Maitland City Library Quarterly Program Guide April- June 2017

Program Guide april - june 2017

Connecting our community

Program Guide april - june 2017

Look Who’s Talking Local Stories

ordinary people, extraordinary lives

Look Who’s Talking

voice from the bush don watson

Different experiences shape our lives and set us on unforeseen paths. John Grushka shares his extraordinary story of surviving the holocaust and Robyn Barnes takes us on a courageous journey from living under the shadow of a cult to finding freedom.

Don Watson’s new book is an essential companion to its award winning, brilliant predecessor, The Bush. A Single Tree includes diary extracts, memoirs, letters, journals, poems and fiction based on the same themes as The Bush, brought together by a respected historian and writer.

Tuesday 4 April 6.00pm - 7.30pm Rutherford Library Free Bookings essential

Thursday 6 April 6.00pm arrival 6.30pm start Maddies of Bolwarra $25 Books available for sale and signing

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Book online at maitland.nsw.gov.au/library

Holiday Fun

paper planet It’s all about fun with paper: the possibilities are endless! Join us for 3D paper craft, origami, photo scrapbooking or even make your own book. Come along and be entertained by Ship o’ Fools as they perform the Waste Wrappers show or join our Punkii workshop and be entertained by Sharni McDermott (Punkii) as she shares stories and fun filled activities about the Dreamtime, Australia, animals, friends and family.

8 April - 24 April All Maitland City Library branches Bookings essential

Look Who’s Talking Local History

duckenfield house The design, building and ultimate disappearance of the once grand Duckenfield House, home of the Eales family, is a story of colonial prosperity, ambition and the rise and fall of a family pastoral dynasty.

Join David Brouwer, author of John Eales of Duckenfield, as he recounts the compelling story of John Eales and the succeeding generations of the Eales family, whose Duckenfield House once stood as a dazzling monument to their wealth and social standing but is now sadly lost forever.

Thursday 20 April 6.00pm - 7.30pm East Maitland Library Free Books available for sale and signing 2

Program Guide april - june 2017

writing workshops

VERSES

poetry workshop

poets in residence

Poetry is a powerful way to express yourself. It can help you make sense of the world around you and voice your deepest emotions. Find your voice in this powerful poetry workshop.

Can poetry make the world a better place? World Poetry Day on 21 March celebrates the power of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind.

Presented in partnership with Hunter Writers Centre and Lake Mac Libraries.

Verses seeks to connect poets with cafes through a pilot ‘poets in residence’ program. Local poets and cafes are invited to participate in the Verses initiative by contacting programmes@maitland.nsw.gov.au

by Friday 21 April 2017. Residencies are voluntary and do not include payment.

Poets may be interested in participating in Verses, a new Maitland City Council iniative linking poets and cafes.

Saturday 6 May 9.30am – 1.30pm Maitland Library $50

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Verses is an initiative of Maitland City Council’s Cultural Plan.

Book online at maitland.nsw.gov.au/library

Look Who’s Talking

hope for a new world tim flannery One of the world’s most prominent environmentalists, Tim Flannery gives his optimistic views on what our world will be like in 2050 and how we can combat climate change in his latest book Atmosphere of Hope: Searching for Solutions to the Climate Crisis.

An internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer, and conservationist, Professor Flannery was named Australian of the Year in 2007. He is the Chief Councillor of the Climate Council and one of Australia’s leading writers on climate change.

Friday 12 May 6.00pm arrival 6.30pm start Cameron Centre, Hunter Valley Grammar School $25 Books available for sale and signing 4

Program Guide april - june 2017

writing workshops

creative writing meetup Join an informal and supportive writing group for tips on how to begin or receive advice and encouragement to continue your writing projects. With new topics each month, you will learn the basics of story structure, how to create dynamic characters, bring dialogue to life and much more. Come along once or every month.

Presented in partnership with Hunter Writing Centre and Lake Mac Libraries.

Third Friday of the month: May to October 10.00am – 12.00pm East Maitland Library $12 per session $60 if booking six sessions

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Look Who’s Talking local authors

Bushranger Tracks greg powell Where did the Ned Kelly Gang, Ben Hall, Captain Starlight and the Hunter’s own bushrangers hang out? Based on decades of research, Bushranger Tracks, brings together bushranging history with information on current day historical sites, allowing the reader with a keen imagination to travel back to the wild days of early settlements when gold glittered, guns blazed and men and women struggled.

Monday 22 May 6.00pm – 7.30pm East Maitland Library Free Bookings essential Books available for sale and signing

Book online at maitland.nsw.gov.au/library

National Simultaneous storytime

Look Who’s Talking local history

Hey diddle diddle, you all know the riddle...

last woman hanged

Join us for an extra special reading of Tony Wilson’s The Cow that Tripped over the Moon to celebrate National Simultaneous Storytime.

We’ll have some great readers on board and lots of fun activities at all Maitland City Library branches.

Wednesday 24 May 11.00am Maitland City Library Branches

Two husbands, four trials and one bloody execution, Caroline Overington delves into the archives to reveal the true story of Louisa Collins, a 41 year old mother of ten children from the Upper Hunter, who became the first woman hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol and the last woman hanged in New South Wales.

Author Caroline Overington has won multiple awards including twice winning the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism.

Thursday 8 June 6.00pm - 7.30pm Maitland Gaol Chapel Free Bookings essential Books available for sale and signing 6

Program Guide april - june 2017

Look Who’s Talking

gratitude and truthfulness raimond gaita Award winning author and philosopher Raimond Gaita has been recognised for his exceptional and sometimes controversial views on the nature of ethical thought and moral philosophy.

Gaita is currently writing a book of essays expressing gratitude to people who have mattered to him. Those that enjoyed Romulus, My Father and After Romulus will recognise the same reflective narrative.

Wednesday 14 June 6.00pm arrival 6.30pm start Brough House $25 Books available for sale and signing

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Book online at maitland.nsw.gov.au/library

Look Who’s Talking wellbeing

Look Who’s Talking local authors

why friendship matters

in sickness, in health and in jail

Philosophers and cognitive scientists agree that friendship is an essential ingredient of human happiness.

Aristotle’s opinion was that friends hold a mirror up to each other and through that mirror we can see each other in ways that would not otherwise be accessible to us.

mel jacob

It is said that friends are an integral part of what it means to live the good life.

Join us as we explore the real power of friendship to enrich our lives.

Tuesday 20 June 6.00pm – 7.30pm Thornton Library Free Bookings essential

Mel Jacob recounts how her near perfect life took an unexpected detour when her husband was jailed for two years. Mel tells with humour the story of a family left behind, chronicling the grief, stigma and conversational minefields of her husband’s whereabouts as she navigated single parenthood, prison visitations and nosy neighbours.

Thursday 29 June 6.00pm – 7.30pm Rutherford Library Free Bookings essential Books available for sale and signing

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Program Guide april - june 2017

Baby Book Club

Storytime

Babies love to listen to the human voice, and what better way than through reading. Share a love of reading and language with your baby. Enjoy books, songs and rhymes for 0–2 year olds.

We make reading fun! Read, sing and play with your toddler at these interactive and entertaining sessions. Storytime is designed to develop a love of reading and is ideal for children aged 2-5 years.

East Maitland Library Every Thursday and Friday 11.00am

East Maitland Library Every Monday and Wednesday 11.00am

Maitland Library Every Thursday 11.00am

Maitland Library Every Tuesday 11.00am

Rutherford Library Every Monday 10.00am

Rutherford Library Every Tuesday and Thursday 10.30am

Thornton Library Every Tuesday 10.30am

Thornton Library Every Thursday 10.30am

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Book online at maitland.nsw.gov.au/library

BOOK CLUBS

get connected

If you enjoy reading, meeting people and discussing your opinions and ideas our Book Club may be right for you.

Increase your computer skills at these free, hands on sessions. Get comfortable with technology in a supportive environment.

Thinking of starting a book club? Contact us and ask about the 100 book club kits available.

Book an individual training session to focus on what you need. Topics include social media, email, smartphones and tablets/iPads, word processing, family history, and online research. Let us help you discover the library’s digital collections, from eBooks, eAudio and eMagazines to eComics, eFilms, eMusic and more.

Thornton Library Third Saturday of month 10.30am - 11.30am

Book Chats Join a book chat for a casual discussion of interesting reads, book recommendations and the chance to meet new people.

Thornton Library First Friday of month 10.30am - 11.30am

Get Connected sessions are available at all Maitland City Library branches or bring your tablet/smartphone/reader and ask the library staff for tips and troubleshooting. Visit or contact your local branch.

East Maitland Library 02 4933 7122 Maitland Library 02 4933 6952 Rutherford Library 02 4932 8730 Thornton Library 02 4964 4468 10

Connecting our community East Maitland Library Garnett Road East Maitland NSW 2323 t 4933 7122 eastmaitland.library@maitland.nsw.gov.au

Rutherford Library Arthur Street Rutherford NSW 2320 t 4932 8730 rutherford.library@maitland.nsw.gov.au

Maitland Library 480 High Street Maitland NSW 2320 t 4933 6952 maitland.library@maitland.nsw.gov.au

Thornton Library Taylor Avenue Thornton NSW 2322 t 4964 4468 thornton.library@maitland.nsw.gov.au

maitland.nsw.gov.au/library Booking and payment prior to events is essential and may be made online at maitland.nsw.gov.au/library 11

Contact Maitland City Library 4933 6952 for further information.

Book online at maitland.nsw.gov.au/library