Fire and Song by Anna Lanyon

Future Events for Friends of the Library at
http://folevents.blogspot.com/

 Visit of Anna Lanyon

Anna is the author of Fire and Song, an epic historical novel based on the life of Luis de Carvajal, his mother and his sisters, who died together in Mexico City in 1596, exploring his determination never to lose heart, and to cling to his Jewish faith and cultural identity - the Law of Moses.

Anna, who now lives at Portland,  described how she discovered a treasure trove of inquisition transcripts in Mexico and the long time it took to translate them from the original Spanish and write her book.

Anna Lanyon

Pat Hussey played the guitar for our enjoyment before and after the talk.

Saturday 9th April 2011

A seminar with guest speaker Julian Burnside QC on the subject of Human Rights in Times of Stress was to have taken place at the Library but had to transfer to the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre due to a large enrollment.

Friends of the Library supplied afternoon tea.

Members of the Probus Walking Group volunteered to help prepare food.
L-R: Raelene, Marie, Nora, Ruth, Patricia and Chris.

Afternoon tea in the foyer of Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre
(Sir Robert's birthday: he would have been 102)

 

Barbie's wardrobe, made by Ethel Gleed, was raffled by the Friends at March and April's Arts & Crafts Markets.

Ethel was on hand to draw the winning ticket and the lucky winner was
Glenys Hughes of Mount Gambier.

Betty, Caroline, Ethel - drawing the ticket - and Nora

Bound by Books Sunday 27th March 2011

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

Book groups in Mount Gambier and Districts met for a quick overview on what they have been reading - all extremely varied including a trip to the theatre - before moving on to the book under discussion by the panel. 

The book for discussion was The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver which proved to be a very meaty choice with lots of points for discussion, ranging through art, politics, newspaper reporting, homosexuality and the McCarthy-era witchhunts.
The central part of the book  features the lives of Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera and Lucia Pichler, Director of Riddoch Art Gallery, brought along reproductions of some of their artworks.

Panel members: Louise Rockne, Marg Kaethner,
moderator Lucia Pichler
Diana Wiseman and Sonya Meznic

Not everyone liked all aspects of the book but it certainly gave rise to some interesting concepts and all agreed the ending is wonderful.

Marg Kaethner makes a point.

The usual delicious afternoon tea was supplied
by Friends of the Library committee.

Mary Leech was the winner of the raffle, a copy of The Lacuna.
The panellists' copies have been returned to stock in the Library and are available for loan.

Launch of eAudiobooks

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

The theme was green for Mount Gambier Library's launch of Bolinda Digital's audiobooks.

In a first for South Australia libraries you can download a book from the wide range available, direct from Mount Gambier Library's website, onto any MP3 player.

Friends of the Library donated 4 MP3 players
as prizes for people attending the launch.
Thank you Harvey Norman and Target.

Library staff will show you how to download

or go to the Library website and follow the prompts.

Meet the Author - Dee Nolan

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

Dee Nolan talked to a large audience at the Library about her pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, which was the inspiration for her beautiful book.

We learned abour the history of the camino, her motivation for doing it and her experiences
with food along the way and most importantly, how to care for the feet (very good shoes and socks.)
The photos in the book are glorious and we saw some of them on a short video.

Dee Nolan talks to a fan

 Collins Booksellers were on hand to sell the book

and Friends of the Library served supper including a tasting of Nolan's Road olive oil made from olives grown on Dee's property at Hynam.

Marie from Collins made a Santiago tart to match the one pictured in Dee's book.

Dee signing her book.

Audio book Presentation

see forthcoming Friends' events at

http://folevents.blogspot.com/

audioBook Presentation at the Library 2011

Patricia Ellis and Max Seebohm of Gambier Coachlines

Last year Max volunteered to donate an audio book to the Library.

It has finally arrived and on Valentine's Day he handed it over to Patricia Ellis.

It's Eat Pray Love written by Elizabeth Gilbert and is now available for loan.

Thank you Max and Gambier Coachlines.

President's Newsletter December 2010

Friends of the Library Events for February - March 2011
http://folevents.blogspot.com/2011/02/fol-events-february-2011.html

An enthusiastic committee of Friends of the Library has worked hard during the last six months to produce interesting events at the Library that bring in a wide cross-section of people—and make some money for Library purchases.

Kelvin Smibert, Nora Smibert, Cynthia Richardson & Patricia Reed
with the City Bikes, one of which was donated by Friends of the Library

 July

The Big Book Sale ran over 2 days and attracted in a lot of people who stocked up on the books on offer, many donated by Library users.

Jigsaws were popular

  

Helen Boomsma, President with Don Pegler, Patron

Bound by Books, a get-together of Mt Gambier book groups, had a talk by Lois Dean on her book ‘Minnie’ and related how each group operates—all quite different—with a delicious afternoon tea provided by committee members.

 August

 saw the first of a monthly Sneak Peek at the new books purchased by the Library. Chris Lloyd gives a review of those she has read, we pick out our own books and have a book chat with a cup of tea.

MasterClass in Cheese conducted by Trevor Hodson and sponsored by Yoey’s Fine Foods was informative and interesting, as Trevor really loves his subject.

The Library was overtaken by Picasso-style cows and

librarian Cathryn had to say: “No more cows!”

Cheryl Tilley, Trevor Hodson & Nora Smibert at the Cheese event

September
 A Travel Talk sponsored by Gambier Coachlines drew an audience interested to hear about River Cruising in Europe. FOL committee supplied afternoon tea and Max Seebohm of Gambier Coachlines donated a talking book to the Library.

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

 
 October

We filled the Oatmill Cinema for a premiere of Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts. We served pizza beforehand, kindly donated by Valley Lake Pizza, as Julia eats pizza during the film. This was a good fundraiser.

Bridge @ the Library was an all-day mini-tournament for local bridge clubs with luncheon served by FOL committee. We’re getting a reputation for excellent food!

  Friday FrightNight was an exciting event for the Young Friends of the Library who played spooky games, listened to scary stories and ate pizza. Shakira won the prize for best costume and Patricia Reed of FOL committee wasn’t far behind!

 

Bound by Books ‘ second meeting took the format of a panel discussion hosted by Selina Green of ABC Radio and was absorbing as they discussed Ian McEwan’s ‘Solar’ and George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’.

November

Children's Cake Decorating with Charmaine Rees had us practising on cupcakes for a very professional-looking finish:

Marie with her cupcake and those made by the class

The Teddy Bears’ Picnic for Very Young Friends was a great success with 60 children in the library cave to hear teddy stories and sing songs with the Library staff then out into the Cave Gardens for a picnic with fruit and water supplied by OPAL.

Marion Thompson offer fruit

‘Libeary’ the FOL teddy bear was launched and is still for sale at $5 each. He is a lovely soft cuddly bear with a bright red scarf knitted by ladies from Boandik Lodge and children from Compton Primary School.

Will from Kongorong with hundreds of Libearies.

Meet the Author Peter Fitzsimons was a most enjoyable night when this larger-than-life raconteur and author held us spellbound.

FOL served wine donated by Herbert Vineyard.

Patricia Reed and Nora Smibert serve Librarian Cathryn Harris
and Peter Fitzsimons with Herbert's wines.

A cloakroom for the Blue Lake Fun Run was run by the FOL committee who were pleased to be part of the proceedings. This will be expanded next year.

December

In what has turned into the Year of the Peters,

Peter Rymill presented the book he edited ‘Notes of a Journey to the South-East 1863’ by William Milne, which was launched by Stan Thompson of ABC Radio to an appreciative audience.

 Libeary was on sale at the Arts and Crafts

Market and at Make-a-Wish Open Day.

At the Library’s First Birthday FOL handed out piggy banks donated by Bendigo Bank, blew up balloons and cut up the huge delicious birthday cake.



Jane Pellen-Philips hands out piggy banks



FOL is proud to have donated a bicycle to the City’s Hire-a-Bike programme.

 A final event was when FOL took Father Christmas and an elf to hand out presents at the Woolworths' Staff Christmas Party.
Thank you Father Christmas for good "Ho Ho -ing!"

Father Christmas and Elf meet some happy customers -
Jeremy & Anikka Marks and their mother.

Bikes and the Library's First Birthday

Friends of the Library have contributed a bike to the City Council's initiative of hiring bicycles for free for tourists and locals to ride around the city precincts. The bikes are housed at the Library and can be hired from the main desk.

Kelvin and Nora Smibert, Cynthia Richardson and Patricia Reed
with 3 of the bikes.

Friday 17th December was the Library's First Birthday, celebrated with free ballons, blown up by FOL

Sue Briffa, Patricia Reed Cheryl Tilley and Marion Thompson worked hard.

Jane Pellen-Philps handed out free pig money-boxes
donated by Bendigo Bank

There was an enormous and delicious cake,
cut by the Library staff

Father Christmas was in attendance and his elf, Paula,
had icy poles for the children