Meet the Author - Peter Goldsworthy

forthcoming events at http://folevents.blogspot.com/

We were privileged to have a visit from Peter Goldsworthy -  in his role as Chairman of the Library Board and well-known author of Maestro, Honk if You're Jesus, Wish, Three Dog Night, Everything I Know (set in Penola) and his latest Gravel.

Ewan Grant of 5SE - MC, Cathryn Harris - Librarian, Peter Goldsworthy and Helen Boomsma - President of Friends of the Library before the event.

Peter's audience in the cafe was spellbound as he talked about being an author and how he finds ideas in real life then takes them to the extremes of his imagination.

His new book of short stories is entitled Gravel because Peter hopes that that the stories will stick in your mind like a piece of gravel in a shoe. He read us one of the stories

and signed copies of his books which were available for sale from Collins Bookstore.

Library staff:

 Ricky, Cameron, Paula, Danny, Peter, Cathryn, Patricia and Sue.

President's Newsletter September 2010

forthcoming events are at http://folevents.blogspot.com

Friends of the Library have had several successful events: we are getting into our stride as a group and fulfilling our aim of bringing different groups of people into the library for fun and involvement.

Bound by Books was a get-together of all the book groups in Mount Gambier – there were 11 groups, now there are 13. A member of each group spoke on how they operate - all amazingly different - Lois Dean talked about writing her book Minnie and we enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea prepared by the Friends committee. Nora’s scones were much appreciated. This event will continue approximately every 3 months with the next one being a panel discussion arbitrated by Selina Green on two books currently being read by our brave panelists. Anyone can come – it’s not limited to book group members – and yes blokes are welcome (there were some at the last one.) Date has been changed to 31st October to avoid conflict with Mount Gambier Show's big weekend.

You may have noticed two splendid cows in the Library: they were advertising a MasterClass in Cheese with Dr Trevor Hodson which was fascinating and informative.

Jan Prowse of Yoey’s Fine Foods donated the twelve cheeses we tasted and first prize in the raffle.

Read a full account with photos in the blog archive for August - to the right.

Sneak Peek at new books for Friends of the Library and their friends will occur on the first Thursday of each month at 11am in the Multi-Function Room and everyone is welcome to this free event. For September, we sat around a table with our coffee or tea and chatted: Chris Lloyd spoke on two of the books she read, Campaign Ruby by Jessica Rudd (about a Prime Minister who is deposed by a female colleague – funny thing, that) and Truth by Peter Temple who is Chris’s favourite detective writer; Melbourne, gritty underworld. Next Sneak Peak is Thursday October 7th.

Monday 20th Sept 7pm Meet the Author! South Australia’s own Peter Goldsworthy, author of Wish, Honk if You Are Jesus, Everything I Knew (set in Penola) and his latest short stories Gravel.
“Stories of magnificent achievement and disturbing power.”
Gail Jones—Australian Book Review

Bookings at the Library are essential as tickets are selling fast. Tickets cost $5 and include a savoury supper.

Pre-event wine and cheese from Warrnambool Cheese & Butter for $2.

Sunday 26th September 2-4pm Travel-Talk with Gambier Coachlines. Max Seebohm presents European River Cruising with APT’s Jennifer Page. There’ll also be chats with frequent travellers and afternoon tea.

Please book at the Library so that we can cater correctly and everyone gets a Powder Puff.

Thursday 7th October 11am Sneak Peek at New Books, cup of tea and a chat.


Thursday 7th October 6.30pm film premiere at the Oatmill Cinema, Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts

She eats pizza in Italy, prays in India and finds love in Bali – so at 6pm we will serve pizza  kindly donated by  - Valley Lake Pizzas 94 Commercial St East - and wine before the film. $15 per ticket, available at the Library from 23rd Sept.
~Please note the time has been changed from original advertisement: 6pm for pizza and 6.30 for screening.~

Meet Libeary the teddy. He will be introduced at the Teddy Bears Picnic for pre-schoolers on Tuesday November 16th, on sale for $5.

His many brothers need a knitted scarf like his – can you help knit?

Just cast on 6 stitches using 8-ply yarn and 4.5mm needles and knit stocking stitch until it measures 60cm. Or we have some Knitting Nancys – used to be called tomboy stitch.

If enough people want to we could have knitting bees at the Library.

Best wishes from Helen Boomsma, President

Music at the Library

Calling all musicians!

We want to hear you play or sing

at the Library at weekends.

Make the Library a fun place to be and experience playing to an

appreciative  audience.

Book your slot now:

email The Secretary of Friends of the Library at folmtg@gmail.com

or phone her on  8726 8048

MasterClass in Cheese

Cheese-lovers gathered at the Library recently for a MasterClass in Cheese conducted by Dr. Trevor Hodson.

Trevor, Cheryl Tilleyand Nora Smibert with Bertha the cow who was on loan from Suttontown Primary School to advertise the event.


Trevor's passion for cheese and the depth of his knowledge were a revelation to us all as he took us through the types of cheese, how to make them, how to store them and how to enjoy eating cheese - with an open mind.

Sometimes they smell strange - like old socks - as Marg Doody discovered.

Trevor and Helen Boomsma, President of Friends of the Library, admiring the array of artisan cheeses for tasting.


Trevor pointed out that artisan cheese are made with love and have far more character and taste than industrial cheeses which are made mechanically.

Cheese-lovers lining up for tasting.

There were 8 prizes for the raffle, all cheese-themed, donated by Yoey's Fine Foods, Kraft Suttontown and Warrnambool Cheese and Butter at Mil Lel. Thank you to these generous sponsors.

First prize in the raffle was won by Carol Burge, pictured here with her cheese platter and Bertha the cow.

Carol, Trevor and Jan Prowse

Trevor thanked Jan Prowse of Yoey's Fine Foods of 32 James Street Mount Gambier for donating the beautiful cheeses which we enjoyed tasting - some from France, others from Limestone Coast, Gippsland and King Island.
I thought Shadows of Blue was outstanding!

It was a very successful day, raising $490 for Library purchases and with a good time had by all.

It's all happening at the Library - a fun place to be.

Future Friends events can be seen at http://folevents.blogspot.com/

contact Friends: folmtg@gmail.com

Bound by Books Sunday 25th July 2010

Bound by Books was conceived as a way of getting together in the Library all the members of book clubs in Mount Gambier and Districts. There are eleven clubs and they all sent representatives who assembled to share their experiences over afternoon tea, plus a few very welcome Friends of the Library who dropped in to see what it is all about. About 60 people attended.

Each club has a different modus operandi, ranging from books, movies and magazines to restaurants, food, wine and overseas travel; all are enthusiastic about their clubs and eager to share experiences - so much so that two more clubs formed on the spot. Now we need to know your names: The Book Group is taken as a name as it has been running since 1987.



Lois Dean talked on the book Minnie she has written and told us how she came to write it and how much she enjoyed the experience - some of the best days of her life were spent researching Minnie and the Hunter family of Kalangadoo Station. Life was hard for the early settlers of the South-East, with isolation being a major factor in their lack of success.

The raffle was a copy of Minnie and was won by Kara, second prize of The Jane Austen Book Club went to Shirley Underwood. The Jane Austen Book Club has males in it and it was gratifying to see a few males present at this gathering.

Afternoon tea was served by the committee with a delicious array of cucumber sandwiches, ribbon sandwiches, scones, brownies, cakes and powder puffs.

At the end of the day the question wasn't: if we have another Bound by Books but when? A suggestion from the floor was to copy the format of ABC's Tuesday Night Book Club and have 4 panelists discussing a book so that's what will happen on Sunday 24th October. Another date for the diary!

Big Book Sale

President's Newsletter July 2010

The Big Book Sale was a great success!

The Friends committee worked hard to set up the library with a great array of donated books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, magazines and beautiful jigsaws.

In spite of the wintry weather, customers were lined up outside waiting for the library doors to open - and in they stormed when the doors opened at 10 o'clock!

As predicted, the jigsaws were very popular, as were the books and magazines so that the committee was kept busy replenishing stocks.


The first customer bought three large jigsaws - enough to see out the winter.
Here is Marian Wittwer being served by Nelda Earl and Events Co-ordinator Patricia Reed.
Fresh stock was reserved for Sunday and some buyers came back on the second day to see what else was offered.
Don Pegler, MP for Mount Gambier who is the Patron of Friends of the Library Mount Gambier, came in on Sunday to draw the raffle, the prize for which was a Chambers Crossword Dictionary and Puzzle Book.

President Helen Boomsma holds the basket for Don to draw the winning ticket which went to Hilda Leamey. The raffle raised $100 - enough for a talking book to add to the Library's stock.

At the end of Sunday the grand total of sales was $2517 - an excellent start to Friends of the Library.

I would like to thank the committee who all worked hard and long and Friends who came in to help, especially Julienne Feast, Nelda Earl, Ruth Hein, Anne Taylor and Margaret Ashdown and Young Friend Jordan Small.

Very grateful thanks to everyone who donated such terrific items to make the sale successful.

Dates for your diary:

Sunday 25th July 2-4pm Bound by Books - an afternoon tea for members of Mount Gambier and Districts book groups and any interested Friends.
Lois Dean will talk about her book Minnie and copies will be for sale.
Gold coin donation.

BIG BOOK SALE

BIG BOOK SALE

Saturday 10th July 2010 and
Sunday 11th July
10am – 4pm
at the Library

STACKS OF BOOKS!
Books, magazines, CDs, DVDs.adult fiction & non-fiction, children’s.
New stock appearing on Sunday.

Please support

FOL Mount Gambier's first event.
Proceeds to the Library