre, speak about her work and give participants the chance to interact with reptiles that live at Discover Deadly.

Becca is also a qualified snake catcher and she will give advice on staying safe around snakes, along with some interesting facts about these fascinating creatures.

This activity is best suited to children over 5 years old and bookings are essential as there are limited spaces.

Margaret River Library

Thursday 7 October

  • First session 10.30am – 11.15am
  • Second session 11.30am – 12.15pm

To book call 9780 5600 or visit www.trybooking.com/BUGWY

Please book only one session per child to allow as many people as possible the chance to attend.

All school holiday activities are FREE at the Shire Libraries; however bookings are essential, and children must be accompanied by an adult for each session.

Regular Baby Rhyme Time, Storytime and Toddler Tales sessions take a break over school holidays. Sessions resume during school term, commencing Monday 11 October.

Stay Golden at The Cocoon Gallery

Until 31st of October, the Cocoon Gallery for emerging artists presents Bethany Collins in her first solo exhibition Stay Golden.

Bethany grew up on a farm around a resourceful and creative family, which taught her not to be afraid to improvise and use imagination to entertain and express herself. This resourcefulness encouraged Bethany to paint without formal training and experiment with different styles and mediums.

Her paintings which often feature feminine and natural subjects are heavily textured with acrylics mixed with modeling paste and offer a restrained but modern color palette of mostly pinks, golds, and browns.

The artist’s recent works are influenced by life’s simple pleasures such as swimming in the ocean, eating delicious fresh fruit, and dreaming of idyllic holiday places.

“I started using just acrylics and slowly began to experiment with a 3D texture as I wanted something that was not only eye-catching but also intriguing to the hand.” She says.

Creating has always been her passion but in 2020, has taken painting more seriously. At the beginning of the mandatory COVID lockdown in WA, Bethany stocked up on art supplies and started to find inspiration in the new slow living phase of life.

The emerging artist has been part of The Hive Margaret River Art Collective for over a year, collaborating in their two group exhibitions. Her art has also been showcased at Fibonacci Art Gallery in Fremantle.

All artworks on display in The Cocoon Gallery are for sale through the artist.

 

Resume development and cover letter writing: a career enhancement workshop with Aly Bannister

Thursday 30th September, 3 – 4.30pm

On screen via Zoom at the Margaret River Library or sign in on your own device from home. Free event and all welcome

This workshop shows you what a good resume should look like and describes the do’s and don’ts of what to include and what to leave out.

  • Helps you understand what employers expect from a resume
  • Describes why some resumes are unsuccessful
  • Offers you free templates and clear cover letters to use in the future
  • Gives you insights on how to get your resume noticed
  • Explains the essential ingredients when creating your resume
  • Aims to help increase your chances of success for securing employment

Aly Bannister is a career coach and the author of ‘Get your rear into gear: job searching tips for career success’.

RSVP to reserve your seat at the library or to receive the zoom login if you are signing in from home. Email: amrlibrary@amrshire.wa.gov.au or Ph: 9780 5600

Aly Bannister with her book 'Get your rear into gear'

Catch a movie this weekend with Beamafilm

Beamafilm is an Australasian Movie Streaming service offering unlimited simultaneous access to over a thousand movies.

If you are new to Beamafilm, have your library card ready and click here to start watching.

Did you know Beamafilm is also available to download for both iOS and Android devices?

Go to your App Store or Google Play Store to download the app, search for Margaret River Library, and sign in using your library card to start streaming unlimited movies and documentaries.

Beamafilm app

What’s happening at the libraries?

A woman registering for contact tracing at the library
Library Technician, Jodie Porter, uses the library iPad to register her contact details on the SafeWA app

We hope our community is staying safe and healthy during this very cold weather.

The threat of Covid has brought many changes over the past 18 months, but we are currently operating under relatively few restrictions:

  • Registering for contact-tracing before entering remains mandatory
  • We are continuing to do an extra clean of library surfaces
  • Please practise physical distancing
  • Wednesday mornings are now open to all ages 😊

Remember, your libraries offer you a warm, welcoming and accessible place.

Stay tuned for more exciting news to come… we will soon be launching some new e-resources for our community to enjoy from home – more magazines, comics for all ages, and a new language-learning platform!

Search for the Queen of Sheba Orchid presentation

Orchids of the South West
Beautiful Orchids of the South West

Dr Daniela Scaccabarozzi presents strategies that orchids in South Western Australia employ for attracting insects that fascinatedly pollinate orchid flowers. She is a pollination biologist currently investigating the pollination strategy of the Queen of Sheba Orchid. Her presentation is followed by a film screening of the documentary ‘Search for the Queen of Sheba Orchid’.(duration approx. 1 hr).
The documentary movie is presented by The Field Journal & Sarasota Orchid Society. World-renowned orchid taxonomist and artist Stig Dalstrom and award-winning filmmaker and composer Darryl Saffer travel to Western Australia seeking unique plants and animals that inhabit this amazing land. They are especially interested in finding the rare and elusive Queen of Sheba Orchid. After the screening, Daniela will welcome any questions inherent to the topic.
Margaret River Library
Thursday 9th September, 5.30pm – 7.30pm
Presentation repeated in Augusta
Augusta Council Chambers, Shire admin building, Allnutt Tce, Augusta
Friday 10th September, 10am – 12pm
Please RSVP to amrlibrary@amrshire.wa.gov.au or Ph: 9780 5600

These are free events and all welcome

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Contact the Libraries

Margaret River Library

Fearn Avenue, Margaret River WA 6285
Phone: (08) 9780 5600
Email: amrlibrary@amrshire.wa.gov.au