Shire of Augusta Margaret River Libraries

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Geralt of Rivia is The Witcher

Posted on 28 July 2020

If a world full of monsters, brooding anti-heroes and damsels-not-in-distress takes your fancy, we have two words for you, The Witcher!

You may have played the videogames, or watched the TV adaptation (which by the way, received conflicting reviews). Did you know they were based on a series of books?

Written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, the series mainly follows Geralt of Rivia on his assignments to rid the world of terrible monsters. However, this is not a straight-forward story – the series has a complicated plot-line spanning seven books, told from several points of view.

If you have been meaning to start this series, we are here to give you a push!

We suggest starting with Sword of Destiny, a selection of short-stories from Geralt of Rivia’s point-of-view, and start the main story with Blood of Elves.

Happy reading!

More school holiday Lego Challenge photos

Posted on 24 July 2020

The library received such a fantastic response to our virtual Lego challenge of building a dream park!

We thought you might like to see what our talented local kids have created…

Noah’s Lego creation is a police station, which he designed with help from dad.

In Erica’s park, many of the Harry Potter characters are enjoying the experience of a “muggle afternoon at the park” with ‘pop up’ cafe, pet rescue stall and water bubbler. It’s got a neutral carbon footprint because the windmill statue produces all the necessary electricity. Filch is standing guard at the drawbridge to make sure no real muggles stray in.

Sophia and Ella designed a park with slides, a shop where you get food from, a bathroom (because every park needs a bathroom), some benches for if you get tired, and climbing wall.

Kacey made a WW2 park:

Jordan, Riley and Berrick have made a park including a skate ramp, a seesaw, a spaceship ride, a treehouse with a swing, ice cream and burger food trucks, a binocular viewing platform and even public toilets!

This is a spooky haunted fun theme park designed by Leo. Lots of scary details, with spiders and critters galore. Follow the pebbles or you’ll end up lost. Includes the rollercoaster of doom. Watch out for the swamp monsters!

Penny has made a cubby house in a park with a swimming pool, TV room, Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and a gym.

Mona made a safari park with some fun activities for beautiful animals.

Thank you to all who have sent in their photos and there is a prize for each of you at the Library 🙂

Important changes to your library service

Posted on 22 July 2020

We’d like to tell you about some important changes happening at the libraries. Please share this information with all your family and friends.

Quarantine and sanitation at the libraries

We are no longer required to quarantine items on return. This means that your Holds will be ready sooner! It’s also especially good news for Augusta patrons – stay tuned because we hope to have exciting news for you soon…

For those who are feeling extra-cautious and want to continue quarantining library items yourself, here are some DIY tips:

Bring a bag to hold your library items
Avoid touching your face while browsing
Pack all items into the bag after checking them out
Before leaving the library, wash your hands with soap and water and follow up with a pump of sanitiser
After bringing your library bag home, put it aside and leave it untouched for a couple of days (and wash your hands)

Further steps you can take if you’re feeling vulnerable:

Feel free to wear gloves and a mask any time you visit the library
Our Click & Collect service is still available for anybody who is quarantining, feeling at-risk, or otherwise unable to browse the library. In these cases, you can send a friend to collect if necessary.

Patrons are not required to sanitise their hands on entry, however we do provide sanitiser for those who wish to sanitise as they arrive or leave (or both!)

Notifications

From Tuesday 28 July, if you have a Hold ready to collect, you’ll receive an automatically-generated email and/or SMS notice, rather than a phone call. Please ensure that we have your correct contact details in our system so that you don’t miss out on these important notifications!

You should already be receiving Reminder notifications via email and/or SMS now – please check that we have your correct contact details if you have items due and did not receive a Reminder notice.

Click & Collect service

We continue to provide the Click & Collect service during open hours at Margaret River (and during specified times at Augusta) for those who need to use this service. If you’re able to access the catalogue to place your Hold request, please do so. It’s really easy – click here for instructions!

If you’re unable to access the catalogue to request your items, please call us to find out alternative methods: 9780 5600

Feedback from you!

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful community for your support, patience and compassion over the past several months. Your regular kind messages helped to keep staff morale high during stressful times. Here is a sample of some of the lovely comments we received, so you can share the smiles:

You guys are doing a fabulous job during these different times
Thank you so much for all your work!!
I’m stoked to be a member of the library! You were super helpful.
Thank you all for doing an amazing job, we greatly appreciate it.
Much appreciate the great service you are providing in these trying times.
Thank you all for your work in finding a way for us to collect books. Greatly appreciated
I’m so delighted that you’re doing this collect service! Its very kind of you and much appreciated… Very best wishes to you all – Morale Boosters!
Firstly, thank you to all the wonderful staff for creating the ‘click and collect’ style of library for us all in the community! I’m so grateful! And so excited to pick up new books in the near future!
Thank you for making this service still available for us all!
Thank you so much for opening this essential service, my parents have been self isolating for a month and a world without books for my mother is horrifying. I have loaned her some of mine but we have different tastes so she was so relieved to know she could get library books again.
I know you’ve been told before but am adding my heartfelt thanks for your service. ‘Service’ does not adequately describe the wonderful humanness you bring to us all in terms of lifelong learning, entertainment, enlightenment and sheer joy that reading gifts us. During these times you are also the connection that diminishes mental distress and loneliness. Please know you are all loved for your ‘service’ to us.
I have been isolating, and not seeing many faces, so to be greeted warmly and to feel genuinely cared about and looked after by the library staff was a real lift to my spirits.

1 Comment

Get your green thumbs on !

Posted on 21 July 2020

If you have a green thumb, or just love plants, these books will brighten up your day!

Click on the pictures to go straight to the catalogue and place your Hold.

Not sure how to place a Hold? Click here to find out!

July School holiday Lego Club challenge

Posted on 17 July 2020

The virtual lego club challenge this holidays was to create an amazing park or playground and you all sure know how to design one!

Here are some of the entries we received:

Romy created a mythical forest park,

Jessie made a volano park,

Ali and Leon had fun with 2 different park designs,

Here is Vrit’s submarine with scientists who are trying to discover new species of plants and sea creatures on the sea bed:

Jiya made a tissue box cover – very practical!

Seth designed a Fairground of wonders. Highlights include a Slide, Beep bop bunker (this plays music), News crew at the park just to film stuff, Geysers with food colouring in them so they look cool, Security guard checking speed limits of cars going past.

Hugh created a Fair of Awesomeness where you will find a garden on the roof, Lolly bucket on the wall that you can actually put your hand in and take lollies out, Spider webs everywhere, a lot of hand sanitiser and the park owner lives in a hut in the park (called Hugh).

Sian enjoyed building her tree house theme play park with treasure map and telescope to watch the stars at night in the school holidays.

There is still more time to send your photo in and win a prize. Email your completed Lego Challenge photo of your ultimate playground design to Rachael on rdrummond@amrshire.wa.gov.au and she will add your photo to this website.

New improved Rainforest Coding website – teaching children how to code!

Posted on 15 July 2020

Rainforest Coding has been updated with new content and has moved to a new address. Now it’s even more fun to learn how to code!

Click here to visit the new site. Initially you’ll have a choice of going to the old website or visiting Version 2, but over the next few weeks the old version will be removed.

Click here for more information about this and other educational e-resources for youth and children – all free with your library membership!

Not okay? That’s okay!

Posted on 13 July 2020

An online day focused on taking care of yourself and those around you: looking at anxiety, depression, nutrition and mental health.

Where: Zoom (online)

When: Saturday 18 July 2020

Time: 10am – 3.30pm

RSVP to yac@amrshire.wa.gov.au for a Zoom invitation, or come to the Youth Precinct (41 Wallcliffe Road) on the day for a chance to get a seat (seats are limited)

Love and relationships – new books!

Posted on 11 July 2020

From thrilling experiences to betrayal and second chances, these new books will make you laugh and cry – and warm your heart in the process.

Click on the image to go straight to the catalogue and place your hold.

Look for these symbols which tell you if the item is also available as an e-book or e-audiobook:

= cloudLibrary = BorrowBox = Overdrive

Click here to find out more about how to use cloudLibrary, BorrowBox and Overdrive.

Tourism & Events Information Session – How to Attract & Plan for Everyone

Posted on 9 July 2020

Where: Margaret River Council Chambers

When: Tuesday 4 August 2020

Time: 5pm – 7:30pm (networking between 5pm – 5:30pm)
Complimentary refreshments and finger food provided

RSVP to Jessica Black at jblack@amrshire.wa.gov.au or (08) 9780 5276

Join 30 Foot Drop for a business sundowner focused on why accessible and inclusive tourism and events are worth investing in. This session will be informative, interactive and entertaining; you will have an opportunity to network with like-minded businesses and come away with research-based knowledge.

This session will focus on why people with a disability are essential to the success of tourism and events in our region, as well as how to make your business attractive to this often overlooked and under-serviced segment of the market.

Funded by the Lighthouse Project, delivered by Local Government Professionals Australia WA. Funding for the Lighthouse Project is provided under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) stream and administered by the Department of Communities.

New books for young adults!

Posted on 7 July 2020

The characters in Young Adult literature might be in their teens, but they are far from immature. Here is a selection of YA novels with beautifully created worlds and well developed stories that range from Sci-fi to Fantasy and contemporary Australian fiction.