Library News

June 2025

Refugee Week  

People come permanently to Australia in one of two ways: through the Migration Program (family reunions or skilled migrants) or the Refugee and Humanitarian Program. Who is a refugee? According to United Nations Refugee Agency, refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes and have crossed an international border to find safety in another country. They have fled war, violence, conflict or persecution. The number of refugees welcomed to Australia since World War II is on track to pass one million later this year.

The first Vietnamese refugees arrived in 1976. One of these was Nam Le, prize winning author who came to Australia as an infant with his family in a small boat.  His book The Boat, a collection of short stories that won the 2009 Prime Minister’s Literary Award, explores the themes of identity, culture and migration. His latest offering is a collection of poems, 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem, that has just been selected as Book of the Year in the 2025 NSW Literary Awards. Judges described the book as “damning, frank and unwavering… passionate and bold in its depiction of otherness, trauma and struggle.”

In the past decade, the number of people applying for refugee status in Australia has increased dramatically. Hundreds of thousands have fled violence: in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Congo, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Sudan and, most recently, Gaza.  Out of the 10,033 Palestinian applications launched in the past 10 months, 7111 were rejected.

Lebanese-Palestinian writer Hasib Hourani – who won the Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry in the 2025 NSW Literary Awards – says when he started writing the book-length poem rock flight he wanted to “advocate for Palestinian liberation to people who might not yet be convinced that’s a just thing for us to ask for”. It started as a work of non-fiction, tracing his family’s history in the region, including his grandparents escaping war-torn Palestine in 1948. Hourani is distressed that since he finished writing the book in 2023 more than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza. He writes “i go to palestine with a new journal/thought i’d write some metaphors/but return with scant pages of/questions and fodder./the more time i spend with words/the more i realise that they just won’t do.”

Shankari Chandran is an Australian writer whose book Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens won the 2023 Miles Franklin Award. Chandran’s parents were Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka. She describes her more recent novel, Safe Haven, as “fuelled by rage”. One reviewer describes it as a “heartbreaking tale of the plight of asylum seekers in Australia and the abhorrent treatment they receive in detention centres.”  In a note at the conclusion of Safe Haven the author comments that she wrote the book “because I was trying to understand what lies behind our detention policies and the strength of Australian who fight against it”. It is a book of hope as well as one of despair.

The Boat, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens and Safe Haven can be found in our library collection.

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World Oceans Day: Sustaining What Sustains Us

World Oceans Day, 8 June, is a day to raise awareness of the importance of oceans and take action to protect them. Living in Maldon (144 km from the nearest ocean) it is easy to forget the role that oceans and their inhabitants play in our everyday lives. They feed us, directly or via marine food chains. Because oceans are the largest natural reservoirs of carbon and heat, they have a major impact on our lives, absorbing from the atmosphere one quarter of the CO₂ emissions produced by humans and acting as heat sinks, moderating global temperature change.  In combination, these properties have resulted in the world’s oceans acting as brakes, slowing down the full effects of greenhouse gas warming of the atmosphere.

We need healthy oceans to maintain a functioning world. However, oceans are in crisis. Fish population crashes, the result of factors such as over-fishing, loss of breeding sites, temperature change and pollution, impact every species that lives in the oceans. Around the world marine mammals such as whales and dolphins are threatened by habitat loss, being killed by fishing fleets as ‘bycatch’ and because of migration disruption from noise pollution. Seabird populations have dropped by 70 percent since the middle of the 20th century. Plastic pollution is a major form of marine pollution that affects marine life. Plastic waste can entrap marine animals resulting in them drowning, starving or being eaten. Soft plastics and microplastics can be ingested by marine life and cause their deaths.

What can we do? Here are some thoughts:

• Read about the oceans to small children so they grow up to love and save them
• Shop and eat sustainably – look for the Certified Sustainable Seafood
• Use fewer plastics and demand plastic-free alternatives.
• Use eco-friendly products – down the drain often means out to sea.

And some suggested reading from the library collection:

For adults

Atlantic: A Vast Ocean of a Million Stories  Simon Winchester

Climate: The Force That Shapes Our World  George Ochoa, Jennifer Hoffman and Tina Tin

May 2025

Who was Mrs Beale? You will be able to answer this question if you were part of the very large group who helped celebrate the launch of the Library History Vignettes on Saturday 24^th May. Despite being 135 years old (24^th May 1890 was the date on which she died), Mrs Beale made a memorable appearance at the launch, doing her best to shoo everyone out, denying all knowledge of being dead and any older than 90. For those who missed the launch, Mrs Beale was the first female librarian at the Athenaeum, back in 1875 when it was in a weatherboard building, before the mysterious fires precipitated the construction of the current brick premises in 1934. The records in the archives suggest that Mrs Beale was a considerable force, managing the library of (mainly male) members with a very firm hand and little tolerance for miscreants.  In the History Vignettes, available on our website maldonlibrary.org.au you can read about Mrs Beale and the other quirky characters and interesting episodes in the long history of the Athenaeum Library. More vignettes are planned or in the process of being created, to be added to the website in the future.  After all, an institution 162 years old has many stories yet to be told.

Many thanks to all those who came to the launch to support out History Vignette project. Special thanks must go to historian and writer, Robyn Annear, who ably carried out the official launch, and to actor Helen Gramberg, whose performance as Mrs Beale was a highlight of the afternoon.  In addition, the Athenaeum Library Committee would like to publicly acknowledge the work of Lynda Achren (who co-wrote the script for Mrs Beale with Helen Gramberg and inspired and supported the many other volunteer archivists and vignette writers) and, of course, our indefatigable President, Tina Fratta. It was a great afternoon, and we thank the Maldon community for sharing it with us.

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Are you coming to the Launch of the Library History Vignettes? Saturday 24 May, 2pm in the RSL Hall. Booking for the launch is essential.  RSVP to maldonathenaeumlibrary@gmail.com or phone 0437094469

National Reconciliation Week

This week marks the start of National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June. These are significant dates for all Australians. May 27^th was the date of the 1967 referendum when, by an overwhelming majority, Australians voted to remove clauses in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. June 3^rd marks the historic 1992 Mabo decision in which the High Court recognised native title.

The word reconciliation means the restoration of harmony, the renewal of friendship, the process of parties coming to peace with each other. It is a very positive term, about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians. Making a kinder, more peaceful country. In a world where conflict appears to be the norm, harmony, friendship and peace seem even more desirable.

In her most recent book, Unsettled: A journey through time and place, the Australian author Kate Grenville describes a memorial in a small town called Bingara, northwest of Tamworth in NSW. This is the town closest to the site of the Myall Creek Massacre, where in 1838 a group of white men trapped about 30 ‘natives’, old men, women and children, forcing them into the bush and killing them, later burning their bodies. Seven men were eventually tried and hanged. Descendants of both the killers and the victims still live in the area, in what Grenville describes as what could have become “a town divided, a town stiff with silence, a town of pain on one side and self-righteous defensiveness on the other”. Instead, in 2000 the small community came together to create a memorial ‘in an act of reconciliation, and in the acknowledgment of the truth of our shared history’. Grenville writes “there is no way forward without acknowledging the things that were done… To know them and to understand that we have to live with what we know…. To pick up our grief and sorrow and not look for somewhere to put it down as something that is too heavy for us”.

Kate Grenville’s books, including Unsettled (2025), The Secret River (2005), The Lieutenant (2007), Sarah Thornhill (2011), A Room Made of Leaves (2020), and Restless Dolly Maunder (2023) can be found on the shelves of the Maldon Athenaeum Library.

You can hear Kate Grenville talk about Unsettled at The Phee Broadway, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine, Wednesday 11 June 2025, at 6:30 PM 

https://www.trybooking.com › events › landing › 1390903

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You’re all invited – Be part of the launch of the Maldon Athenaeum Library History Vignettes.

We are very excited to announce the launch of the Maldon Athenaeum Library History Vignettes on Saturday 24 May at 2pm in the RSL Hall, rear of 97 High Street, Maldon.  Please join us for the official launch by local writer and historian, Robyn Annear and a very special guest from the library’s colourful past. View highlights from the vignettes, meet some of the vignette writers, take a tour of the library’s collection of historic artworks and join us for afternoon tea.

Beginning in 1863, the library has a long history as an independent, community managed library run entirely by local volunteers. We are launching the Library History Vignettes during Volunteers’ Week 2025 as the project is only possible because of the work of library volunteers to bring order to the library’s collection of historical documents. These including correspondence, borrowing records, minute books and newspaper articles. Information from these and other archival sources has been used by volunteers to create a series of vignettes, ‘brief, evocative descriptions, accounts or episodes’, accompanied by images, that are easy to read, factual and lively. After the launch the vignettes will be available to the public on the library website, maldonlibrary.org.au

The vignettes aim to paint a picture of the library’s 162-year history.  From these vignettes you can learn about the early days of the library as a Mechanics’ Institute, the trials and tribulations of getting established and finding a permanent home, the addition (and later demise) of a Billiards Room and the mysterious fires in the 1930s. Other vignettes explore the struggle to remain independent and afloat, the many community connections (including the 1936 Popular Girl Competition), the changing nature of borrowers and their reading habits and the origins of the current building, its artworks and photographs. Learn who won the 1909 billiards ‘invitation friendly’ between Maldon and Castlemaine Mechanics’ Institutes. Over afternoon tea share your stories of the Maldon Athenaeum Library to add to the history of this old institution that has provided a continuous service, against the odds, since 1863.

We are very excited about this launch. It is the culmination of processes that began a long time ago, by volunteers in the past as well as the current crew. It has been entirely volunteer managed, created and driven (like so many things in Maldon). This is not the end, however: more vignettes are planned or in the process of being created, to be added to the website in the future. Watch this space!

Booking for the launch is essential.

RSVP by Monday 19 May to maldonathenaeumlibrary@gmail.com or phone 0437094469

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World Press Freedom Day

This year the theme for World Press Freedom Day is Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media. The day marks the anniversary of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration, a statement of free press principles. The declaration outlines the core values of a free, independent, and pluralistic media. In 2021 this was extended to include the ideals of Information as a Public Good. AI has become a widely used tool, capable of supporting journalistic tasks such as content generation, information analysis and presentation. However, it introduces new dangers and challenges the way journalism is practised. The emergence of generative AI products such as ChatGPT are increasingly being used in the production of journalism, raising concerns about the origins and veracity of information produced by these algorithmic programs. The Digital News Report: Australia 2024, published by the University of Canberra, reports that trust in news reporting in Australia has decreased. Of those surveyed, 75% had concerns around misinformation (up from 64% in 2022).  Australians are much less trusting of AI-generated news than that produced by humans alone.

Freedom of information and freedom of expression depends on independent journalism, free of political, commercial or factional bias, publishing information that is trustworthy and for which the journalist and the publisher can be held accountable.  This is even more critical in the current uncertain world, where misinformation and disinformation are useful tools, boundaries between real and fake are hard to discern, and truth seems to be a very flexible concept. UNESCO’s World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Global Report documents a crisis in the freedom and safety of journalists and an uncertain future for independent news media. This is particularly true for local newspapers, especially in rural and regional areas, with centralisation of ownership of community newspapers, ‘economic rationalisation’ and large-scale closure of local news outlets. This has resulting in local ‘news deserts’ throughout many parts of regional Australia.

We are fortunate in Maldon to avoid living in a newspaper ‘desert’. However, the community newspaper sector has been in steep decline since Covid, with over 100 regional Australian newspapers having folded or switched to digital-only editions. How long can our community newspaper survive? With the loss of the Meta payment to news outlets, valued at $200 million, for use of Australian news content on Facebook, it is not just the viability of newspapers that is at risk, but also the jobs of journalists. The ABC used funds from commercial deals with Meta and Google to create 60 regional jobs.  Fewer journalists are now doing more, for less.

We need a free, independent and pluralistic media. We should expect information to be accepted as a Public Good, accessible to all. It could be argued that in the present global political and economic climate the existence of an independent, trustworthy media is even more critical. Support your local media outlets and fight for their continued existence.

Introducing Tristan Jacobson, completing a study placement at the library

Tristan is a final year student studying Library & Information Science at Curtin University by distance education. He is with us one day a week, gaining experience in cataloguing and other aspects of library management, supervised by library committee member Lynda Achren.  Tristan’s home is in Melbourne, but his mother is a local, having lived in Maldon for several years. After he completes his degree Tristan would like to work in a public library in his own area, or as part of a university library. He reads mostly non-fiction books, including history and philosophy, both parts of his coursework. He is also a fan of science fiction, especially the works of the American author, Thomas Pynchon which he describes as long, funny and with many, many characters.  The library is very happy to help Tristan on his career path.

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The Stella Prize

The annual Stella Prize is reasonably well known. But did you know of the other activities of the Stella organisation? (stella.org.au). Founded in 2012, it seeks to “actively champion Australian women writers, tackle gender bias in the literary sector, and connect outstanding books with readers.” In addition to sponsoring the annual $60,000 Stella Prize (named to honour Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin), the organisation supports a number of worthwhile initiatives:  writer retreats, residencies and workshops,  Stella Day Out events (free one-day literary festivals all over the country) and Stella On the Go, that places a selection of free books written by Australian women and non-binary authors on trams, trains, buses and  in public spaces across the country.

The 2025 Stella Prize ‘short list’ has now been announced, and it contains some firsts. For one author the book is her first novel. And for the first time all shortlisted authors are ‘women of colour’. Theory and Practice by Michelle de Kretser is a novel that is also a memoir and an essay. Melanie Cheng’s novel, The Burrow, is a deceptively simple tale of family life during the 2019 COVID epidemic. As one reviewer described it  “The Burrow recreates a feeling of false security in its pages. It is not until days after finishing Cheng’s work you realise, with panic, that you’ve been afraid the whole time.” Look for this one on our library shelves. Translations by Jumaana Abdu (a first novel, written while she was a medical student) tells of Aliyah and her young daughter, Sakina, who have left the city behind to start a safe, quiet life on the land in rural New South Wales, hoping to become an ‘uncitizen’ as a means of self-preservation.

The three remaining shortlisted books are non-fiction. Cactus Pear for My Beloved by Samah Sabawi is the story of her family over the past 100 years, starting in Palestine under British rule and ending in Redland Bay in Queensland. Black Convicts by Santilla Chingaipe is subtitled How Slavery Shaped Australia. Did you know that on the First Fleet of 1788, at least 15 convicts were of African descent and by 1840 the number had risen to almost 500. They included the man who became Australia’s first bushranger, a ferryman named Billy Blue who gave his name to Sydney’s Blues Point and a prominent London Chartist who led the development of Australia’s labour movement. The final book, Black Witness: The Power of Indigenous Media is written by journalist Amy McQuire. It is a collection of “fierce and powerful essays proving why the media needs to believe black witnesses”.

Which book will win the 2025 Stella Prize? Past prize winners comprise six novels, two works of poetry and three non-fiction books. Winning such a prestigious award can tip the author into publishing, as well as literary, success, allowing them to join the small number of Australian women making a living from writing exclusively. Watch this space: the 2025 Stella Prize winner will be announced on May 23.

April 2024

Library Book Sale- POSTPONED DUE TO BAD WEATHER

A reminder that the Library Book Sale will take place on Saturday April 26 from 9 am, outside the library (97 High Street, next to the Post Office). This will be a busy weekend in Maldon, so we are hoping to get lots of customers. All proceeds support the Maldon Athenaeum Library and allow us to keep the lights on and purchase more books. 

A follow up to Carmel Bird’s talk

It was great to see so many people at the library in March to hear celebrated local author Carmel Bird talk about writing. She held us spellbound, listening to her read (beautifully) passages from some of her many books. Questions from the audience suggested that there was keen interest in the process of writing: how Carmel found her inspiration, carried out research and went about crafting the stories. We are very fortunate to have recently received several books that will provide help for anyone considering taking up writing, whether it is a family history, a novel or a set of short stories. These include books for budding authors on the art (and business) of screenwriting, how to go about conducting research, how to write short stories that sell and how to encourage a book to stay out of the rejection pile. You will find these new books in the Language & Communication collection.

Introducing Library Volunteer Jill Stockfeld

We must thank Fiona Farley for introducing Jill Stockfeld to the Maldon Athenaeum Library after they met on a bus trip. Jill has been a library volunteer for 18 months, but it seems that she has libraries in her blood.  She has worked in libraries all her life, firstly as a teenager with a Saturday job shelving books, then as a library assistant, school library technician and public library Community Information Officer. In this role she produced the community information directory and helped people to use the community information data base.  Later she maintained her connection with school libraries while working for Vipa Books, suppliers of children’s and young adult books.

As well as carrying out general duties at the Athenaeum Library, Jill works with Fiona in the Children’s Library, helping to select books for purchase and maintaining the library’s catalogue. In addition, Jill carries out book repairs and provides dustjackets for books to make them more resistant to enthusiastic small hands. Jill is a keen reader of science fantasy books, both ones from the Athenaeum library and those recommended by members of her book club or purchased following the book talks she enjoys attending.

Although it’s great to have someone with Jill’s years of experience, you don’t need special credentials to become a library volunteer. Please consider joining us. You will receive training, meet new people, find a rewarding role and join an enthusiastic team. Drop in to see us whenever we are open (Monday, Wednesday & Friday 2-4pm, Saturday 9.30am to12noon) or email maldonathenaeumlibrary@gmail.com

Easter Egg Hunt at the Maldon Athenaeum Library 

Come and join the hunt for well-hidden Easter eggs on Saturday April 19. Both children and adults will be rewarded for their industrious searching. Hunting commences at 10am.

Book Sale at the Library

The Library Book Sale will take place on Saturday April 26 (Anzac Day weekend), from 9 am, outside the library (97 High Street, next to the Post Office). Good quality, reasonably priced novels and children’s books will be offered as well as gardening and cookbooks, biographies and other non-fiction books. All proceeds support the Maldon Athenaeum Library and allow us to keep the lights on and purchase more books.

Australian Heritage Festival: The Alchemy of Gold

Part of the National Trust’s Australian Heritage Festival, The Alchemy of Gold will take place in and around Castlemaine from 16 to 18 May 2025. This local event will bring together experts, historians and the community to explore how the discovery of gold in Victoria in the 1850s reshaped the state.

This is a volunteer run, not for profit event organised by representatives from local history and community groups including Castlemaine Historical Society, Castlemaine Society, Maldon Museum, Chewton Domain Society and the Pioneers & Old Residents Association. Centred around four themes, environmental, economic, social and political, the event will feature workshops, lectures and field visits. Presenters include local storytellers, researchers and innovators, each bringing a unique perspective. Fieldtrip on offer include guided tours of Castlemaine and Penny Weight Flat Cemeteries and a visit to North British Mine Maldon with local historian Derek Reid. Although the program runs for three days, single day tickets are available, with lunch, morning and afternoon tea included. For more details go to www.thealchemyofgold.com.au

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Easter Egg Hunt at the Maldon Athenaeum Library

We have been notified that the Easter Bunny herself will be making some deliveries to the library on Easter Saturday, 18^th April. There will be eggs for both children and adults, but you will need to hunt to find them in cunningly hidden spots. Hunting commences at 10am sharp.

Good news for Sci-Fi fans

The science fiction genre has seen significant growth in recent years, with an increasing number of books being published.  Perhaps this is a response to renewed interest in technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) or just a desire for escapism from a less- than-easy real world. Whatever the reason, your library is on to it: we have just added lovely new titles to the library’s collection of science fiction, including the Booker Prize winning novel Orbital. Look for them on display in the library this week.

Women in literature and the role of libraries

The Women Writers Fund is a new State Library of Victoria initiative that seeks to redress the historical gender bias in the State Collection by acquiring works by under-represented 19th and 20th century women writers. Established by the energetic Redmond Barry in 1854, (ten years before the start of what became the Maldon Athenaeum Library), the State Library was a working person’s library, predominantly for men, and focused on educational improvement. Barry was a hands-on founder, guiding book acquisitions and even helping to shelve books. However, the dearth of women writers acquired in those first decades also reflects the general challenges for all women authors at the time: lack of access to higher education, all-consuming domestic duties, lack of belief in the literary merit of females necessitating publication under a male nom de plume. This left female-shaped gaps in the State Library’s collection. It is these gaps that the Women Writers Fund seeks to address: to increase the representation of women’s writing, from the past and into the future, for all Victorians.  

The fund has already purchased 104 items, including a first edition set by Jane Austen (Northanger Abbey and Persuasion), a first edition of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando: A Biography and the first illustrated edition of Mary Shelley’s gothic classic, still with its original title: Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus. The disadvantage of race is also to be addressed: the fund has purchased five of Toni Morrison’s first editions, including the Pulitzer-prize-winning Beloved and a first edition of Efuru, the first novel by Nigerian author Flora Nwapa, who some consider to be the mother of modern African literature.

In addition, the fund will support an annual oration featuring an internationally recognised speaker (hopefully a woman!) and a commitment of $250,000 to the Stella Prize, the major literary award celebrating Australian women’s writing.

Readers of The Tarrangower Times might not be wealthy philanthropists, as are the two women, Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Helen Sykes, who kicked off the fund, but anyone can contribute to help bring women’s words to wider audiences.  In the words of Campbell-Pretty “It’s important for our children, for our daughters and for our sons, to know that it’s not just that women got the vote and suddenly were able to go to school and work. They’ve always been able to write, to paint, to do music, to do many things … but they were not acknowledged for their work.”  Every donation helps. donations@slv.vic.gov.au.

World Health Day

This week we are focusing on the Health and Wellbeing section of the library, to celebrate World Health Day (April 7). Given that locals seem to be a fairly healthy bunch, people are still interested in their health and wellbeing, and are keen to live healthier lives, both mentally and physically. So here are some library books that may be of interest. However, please take these recommendations with the caveat: if unwell, always consult a health professional, no matter how tempting it is to ask Doctor Google.

Let’s start with Dr Norman Swan, well known as the producer and presenter of the ABC radio program The Health Report and the podcasts Coronacast and What’s That Rash? In his 2021 book So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? common myths and misconceptions are put under the spotlight, to be replaced by facts. It is full of good advice, offered in a no-nonsense way. It is, unsurprising given the author’s medical and broadcasting backgrounds, also entertaining and very readable.

Health: Spirit, Country and Culture is the latest in the First Knowledges series, written by three well-credentialled women: Shawana Andrews, Sandra Eades and Fiona Stanley.  For those of you who are new to this series, First Knowledges offers an introduction to Indigenous knowledges in vital areas and their application to the present day and the future. Health delves into birthing, end-of-life care and other Indigenous cultural rituals. Good health occurred naturally because lifestyle and diet were connected to Country and culture. 

The Body in Action: You Can Keep Your Joints Young by physiotherapist Sarah Keyes is now in its 10^th edition, suggesting a lot of people have found her advice of value. Using easy to follow, illustrated exercises the book outlines how you can keep your skeleton young with a series of stretches designed to combat stiffness and alleviate pain. As arthritis is a common feature of advancing age, this might be the book for many of us.

March 2024

National Eucalypt Day was held on March 23rd, and the prestigious Eucalypt Trust Dahl Medal for 2025 was awarded to renowned Australian author and environmental writer, Ashley Hay. The medal celebrates the Norwegian-born Bjarne Klaus Dahl who spent his working life among the eucalypt forests of Victoria. The medal recognises and reward those who have made a significant and sustained contribution to eucalypts. Previous winners include conservationists, artists, researchers and field ecologists. Hay’s acclaimed book, Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions, chronicles the profound connection between eucalypts and Australia’s history, identity, and ecology. A great read, and new in our library this week.

International Bird Day On April 1st, 1906, the International Convention for the Protection of Useful Birds was signed, recognising the vital role birds play in maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity worldwide. To honour this milestone, April 1st has been celebrated annually as International Bird Day. However, the origin of Bird Day goes back even further: it was first created in 1894 as a children’s holiday by teacher Charles Babcock of Oil Town, Pennsylvania. In his book Bird Day: How to Prepare for It (https://www.gutenberg.org › files › 21266 › 21266-h › 21266-h.htm) Babcock wrote “The aim of this book is to assist school children in the accurate study of a few birds. It is believed that if this be attained, further study of birds will take care of itself.” Soon Bird Day became widely celebrated, aided by the support of the local newspaper, the Pittsburgh Telegraph Chronicle. From little things, big things grow.

One of the primary reasons for the establishment of International Bird Day was recognition of the increasing threats facing bird populations. These include introduced species such as cats and foxes, habitat loss due to land clearing, disturbance to breeding sites and fires. Many unique Australian species are the target of lucrative illegal poaching. There is now strong evidence climate change is driving declines in many bird species. The latest Australian Threatened Bird Index (https://tsx.org.au/) reveals that threatened and near-threatened bird populations in Australia declined by an average of 60% between 1985 and 2020. This is a much greater rate than in the rest of the world.

Did you know that Australian birds were the first in the world to sing? In Where Song Began: Australian Birds and How They Changed the World, Australian biologist Tim Low tells the story of Australia as the evolutionary starting place of songbirds, how and why singing started here and how it then spread throughout the whole world. You can find this great book in the Australian Flora and Fauna section of the library. Another book for twitchers and romantics alike is Mr & Mrs Gould, by Grantlee Kieza. This is the story of the famous birdman John Gould and his talented artist wife Elizabeth, who revealed the astonishing world of Australian birds and wildlife as the result of one of the most important naturalist expeditions in history. Beautifully illustrated, this book is a gem. However, as one reviewer put it “I would have liked this to be called Mrs & Mr Gould.” This book is located in Australian History and Geography.

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Lost trades and kind craftsmen still exist!

You might remember a previous news item about the cedar cabinet in the Athenaeum Library, used to house our growing archival collection. It is a much-loved piece of furniture, a small piece of Melbourne history: a glass-fronted cabinet that came to the Athenaeum Library on permanent loan from the Old Mint in Queen Street, Melbourne, when it closed. During its lifetime in the library it has been lovingly restored, along with the large partner’s desk that also graces the Reading Room of the library.

What goes with old cabinets, unfortunately, is old, hand-made keys which need replacing. It has proven extremely difficult to find the right craftsman to make the three new keys required. This is where the kindness comes in. By great good fortune David Perry from Get Locked Locksmiths came to our rescue, handcrafting the new keys. All without charge!

More volunteers’ stories

Pete and Shan are two more of our team of library volunteers. You may have seen Pete masterminding some of our recent book sales. Shan joined us recently and she has already completed a couple of shifts, taking to it like a duck to water.

Shan Welham

Hello, everyone! I’m Shan. My partner Eddie and I moved to Maldon in 2016. By day, I’m a technology executive with a fascinating career managing some of Australia’s largest communications networks and contracts, including ANZ, NAB, Defence, and now NSW Health. I also serve as a qualified Director on the boards of Dhelkaya Health and Inglewood & Districts Health Service. In my spare time, I love seeing live music (I used to work in music media, back when I was cool), collecting Art Deco furniture, driving my classic cars, reading, writing, visiting our beautiful home “Beachside” in Tassie, and spending time with family and friends, especially over a nice beverage and local produce. I’m a bit of a storyteller and love a good chat!

I recently began volunteering at the Maldon Athenaeum Library as, after eight years on the boards of Maldon Hospital/Dhelkaya Health, I’ll be finishing up in June. I wanted to use my newfound time to continue serving the community. Years ago, I was the volunteer host of a festival session on Henry Handel Richardson at the library and, as a student of Australian literature and creative writing, I fell in love with its history and ambience. I’m deeply impressed with the Committee and volunteers’ work on the collection—it’s contemporary and diverse. I encourage everyone to drop in, have a browse, and consider becoming a member.

For me, volunteering at the library is not just about giving back via my love of stories; it’s about being an active part of our vibrant and supportive community. I look forward to meeting many more of you on my Saturday mornings there.

Pete Symons

Hi, I’m Pete Symons. I moved to Maldon about 4 years ago. I’ve always been an avid book reader and was delighted to find that Maldon has such a uniquely historic library.

After joining and borrowing from the diverse collection of books I realised it was totally staffed by volunteers. So I became one. I’ve been volunteering for about 3 years now and have experienced all aspects of volunteering – the desk (loans and returns), cataloguing new books and reviewing older books. My main role now is processing the excess books: doubles, damaged, or non-borrowed books. And organising 4 book sales per year. I really enjoy volunteering and I’m looking forward to more blokes joining and becoming volunteers. Why Not?

If you have some free time, enjoy working surrounded by books and would like to become a library volunteer, drop in whenever we are open (Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 2-4pm, Saturday 9.30-12 noon).

Do we care about what is happening in the world of books before the final work of the author reaches our hand? We probably should care as it affects what is being written, and what is being published, distributed and made available to the public. And at what cost.

Let’s start with what is being written. In 2020 Australian prize-winning author Charlotte Wood told a House of Representatives inquiry into Australia’s cultural sector that “writers themselves are in absolutely dire economic difficulty”. She cited figures that literary writers’ income from their books was just $4,000 a year. There are exceptions, of course, with a small number making a living from writing exclusively, and this is why winning one of the literary prizes such as the Miles Franklin Award or the Booker Prize can mean financial salvation, at least in the short term. There is little government financial support for writers. In the 2021-22 Budget, support for literature saw its federal funding cut to $4.7 million, representing just 2.4 per cent of available funding, making it the least funded art form in Australia. This included removal of funding from the Australia Council of the Arts (renamed Creative Australia in 2023) to publish books that were culturally important but not necessarily commercially viable. Other countries do much more to support their writers: Ireland offers a tax exemption on artists’ income up to €50,000 (approximately A$81,500) and a basic-income pilot scheme granting 2,000 artists €325 (approximately A$530) a week.

Publishers determine the fate of a writer’s manuscript: what is published and how it is marketed and distributed. Globally the number of publishing houses is decreasing (and their size and power increasing) as a result of takeovers and mergers, leaving the “Big Five” publishers: Hachette, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin Random House. Independent publishers are becoming rarer. Dr Ben Eltham, a lecturer in media and communications at Monash University writes that smaller, independent publishers are important. “They play a disproportionate role … in nurturing young talent and bringing through independent authors and new voices into our literary scene.” Independent Melbourne-based publisher Text Publishing – the home of high-profile authors including Helen Garner, but also many new Australian writers – has been acquired by Penguin Random House. Unlike most publishers, Text has also been happy to keep in print otherwise out of print Australian literature, published as “Text Classics”, including works by Thea Astley, Ruth Park, Miles Franklin and Henry Handel Richardson.

Book selling is no longer the domain of bricks and mortar bookstores. Independent bookshops are largely a thing of the past, with margins too small for survival. This is not just an Australian phenomenon: the website Bookseller reported that in the UK in 2024 15 new bookshops opening and 41 stores closing, leading to a net closure rate of 26 – up from 18 during the same period in 2023. We mourn the demise of Angus and Robertson (2011), and more recent Borders (last store 2023). Woolworths (Big W) and Wesfarmers (Kmart) are today said to be selling the most Australian books by volume. The good thing is their books are cheaper: the downside is that these stores favour ‘blockbusters’, pushing publishers into investing in more commercial titles with larger, cheaper print runs. With 70,000 titles, Amazon (which now own Booktopia and Audible), is now the largest player in the book market, and electronic books sales are increasing rapidly. with a growing interest in audiobooks and e-Books, largely at the expense of print versions. E-Books now represent 43% of sales and are the largest driver of Penguin Random-House’s profits. In hard cover sales, Penguin Random-House captures 49% of the retail price, in e-books, it captures 70% of the retail price.

Lastly us, the readers. Sadly, we are reading less and buying less. A report by the European and International Book Federation found that only 64% of Australians bought a book in the past year, compared to an average 72% of people across 19 countries. The study also reported that Australians read less than people in many other countries, and that the reading rate of Australians has dropped in recent years. According to the 2021 Australia Reads national survey, just 32% of Australians said they consider reading a hobby, compared to 44% in Spain and 42% in the UK. Interesting there is a correlation between the reading habits of a country and the quality of its public transport systems. Australia does not do well in either respect!

What are the take-home messages? Buy and read more books. Support local authors, publishers and independent bookshops. Lobby for more funding for literature. Join a library and read a good book.  

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Library Book Sale

A big thank you to the people who came to the library book sale last Saturday. It was a busy morning, with locals and visitors alike making purchases and stopping to chat. The money raised will help to keep the library open, paying for some repairs needed to the old building and providing funds to purchase new books.

International Women’s Day, March 8

In 2007, ABC Radio National surveyed the nation in search of unforgettable public speeches. Over 5000 responses were received, with the final list of 20 published in April of that year.  Martin Luther King (I had a dream…) topped the list, followed by Jesus, Paul Keating, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and JFK. Earl Spencer’s Funeral Oration for Diana Princess of Wales was a surprising 7^th. What was not surprising was the inclusion of only two women: Queen Elizabeth 1 and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (We Now Demand Our Right To Vote).

We all love Aunty ABC and trust it to report the truth. Perhaps it was the public that was unaware of women as orators! Let’s look more widely at books of speeches with titles such as The Penguin Book of Twentieth Century Speeches and Great Speeches of Our Time. The pattern is the same: the vast majority of speeches considered worthy of inclusion have a male orator. This longstanding underrepresentation of women’s voices in the public record is worrying. Orations by women continue to occur. They are just not well represented in the public record. And the impression that leaves is that leadership and authority are exercised by men alone.

Fear not: your library is on to it. Published in 2021, Great Women’s Speeches: Speeches by Women to Empower and Inspire (Anna Russell) is a thought-provoking book, beautifully illustrated, containing the iconic speeches, or extracts of speeches, from 50 women from Elizabeth I to Michelle Obama via Marie Curie, Toni Morrison, Hillary Clinton, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jane Goodall, Gloria Steinem, Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher.

Another great resource, digital this time, is Madam Speaker, Australia’s first digital archive of women’s speeches. An initiative of the Victorian Women’s Trust, (vwt.org.au), the archive currently contains over 200 speeches ranging from pre-World World 1 to present day, with the aim of reaching 800 by 2026. You can contribute and nominate your favourite speech by an Australian woman. Visit Madam Speaker www.madamspeaker.org.au

February 2024

Book Sale

As part of the Town-Wide Garage Sale, the Athenaeum Library Book Sale will take place on Saturday March 1, from 9 am, outside the library (97 High Street, next to the Post Office). Good quality, reasonably priced novels and children’s books will be offered as well as gardening and cookbooks, biographies and other non-fiction books. All proceeds support the Maldon Athenaeum Library and allow us to keep the lights on and purchase more books.

Carmel Bird’s talk at the library

A reminder that celebrated author Carmel Bird will be the guest speaker at the Athenaeum Library on Monday 3 March, at 10.30am. In 2016 Carmel won the Patrick White Award, an annual award for an outstanding Australian writer with a substantial body of work – 53 books in total including novels, collections of short stories, anthologies and books on how to write. Three of her novels were shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. You are invited to book by phoning 0437 094 469 or by calling into the library on Saturday 1 March (9.30-12 noon) and leaving your name and contact details. This event is open to all, not just library members. 

World Wildlife Day March 3 and World Book Day March 7

World Wildlife Day is a global event to celebrate wildlife and biodiversity.  For Australians, this day holds considerable significance as our country is renowned for its unique animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth. However, it’s also recognised that Australia’s wildlife faces ongoing threats from habitat loss, climate change, and invasive species. Amidst the concern about fires and flood in different parts of Australia, and the impact on people and their homes, we cannot forget the effect these events have on wildlife.

This week also marks World Book Day. One way to celebrate both books and wildlife would be to get out into the local area, enjoying the range of flora and fauna that abounds in Maldon and surrounds, guided by one of the excellent books written by local author and wildlife expert, Damian Kelly (Castlemaine Bird Walks) and the comprehensive Wildlife of the Box-Ironbark Country by ecologist and avid wildlife photographer Chris Tzaros. Even closer to home, we can help appreciate wildlife and encourage it into in our own gardens, informed by Tanya Loos’ recent publication, Living with Wildlife: A Guide for Homes and Backyards. For children, there are two excellent recent publications, both winners of Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards: Where the Lyrebird Sings, written by Vikki Conley and illustrated by Max Hamilton and Australia in Colour, written and illustrated by Melbourne author Jess Racklyeft. And of course you cannot go past the beautiful books by local Bridget Farmer, The Bush Birds and The Beach Birds. Start children reading about wildlife when young and you will establish lifetime habits of reading and caring about wildlife.

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Archiving history at the Athenaeum

Behind closed doors on Monday mornings a team of Athenaeum Library volunteers is busy archiving our historic documents. For the past six months, with input from an experienced archivist, we’ve been meeting to sort, organise and catalogue such things as old (sometimes mundane, more often fascinating and occasionally hilarious) correspondence, newspaper articles, borrowing ledgers and financial records.

About fifteen years ago, three volunteers embarked on a similar project which was sadly abandoned, but not before they stored, somewhat randomly, many documents in an antique mahogany cabinet we have on permanent loan from the former Royal Mint in Melbourne when it closed in 1968. A previous Library President, Joy Leneaux-Gale, and Treasurer, Winsome Strickland, significantly contributed to this when they photocopied historic correspondence between the Maldon Athenaeum and the former Department of Lands and Survey held in the archives of what is now the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. More recently, a former library volunteer, intrigued by some photographs on the library’s walls began looking into their history and in so doing found old minute books and other documents stored in one of our sheds.

Thanks to their work, our current team inherited a treasure trove, albeit a jumbled one much in need of attention. We’re still collating a mountain of correspondence, we’re still sorting through financial records, but we have an almost complete set of minutes dating back to 1863 stored in two drawers of the old Royal Mint cabinet. Another drawer holds chronologically-ordered Athenaeum-related newspaper clippings dating back to 1926 (it took weeks to read through all the old newspapers that had been kept whether or not they contained anything about us). Then there’s a draw for the handwritten records of books borrowed by members before the days of computerisation.

When we’ve finished, this will be a permanent archive as well looked after as our book collections because, like our books, the historical records will be catalogued so that everyone, volunteers and interested researchers alike, will know where to find them.

But the driver behind this archiving project is its sister history-writing project for which our archives are an invaluable source of information not available elsewhere. Again, this is not the first time there have been attempts to write a history of the Maldon Athenaeum (the first we know of was in 1969). But for various reasons, apart from a short and incomplete history written to give volunteers an overview, previous attempts have foundered.

So what makes us confident we will succeed this time? Firstly, we now have access to technology not available before − so, rather than a hard copy publication, we will publish the history on our website in the form of a series of short evocative vignettes. Not only is this much cheaper than printing hard copies, but it means the history will be accessible to a wider audience.

Secondly, we are fortunate to have within our current membership a good combination of skills to pull it off: we have people with backgrounds in research, writing for publication and editing; we have people who are adept at managing our website and uploading finished vignettes.

So far we have written and uploaded more than a dozen vignettes, each contributing to a chronological history or paying tribute to the Library’s connections to the local and wider community. Titles include Getting Established: trials and triumphs; Mrs Beale and the First Lending Library; The Billiard Room; Borrowers: a snapshot in time; Popular Girl Competition, The First Minute Book and Artworks and Photos: a guided tour. More are in the pipeline.

We aim to launch the history pages on our website later in the year. In itself, it will be an historic event! Watch this space.

Lynda Achren, on behalf of the Maldon Athenaeum Library.

Volunteers working on the library’s archives

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Stop Press! Carmel Bird at the Maldon Athenaeum Library, Monday 3 March, 10.30am.

Don’t miss this fabulous talk by celebrated Castlemaine writer of novels, short stories and essays. Carmel’s most recent works include Love Letters to Lola, a collection of 18 stories, with reflections on writing them, and Arabella, a picture book for children and for people of all ages, especially those who love cats. The title of her talk will be “The Joy of Writing” which will encompass her own joys of it all and will give the group an opportunity to discuss and ask questions. 

If you are planning to come to Carmel Bird’s talk, you are invited to book by phoning 0437 094 469 or by calling into the library and leaving your name and contact details. All are welcome, not just library members.

Two more library volunteers

This week we introduce two more members of the library volunteer team who have a special interest in the library’s history and archiving of our resources.

Jan McKeown

I’ve been with the library approximately 19 years and I love its history. I find it fascinating: the history of it all from way back when the first Minute Books were written, through to today. And the interesting personalities revealed, how things were run, how they have evolved.  The library archives reveal just how reading of books has changed and the shifting popularity of certain genres over the years.

Working in the library you meet so many different people and find out what they have done in their lives, their careers and what they are doing now. It has all changed in the last 20 years, and I am 20 years older, so it looks different. At 83 I am still reading lots of books. We would be lost without our volunteer library:  it’s unique and I really love the place. We have fabulous fun… it’s the people.

Heather Pavitt

After moving here from Queensland, I decided to join the Maldon Athenaeum Library as I’d always been a keen reader. I soon learnt about the history of the library and how it was run totally by volunteers. So, I decided to become involved. I started off a couple of afternoons a month on the front desk but soon found out about a host of other jobs and library projects which sounded intriguing.

I joined the archiving group. This group meets once a week to sort out historic documents. It has proved quite fascinating work and really an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two with like-minded people from so many interesting backgrounds. Reading through some of the old library records; minute books, correspondence, reports and newspaper articles, the personalities of previous volunteers, as far back as the 1800s, really comes through. The work they carried out over the years has made the library what it is today – a vibrant well-stocked library all made possible by a wonderful team of people working behind-the-scenes.

I’d recommend volunteering at the library – there are so many different areas you can work in. There’s no pressure to do more than you have time for and whatever you do your help is very much appreciated.  Volunteering is also a great way to meet people in our lovely little town. Everyone who comes in to the library is up for a chat – whether it is about the weather or the book they have just read. I always end up borrowing more books someone has recommended. Best of all, helping out at the library is great fun.

Heather in the foreground with Desiree working on archives.

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14 February – It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air!  The connection between love and Saint Valentine, the 3^rd Century Christian martyr, is tenuous. The habit of exchanging hand-made Valentine’s love tokens dates from the 17^th Century; however, commercialisation has intervened, and February 14 is now a key date in the retail calendar. Research from the Australian Retailers Association suggests 3.4 million people in Australia will be buying gifts to show their love this year, with a cost of over $450 million. That’s a scary $132 dollars per head, on average.

Why not forget about sending a card or waiting to receive a dozen very expensive red roses. Instead, read a good love story on Valentine’s Day. Some literary critics would argue that there is no such thing as a ‘good’ romance. There is a general literary snobbery that clings to the genre. We are forced to become secret consumers of romance novels, risking accusations that we are not serious readers as the books are just fluff. Perhaps this might be fair if the choice is of the Mills and Boon variety, with beautiful ingénues and dashing heroic males (miraculously united in the final pages after adversity and confusion). However, there are many good books where love is only a part of the story. It feels good, somehow, to discover romance in a book that is on the surface a work of detective fiction, or one described as an historical novel, a travel book or a spy story. This is especially satisfying when the characters are not in their first flush of youth and seem to have interesting lives that involve things other than a romantic entanglment.  Here are some recommendations of books by well-known author with excellent literary credentials. A warning – the following list includes books where the romance may be unresolved or complicated, but that’s life!

Caleb’s Crossing by Australian journalist and novelist Geraldine Brook; Tell Me Everything, the new novel by Elizabeth Strout; On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan; Devotion, by Hannah Kent; The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro; Unsheltered, by Barbara Kingsolver; The Players, the most recent historical novel by Minette Walters; Possession, by A.S. Byatt.

And finally, one from left field: Helen Garner’s new book, The Season. No, this is not about love of football. Nor is it, as the author writes, “a critical study of football culture and its place in society”. It’s a story about the author, her grandson and a footy season they spent together “before he turned into a man”. That sort of love story.

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Holocaust Remembrance Day

January 27 this year marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the network of Nazi concentration and death camps in occupied Poland. Auschwitz has become the dominant symbol of the Holocaust. The camps were use for slave labour and mass extermination of people considered subhuman or ‘other’. These included ethnic Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, people with disabilities, homosexuals and, the biggest target of all, Jews. ‘Othering’ is a phenomenon by which some individuals or groups are defined and labelled as not fitting in within the norms of a social group. To one survivor, five years old when she and her mother were sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, it was ‘normal’ that “as a Jewish child they all had to die”. The Holocaust is a reminder of what can happen when prejudice takes over.

Each year survivors of the camps return to the site, along with world leaders, to remember the day it was finally liberated on 27 January 1945. This year it was the few survivors, most in their 80s and 90s, whose voices were heard at the commemoration. Their message was to tell the world what happened there, to ensure it never happens again. In commemorating Holocaust Day, we are not just remembering a past historic event. In the words of King Charles “The act of remembering the evils of the past remains a vital task and in so doing, we inform our present and shape our future.”

It isn’t easy to keep the memory alive when most of the survivors have gone. Often, we must depend on written accounts to hear their voices.  Reading about event such as the Holocaust can be confronting, and it is normal to shy away from being reminded of such horror. The stories, however, can be both harrowing and inspiring. The Nazis Knew My Name is the autobiography of Magda Hellinger, who in 1942 as a 25-year-old kindergarten teacher was deported as one of the first Jews to be sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The Choice by Edith Eger is the survival story of the sixteen-year-old ballerina and gymnast who was sent to Auschwitz, enduring unimaginable experiences. When the camp was liberated, Edith was pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive. Her choice was to learn to live with strength and resilience. The Happiest Man on Earth is the autobiography of Eddie Jaku, published in the year he turned 100. Over seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He believed he was the ‘happiest man on earth’. Beyond Belief by Dee White is a work of historical fiction, inspired by the true story of Muslims who saved the lives of Jewish children in Paris during the Second World War. Finally, for younger readers, Milkweed is a young adult historical fiction novel by Jerry Spinelli.  The book is about a boy in Warsaw, Poland during the Holocaust, who is taken in by a Jewish group of orphans. As one reader described it “This was a very sweet and slightly heartbreaking read. Told from the perspective of a street rat growing up in the Holocaust, this book invites you to question what it really means to be family, to love, and to lose.“

January 2024

We thought it would be a good idea to introduce our volunteers so you could know a little about them, why they volunteer at the library and what they enjoy most about being library members. Here are the first two who happened to be doing library duty together recently. Others will appear over the coming months.

Melinda Payne, volunteering for 14 months.

My partner and I moved to Maldon at the end of 2018.  We visited a couple of years prior, and I started to look at houses for sale in the area!  We both love living in this area. Maldon especially has such a fantastic range of events on throughout the year and there’s always a community activity ready to welcome you!

Why did I start to volunteer?  I was getting the urge to ‘give back to the community’.  I was having coffee with a friend in town, and she mentioned Tina (Tina Fratta, President) was trying to get her to volunteer at the library, which I thought sounded like a great idea.  I thought, well I need to go to the library anyway to borrow/return books, so I may as well volunteer my time for a shift!  I also get to meet and chat to people I wouldn’t otherwise!

There is something calming about being surrounded by books, so much potential to be lost in a story.  I remember as a kid sitting in my room reading to all my toys; I could do that for hours.  My favourite genre is fiction, something with a bit of drama and comedy.  You know a book is good when you find yourself thinking about the characters and how they would react to a situation!  It’s the strangest feeling when you finish a book but still feel attached to it!

Eirwen Stevenson, volunteering for about 2 years

I joined the library because it offered an endless source of reading, all within walking distance of home. I moved to Maldon post-COVID, and started volunteering after a few months as it seemed a good way to learn more about Maldon and to meet other reading enthusiasts.  Since then, I have become involved in a range of library activities including book sales and book launches. It’s great to work with the team of enthusiastic volunteers and to get to know the library members.

One nice aspect of being on library duty is talking to members about the books they have borrowed or are planning to borrow. Like most readers I often find myself in a reading rut, wishing that my favourite authors would hurry up and write their next book. This is where other members come in: they offer suggestions of books they have enjoyed, providing fresh new authors to explore. Why not try this next time you are in the library? My go-to in this area is Jan McKeon, who has introduced me to several writers, and always suggest ones who have published lots of books to keep me going for a while. Last year Jan borrowed over 200 books from the library. This year I am aiming to beat her record.

Eirwen and Mel

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Observed on 26 January, Australia Day marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Union Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Captain Arthur Phillip. Many people approach this date with very mixed feelings, as it also marks the start of the occupation of an already occupied continent, the land for over 60,000 years of those now referred to collectively as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. It is hard to imagine what the groups that met at Sydney Cove thought of each other. Given the heat of an Australian summer, dressed in elaborate breeches, waistcoat, topcoat and bicorn hat, the new arrivals must have felt and looked overdressed. Lieutenant King, later to become Governor of NSW, commented in his diary ‘I think it very easy to conceive ye ridiculous figure we must appear to these poor creatures, who were perfectly naked’.

How do we reconcile the historical importance of the establishment of the colony that became Australia with the dispossession, deaths and destruction that ensued? It is easy to write it off as the inevitable effect of ‘progress’, ‘civilization’ and ‘opening up the land’.  How do we balance almost inevitable national pride with what is considered by many as largely unacknowledged national shame? One way is to be informed about the conflicting views and judge for ourselves the arguments presented. Books (and libraries) can help. In 1862 The Tarrangower Times, Maldon and Newstead Advertiser published an article emphasising the importance of books and the egalitarian nature of a lending library:

Books once confined to a few by their costliness, will become accessible to the many, and instead of depending on rumour, or vague conversation for most of their knowledge and objects of thought, the industrious miner may learn, study and reflect alone, to determine for himself what shall engage his mind …

The library has several relevant books in its collection. You may like to read of the perilous journey of the First Fleet and dangers of early settlement in 1788: The Brutal Truth of the First Fleet (David Hill). Dancing With Strangers is Inga Clendinnen’s award winning account of the moment in January 1788 when newly arrived convicts and sailors encountered the people living there. ‘These people mixed with ours,’ wrote a British observer after landfall, ‘and all hands danced together.’  In The Cry for the Dead, Judith Wright, poet and longtime campaigner for indigenous rights, describes the difficulties faced by the early settlers and the suffering of Australia’s Indigenous people. In Killing for Country David Marr uncovers his ancestors’ role in the brutal Native Police and the massacres of Aboriginal people in colonial Australia. In Why Weren’t We Told: a personal search for the truth about our history, historian Henry Reynolds tells of his journey towards the realisation that he, like generations of Australians, grew up with a distorted and idealised version of the past.

Thank you, Maldon & District Community Bank

The Maldon Athenaeum Library building is showing its age and is badly in need of repair. Built in 1934, the current brick building replaced an earlier timber one on the same site after this was burnt down. Fortunately, we have been successful in our application for a grant from the Community Bank. This will allow us to pay for repair and repainting of the roof, keeping the library sound and watertight. We are very grateful for the support provided by the Bank in recognition of the services the library provides for the local community. Watch out for roof activity in the coming months!

A New Year’s resolution that is good for your body AND brain.

Forget joining a gym (too sweaty), giving up coffee (impossible) or getting into cryptocurrency (too risky). Read more books! Studies indicate that reading is very, very good for you, keeping your mind engaged and lowering blood pressure and heart rate. A long-term health and retirement study, published in the National Library of Medicine, found that those who read books survived around 2 years longer than those who didn’t. So, take the advice of the experts and resolve to read more books this year!

Some Frequently Asked Questions about the library

Is the Maldon Athenaeum Library part of the Goldfields Libraries group?

No, we are an independent, community library staffed by volunteers and managed by a committee of members.

How is the library funded?

We depend on the support of the community for funding. This comes from membership subscriptions, book sales and other fund-raising activities, donations and occasional (but very gratefully received) grants.

How many books does the library have and how are they chosen?

The library houses over 15,000 books. Books are chosen to match the interest of members and the community of Maldon and district. We aim to keep the collection current, both by purchasing recent releases and asking members for suggestions of books they are interested in reading. 

Can I visit the library even if I am not a member?

Yes, please come in and share the quiet charm and warm ambience of the old building. We welcome visitors and enjoy sharing the building, its furnishings, paintings and photographs that reflect the 162-year history of the library. Notice the large stained-glass windows in the art nouveau style, which are reputed to have come from a hotel in Melbourne being demolished in 1934 at the time of the rebuilding of the library.  Sit in the Reading Room and catch up on the local paper and information about upcoming local events. The Children’s Library is a quiet place to read a story or play with the toys. The Maldon Athenaeum Library is a pleasant and interesting place to visit. You can find us at 97 High Street Maldon, next to the Post Office.

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The library is open again!

Happy New Year. We hope you are having a relaxing and joyful holiday time and that you and your garden have survived the occasional very hot day. Holidays are a great time for reading, and the library is open again after a short break: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 2pm-4pm and Saturday 9.30am to 12 noon.  If you are not already a member, why not join the Maldon Athenaeum Library? For $30 you can have a year’s worth of books, choosing from the collection over 15,000 items. You can pay in person any time we are open or join online: the Maldon Athenaeum Library bank account deposit details are: 633-000:109 829 333. Please use your name to identify the deposit. You might also like to become a library volunteer: not an arduous role, with a variety of ways in which you can be involved, and a great way to get to know people, especially if you are new to the district.

Come in and take advantage of the cornucopia of newly purchased interesting and entertaining books. You may like to borrow Helen Garner’s take on AFL, The Season, the new Minette Walters historic novel The Players, the Booker short listed book by Australian author Charlotte Wood, Stoneyard Devotional, or Mr and Mrs Gould, the story of John Gould and his talented wife Elizabeth, who revealed the astonishing world of Australian birds and wildlife in one of the most important naturalist expeditions in history. We have gardening and cooking books, travel stories and animal tales, books on local wildlife and local history and a large selection of popular fiction.  Whatever your taste in literature, we have a book for you! Don’t forget that we are also a children’s library, with books for all ages, including young adults. On a hot day, or when it is raining outside, the children’s library is a welcoming place for parents (and grandparents).

If you have received books as gifts this Christmas and you would just like to share the joy with others, please consider re-gifting them to our library collection.  We are delighted to receive recently published books, fiction and non-fiction, and books of special interest to the Maldon community. 

For current members, a reminder that your annual subscriptions for 2025 is now due.

December 2024

After a busy year it is time to say thanks to the many people who collectively make the Maldon Athenaeum Library a successful and happy place. Firstly, we must thank our readers: not just library members but also those who have purchased books at our book sales. Thanks to the grandparents who borrow books so that the pleasure of reading begins young. Thank you to those who borrow for other who cannot come to the library. Without a healthy community of readers there would be no point to a library.

We would also like to sincerely thank the many people who have made donations of books throughout the year. The library is delighted to receive recently published books, in good condition, and books of interest to the local community. In addition, we are grateful for the support of community members who have taken part in the various events organised by the library, including book launches and book talks, Arson at the Athenaeum and the Human Library during the Gothic Festival. We hope to continue offering interesting events at the library during 2025.

This is a library staffed and managed entirely by volunteers, so where would we be without a crew of dedicated people who are prepared to give a little of their time to keep the library functioning efficiently. It is not without reward: volunteers and library members will tell you that coming to the library, whether as duty person, to borrow books or just for a chat, is an enjoyable experience.

We are also grateful to the Tarrangower Times for allowing considerable space in each edition for our Library News and Book Reviews. Local newspapers are becoming rare, with many people living in local newspaper deserts. The TT supports the library, and we are very happy to support it.

Finally, it is important to acknowledge the role of the people who founded the Athenaeum and those who have kept it running, often through difficult times. Without their determination and foresight, the library, now almost 162 years old, would not exist.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season. We hope you days are full of rest, relaxation and good reading.

Lastly, a couple of reminders:

Renewal of membership  A reminder that 2025 library subscriptions are now due. Only $30 will give you a year’s worth of happy borrowing. Please come into the library or pay online. The Maldon Athenaeum Library bank account deposit details are: 633-000:109 829 333. Please use your name to identify the deposit.

Library holiday dates   A further reminder that the library will be closed for a short break. The last day for borrowing is Monday 23 December. We will reopen on Monday 6 January.

Volunteer Newsletter

Summer 2024

Maldon Athenaeum library 

Thank you to those of you who were able to attend our end of year volunteer morning tea. It was a lovely way to round of what has been another productive and eventful year for the library.

Some really good news to end the year with, we successfully received part of our grant application to the Bendigo Community Bank. We will receive funds to paint and repair the library roof in 2025!

Each year as volunteers you give around 750 hours a year in keeping the library open for members to use, plus another 750 hours behind the scenes work helping to maintain the library and its collection along with raising our much-needed funds. 1,500 hours at the let’s say $50 an hour equals $75,000 that we as volunteers donate to the Maldon economy. However, we all know that actually our time and service is priceless, our giving back to our community enriches us all so much.

Congratulations and thank you to all of you for an amazing effort.

Wishing you all joy and peace this festive season.

The library will be closed from December 24^th and reopen on Monday January 6^th

Looking forward to seeing you all in 2025

Tina Fratta, President

Library Annual Report

In the early years of the Athenaeum Library, it was the tradition of the local newspaper, then the Tarrangower Times and Maldon District Advertiser, to publish a library Annual Report. In the days before email and Facebook these President’s Reports informed the local community of the successes and challenges of the past year, and initiative planned for the coming year. It is from these reports, now available via the invaluable National Library of Australia Digitised Newspapers website, trove.nla.gov.au, that we can gain an insight into the library’s early history and indeed into the history of the Maldon. We thought this was a tradition worth continuing.

Highlights of the President’s Report, 2024

I would like to begin by thanking all the library’s volunteers for their support and dedication throughout this year. We have a great team of individuals who generously give their time and share a variety of responsibilities, helping to improve and maintain the library service for our community. My thanks also to the members of the library committee for their time and dedication to the library, for supporting each other, and for their commitment to keeping the library vibrant and relevant for our members.

We are fortunate and incredibly grateful to have a very generous local community who have donated over 200 books this year to add to our collection or to be sold (if duplicates of collection items) to help raise funds for the library. We are also grateful to members and volunteers who have made generous financial donations to support the library. Many members of the local community have also supported through book sales, the October Maldon Market Day fund raiser, the Human Library Gothic Weekend event, the Maldon in Winter fundraiser ‘Arson at the Athenaeum’ Book Reading Play, various guest speaker events and book launches. The library is not just a place to borrow books: it aims to be a vital part of the whole life of Maldon and surrounding districts.

I would like to share some library statistics. Currently we have 193 members, an increase of 24 from 2023, and 26 volunteers. The library has approximately15,300 books in its collection. Of these we loaned approximately 2,800 books this year, 2102 fiction, 456 non-fiction and 158 ‘other’, and averaged 600 visitors. Our Facebook page has 661 followers. The most books borrowed by a single member this year was an astounding 188. The most frequently borrowed book was the recently published ‘The Lost Remains’ by Elle Griffiths, borrowed 11 times. $1,800 was spent on book purchases, approximately 65 new books.

A highlight of this year has been the commencement of the library’s new and exciting History Project. A group of volunteers and library members have begun to compile a history of the library. This endeavour has been attempted by others before, but without success, and we are determined to see it done! Part of this project have been the collation of an archive collection and development of our website to accommodate a series of vignettes. These will capture significant moments and individuals in the library’s history since is foundation in 1863. These vignettes will cover a variety of topics of interest and be added to over time. This History Project will be a wonderful legacy for future generations.  Valuable local and historical knowledge about the library and those associated with it will be recorded and available publicly for anyone to enjoy.

Looking ahead, we hope to increase the library’s memberships and volunteer numbers and continue our valuable volunteer service to the Maldon and Tarrangower community. We will continue to update and diversify our book collection ensuring the library reflects the changing needs and interests of our membership. The library will continue to play its role in the general life of the town and to look for opportunities to involve the community in an institution that served it for over 160 years.

Maldon Athenaeum Library Committee of Management, President: Tina Fratta

New books provided by a very welcome grant.
Maldon Athenaeum Library has received a very welcome $1000 grant from Good2Give, the Toyota Finance Employee Nominated Grants Program. The library was nominated by the family of one of our members who is also a volunteer at the library, who made the application so the library could “add new
books to their unique collection…. the books will allow the local community to gain knowledge and education through literature.” Most of the books purchased have already arrived and will be on display this week and reviewed in the News Books/Reviews section of our webpage.

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Another significant donation

The library is very fortunate to have received another significant donation, two volumes of Victoria and Its Metropolis. These books, donated by library member Peter Hansen, will be a valuable addition to our Archive Collection. It is fitting that these volumes should be stored in a small piece of Melbourne history:  a glass-fronted cedar cabinet that came to the Athenaeum Library on permanent loan from the Old Mint in Queen Street, Melbourne, when it closed. The books are not for loan but can be read in the library.

UN Human Rights Day.

December 10 is Human Rights Day, a United Nations campaign that calls for people to know and push for their rights no matter where they are in the world.  It falls on the anniversary of when the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1984. Australia was a founding member of the UN and was also one of eight nations involved in drafting the Universal Declaration, a set of 30 Articles that sets out human rights that are universally protected. 

Additionally, December 10 is when the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded. This year the recipient is Nihon Hidanko, a Japanese grassroots organisation which works with survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1945 atomic bombings to call for a world free of nuclear weapons. 

The library collection includes several books exploring the theme of human rights, the history of human rights and the extent to which nations, including Australia, have been able to fulfil the obligations under the Declaration. Here are some suggestions:

Gillian Triggs’ autobiography, Speaking Up. Triggs was President of the Australian Human Rights Commission from 2012 to 2017. In 2019, she was appointed Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations.   

The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore. This historical account is subtitled “One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear.

Do They Hear You When You Cry by the Togo writer Fauziya Kassindj is an autobiographical story of her refusal to submit to kakia, the Togo ritual of female genital mutilation, and a forced marriage. 

Freedom, Only Freedom: the prison writings of Behrouz Boochandi. Boochandi is a Kurdish-Iranian writer, journalist, scholar, cultural advocate and filmmaker, detained for six years in Australia’s offshore migrant detention centre.

A reminder that the Dharrang Gauwa (Mt Tarrengower) Speaks presentation with Professor Barry Golding, talking about his book Six Peaks Speak: Unsettling in Southern Dja Dja Wurrung Country, is on Sunday, 8 December at the Maldon Community Centre Meeting Room, at 2pm. A copy of the book will be available for loan from the library.

November 2024

New book launch, community presentation & walk on Mt Tarrengower to celebrate International Mountain Day

Local academic and author Professor Barry Golding AM has released a significant new book, Six Peaks Speak: Unsettling in Southern Dja Dja Wurrung Country. To help celebrate Mountain Day there will be a series of Great Dividing Trail walks and local community presentations specific to each mountain.  In addition to Mount Tarrengower (Dharrang Gauwa) the peaks include Mount Kooroocheang near Kingston, Mount Beckworth near Clunes, Mount Greenock near Talbot, Mount Alexander near Castlemaine and Mount Franklin near Daylesford.

The Gauwa (Mt Tarrengower) GDTA walk will be on Sunday, 8 December starting at 9.30am. For more information go to https://www.gdt.org.au/. Bookings for the walk opens two weeks before the walk and close two days beforehand. Numbers are limited and reasonable walking fitness is required.

The Dharrang Gauwa Speaks presentation with Professor Golding will be on 8 December at the Maldon Community Centre Meeting Room, at 2pm.

The book will be officially launched by Rodney Carter, Dja Dja Wurrung Group CEO, at the Castlemaine Visitor Information Centre, 2pm, on Wednesday, 11 December.

The result of a research project supported by the State Library Victoria, the book tells the unique stories of each peak, delving into geological origins, Dja Dja Wurrung management, and the exploitation and transformation of these landscapes since unsettlement. It aims to enthuse others to visit and to assist local communities to manage the sites, collaborate and learn from Traditional Owners

Barry Golding has a particular interest is how geology affects landscape and people, as well as how resistance to change has shaped the destiny of the six peaks. All the mountains have deep and ancient First Nations connections. The book, co-authored by Clive Willman, explores the many unsettling changes to the people and traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung Nation, pre- and post-contact. The term unsettling means upsetting, disturbing or discomposing. It challenges the use of terms such as ‘exploration’, ‘pioneering’ and ‘settlement’ in a landscape that was already settled, named and cultured.

Professor Golding is founder of the Great Dividing Trail Association, responsible for creating and maintaining four main walking and mountain bike tracks totalling around 270km that now link Ballarat, Daylesford, Castlemaine and Bendigo (collectively called the ‘Goldfields Track’). He is also Chair of the International Men’s Shed Organisation. In June 2016 he was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his significant contribution to tertiary education as a researcher and author, to professional organisations and to the community.

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Behind the scenes at the Athenaeum

Have you ever wondered what is happening at the library when the ‘Library Open’ flag is not flying? What occurs behind the scenes each week and who is involved?  You might be surprised by the range of activities that is carried out by a group of enthusiastic and committed locals.

There are the regular tasks, such as processing new books, both purchased and donated (thank you) and maintaining the catalogue, available to everyone via the library website maldonlibrary.org.au. Check out the website for opening hours, how to join and become a volunteer, lists of new books, book reviews and the weekly Library News. Volunteers also respond to requests for book reservations, carry out book repairs and organise book displays. We want the library to look attractive, but also for it to be easy for members to find old favourites or discover new authors and genres.

Other activities behind the scenes allow the library to continue the role it has played in the life of Maldon since its foundation as a Mechanics’ Institute in 1863. The aim of Mechanics’ Institutes was to create free educational, cultural and self-improvement opportunities, providing, in addition to reading materials, adult education programs and social and recreational events. As recorded in the Tarrengower Times and Maldon District Advertiser of November 1860, the desire was to provide for Maldon a place where people could ‘meet, form classes for mutual instruction, read the current literature of the period, hear lectures, and otherwise benefit themselves’. Today the Library provides local residents with a friendly, knowledgeable and comprehensive library service, but it also actively participates in Maldon special activities and host events such as play readings, book launches, author talks and book groups.

The Maldon Athenaeum Library is proud of its long history, beginning within 10 years of the town being gazetted. Groups of volunteers are busy mining the records, diving into the library’s considerable collection of documents including correspondence, borrowing records, minute books and newspaper articles. Information from these and other archival sources are being used by volunteers as part of the library History Project. This aims to create a series of ‘vignettes’ (‘brief, evocative descriptions, accounts or episodes’) that will be published on the library website, starting early in the New Year. The history of the library is, in many ways, the history of Maldon as it has grown from a gold rush collection of tents to the established community of today.

The Maldon Athenaeum is a busy place with volunteer led and managed activities to maintain the effective running of the library and events. We welcome new members (only $30 a year) and volunteers. Drop in any time the library is open (Monday, Wednesday and Friday 2-4pm, Saturday 9.30 am to 12 noon) or email  maldonathenaeumlibrary@gmail.com.

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World Children’s Day November 20th

Since 1990, World Children’s Day on the 20^th November marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Sadly, not all countries have signed the convention but we have in Australia.

This year’s theme for World Children’s Day is “Inclusion for every child.” Many children around the world are excluded from their “Right to rest, relax, play and take part in cultural and creative activities.”

Reading and being read to are activities that can be enjoyed almost anywhere but sadly not all children have access to books or libraries.  And not all children have a safe space to just read, relax and play. At the Maldon Athenaeum library our Children’s Library was established to ensure that we can offer our local community a safe and welcoming space where children can come to read, relax, and play.

Featured below are reviews of new additions to our Picture Book collection that we hope our young readers will borrow and share with other family members.

My Two Blankets written by Irena Kobald and illustrated by Freya Blackwood, published by Little Hare Books, 2014.

“A beautifully written and illustrated story that realistically depicts the feelings of loneliness and cultural displacement of a recently arrived refugee girl and her joy at making a new friendship despite language barriers.”   (Edward Sullivan -reviewer- Goodreads)

I am not a Sleepy Sloth written by Jane Riordan and illustrated by Louise Anglicas, published by Bookoli, 2022.

“Young children will delight at the beautiful artworks as they follow the little sloth on his exciting adventure. With lively fun text and illustrations full of character this book is perfect for sharing and reading together with a loved one.”  (Review courtesy Amazon.com.au)

 Stuck written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, published by Harper Collins Children’s Books, 2012.

“Stuck is the story of Floyd and his kite that gets stuck in a tree. Floyd spends the rest of the day trying to get his kite out of the tree but nothing he tries is working. In the end Floyd uses a saw to save the day but this is where Jeffers throws a brilliant twist in this resolution. This book is over the top silly and it’s one both children and adults will enjoy reading over and over again.” (Review courtesy Childrenslitlove.com)

Floss written and illustrated by Kim Lewis, published by Walker Books, 1993.

“Floss is a smart young Collie who lived with her owner in the city. She loved to play ball with children in the park. When Floyd was taken to a farm she learned to herd sheep but still loved to play ball with children.  This fabulously illustrated book brings family, work, play and compromise together in a beautiful story.”   (Lynne Davidson- reviewer – Goodreads)

The Echidna and the Shade Tree is an aboriginal story told by Mona Green and compiled by Pamela Lofts, published by Scholastic, 2004.

This book is based on a telling by Mona Green of the Jaru people, to aboriginal children living in Halls Creek, Western Australia. The illustrations are adapted from the children’s picture interpretations of the story. The story explains why the echidna has stubby feet and spikes. A great read aloud but also a story to enjoy reading alone

October 2024 

Melbourne Cup Special

It’s almost Melbourne Cup time and so this week’s News features the elements without which the event could not happen. No, not the bookies or the hospitality marquees. Not the car boot picnics in The Nursery or the ‘tired and emotional’ patrons. The horses, of course! The library has an abundance of books about horses, their history, their lives and their relationships with humans, both novels and non-fiction. Here is a selection:

The Horse: A Galloping History of Humanity by Timothy Winegard (2024).

This recently published book tells a story that started over 5000 years ago in the Eurasian steppes when the partnership between man and horse began. Since then, human endeavour has been linked to an animal that was the primary mode of transport, essential farming machine, companion and weapon of war. The Horse takes us from the cavalry charges of Alexander the Great to hunting, trading and horse-worshipping. It is a narrative of this noble animal’s unrivalled and enduring reign across human history. To know the horse is to understand the world. (The Horse can be found in the World History & Geography section)

Dick Francis: A Racing Life by Graham Lord (1999)

Dick Francis novels may be out of fashion but in their day, they were best sellers, loved by many, including the Queen Mother. As an ex-champion steeplechase jockey Francis was well-qualified to write about racing; however, it was the collaboration with his wife, Mary, who had an English and French degree from London University, and an avid interest in literature, that resulted in the 40 crime novels that sold over 60 million copies and were translated into 34 languages. Dick and Mary Francis created a spectacularly successful literary partnership, and the story of the Dick Francis books was the story of them both. This book can be located in the Autobiography, Biography & Memoir section of the library.

Sports Special!

In celebration of grand finals, lost and won, this week the library news focuses on sport. We all know that sport is much more than just a game. Sport brings people together. It has the potential to break down social barriers, to inspire and motive, to teach teamwork and perseverance. So, books about sport can be more than just about the game or its players, more than just skill development, victories and defeats and sporting heroes. Here are some examples of books about but not just about sport.

The Matilda Effect by Fiona Crawford (2023) is the story of the Australian women’s soccer team, the Matildas, and their ultimately successful struggle, alongside other women from around the world, to compete in World Cup football. The book was aptly named: historically ‘the Matilda effect’ honours US activist, freethinker and pioneer Matilda Joslyn Gage. The phrase has been used to describe a bias denying recognition to women and women’s activities.  From the 1980s, when women had to pay to participate in the pilot Women’s World Cup, to 2019, when the principle of equal pay for women players was finally accepted amid surging interest in their game, The Matilda Effect takes the reader on a journey of human rights and gender equality history. (This book is in the library’s Social Science section.)

Brotherboys: the story of Jim and Phillip Krakouer by Sean Gornman (2005). The Krakouer brothers exploded onto the football scene in Perth in the early 80s and were quickly lured by big money to play for North Melbourne. But despite their uncanny ability to win the ball, Jim and Phillip were subjected to racist taunts both on and off the field. It seems Jim was always on a trajectory towards trouble, while his brother Phil stayed on the straight and narrow. Brotherboys is about how two brothers handled their sporting success, how the AFL handled two unusual sporting heroes, and how as a sporting nation, we handled our Indigenous brothers. (Located in the Autobiography, Biography and Memoir section of the library.) 

Cycling Solo: Ireland to Istanbul by Hazel Edwards &Trevelyan Quest Edwards (2006) explores five months of cycling solo across Europe via the UK, France, Germany, the Swiss Alps, Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Turkey. So, it’s as much about the journey, warts and all, as it is about the sport of cycling: with forgettable campsites, random kindnesses, eccentrics, falls, punctures and steep kilometres in between. Perhaps reading this book will inspire some cyclists to dust off their bikes and risk an extreme adventure, somewhere exotic and alone. (Find this one in Travel Tales)

The Boys’ Club: Power, Politics and the AFL by Michael Warner (2022). The Boys’ Club is the inside story behind the power and politics of the AFL, revealing how a fledgling state administrative body evolved into the Australian Football League and its meteoric rise to become one of the richest and most powerful organisations in the land. Journalist Michael Warner lifts the lid on the scandals, secrets and deal-making that have shaped this iconic Australian game. (Located in our Politics section)

Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard (2017). Another book about and not just about sport. In 2016, Dion Leonard, a seasoned ultramarathon runner, finds a stray dog while competing in a gruelling 155-mile race across the Gobi Desert. ‘Gobi‘ is small in size but big in heart, keeping pace with Leonard for nearly 80 miles. Although they did not win, this was a journey filled with drama, grief, heartbreak, joy and love that changed the lives of both man and dog forever. (In the Autobiography, Biography and Memoir section of the library.)

Barassi: The Biography by Peter Lalor (2010). Even those of us who have little interest in football will have heard of Ron Barassi. As a champion player he is credited with having all but invented the position of ruck rover and as a premiership coach he is said to have revolutionized the use of the handball. He was also one of the first to push for fully nationalising the game. But as integral as Ron Barassi is to football, he is quick to point out that, “It was never my life.” In this book Barassi tells his story in his own words: the devoted family man, the dabbler in the arts, the champion for disadvantaged kids, and the tale of a fatherless boy who was determined to make his own way in the world. This is a deeply personal portrait of an Australian sporting legend. (Also in the Autobiography, Biography and Memoir section)

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Book Launch at the Athenaeum Library, Friday 25 October, 10.30am.

The library is proud to support local authors Denise Main and Ian Chisholm to launch their novel Voices of The Whipstick. During the Victorian Covid 19 2020 long winter lockdown Denise and Ian began writing together and Voices of The Whipstick came into being and was published in late 2023. 

Please join us for a morning of inspiration at the Maldon Athenaeum Library, 97 High Street, Maldon (next to the Post Office). Morning Tea is provided, gold coin donation.   

Here is a brief synopsis of Voices of the Whipstick, described as a tender and deeply moving novel that explores what can befall those who lose what they love most.

Mick Tranter was born and raised at the edge of the ancient Whipstick Forest, north of Bendigo. When the outbreak of WW2 interrupts his active rural lifestyle, he joins the AIF, and on his last night of leave, he meets and falls in love with a young woman at a Saturday night dance. Love letters and a photo of her go with him to the battlefields of New Guinea and become his talisman. He experiences the harrowing brutality of jungle warfare, only to be posted as missing in action and all communication is lost with his girl and his family. Later, he is found ill and wounded. He survives the war but returns home in a fragile mental state. Despite the love and care from his mother and his best friend, he is haunted by guilt and shame and enduring sadness over the loss of the girl he loves. He retreats to his beloved Whipstick Forest, but his troubled mind, not relieved by reclusiveness, worsens until he has an epiphany that sets him on the path to atonement.

The authors:

Denise Main was raised in Bendigo and graduating from the Northern District School of Nursing. She was appointed Community Health Nurse at the Eaglehawk and Long Gully Community Health Centre, one of the first community health centres in Australia. Her experiences endeared the community to her and provided the many stories she had the privilege of hearing. Denise’s background includes Churchill Fellowship studies, a Master of Health Science, Public Health at Latrobe University and a Diploma in Visual Arts. After relocating to Point Lonsdale she became an inaugural member of the Queenscliff Rip Writers Group and later joined the Seaside Scribes. Both writing groups were inspirational and encouraging. Her first manuscript, Mission: Angela, a spy/historical fiction novel, was published in 2022.

Ian Chisholm was born in Swan Hill and completed his secondary education at Maryborough High School. After completing a Graphic Design Diploma at Bendigo School of Mines he graduated from the Technical Teachers College in Melbourne and began a career as a secondary art teacher. Ian was the Arts Co-ordinator at a Melbourne private school, a position he held until his retirement. Throughout his adult life, Ian has worked as a semi-professional jazz drummer in Melbourne and at Jazz Festivals in Victoria and interstate. Retiring to Rye, on the Mornington Peninsula, he continued to paint, eventually specializing in water-colour. For many years he has successfully exhibited in regional art galleries, and in Regional and Melbourne art shows, achieving many awards. Writing began seriously when recalling and writing what eventually became A Collection of Imperfect Memories of a Life Half Remembered. After many years he renewed his acquaintance with Denise Main and a deep friendship formed through their many mutual interests. It was their shared interest in writing that prompted them to co-write the manuscript which became Voices of the Whipstick.

Advance notice: Book Talk at the Athenaeum Library, Fri 25 October, 10.30am.

Don’t miss this fabulous talk by local authors Denise Main and Ian Chisholm.   Hear how their local knowledge and shared interests have been woven into their first novel together, Voices of the Whipstick, describes as a tender and deeply moving novel that explores what can befall those who lose what they love most. Please join us for a morning of inspiration. Morning Tea provided, gold coin donation.   

 Travel without leaving home

Last week was Seniors Week. Amongst the events offered, all Victorian Seniors Card holder could ‘explore Victoria with free Festival travel.’ Hopefully many local seniors took up this opportunity. However, if not, why not explore new places, cultures and challenges via the travel books available to be borrowed from the Athenaeum library? Without the need of a passport, or the stress of deciding what to pack, you can travel without leaving home, and all for the price of a library membership ($30).

Here are some suggestions:

How to Be French: Eat Drink Dress Travel Love (2023) by Janine Marsh

This book is a celebration of the French lifestyle – to savour the moment, travelling indulgently, and cherishing food and culture, all accompanied by great illustrations. Anyone can learn how to be a little bit French with this guide.  Find this book in the Essays, Letters and Diaries section of the library.

One Italian Summer(2017)

This is a true story by the Australian writer Pip Williams, author of The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho. Escaping stressful lives, Pip and family move to Italy, living in the homes and farms of strangers. Idyllic? Well yes, but not all goes as planned. Eventually the family finds the good life but not where they expected. I’ll not spoil the story by giving away the ending. (This one is in the Autobiography, Biography and Memoir section.)

Adrift in Melbourne (2012)

This book contains a series of walks created by local author and historian, Robyn Annear. For the energetic, each can be followed on foot (or by tram, free during Seniors Week) but can also be enjoyed from the comfort of an armchair. This is a guide to Melbourne’s past and present, showcasing the hidden and surprising histories of her buildings and the characters that inhabited them. (Adrift in Melbourne can be found in Travel Tales.)

The Best Gardens in Italy (2013)

An old one but still a great read. Kirsty McLeod and Primrose Bell celebrate over a hundred of the finest Italian gardens open to the public. They take the reader with them on a journey to these gardens: they explore their history and context, and we meet the owners, hear the stories behind the gardens, and learn how they were made and how they are maintained. (Also located in Travel Tales.)

The Hairy Bikers Ride Again (2007) Dave Myers and Si King

Even armchair travellers need food to sustain and inspire them. Dave and Si are back, on their motorbikes, from Morocco, to Belgium, to India and more, in search of adventure and delicious food.  The book contains recipes for fuss-free and tasty food using easy to source ingredients, plus fascinating travelling tales to sustain the mind. (To be found in the Cooking, Food and Wine section of the library.)

Riding With Giants (2020)

Another bike odyssey, but this time the pedal kind. Escaping the financial world, international businessman Peter Holmes a Court ends up in rural France, aiming to ride the L’Etape du Tour, the amateur leg of the Tour de France. He spends his days photographing his custom bike being built, meeting the locals, and learning about the rich traditions of artisan craftsmanship. He and his daughters finally begin to put down roots and understand the beauty and calm of a small-scale existence – and a very different approach to excellence and the well-lived life. (Riding With Giants can be found in Autobiography, Biography and Memoir.)  

Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town (2002).

No collection of recommended travel books would be complete without one by Paul Theroux, arguably the best known and celebrated contemporary travel writer. In Dark Star Safari he takes readers the length of Africa by rattletrap bus, dugout canoe, cattle truck, armed convoy, ferry and train, enduring danger, delay, and dismaying circumstances. He talks to locals, aid workers, missionaries, and tourists. What results is an insight into the history, politics, and beauty of Africa and its people.

(Dark Star Safari can be found in Travel Tales.)

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Recently one of the volunteers working on the history project has been digging into the archives to find out which books subscribers were borrowing 50 years ago. Were their reading habits similar to those of today’s members? What differences can be identified, and what does this tell us about the interests of library members?

One thing that has apparently not changed is that many were very avid readers, borrowing multiple books each week. The process of borrowing (and returning) was, of course, very different pre-computers, with an annual register kept, listing each member and the books they selected, with the titles recorded and then marked through with a line when each item was returned. It is interesting to compare the list of popular titles and authors of the 1960s and 1970s with the ‘top 20’ of the past 12 months.  There was the same enthusiasm for fiction, and especially crime and mystery titles, with perhaps more romance than amongst the list of popular titles of 2024. One significant difference, revealed in the current data, is the inclusion of more Australian authors (10 out of 20) and non-fiction titles (3 of 20). Two of the twenty most frequently borrowed titles were from our local history collection. Two of the non-fiction books focused on indigenous history, perhaps reflecting the growing acceptance of the reality of Australia’s past and the need for reconciliation. One thing is clear: we like a good murder, especially if in unusual settings or with quirky characters. Popular books this year included The Thursday Murder Club (a group of senior citizens who find themselves in the centre of a murder investigation) and The Tea Ladies (a crime novel set in Sydney in the swinging sixties,).

For your interest, here is the list of the most frequently borrowed 2023-2024 titles.

Non-fiction:

Killing for Country: A Family Story (2023) David Marr.   

The Good Country: The Djadja Wurrung, the Settlers and the Protectors (2017) Bain Munro Attwood.

Maldon: a new History, 1853-1928 (2019) Brian Rhule.

Fiction:

Resurrection Walk (2023) Michael Connolly. 

Days of Innocence and Wonder (2023) Lucy Treloar.

The Way it is Now (2021) Gary Disher.

The Tilt (2022) Chris Hammer.

The Tea Ladies (2023) Amanda Hampton. 

The Thursday Murder Club (2021) and The Bullet that Missed (2022). Richard Osman.

The House of Doors (2023) Tan Twan Eng.

The Book Binder of Jerico (2023) Pip Williams.

Lola in the Mirror (2023) Trent Dalton. 

When You Are Mine (2021) Michael Rowbotham.

Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life (2023) Anna Funder. 

Violeta (2022) Isabel Allende.

Tin Man (2017) Sarah Winman.

The Boy from the Woods (2020) Harlan Coben.

Something to Hide (2022) Elizabeth George.

Give unto others (2022) Donna Leon.

September 2024

This week marks World Animal Day, celebrating the important role of animals, wild and domestic. Animals feature in many books in our Children’s Collection, and there are works, fiction and non-fiction, in the general collection, focusing on elephants, goats, birds, horses, hares, foxes and, of course, dogs. For many of us dogs are a vital part of the family, and their deeds, heroic or otherwise, have been the subject of many popular books. Favourites include Ahound the world: My travels with Oscar (Joanne Lefson), Love Clancy: A dog’s letters home (Richard Glover), Marley and Me: Life and love with the world’s worst dog (John Grogan) and Walking Ollie: Or winning the love of a difficult dog (Stephen Foster).

However, this week’s library news focuses on books about cats. Like many animal stories, these books tell us as much about the author and their changing view of life as they do about the cat or cats involved. These books can be found in the library’s Animal Tales section.

Homer’s Odyssey (Gwen Cooper) is the story of an extraordinary cat and his human companion. It celebrates the refusal to accept limits—on love, ability, or hope against overwhelming odds. By turns jubilant and moving, it’s a memoir for anybody who has ever fallen completely and helplessly in love with a pet.

Particular Cats and More Cats (Doris Lessing). Lessing was a novelist and essayist who won the 2007 Nobel Prize for a lifetime of writing. This set of short stories, beautifully illustrated by Anne Robinson, recounts the cats that have moved and amused her. They also describe Lessing’s own story in relation to cats, how they affected her and she them.

Dewey: The small town library cat who touched the world (Vicki Myron). From the day when the small kitten was posted through the book return slot of the local library in Spencer, Iowa, Dewey Readmore Books transformed the small library, saved a classic American town and eventually became famous world-wide.

Cleo: How an uppity cat helped heal a family (Helen Brown) The book is about a small black cat who helped mend a family’s broken hearts. Helen Brown wasn’t a cat person, but her nine-year-old son Sam was. Sam pleaded and the deal was done – the kitten would be delivered when she was big enough to leave her mother. A week later, Sam was dead. Through happiness and heartbreak, changes and new beginnings, Cleo turned out to be the unlikely glue that affectionately held Helen’s family together.

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Book Donations

Thank you to everyone who has offered to donations books to the library. We are now able to resume the acceptance of donations of books that were recently published, are in good condition and those by local authors or of local interest.

International Day of Peace

September 21 marks the International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations 25 years ago to celebrate the efforts of peacekeepers and emphasise the promotion of values, justice, empathy, collaboration and non-violence. The theme for 2024 is ‘cultivating a culture of peace’ as an alternative to a culture of war and violence. The Global Peace Index www.economicsandpeace.org ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness. The most recent report indicates that world has become less peaceful in the past 17 years with substantial increases in political instability, number of conflicts, deaths from conflicts and violent demonstrations. In 2024 there are 56 active conflicts, the most since the end of the Second World War, and with fewer conflicts being resolved, either militarily or through peace agreements. Two factors are seen as significant: changes in military technology, such as the development of drones, and increasing geopolitical competition. These shifts have made conflicts more complex and harder to resolve. In the past two years the conflict in Gaza and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine were the primary drivers of the fall in peacefulness.

A quick review of source reveals many news articles and books focusing on war, with far fewer reporting on the creation and maintenance of peace. Conflict is apparently more newsworthy and easier to market and sell to the public. There are, however, books written about war and its aftermath that make a strong case for peace. All Quiet on the Western Front, a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, describes the horror of World War I from the perspective of a young German soldier. Regeneration by Pat Barker explores how the traumas of war brutalised a generation of young men. At the centre of Question 7, the recently published memoir by Richard Flanagan, is the impact of his father’s war experiences, and those of fellow Tasmanian soldiers on their lives and those of their families.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded in recognition of many kinds of peace work and concepts of peace. Here are some titles from the library collection, written by Nobel Peace Prize recipients that may provide some hope that global peace is possible. For you interest, the year in which each author was a Nobel Laureate is included. The Nobel Peace Prize 2024 will be announced on Friday 11 October.

• I am Malala Malala Yousafzai (2014)
• Dreams From My Father Barack Obama (2009)
• Long Walk to Freedom Nelson Mandela (1993)
• The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of Wisdom Dalai Lama (1989)

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Annual Dementia Action Week

The annual Dementia Action Week is held in September and there are a number of community groups in Maldon whose activities fit this year’s theme: ‘Act Now for a Dementia-Friendly Future’.

Around two-thirds of people with dementia live in the community, yet research shows that more than 60 per cent of people would rather not think about dementia. A lack of knowledge and understanding of dementia leads to people living with dementia experiencing stigma, discrimination, social isolation, loneliness and are not seeking help. Social participation in the community must come to a standstill once a diagnosis made, which is why dementia friendly communities are important.

Maldon Athenaeum Library previously received a grant from Tarrangower Dementia Alliance (TDA), set up to help to break down the stigma and create a Dementia-Friendly future for Maldon. The group is an auspice of the Maldon Neighbourhood Centre of whom Dhelkaya Health and Mt Alexander Shire Council are supporting members. With these funds, the Maldon Athenaeum Library have been able to facilitate small but significant changes that will help the Athenaeum become more accessible to all in the community. From the funding and with the help of a walk-through audit by one of the TDA members who has Dementia, a number of changes have been actioned:

• Name Badges: Coloured Lanyards and large font used on the Volunteers name badges make the Duty Volunteers more recognisable to approach.
• Toilet Block: sensory colours help members to differentiate the floor from walls including the Toilet Seat Cover.   
• Signs to locate toilet block, both outside and inside the building.
• Colour, larger size and font of the shelving labels to make it easier to read for those facing sensory issues,
• Yellow lines on the outside steps leading to the front entrance to help safety for those with depth perception difficulties.

The library is eventually looking at adding a map of the library for the website. There will be colours for each room, to help people living with dementia and their carers to navigate through the library.

On Tuesday 17^th September 2024, Tarrangower Dementia Alliance, Maldon Croquet Club and the Maldon Athenaeum Library invite you to a walk with us, to see what small changes can be done to keep our local community Dementia Friendly. Leaving 10.30am from Maldon Neighbourhood Centre, walk to the Maldon Croquet Club, across to the Athenaeum then return to the starting point. The walk finishes around 11.30am, with a morning tea and talks by Tarrangower Dementia Alliance members.

People who need dementia assistance for themselves or loved ones they are caring for should call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.

If you are interested in being involved in the Tarrangower Dementia Alliance, please contact Maldon Neighbourhood Centre.

Interested in doing a bit of reading about dementia? Some recommended books are ‘What I wish People knew about Dementia’, ‘Somebody I used to Know’ by Wendy Matthews or ‘Still Alice’ by Lisa Genova.

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International Literacy Day and the role of community libraries

Literacy is not just the ability to read and write: it is also the capacity to communicate clearly, to understand and create texts, and to use language effectively to transmit information to listeners. Literacy is used for personal enjoyment, to learn about the world and to allow us to be involved in our community. This week marks International Literacy Day.

A recent UNESCO report identified the critical role of community libraries, such as the Maldon Athenaeum Library, in encouraging literacy in both children and adults. Community libraries offer a wide variety of written materials to continue the habit of reading in adult lives. They also promote and facilitate education programs, encourage community engagement and provide reading and learning spaces. They are a venue for activities linked to local interests and practical livelihood concerns.

These have been the roles of the Maldon Athenaeum Library since its beginnings more than 160 years ago. Founded in 1863, only nine years after the discovery of gold at Long Gully, the town opened its Mechanics’ Institute, later to be called the Athenaeum Library. The library continues to be independent, community-based, run by volunteers and financed through locally-raised funds. It still takes seriously its responsibility for encouraging literacy, as well as providing a focus for social and recreational events.

Did you know that the Athenaeum Library has a collection of books focusing on language and communication? Some delve into the history and usage of words and the connection with cultural borrowings and change. Others offer advice and support for those facing the challenges of writing creatively or ‘correctly”. Some ‘strike a blow’ for correct usage and the elimination of jargon or warn of the folly of careless use of punctuation. Here are some suggestions:

A Way with Words: a frolic through the landscape of language. Author Ruth Wajnryb entertainingly explores, examines and explains why our language works the way it does.

Weasel Words: Contemporary cliches, cant and management jargon. Author, historian, speech writer and satirist, Don Watson fights for clarity in language, exposing politician and managers whose words ‘kill brain cells and sink hearts’.

August 2024

Hurray, hurray for Wattle Day!

Yes, it’s almost spring, and September 1 is Wattle Day. Many acacia species and other natives have begun flowering during the past month, a much-needed promise of warmer weather. It’s great to live in an area where indigenous plants can be seen and appreciated all year round, but it is also good to grow them at home, especially as they encourage native birds into the garden. Many are also fire-resistant, and judicious planting may help to slow a fire and reduce radiant heat. Many natives are also drought-tolerant, a factor when considering Maldon in summer.

The library has several books which may be helpful, located in the Gardening section in the hallway of the library.

• Native: art and design with Australian plants  Kate Herd & Jela Ivankovic-Waters
• Successfully Growing Australian Native Plants Geoff and Bev Rigby
• Safer Gardens: Plant flammability & planning for fire Lesley Corbett
• The Waterwise Australian Native Garden: a practical guide to garden design, plant selection and much more Angus Stewart & A.B. Bishop

And to encourage wide-spread celebration on September 1, here is a special Wattle Day true or false quiz.

1. The Golden Wattle, Acacia pycnantha, become the national emblem of Australia at Federation.
2. There are more than 1000 species of Australian wattle.
3. The Australian coat of arms features kangaroo, emu and wattle.
4. With the controversy over 26 January asAustralia Day some Australians have proposed Wattle Day as an alternative for national celebrations.
5. Maria Hitchcock of Armidale, NSW began the campaign to have Wattle Day officially gazetted.
6. Wattle Day was originally celebrated on August 1 in NSW.
7. Wattle flowers are a major cause of spring hay fever.
8. Wattle Birds are named because of their favourite habit, acacia trees.
9. The wattle is featured in a Monty Python sketch.                  10.The Australasian Olympic team first adopted ‘green and gold’ in 1908.

Quiz answers.

1. False, it became the emblem in 1988, the Bicentenary year.
2. True
3. True, (but the wattle image is botanically inaccurate)
4. True
5. True, (but without the support of the ABC radio programme, Australia All Over, the campaign may have failed)
6. True
7. False – allergy tests rarely confirm that wattle causes hay fever.
8. False, (a wattle is a fleshy head or neck appendage)
9. True, (the Bruces sketch)
10. True, but at the time it was called ‘green and wattle’.

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Farewell to printed books?

Will printed books “eventually join the ranks of clay tablets, scrolls and typewritten pages?” Since the publication of the first digital novel in 1993, this belief (or fear) has been expressed by many in the world of books, with the use of e-readers and other digital devices destined to kill the printed versions. But is this happening, and does it matter?  From the introduction of the Kindle in 2007, on-screen has increased to between 10 % and 20% of all book reading. Although this trend seems to have plateaued, what has also changed is the cost of printing (and thus the cost of purchasing books) and the reluctance of companies to publish ‘risky’ books (those by new authors or with a circulation predicted to be below 10,000 over a lifetime). Another factor is the demise of book sellers such as Booktopia, which went into administration in July this year. Amazon is the largest bookseller in the world but if you check its catalogue, the vast majority of new titles are not available as print versions.

And does this matter? Many see this as the next inevitable step in the evolution of access to literature. Some evidence suggests that children who read e-books, especially ones with animations, understood the story better and learned more vocabulary than those who read static ones.  However, experts fail to agree on universal benefit. According to Maryanne Wolf, director of the Center for Reading and Language Research at Tufts University in Massachusetts, research indicates that electronic reading can “negatively impact the way the brain responds to text, including reading comprehension, focus and the ability to maintain attention to details like plot and sequence of events.”

Perhaps there is a simple aesthetic pleasure in reading a print version? Some argue that holding the book is part of the reading experience. One of our most enthusiastic library borrowers has described the joy and anticipation of having a book in her hand and the tactile pleasure of turning the page. These habits, begun in childhood, become lifetime patterns that create calmness and certainty. They give access to an inner private world, shared by the reader and author, one in which there is time for thinking, reflection and imagination. This view was supported by recent observation of two young children reading print books while sitting in the departure lounge of a busy airport. Amidst the noise and movement, they were calm and settled, so engrossed in their reading (one with her own personal clip-on book light) that the world might not exist.

Check the New Books/Reviews on our webpage for some newly catalogued print books available for your reading pleasure.

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Book Week 2024 is almost upon us and is being celebrated this year from the 16^th to the 23^rd of August.  This year the theme READING is MAGIC is definitely a sentiment we all agree with at the Maldon Athenaeum Library. 

The importance of reading books and the development of children’s literacy skills is wonderfully highlighted in Mem Fox’s brilliant book Reading Magic.  In her book Mem shares what she observed while visiting classrooms: “As I observed children who were making their acquaintance with print, it was obvious that children who had come to school without any exposure to books, stories or nursery rhymes, struggled to make sense of the written word.  The contrast between these children and the ones who had been read to regularly and often was heartbreaking.”

This is why Book Week is so important to us at the library and why we get excited when we see throughout the year, grandparents or parents in our Children’s Library, sitting in the comfy chair reading one of our many picture books to their child or grandchild. Reading to children can be for so many children a truly magical experience and will set them on the pathway to literacy.

In our library we have on display a number of titles from the CBCA Book of the Year 2024 Awards Shortlist and here are a few of our favourites that will be on display during Book Week.

Book of the Year – Early Childhood (suitable for readers 0- 6 years)

The Concrete Garden written and illustrated by Bob Graham, published by Walker Books.

This warm and wonderful story written during the dark times of COVID by much loved Australian author Bob Graham, highlights the importance of HOPE.  When we see the children emerging from their tower block apartments after the lifting of COVID restrictions it is uplifting to see them all band together to create their own ‘garden’ by drawing it with coloured chalk.   In spite of the restrictions the children in the story still have HOPE and together they create their beautiful coloured concrete garden that brings a positive spirit to their community.

A wonderful book to read aloud to a group of children or just one child snuggled up on a lap. 

One Little Duck written by Katrina Germein and illustrated by Danny Snell, published by Angus & Robertson

This delightful tale is an Innovation on the much-loved traditional rhyme 5 Little Ducks. Although it begins in the usual way with a duck disappearance, mother duck calls out to a number of other animals as the rhyme unfolds and the reader is left wondering what happened to that first little duck.  Read the book and find out how the story unfolds.

Another great read aloud.

Bear and Duck are Friends written and illustrated by Sue deGennaro, published by Little Hare Books (A division of Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing).

In this heart-warming story Bear discovers the value of having a true friend who is there for him when he needs support and encourages him to take risks and build his confidence. Just what characteristics does duck have that make him such a good friend? Read and find out.

Can you teach a fish to climb a tree?  Written by Jane Godwin and Illustrated by Terry Denton

Can you teach a fish to climb a tree? Or a dog to play the violin? Or a hippo to walk the tightrope?  These animals might not be able to develop these skills but in this book, we find out just what some animals actually can do.  This book will appeal to those children who like to ask questions to make sense of the world around them. Terry Denton’s appealing illustrations lend much detail to accompany the simple text.

Book of the Year- Picture Book of the Year (Ages 0 -18)

If I was a Horse written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, published by Lothian Children’s Books

“Full of imagination and gentle humour, the main character leads the reader through highly relatable aspects of family life through the perspective of a horse. The delightful illustrations provide outstanding detail and invite the reader to pore over the images. The simple plot is expressed through scarce but rhythmic text with exquisite illustrations. “(Review courtesy CBCA Judges Reviews- Book of the Year Awards 2024 Shortlist)

Eve Pownall Award (Factual Texts – Ages 0-18)

Australia:  Country of Colour written and illustrated by Jess Racklyeft, published by Affirm Press

“Presented through the lens of a colour wheel this magnificent book takes your breath away with its visually stunning exploration of Australian landscapes, flora and fauna. With the turning of each page the reader is presented with new delights as landscapes, animals and plants are organised in colour categories of varying hues. Strong links between colour and emotion and of the feelings associated with particular colours are explained as is the importance of caring for Country.”  (Extract of Review courtesy CBCA Judges Reviews -Book of the Year Awards 2024 Shortlist).

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Indigenous Peoples as first scientists.

August 9th marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. According to the United Nations, there are over 476 million Indigenous peoples living in 90 countries across the world, accounting for 6.2% of the global population.  They are keepers of unique cultures, traditions, languages and knowledge. This day highlights the rights of Indigenous Peoples to make their own decisions and carry them out in ways that are meaningful and culturally appropriate to them.

This week is also National Science Week, celebrating the role of science in shaping our world. The word ‘science’ is derived from the Latin scientia, meaning knowledge. Traditionally we think of science as a Western concept, ignoring the fact that Indigenous cultures have survived over thousands of years using the same processes as traditional science (observation, predicting, testing, interpreting) to solve problems and thrive in their environment. In the past Indigenous science has been unacknowledged and largely ignored, just as much Indigenous culture has been seen as simple, unsophisticated and of little intrinsic value. Fortunately, this view is changing as the world looks to Indigenous cultures to solve problems, many of which have been created by the direct or indirect application of traditional science.

The library holds copies of several books that testify to the value of Indigenous, scientific knowledge. The first of these, and the knowledge it refers to, is probably best known, especially in parts of Australia that are at existing and increasing risk of fire. Country: Future Fire, Future Farming describes the benefits of controlled use of fires to create and preserve country. In the chapter How to Burn the authors, Bill Gamage and Bruce Pascoe write “[Indigenous] people studied fire and fire totem people devoted their lives to it. They worked harder at fire than any other task…… Fire became scalpel more than sword, sustaining more diversity than any natural regime could conceivably maintain, taming the most fire-prone continent on earth, giving Country the kiss of life”. Scientific knowledge about frequency, timing, intensity and patchiness was embedded in Indigenous culture and passed on through story and song.

Plants: Past, Present and Future (Zena Cumpston et al.) describes the breadth and sophistication of indigenous botanical knowledge and how it was applied to provide food, medicine and the materials needed to produce a complex array of technologies. This is science at its best, shaping the world of Indigenous people before colonisation: “respectful management systems that were developed and refined through careful observation, scientific testing… and applied knowledge.” (page 176).

The final book recommendation is The First Astronomers: How Indigenous Elders read the stars by Duane Hamacher, Professor of Cultural Astronomy at the School of Physics, University of Melbourne. The best way to describe the value of this book to quote from one review: “This is a pretty extraordinary primer to beginning to recognise the depth and breadth of Indigenous knowledges, and the integration of understandings that connects peoples with not only the world around them/us, but with the entire universe. Hamacher writes for a non-Indigenous audience……, demonstrating that Euro/settler science is not the only way of knowing and very often not the best or most accurate way of knowing.”

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National Tree Day

July 28 was National Tree Day. I think every day should be tree day, but perhaps having a special day reminds us of the value of planting trees and caring for the ones we have already.  Apart from their beauty, trees are very useful. They act as wind breaks and reduce runoff, flooding and soil erosion. They moderate the effects of extreme temperatures. Trees act as carbon sinks, reducing atmospheric CO_2. They provide food and habitat for countless species. And they are good for our health. A recent study in the United Kingdom of nearly 20,000 people has shown that the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, translated as “forest bathing’, has improved self-reported health and well-being. So, get out there this week and thank a tree! 

You can also learn more about trees and their habitats, including those native to Central Victoria, using the Maldon Athenaeum Library. Here are some suggestions for books located in the Australian Flora and Fauna section.

Malcolm Calder        Victoria’s Box-Ironbark Country

Stirling Macoboy      What Tree is That?

Chris Tzaros             Wildlife of the Box-Ironbark Country

JULY 2024

Human Library Books

The Maldon Athenaeum library is delighted to present Human Library Books as part of this year’s Gothic Festival. Each Human Book will be available for ‘loan’ on Saturday August 3^rd between 10am and 12pm. You can pre-book a 15–20 minute ‘loan’ session with any Human Book, or just turn up on the day and take potluck! Come and have cosy and relaxed chat with some fascinating Maldon locals and explore a Human Book. Tea and coffee available. By gold coin donation towards library funds.

Christopher Creek The Challenges of the Age

Christopher has had a wide variety of experiences, He has worked with the Salvation Army at home and abroad (Papua New Guinea and Zambia); has been a teacher, a counsellor and most recently a motel owner and author. As a retired person he continues to write and loves to garden. His formal studies have included education, theology, religion and psychology. He enjoys thinking and chatting about most things. His topic is : “The challenges of the age”, whatever that might mean to you.

Heather Pavitt Walking Ancient Pilgrim Camino trails

Heather’s passion is walking the historic pilgrim Camino trails in Europe. Come and have a chat and hear about what a wonderful experience these trails are; their history and the stories along the way.  On each Camino you will encounter different cultures; eat fantastic food, visit local markets and events, meet interesting people along the way and be captivated by magnificent scenery. Walking as a pilgrim along the well-marked and maintained trails provides a great adventure. An adventure you can tailor to your own pace – you can walk  a  pilgrim trail for two weeks or many months. Pilgrims can also access special rates at accommodation along the way – in Pilgrim hostels, monasteries, B&Bs or experience hospitality in private homes. Come along and find out more. Look forward to meeting you.

Bill Garner “Preparing for death”

When you get to my age, death becomes a familiar companion. Far from being afraid of it, the older people I know contemplate the inevitability with great interest, as providing a definitive shape to our lives, just as a book is shaped by its ending. At nearly eighty, Bill’s been around for a long time but reckons on at least another ten years (twenty with luck) before the knock on the door. Sometime actor, academic (philosophy, politics, history, creative writing), television writer, playwright, author, and keen camper. Now he’s just another local.

Joy Leneaux-Gale ‘The value and joy of Friendships’

Joy has chosen to speak about Friendships…’a wide ranging and I think engrossing subject. As an only child my friends have been so important to me throughout my life. I still have close friends from primary school days., My close friends and their families have been gracious to include me in their families, so I have friends from all age groups…very important I consider. I also (believe it or not) have friends who are older than me!!! The diversity of friendship both in neighbourhoods’, in communities, internationally, socially etc. makes life so fascinating with always something to learn from your friends’.   

Rosalie Hastwell ‘A story on every page’

Life is simple but not. We all have complex stories to tell, especially by the time we reach our sixth or seventh decades.  Sharing them with each other is one of the great joys of being a human being. From growing up as a serious young musician to saving the family property from bushfire as a fifteen-year-old to working in a village in India and much more, there are many interesting chapters in Rosalie’s life that she is willing to share. Rosalie also loves a good conversation so watch out – you might just find yourself sharing some of your chapters with her too!

Nancy Whittaker ‘The Silent Generation, (and other things)’

Nancy has taught and lectured in Art education across Australia Papua New Guinea, Great Britain, and Canada. Followed by a career in Arts Policy for the Ministry of Education. After retiring, Nancy was the Coordinator of the Maldon Visitor Information Centre for several years and co-editor of The Tarrangower Times with her husband, the late Dr Geoff Hammond. Nancy has been Secretary of the Maldon Movies Film Society (MGM), she currently organises a fortnightly game of Social Pétanque, and writes a regular article called Arts About for the local Tarrangower Times paper. Her current gig is as a presenter with In Maldon Today team (IMT) on MAINfm 94.9, now in its 11^th year of broadcasting. Nancy is a member of the so-called Silent Generation!

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Volunteers’ Reading Recommendations

To celebrate National Volunteers Week (yes, I know I am a bit late) I have asked some of our library volunteers for their recommendations for a good book. All these books can be found in the catalogue on the Maldon Athenaeum Library website https://maldonlibrary.org.au and can be reserved online or in person.

Dangerous Women by Hope Adams

Nearly two hundred condemned women are on board a sailing ship bound for Australia. One of them is a murderer. From debut author Hope Adams comes a thrilling novel based on the 1841 voyage of the convict ship Rajah, about confinement, hope, and the terrible things we do to survive. As the Rajah sails farther from land, the women forge a tenuous kinship while sewing the Rajah Quilt together. Then in the middle of the cold and unforgiving sea, a young mother is mortally wounded, and the hunt is on for the assailant before he or she strikes again. Each woman called in for question has something to fear: Will she be attacked next? Will she be believed? Because far from land, there is nowhere to flee, and how can you prove your innocence when you are already a convicted criminal?

Growing up Aboriginal in Australia Edited by Anita Heiss

This is an anthology of 51 short works, reflecting the diversity of responses to the question what was it like to grow up Aboriginal in Australia? Some of the authors are familiar: Miranda Tapsell, writing with humour about her determination to dress up as Baby Spice, and not be typecast as ‘the dark Spice’; Adam Goodes, describing his childhood playing sport, and the need to have a dream and to work hard to achieve it; Deborah Cheetham, who identified the ‘when’ of growing up as the moment that she could not sing a national anthem that described the oldest living culture as ‘young’. Others are less well known, some young, some reflecting on a childhood in Australia of the 50s and 60s. If I had to single out one it is the response of Alice Eather, teacher, activist and poet, who grew up In Brisbane but returned to her ancestral country in Maningrida, Northern Territory. A spoken word poet, you can view her reading the poem Yuya Karraburra (Fire is Burning) on youtube.com. Alice Eather died in 2017, aged 28.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

This is probably the best-known work by the Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, essayist, poet and activist. It centres on the lives of a Southern Baptist missionary and his family who move to the Congo, a place where Kingsolver lived as a child. The story of family tragedy and undoing, narrated by the wife and four daughters, is set against the background of the fight for independence from Belgium and the ensuing events that rob the new African nation of its economic and political autonomy. I would also recommend other books by Barbara Kingsolver, including her latest novel, Demon Copperhead. Published in 2022, this coming-of-age story is a contemporary Dickensian tragedy set in the back blocks of America with battles against neglect, poverty, exploitation and opioid addiction. Don’t be put off: it is also the story of survival and resilience.

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Fun and laughter was had by all at this year’s Arson at the Athenaeum. Players sleuthed their way through the plot to uncover who committed the dastardly deed and burnt the library down in 1934 disaster!

The cast of this year’s play.

The library has recently embarked on a new and exciting project to publish a library history on our website as a series of short evocative pieces (aka vignettes). Each vignette will focus on a particular aspect of the library’s history, such the disastrous fires of 1933 and ’34.  Each vignette will be lively, thoroughly researched and illustrated by images such as photos, maps or extracts from newspapers of the time. So far, we have sixteen library members involved in a range of ways, with many of them writing one or more of the vignettes.

This web-based project owes a debt to earlier library history projects. In 1964 library president Alf Edhouse set out to write a history but died the following year before it could be completed. In 2011 John Pollard and some other library members started researching with the intention of writing a booklet.  Although this also didn’t come to fruition they left some useful groundwork in the library’s archives. The challenge was then taken up by former library president Joy Leneaux-Gale. Her ‘Brief History of the Maldon Athenaeum Library’ still provides an introduction to the library for new volunteers. This latest project − the web vignettes − will build on the firm foundations of those earlier history projects in whose footsteps we tread.

If you would like to be involved, please contact us on 0437094469, or call into the library for a chat.

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NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week, July 7-14 celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC stands for the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. NAIDOC’s origins can be traced to the 1920s and the emergence of Aboriginal groups that sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

While Reconciliation Week focuses on relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, NAIDOC Week celebrates Indigenous culture and achievements. The theme for 2024, Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud, highlights the vitality and endurance of Indigenous identity.  According to Koori Mail, it is “A celebration of our survival. A celebration of our strength. A celebration of our resilience. A celebration of our fierce Elders and Ancestors. A celebration of BLAK!”

World Population Day

Thursday 11 July is World Population Day.  I was amazed to discover that almost 1 billion people took part in the recent India elections. And that was just people of voting age!  One way to check the total world population (currently sitting at 8,105,368,009) is via the live World Population Clock ttps://www.worldometers.info › world-population but this is a fairly frightening process as the number increases as you watch, at a rate of about 150 people per minute.

Why does this matter? We are frequently told that Australia needs more people, not fewer, to maintain economic growth. Australia is a big country, with lots of space! The ‘green revolution’ and other products of human ingenuity have challenged the prediction that we will exceed Earth’s carrying capacity. And some countries such as Japan and Portugal have shrinking populations. Does this mean that the ‘population bomb’ predictions of the past were just wrong?

Population growth matters.  The explosive growth of human population has come at the direct expense of the wild animals and plants that share our planet such that we are generally viewed as causing the sixth mass extinction. The resources that humans need to support our food and shelter requirements are only partly renewable. Over time the extraction of various minerals, water, fuels, and building materials will become increasingly more difficult. In the case of fresh water, supplies are becoming increasingly polluted. Climate change presents the greatest challenge of all — more people, after all, mean more carbon emissions and more warming.

And where will we all live? Perhaps the following, from reputable sources, provides a clue. ‘The Line” is mega-city development already begun in the Saudi Arabian desert. When completed by 2030 it will be a series of 500-metre-tall, mirror-clad skyscrapers that was designed to house nine million people. The linear city, which will be 170 kilometres long and 200 metres wide, was launched by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and is described as “a revolution in civilization.”

Mid Winter Newsletter 2024

Maldon Athenaeum Library

Midwinter Newsletter 2024

Dear members,

Greetings from the volunteers of the library, we thought we would share some of what’s been happening at your local independent community library.

Your membership in invaluable to us and without it we could not keep this wonderful volunteer service going for our community.

Library News

Website History Project: Calling all members

The library has recently embarked on an exciting new project to thoroughly research and write our history. It will be written as a series of ‘vignettes’ on topics such as ‘Getting Established: Trials and Triumphs’; Disaster Strikes Twice; ‘Past Presidents’ and ‘The First Minute Book’. Each vignette will be uploaded to our website to be freely available to any member of the public.

Join our project team

The project is being led by volunteer Lynda Achren whose experience in research, publishing and project management will be invaluable to its success. The project has three strands (1) research and writing (2) archiving (3) publishing on the website. Would you like to be part of the team implementing this project? Are you interested in doing any of these things:

• Searching for on-line copyright-free images to illustrate the vignettes?
• Taking photographs to illustrate vignettes?
• Creating illustrations, e.g. maps or sketches?
• Researching information from library minutes, newspapers, books and other sources?
• Writing vignettes?
• Editing vignettes?
• Proofreading?
• Helping to archive library documents for preservation and accessibility?
• Uploading vignettes and images to the website?

Get in touch

If you’re interested, or just want to find out more, please contact Lynda: maldonathenaeumlibrary@gmail.com

The volunteers have been working hard this year to keep the library spick and span. Members and visitors have commented on how bright and welcoming the library is looking with smart clear signage and books artfully displayed in specific categories. Shelves have been cleared of out-of-date and no longer borrowed books, making space for the many generously donated and new books we are fortunate to receive.

Local volunteers Hartmuth and Ross recently installed a new library sign.

The book stall sales have gone well this year and the books in the front foyer continue to sell steadily. The two special guest talks that we have supported, Dr. Lynn Kelly and Anita Sinclair have helped to keep the library’s profile ‘out there’ in the community and brought us some new members.

The publicity team have maintained the library’s website and Weekly Tarrangower Times library news and reviews. The online catalogue has received good feedback with several members using it regularly.

The library now writes short reviews for the Maldon Garden Club members newsletter on topical garden books kept in our collection.

The library hosts the monthly Dementia Alliance Group and a Book Group -Truth Telling, this is about exploring, and understanding Indigenous culture through informed conversation.

 We have begun an archival system for our library’s old documents, to keep them safe for posterity.

We are hosting another Arson at the Athenaeum interactive play reading during the Maldon in Winter festival in July, and in October we will be hosting the Maldon Market Sunday Sausage Sizzle.

Please pop in and say hello, you can renew your membership if it has lapsed, your subscriptions keep us afloat, even if you are not a great reader our local community library is a valued Maldon heritage worth supporting.

Kind regards from the volunteers of the Maldon Athenaeum library.

Tina Fratta President.

JUNE 2024

Biography Week

This week the focus of the Library News is on biographies. When you read a biography, you experience the subject’s life through someone else’s lens.  This can be good: an objective, perhaps more trustworthy view.  “No one can tell the whole truth about himself,” the English playwright and novelist Somerset Maugham wrote in The Summing Up, his literary memoir. On the other hand, you might miss the quirkiness of the author’s voice, and insight into their thought processes, which can make autobiographies more intimate.

Here is a selection of biographies from the library collection. As subject matter I have avoided footballers, war heroes, actors and politicians and tried to cast the net more widely, across time and place. Some are written by professional biographers, but others are the observations of contemporaries, to hold memories of a life past but still important.

Peter Pan’s First XI: The extraordinary story of J.M. Barrie’s cricket team, Kevin Telfer.

The creator of Peter Pan loved cricket, despite his lack of talent, and his village team featured a cast of some of the twentieth century’s most famous writers including A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh) and P.G. Wodehouse (Bertie Wooster and his valet, Jeeves).  Set in England before the First World War, on what Barrie described as “green fields dotted with white figures on reasonable terms”, this book tells of a gentle world that is gone forever.

Clever Man: The Life of Paddy Compass Namasbara,  Big Bill Neidjie, Bluey Ilkgirr, Jacob Nayinggul, Jim Wauchope, Johnny Williams Snr., Ron Cooper, Thompson Yuludjiri, and others (Narrators), Ian White  (Compiler). This is the story of the Western Arnhem clever man or marrkidjbu, through the eyes of his countrymen who witnessed his extraordinary abilities as a community leader, teacher, sage, mystic, counsellor and healer. It is based on the stories told by the people he helped, and painstakingly compiler by researcher Ian White.  It “offers a unique historical glimpse into an Aboriginal world on the cusp of change due to European incursion” (Susan Greenwood, University of Sussex).

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Philosophy Week at the Library

Many people shy away from books about philosophy because they expect them to be dull, hard to read and of little relevance to their everyday life. True, they may not qualify as ‘page turners’ but in their own way they are escapist literature as they have the potential to provide fresh insight into the otherwise mundane. This week I want to persuade you to dip into the library’s collection of Philosophy, Religion & Mythology non-fiction titles, by Indigenous and non-Indigenous, authors, and to consider the role of literature in promoting what Socrates referred to as ‘the examined life’. 

Philosophy is about thinking, not about being told what to think. Its primary value, according to the philosopher Bertrand Russell, is that it loosens the grip of uncritically held opinion and opens the mind to a liberating range of new possibilities to explore. This is why it is escapist: it may not give us all the answers, and it can be unsettling at times, but it encourages the ‘somebodiness’ of mind recommended by Martin Luther King Jr.

Let’s start close to home. Peter Singer is sometimes tagged ‘the world’s most influential philosopher’. Born and raised in Melbourne, Singer is a utilitarian – those that consider the best way to judge the rightness of choices is to weigh up the potential outcomes. In his 2019 book The Life You Can Save: How to do your part to end world poverty, Singer presents the case for why and how we can take action to provide immense benefit to others, at minimal cost to ourselves. This is a very readable book, with practical recommendations of how to act to be a part of the solution, helping others as we help ourselves.

Alain de Botton is the author of non-fiction essays on themes ranging from love and travel to architecture and philosophy. His books discuss various contemporary subjects and themes, emphasizing philosophy’s relevance to everyday life. New to the library is The Architecture of Happiness: The secret art of furnishing your life.

Tyson Yunkaporta is an Aboriginal scholar, founder of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab at Deakin University in Melbourne, and author of Sand Talk: How indigenous thinking can save the world. His work focuses on applying Indigenous methods of inquiry to resolve complex issues and explore global crises. In Sand Talk Yunkaporta looks at global systems from a unique perspective, one tied to the natural and spiritual world. Bruce Pascoe, author of Dark Emu, describes Sand Talk as “a book of cultural and philosophic intrigue”.  It’s also funny, engaging, and full of anecdotes and practical examples. A very different version of philosophy.

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Refugee Week 

Who is a refugee? According to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes and have crossed an international border to find safety in another country. They have fled war, violence, conflict or persecution. UNHCR was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1950 to help the millions of people displaced in the aftermath of the Second World War. Australian Government statistics show that 940,159 refugee and humanitarian entrants arrived in this country between 1 January 1947 and 30 June 2022. 

The theme of Refugee Week 2024 is “Our Home’. When I think of home I mean a safe place, one that is familiar, where I belong. For refugees, ‘home’ is a difficult concept, especially if the language and culture of their new country is very different, and the process of leaving their place of origin very traumatic. No one would take the decision to become a refugee lightly, regardless of the circumstances that made it necessary, and it must require a great deal of courage to make a new home as a refugee.

In the post-war years most refugees to Australia came from war-torn Europe. The first Vietnamese refugees arrived in 1976. The vast majority arrived by plane after selection by Australian officials in refugee camps established throughout South-East Asia. Some came in tiny boats: with no boating experience, and navigating using a map torn from a school atlas, Lam Binh, with his younger brother and three friends, made the 3,500-kilometre journey to find refuge. In 2016 the national census showed that 219,355 people in Australia were born in Vietnam.

In the past decade, the number of people receiving refugee status in Australia from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan has increased dramatically due to ongoing conflicts and persecution of minority groups. Hundreds of thousands have fled violence in Myanmar, in particular the Rohingya people who have faced crimes amounting to genocide. Insurgencies in the Congo, Ethiopia and Somalia have also resulted in large numbers of applications from these countries, as well as from people from Sudan as attacks on protesters by government forces increase.

What of the stories of the refugees themselves?  Have they found ‘home’, a place that is safe and now feels familiar? Have we welcomed them, celebrated their courage and helped them to feel they belong? The books below document the refugee experience in Australia, good and bad, since the post-war period, and the very mixed response of ‘old’ Australians and our government.

Freedom, Only Freedom: The Prison Writings of Behrouz Boochani, Translated & edited by Moones Mansoubi & Omid Tofighian, autobiography by a Kurdish-Iranian refugee

The Happiest Refugee, Anh Do, autobiography, refugee from Vietnam

Journey from the Land of No, Roya Hakakian, autobiography, refugee from Iran

Max, biography of Max Blatt, German Jewish refugee from Poland, by Alex Miller.

The Rugmaker of Mazar-E-Sharif, Najaf Mazari, autobiography, by refugee from Afghanistan, & Robert Hillman

Songs of a War Boy, Deng Thiak Aduk, autobiography, refugee from Sudan

Tales from a Suitcase, stories of post-war emigrants from Europe, documented by Will Davies & Andrea Dal Bosco

We Are Here, Cat Thao Nguyen, refugee from Vietnam

World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day, 8 June, is a day to raise awareness of the importance of our oceans and take action to protect them. Living in Maldon (144 km from the nearest ocean) it is easy to forget the role that oceans and their inhabitants play in our everyday lives. Oceans cover 70% of the planet and hold 97% of the world’s water. They feed us, directly or via marine food chains. Scientists estimate that roughly half of the oxygen production on Earth comes from the ocean. Because oceans are the largest natural reservoirs of carbon, they have a major impact on carbon dioxide levels: over the last ten years, one-fourth of human emissions of carbon dioxide have been absorbed by the oceans. Because of the heat-absorbing capacity of water, (more than 4 times that of air), oceans act as ‘heat sinks’. In combination, these properties have resulted in the world’s oceans acting as brakes, slowing down the full effects of greenhouse gas warming of the atmosphere.

We need health oceans to maintain a functioning world. However, oceans are in crisis. Fish population crashes impact every species that lives in the oceans. A study of 232 marine fish populations indicates an average population decline of 83%, the result of factors such as over-fishing, loss of breeding sites, temperature change and pollution. Around the world marine mammals such as whales and dolphins are threatened by habitat loss, being caught and killed by fishing fleets (“fishing bycatch”) and noise pollution. Seabird populations have dropped by 70 percent since the middle of the 20th century. Plastic pollution is a major form of marine pollution that affects marine life. Plastic waste can entrap marine animals resulting in them drowning, starving or being eaten. Soft plastics and microplastics can be ingested by marine life and cause their deaths.

What can we do? Here are some thoughts:

Shop and eat sustainably – look for the Certified Sustainable Seafood label.

Use fewer plastics and demand plastic-free alternatives.

Use eco-friendly products – down the drain often means out to sea.

Explore the oceans – “People protect what they love” Jacques-Yves Cousteau

And some suggested reading from the library collection:

For adults

• Atlantic: A Vast Ocean of a Million Stories Simon Winchester
• Climate: The Force That Shapes Our World George Ochoa, Jennifer Hoffman and Tina Tin
• The Weather Makers Tim Flannery
• An Inconvenient Truth Al Gore

For younger readers

• Somewhere in the Reef Marcello Pennacchio (author) and Danny Snell (illustrator)
• Storm Whale Sarah Brennan (author) and Jane Tanner (illustrator)
• Walk of the Whales Nick Bland

MAY 2024

Short Story Week

This week’s library news focuses on short stories, both fiction and non-fiction. Short stories have a long and illustrious history: think of Aesop’s Fables, The Canterbury Tales and the classic short stories of Edgar Allen Poe, Ernest Hemingway and Arthur Conan Doyle. However, the genre suffered with the emergence of the novel, with serious writers (and readers) viewing the short form as a poor cousin, lacking subtlety and without the novel’s patient development of plot and character. With the digital age, however, and the use of various reading devices, short stories have increased in popularity and even respectability. Some critics suggest this is evidence of reduced attention span. Others believe that it is a way for readers to check out unfamiliar authors without full time commitment. It might simply be that short stories are popular as they appear easier and less challenging. Melissa Manning, winner of the Prize for Fiction in the 2022 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards for her short-story collection Smokehouse, thinks the pandemic has encouraged more short-story reading in Australia, with “readers who have not had the headspace to hold a novel but like to dip in and out of story collections”.

The American novelist, essayist and playwright David Sedaris believes “a good [short story] would take me out of myself and then stuff me back in, outsized, now, and uneasy with the fit.” Here are a few suggestions, with brief commentary to help your selection. All are available from the Short Stories shelves, located in the middle room of the library.

Let’s start with my favourite. Local author Raimond Gaita is better known for his novel Romulus My Father, made into a film starring Richard Roxburgh. The Philosopher’s Dog is a mixture of stories about animals and reflections on our lives with “ordinary domestic pets – birds, dogs and cats”. It’s a book that brings together philosophy and storytelling, without compromising either.

Another favourite is by Melbourne-based novelist, journalist, diarist and screenwriter, Helen Garner. My Hard Heart is a collection of stories displaying her capacity to write about ordinary (and very familiar) life, with its dark side and its joy. One reviewer of her books, writing for The Bulletin magazine, said “Helen Garner is an extraordinarily good writer. There is not a paragraph, let alone a page, where she does not compel your attention”. OK, I admit I’m a fan. If you have not read anything by this celebrated writer, start with her short stories.

Gillian Mears (1964-2016) was an Australian short story writer and novelist. Best known for her novels The Mint Lawn and Foal’s Bread, her books won numerous prestigious awards.  A Map of the Garden, a collection of eleven short stories, is not a book for everyone: in it Mears explores illness and death, and the transition through different life phases, “the strong become weak, frail as Ms Mears herself did in her battle with multiple sclerosis before her death in 2016”.

This last one is different, as it is a collection of 52 autobiographical non-fiction short essays, Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia. It provides firsthand accounts reflecting the diversity of Indigenous peoples’ experiences and cultures. The Age Good Weekend writes of the book “Wouldn’t it be great if this book was required reading for every Australian child? Maybe then, the next generation might have more success than preceding ones at reconciliation.”  

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National Reconciliation Week, Sorry Day and Mabo Day

Reconciliation Week, May 27 to June 2, connects several important dates in Australia’s recent history.  Reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples. Yanyuwa woman and lecturer in Indigenous Studies, Emma Gavin, writes “National Reconciliation Week is about celebrating the successes, looking at the challenges still ahead and trying to educate people about what reconciliation is.”

National Sorry Day, 26 May, remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were forcibly removed from their families and communities. On May 26 1997, the Bringing Them Home Report was tabled in Parliament recommending that the Prime Minister issue a public apology to the Stolen Generations. Twenty years later, on 26 May, 2017, at the conclusion of the First Nations National Constitutional Convention at Uluru, council member Megan Davis delivered the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a consensus document on constitutional recognition, developed by a 16-member Referendum Council of Indigenous and non-Indigenous community leaders. On 27 May 1967, 90.77 percent of Australians approved a referendum which enabled the Commonwealth Government to legislate in Indigenous affairs and granted Indigenous Australians the right to be included in the Census. This was the very first time Indigenous people were counted, not just as Australians, but as humans. Mabo Day, June 3, commemorates the 1992 historic High Court judgement in the Mabo case, recognising native title in Australia.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2024, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder of the importance of reconciliation for the benefit of all Australians.

Here are some relevant and useful books from the library collection:

• Finding the Heart of the Nation: The journey of the Uluru Statement from the Heart continues     Thomas Mayor
• They Rescued Us: Aboriginal heroes on country Fred Cahir
• Why Weren’t We Told: a personal search for truth about our history

Henry Reynolds

• Practical Reconciliation: Strengthening relationships for all Australians in 7 easy steps Munya Andrews & Carla Rogers
• Tell Me Why: The story of my life and music Archie Roach
• Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence Doris Pilkington (Nugi Garimara)

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Reminder to come along and enjoy the fun at Anita Sinclair’s Book Launch this Saturday at 2pm at the Community Centre in Francis Street. Get a signed copy of Anita’s latest book Miffy and Mack in Maldon, the story of two cheeky little dogs, a delightful book for all ages beautifully illustrated. This is a family friendly free event with Christof the clown, wine and soft drinks available.

International Day for Biological Diversity

March 22 is the International Day for Biological Diversity. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defined biodiversity as “the variability that exists among living organisms (both within and between species) and the ecosystems of which they are part.” The concern is that, across the world, biodiversity is going backwards, largely as a result of the actions of one species, humans.

Why should we care about biodiversity? That’s a reasonable question, given all the other things to worry about: interest rates, food prices, housing shortages, droughts, fires, and floods. The short answer, putting humans first, is that we need biodiverse, healthy ecosystems to keep the Earth functioning: to maintain clean air and water, to provide food and medicines, to keep pest species in check and to regulate the climate. Stable, sustainable ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef are not just there for our pleasure – they are what keep the Earth’s lights on!

Right! What can one person do about the unprecedented rate of extinctions, estimated to be 1000 times the natural rate? Planting a biodiverse garden is a small step we can take to help sustain the ecosystem. Psychiatrist Dr Sue Stewart-Smith, writing for the Diggers Club magazine, highlights the value to individuals of establishing biodiversity in their home garden. With the current anxiety about climate change and the future of natural ecosystems, people can feel overwhelmed and powerless to take meaningful action. Establishing a biodiverse garden, one that provides habitat for a variety of plants and animals (including bees!) can be a positive and achievable choice.

Why do we mention bees? Because this week we also celebrate World Bee Day. When we think of bees our mind (like Winnie the Pooh) turns to honey for tea. But bees do a lot more than that: they are essential pollinators maintaining sustainable, diverse natural and agricultural ecosystems. Australia has around 1,700 species of native bees. Well-adapted to local conditions, native bees are essential pollinators of Australia’s wildflowers but they also make an important contribution to Australian agriculture, along with “exotic” European bees, through crop pollination. Unfortunately, both bee diversity and bee numbers are under pressure. Agricultural intensification (especially loss of biodiversity in monocultures), pesticides, pests and pathogens have an impact on all bee populations. So too does the displacement of locally adapted bees by exotic bees, habitat destruction, and climate change. Bees need biodiversity just as much as biodiversity needs bees.

Honey for Tea! It’s also World Baking Day this week. Why not join us in the library (Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 2pm to 4pm, Saturday 9.30am to 12noon) and enjoy a baked treat, perhaps made with honey. All welcome!

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The Maldon Athenaeum library will be supporting the Launch of the delightful book ‘Miffy and Mack’ by local author Anita Sinclair. A book of cartoons for all ages about two cute doggies and their mischievous adventures in and around Maldon. The launch is on Saturday May 18 at 2pm at the Maldon Community Centre, all are welcome to this family friendly FREE event featuring Christoff the clown.

World Migratory Birds Day

May 11 is World Migratory Birds Day. Thirty-seven species of migratory shorebirds regularly visit Australia, with over 1 million birds using this as their main feeding and breeding place. They need to forage at terrestrial and coastal wetlands to replenish their energy so they can migrate and breed successfully. The migration distances can be immense:  in 2007 a female bar-tailed godwit was tracked flying 11,680km from Alaska to New Zealand in nine days straight. It is the longest recorded bird flight on the planet.

Many species of migratory shorebirds are in rapid decline, both in Australia and along their migration routes. Some migratory shorebirds have undergone population declines of up to 80% over the last 30 years, threatened by the destruction of coastal habitat, especially by human interference and development.

To combat these declines, BirdLife Australia is leading the national shorebird population monitoring in Australia and educating stakeholders, gathering information on how and why shorebird populations are changing, and working with communities to raise awareness of migratory birds and their habitats. Inland reservoirs such as Cairn Curran Reservoir act as feeding sites for migratory species. Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests have identified its importance “for a large range of waterbirds and raptors as well as a feeding ground on the flyways (migration routes) of migratory shore birds – many of which are in significant decline.”

We are fortunate to have a very active local branch, BirdLife Castlemaine District https://birdlife.org.au/groups/birdlife-castlemaine-district/ that offers various events, including regular bird walks, and research activities. You can also learn more about birds, including migratory birds, using the Maldon Athenaeum Library. Here are some suggestions for books located in the Children’s library or the Australian Flora and Fauna section.

For junior readers:

Bush Birds and Beach Birds by Bridget Farmer

For general readers:

Where Song Began: Australian birds and how they changed the world, author Tim Low

Castlemaine Bird Walks and Victorian Bird Walk, author Damian Kelly

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World Press Freedom Day

On May 3 we celebrate the 31^st World Press Freedom Day, with the theme “Shaping the Future of Rights”. The date marking the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1991, following the fall of the Berlin Wall, in order to address one of the numerous challenges generated by the end of the Cold War.

Freedom of information and freedom of expression are considered to be drivers for all other human rights. This depends on independent journalism, free of political, commercial or factional bias. UNESCO’s World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Global Report documents a crisis in the freedom and safety of journalists and an uncertain future for independent news media. This is particularly true for local newspapers, especially in rural and regional areas, with centralisation of ownership of community newspapers, ‘economic rationalisation’ and large-scale closure of local news outlets. This has resulting in local ‘news deserts’ throughout many parts of regional Australia.

Do we care? Apparently yes. A decade long partnership between the ABC, Deakin University and Country Press Australia concluded that rural media plays a powerful role in local towns and cities, “building social capital and helping people to develop a sense of belonging within their community.” An important function of local and regional journalism is to hold local and regional politicians to account. But local journalism can offer much more: providing stories that help build community, featuring local people who participate in local sports and other community events, and information such as local services, employment options and upcoming events. At a time when trust in national mass media has reached a near record low, it appears that, in general, people trust community newspapers. Local newspapers are usually staffed by journalists who live and work in the communities they cover. The issues that are important to the community are also important to local reporters, and that creates a deep accountability to delivering trusted, unbiased news.

Does all this guarantee a healthy future for local newspapers?   Probably not, without financial support from governments, local and national, and the support of local people. So, keep buying the Tarrangower Times to stay engaged with local matters and connected to the Maldon and district community. Supporting our local paper that has been in print, under various mastheads, since 1858.

NB Some of the earlier editions of this newspaper have been manually indexed and to date five volumes of indexes have been published by Maldon Museum & Archives Association Inc. Copies are available for purchase from their bookshop https://maldonmuseum.com.au.  Digitised copies of the Tarrangower Times & Maldon District Advertiser from 1858 are available via Trove’s online newspaper collection https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/title/1768.

APRIL 2024

Magazines and periodicals

Did you know that the library has a small collection of magazines and periodicals, including Organic Gardener, Quarterly Essay, Australian Sky and Telescope and Meanjin? Our largest collection is of the magazine Birdlife, with fascinating articles on birds, birdwatching and bird conservation, supported by superb photography.

Autobiography Week

This week the library news will focus on a part of the collection you may not have visited for a while. We have many books classified as autobiography and memoir, located on the shelves opposite the windows in the main room of the library. I had to check the difference between these two genres: they are both true stories from a person’s life, written by that person, but a memoir is a ‘collection of narratives in which the author remembers experiences, emotions, and events from a certain period in their life’. In either case, it appears that reading autobiographic works is good for you! They can take you back in time, provide valuable life lessons (without taking risks), help identify success patterns (and how other people deal with failure), and they can give us another person’s perspective on the world. And, usually, they are easy to read.

Here are some of my favourites, including some very recent acquisitions. I have added a bit of information about each to help you select.

And Furthermore by Dame Judy Dench, 2010 – Autobiography

An account of more than half a century as Britain’s most-loved actress, star of stage and screen, and especially remembered, depending on your age, as Jean Pargetter in the long-running TV series As Time Goes By or as the first female M in James Bond films.

Wandering through Life: A Memoir by Donna Leon, 2023 – Memoir

You may know her best as the crime mystery author of the Commissario Guido Brunetti series, set in Venice. In this book the international bestselling author tells of her own adventurous life (and where to find the best cappuccino in Venice).

Bonkers: My Life in Laughs by Jennifer Saunders, 2013 – Memoir

A funny, moving and frankly bonkers memoir by the British writer and comedienne who, with her comedy partner Dawn French, starred in French & Saunders, and also gave the world the unique Edina Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.

A Thinking Reed by Barry Jones, 2006 – Autobiography

Are you old enough to remember Pick a Box? Champion of this quiz program, writer, teacher, lawyer, social activist, and former Australian Minister for Science, Barry Jones has had a prodigious public life. Although the book reveals much about political processes it concentrates above all on the life of the mind, with insights into history, philosophy, music and literature. If you are curious about the title, as I was, it by the French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal: “Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed”.

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Scrabble at the Library                                                                                    

Don’t forget that Scrabble happens every Saturday at the Library, from 10am. Come and spend an hour in the warmth, with good company, playing a lively but non-competitive game. All welcome.

Earth Day

The 54^th anniversary of Earth Day is on Monday, April 22. The goals of Earth Day 2024 are to increase awareness of the damage done by plastic to the health of living organisms, to phase out the use of all single use plastics and to achieve a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040.

We choose plastic because of convenience and cost. When we worry about plastic and the environment we think of plastics in landfill, in waterways, on beaches. But they are everywhere: micro-plastics and chemicals that leech from plastics have been found inside organisms, including humans, globally. The long-term health effects of these products are largely unknown, but research suggests they can act as endocrine disruptors, affecting reproduction, can harm foetal brain development and may contribute to a range of cancers. Ingestion by wildlife, and entanglement in plastic debris can result in severe damage and death.

Plastics are hard to get rid of. They are essentially non-biodegradable, expensive to recycle and produce toxic products when burnt. What can we do as consumers to reduce the problems associated with plastics?  We can say no to single-use plastics such as fast-food containers and water bottles and reject plastic bags and wrapping when shopping. In this way we can celebrate Earth Day and demonstrate support for the protection of our health and the environment.

Anzac Day

April 25 marks the day that Australian and New Zealand forces landed on Gallipoli, the first major military action fought by them during World War I. Later, Anzac Day also served to commemorate the lives of Australians who died in the Second World War, and in subsequent years the meaning of the day has been further broadened to include those who lost their lives in all the military and peacekeeping operations in which Australia has been involved. Days such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day (November 11) remind us of the cost of war, not just in the lives of participants and their families but also for the citizens of the countries in which a war is fought.

There are many excellent books in the library about the two World Wars, but Australians have also been involved, in various roles, in many other areas of conflict. These are less well known, but still worthy of our attention.

Here are some suggestions from the library shelves.

• Dust of Uruzgan (Fred Smith) – Afghanistan
• Well Done, Those Men (Barry Heard) – Vietnam
• Eight Lives Down (Chris Hunter) – Iraq
• The Fight of Our Lives (Iuliia Mendel) – Ukraine
• Songs of a War Boy (Deng Thiak Adut) – South Sudan
• The Strongest Tribes: War, Politics and the Endgame in Iraq (Bing Weed)
• Reasons in Writing: A Commando’s View of the Falkland War (Ewen Southby-Tailyour)

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National Scrabble Day at the Library Saturday 13 April

Don’t forget that the Maldon Athenaeum Library will be kicking off the Saturday Maldon Scrabble season tomorrow (Saturday 13 April). Games will begin from 9.30am. There is no charge to participate, no skill or experience required and no age limit. Tea and coffee will be on offer and (probably) there will be cake to keep minds alert and engaged.

In preparation, let’s test your Scrabble knowledge: which of the following are true statements?

1. Scrabble was invented by an (unemployed) architect.
2. It was initially called ‘Criss-Cross Words’.
3. If 4 people are playing, the one that goes first is the player who draws the letter closest in the alphabet to ‘A’.
4. Zo is a legal scrabble word.
5. The letter with the most tiles (English version) is E.
6. It’s possible to score 1782 points with a single word.
7. In Leicester, England, a five-year-old boy phoned the police to tell them that his sister was cheating at
8. A new resident at an elderly people’s home was rejected from the home on the grounds of being ‘incompatible’ when she confessed that she didn’t play
9. There is a daily newspaper column in Thailand devoted solely toScrabble.
10. Over 150 million scrabble sets have been sold world-wide.

International Bat Appreciation Day April 17

Now I know that many people are not bat fans, especially if they steal your best fruit. Even if you don’t like megabats (flying foxes or fruit eating bats, who act as important pollinators, especially of native vegetation), you must love the micro or insectivorous bats who, according to Wildlife Queensland, play an important role in controlling insect numbers, including a range of pest species and disease-carrying mosquitoes. Our Children’s Library has a great Australian bat book: Little Bat, written by Tania Cox and illustrated beautifully by Andrew McLean.

New books!!!

We have some lovely new books recently added to our collection. Please check the displays in the library and the reviews below. Don’t forget that if a book is out on loan, you can always reserve it, in person or via the Athenaeum Library website. Just search for the book in the catalogue, click on the Reserve button and follow the instructions. You will be notified, and the book put aside for you when it becomes available.

Answers to the Scrabble quiz

1. Scrabble was invented by New York architect Alfred Mosher Butts
2. It was originally calledLexiko (as in “lexicon”) and then Criss-Cross Words.
3. The first player is the one who draws a blank tile.
4. True and false, depending on where you play. Zois a valid Scrabble word in the UK edition, but not in the US-Canada edition. It is a Tibetan cattle breed that can be spelled in different ways and is worth 11 points.
5. True
6. That word isoxyphenbutazone (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) and to get the points, it would need to be played across the top of the board, hitting three Triple Word Score squares while making seven crosswords downward.
7. True
8. True but difficult to verify.
9. True
10. True

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Advance notice: National Scrabble Day at the Library Saturday 13 April

To celebrate National Scrabble Day the Maldon Athenaeum Library will be kicking off the Saturday Maldon Scrabble season. Games will begin from 10am and conclude at 1pm. There is no charge to participate, no skill or experience required and no age limit. Tea and coffee will be on offer and (probably) there will be cake to keep minds alert and engaged.

World Health Day

April 7 is World Health Day., a date chosen to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948.  World Health Day aims to raise awareness about health issues and advocating for actions to improve health outcomes worldwide.  Each year, a specific theme is chosen to focus attention on a particular aspect of global health.  Given the average age of the Maldon community (59, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, 2021), maintaining health with increasing age is a relevant topic. But what has this to do with the Maldon Athenaeum Library?

A number of studies indicate that reading is very, very good for you. The US National Institute on Aging recommends reading books and magazines as a way of keeping your mind engaged as you grow older, reducing the risk of cognitive decline. A study of stress-managing strategies found that 30 minutes of reading lowered blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of psychological distress just as effectively as yoga. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic suggest reading as part of a regular sleep routine (but not on screen). A long-term health and retirement study, published in the National Library of Medicine, following a cohort of 3,635 adult participants for a period of 12 years, found that those who read books survived around 2 years longer than those who either didn’t read or who read magazines and other forms of media. 

So, it’s never too late to begin taking advantage of the many physical and psychological benefits waiting for you in the pages of a good book.

It could be a good book about any subject. But given that we are celebrating World Health Day, perhaps it could be about the people who work to keep us in good health or focusing on major health matters, locally and globally. Here are some suggestions:

• Phosphorescence (Julia Baird)
• So You Think You Know What’s Good for You (Norman Swan)
• An Outback Nurse (Thea Hayes)
• Migraine (Oliver Sacks)
• New Great Australian Flying Doctor Stories (Bill ‘Swampy’ Marsh)
• Herbs for Healing (Robyn Kirby)
• The Hospital by the River (Dr. Catherine Hamlin with John Little)
• Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis (Miriam E. Nelson)

MARCH 2024

Easter Book Sale

A reminder: The Maldon Athenaeum Library Annual Book Sale is on Saturday March 30, from 9am, outside the library (next to the Post Office). Good quality, reasonably priced novels and children’s books will be offered as well as gardening and cookbooks, biographies and other non-fiction books. All proceeds support the Maldon Athenaeum Library and allow us to keep the lights on and purchase more books for you pleasure and enjoyment.

Please tell us what you are reading.

I am always interested in what other people are reading. It gets me out of a reading rut and opens my eyes to books that others have found interesting and worthwhile. Here is a selection of reading recommendations from some of the library volunteers.

My current book I am reading is called Even Silence Has an End: My Six Years of Captivity in the Colombian Jungle by Íngrid Betancourt. It’s her true account. She was a former Colombian politician who was kidnapped by the FARC (The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). I find it fascinating reading how she got through this and surviving 6 years in the Amazon rainforest. Her attempts to escape are just so brave. I just can’t get enough of this book. I highly recommend it.

Temeraire by Naomi Novik. It’s the first of a series of nine books, an alternative fantasy history around the Napoleonic Wars and dragons. We do have the other 8 books in the library, so I took that into account before I started. Fantasy and science fiction are my preferred reading.

I am reading Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton. This is his third novel and, as with his previous books, his marvellous storytelling is well and truly on display. I am engrossed not only with the central character but with the city of Brisbane, as much a character as the multitude of humans who inhabit the city, from the “floaters” to the wealthy in their mansions.

I’m reading the autobiography of Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, and the novel, There Should be More Dancing by the Australian writer Rosalie Ham, whose first book, The Dressmaker, was adapted to a film starring Kate Winslet. Also novels by two Nigerian authors: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, that depicts the events of pre-colonial life in Igboland (modern-day south eastern Nigeria) and the subsequent appearance of European missionaries and colonial forces in the late 19th century and Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, set in Nigeria in post-colonial times during a military coup. Law: The Way of the Ancestors by Marcia Langton and Aaron Corn, which is part of the recently published First Knowledges Series edited by Margo Neale. I am also reading Gilgamesh by the superb Australian novelist Joan London and have just finished reading Days of Innocence and Wonder, the latest book of another great Australian novelist, Lucy Treloar.  Also Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout.  As a panicked world goes into lockdown, Lucy Barton is uprooted from her life in Manhattan and bundled away to a small town in Maine by her ex-husband and on-again, off-again friend, William. For the next several months, it’s just Lucy, William, and their complex past together in a little house nestled against the moody, swirling sea. Another well written, quirky Strout book.

Titles held by the library:

Temeraire by Naomi Novik, 2007

Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton, 2023

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, 1994

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 2003

First Knowledges Law: The Way of the Ancestors by Marcia Langton and Aaron Corn, 2023

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Easter book Sale and World Water Day

Easter Book Sale

Yes, I know the Maldon Athenaeum Library has just had a book sale, but it was such a success we thought we would do again! The annual Easter Book Sale will take place on Saturday 30 March, outside the library (97 High Street, next to the Post Office) from 9am. Come and support us by purchasing books, magazines and DVDs at very reasonable prices. All proceeds support the library and allow us to keep it open to serve the Maldon community into its 162^nd year.

Guest Speaker

Dr Lynne Kelly, distinguished local author and educator, was the guest speaker at our library meeting on Thursday. It was great to see so many people able to attend to learn about her ongoing field of research into the memory methods used by oral cultures, including Australian Indigenous cultures. Dr Kelly’s most recent book, co-authored by Margo Ngawa Neale, is Songlines: The Power and Promise.

World Water Day

March 22 is World Water Day. Each year World Water Day aims to raise awareness of a major water-related issue and inspires action to tackle it. This year’s theme is ‘Water for Peace’. It focuses on the critical role water plays in the stability and prosperity of the world. It also acknowledges that water can be a tactical weapon of war. Disputes over water may be a cause conflict. Availability of safe water can also be a casualty in areas where conflict is occurring. According to the Pacific Institute, an organisation that aims to “track, identify and analyse water-related conflict from around the world”, more than 2.2 billion people globally lack access to safely managed water.

When we think about water in Maldon it is usually in the context of empty tanks and dying vegetation. At other time, or in other parts of this crazy country, the worry is fire or flooding.  We know that water is a precious resource, unevenly distributed both in Australia and globally. With an annual rainfall for Maldon of less than 600 mm, averaged over the past 20 years, and with climate science predicting increasing global temperatures in the future, water conservation sounds like a very sensible step.

Here are some suggestions for useful reading, with books located in the environment and sustainability and gardening sections of the library:

• When the Rivers Run Dry: the defining crisis of the 21^st century (Fred Pearce)
• Talking Water: An Australian Guidebook for the 21^st century (Farmhand Foundation)
• Water-saving Gardening: Water-wise plants and practices in Australia (Kevin Walsh)
• Future-proof your garden: Environmentally sustainable ways to grow more for less (Angus Stewart & Emma Stewart)

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Reminder: Author to Speak at Athenaeum Library

On Thursday March 21 at 10.30am the Maldon Athenaeum Library will welcome as guest speaker Dr Lynne Kelly, AM, local author and educator, whose most recent book, Songlines: the power and promise, was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. Please join us for an entertaining and informative session. If you are planning to come to Lynne’s talk, you are invited to book by phoning 0437 094 469 or by calling into the Library and leaving your name and contact details. All are welcome, not just library members.

It’s good to see people are using the Maldon Athenaeum Library website https://maldonlibrary.org.au to search the catalogue for books they are interested to read. Recently I was asked how a book could be reserved online. It’s easy: just click on the Reserve button, follow the instructions and the book will be put aside. You will be contacted when the book is ready for collection.

Recently the National Library of Australia asked its users to write brief comments about why they liked visiting. Some of the responses surprised me as they had little to do with books! This made me think about the role of libraries and especially the role of small, local libraries such as the Maldon Athenaeum Library. I asked some library members and visitors to describe what they liked about the library or what it means to them.

From one of our non-fiction fans:

For a small library there is a remarkably large number of books (I’m told over 17,000), including books on history. There is an interesting collection of books about local and wider goldfields history, including current works about indigenous history, culture and knowledge.

A visitor to our recent book sale commented:

What a great building – where did the windows come from?

Another reader wrote the following:

The library is a cool, calm place to come and browse. Looking along the shelves opens my eyes to new genres, unfamiliar authors and old favourites I had forgotten. It’s also a friendly place with familiar faces, a good place to catch up with friends and news.

A frequent visitor to the library commented:

Great collection of crime novels, better than many larger libraries! I can always find something I enjoy reading.

Finally, from Sonia, one of our volunteers, who wrote:

Imagine a friend whose company has been treasured not only by yourself, but your parents, grandparents and perhaps even your great grandparents. A friend who lives in Maldon and whose company is always agreeable, offering to amuse and inform you on any subject you find of interest. A friend who, for a very modest annual fee, will invite you to browse among the books where writers from down the street or across the globe will take you on a journey into a world of ideas and imagination. To read is a great gift: to meander through history, wrestle with demanding subjects or feel thrilled and inspired by the life of others. It’s all there, waiting for you in the wonderful collection of books at the historic, but still very relevant Maldon Athenaeum Library.

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Monster Book Sale

Firstly, a big thank you to the large number of people who came to the library book sale last Saturday. It was a busy morning, with locals and visitors alike making purchases and stopping to chat. Also, a big thankyou to the volunteers who manned the sales tables and helped customers find the books they were seeking. The money raised will help to keep the library open, paying for some repairs needed to the old building and providing funds to purchase new books.

Speaking of volunteers, have you thought of offering your services as a Library volunteer? Come and join a bunch of book lovers carrying out a variety of jobs, none of which are onerous or very time consuming, working in an historic building that is cool in summer and warm in winter. Drop in and collect a volunteer form. Any help you could offer would be warmly welcomed.

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world to build support for women’s rights and their full participation in the economy, in politics and in their communities. This year we have chosen to highlight the works of great female authors, especially those living and writing locally. Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson, better known as Henry Handel Richardson, author of The Getting of Wisdom, lived at the Maldon Post Office between 1880 and 1886. Recently the celebrated local author and printmaker, Bridget Farmer, whose well-loved books include The Bush Birds and The Beach Birds, was a guest of Maldon Athenaeum Library volunteers. In March volunteers will welcome Lynne Kelly, author and educator whose most recent book, Songlines: the power and promise, was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. Songlines is the lead book in the First Knowledges series, recently purchased by the library.

On a more sombre note, on International Women’s Day each year the Australian Government releases a Status of Women Report Card.  It looks at education, economic outcomes, health, safety and wellbeing, housing and gender norms. In 2023 Australia was ranked 43rd for gender equality internationally. The full-time weekly pay gap was still 13.3%. Women of all ages spent 9 hours a week more than men on unpaid work and care. Women were under-represented in leadership, both in business and in the political sphere. One in four women had experienced sexual violence; one woman was killed by her intimate partner every 10 days.

On International Women’s Day let’s celebrate the many great achievements of women and take meaningful action to improve life for women locally and globally.

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Monster Book Sale, World Wildlife Day and World Book Day

A reminder: The Maldon Athenaeum Library Monster Book Sale is on Saturday March 2, from 9am outside the library (next to the Post Office). Good quality, reasonably priced novels and children’s books will be offered as well as gardening and cookbooks, biographies and other non-fiction books. All proceeds support the Maldon Athenaeum Library and allow us to keep the lights on and purchase more books for you pleasure and enjoyment.

World Wildlife Day and World Book Day

World Wildlife Day is a global annual event dedicated to wildlife. People everywhere rely on wildlife and natural ecosystems, not just to meet their needs but also for the pleasure they give us.  Research has found that spending time in nature reduces stress and increases happiness. There is evidence for associations between nature exposure and improved cognitive function, brain activity, blood pressure, mental health, physical activity and sleep. Living in Maldon and the Central Goldfields we are surrounded by nature and wildlife. So, let’s continue to enjoy and benefit from wildlife and celebrate the important conservation work being done around the world. 

This week also marks World Book Day. Celebrate both events by checking the following areas of the library shelves: environment and sustainability, Australian flora and fauna, gardening and children’s books.

Here are some suggestions from adult non-fiction:

• Natural Pest and Disease Control – Controlling your garden organically (Jim Hay)
• Meadowland: The Private Life of an English Field (John Lewis-Stempel)
• Declining Woodland Animals in the Maldon-Castlemaine Area (Alison Jeayons & Peter Morrison)
• The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering our place in the world (David Suzuki)
• Country: Future Fire, Future Farming (Bill Gammage & Bruce Pascoe)
• Plants: Past, Present and Future (Zena Cumpston, Michael-Shaw Fletcher & Lesley Head)

The last two are part of the First Knowledges series, 2020-2023, recently purchase by the library. Each book in the series is a collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous writers and editors, published in partnership with the National Museum of Australia.

And some suggestions from the junior section of the library:

• Singing for Joeys (Trace Baita)
• Walk of the Whales (Nick Bland)
• A-Z of Australian Wildlife (Nan McNab)

The Australian author, Tim Winton, notes the reluctance of publishers and critics (and readers!) to allow ‘the drama and jeopardy of the natural world” to be at the centre of literature.  In his essay Writing in nature (The Monthly, December 2023) Winton writes of the “mystery and power of words” and the potential readership for whom an author can provide “soul food and courage”. 

Writers need to use this agency to fight for the survival of wildlife and natural ecosystems. And we need to encourage them by reading their books.

FEBRUARY 2024

Exciting news for book lovers: fantastic craft books and Monster Book Sale.

The Maldon Athenaeum Library has received generous donations of some great craft books covering areas including quilting, flower arrangement, applique, mosaics and stained-glass.  If you are a crafty person, or would like to become one, you can locate these books in the Craft section of the Library.

It’s easy to find books using the Library catalogue on the website https://maldonlibrary.org.  If you do a subject search for craft, all our craft books will come up to browse through. Or do a subject search just for flower arranging, for example, to see what books we have on this.  Click again on a particular entry for more information, such as its availability and where to find it in the Library.

The Library will be celebrating the written word with a Monster Book Sale on Saturday March 2, to coincide with the Town Wide Garage Sale.  Good quality, reasonably priced novels and children’s books will be offered as well as gardening and cookbooks, biographies and other non-fiction books. All proceeds support the Maldon Athenaeum Library and allow us to purchase more books for you pleasure and enjoyment.

Love Your Pet Day

Tuesday 20 February is Love Your Pet Day. Two thirds of Australian households have at least one pet: according to the RSPCA, the total number of pets in 2024 is 29 million, with dogs (6 million) just outnumbering cats (5 million). A quick check of the Library shelves reveals works celebrating the lives of dogs (16), cats (11), horses, birds, rabbits and guinea pigs

The RSPCA in Queensland takes this pet literary focus in a very different direction. They have introduced a program, trialled with success overseas, that brings children into their shelters to read to anxious dogs, with both dogs and children benefiting. Why not try this at home? Dogs make good reading companions as they listen quietly, do not interrupt and rarely ask a question. I’m not sure if this would work as well with cats!

Is romance dead? A new way to celebrate Valentine’s Day this week.

Forget about sending a card or waiting to receive a dozen red roses. Read a good romance on Valentine’s Day! According to The Guardian romance novels are making a comeback. There is a ‘love boom’, with far more romance titles being published than ten years ago. Part of this might be a craving for certainty – a happy ending in uncertain times.  Whatever the reason, the genre ‘romance’ is no longer considered frivolous literature and can be proudly displayed on bookshelves.

Don’t stop at novels when thinking Valentine’s Day. There is also a wealth of ‘romance’ amongst the Maldon Athenaeum Library’s collection of biography/autobiography/memoir. Love stories can be found in even the most unlikely places: Joseph and Enid Lyons (A Political Love Story, Kate White), the Roosevelts (Franklin and Eleanor, Hazel Rowley) and, more recently, the Whitlams (Life with Gough, Barry Cohen).

Speaking of love: we love all the new books people have donated in the past few weeks. Thank you, your generosity and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated.

JANUARY 2024

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Saturday 27 January was Holocaust Remembrance Day. Arnold Zable is a Melbourne author, storyteller and human rights activist. His parents came from Poland ‘before the gates were closed’. Almost all his extended family, remaining in Poland, was wiped out in the Holocaust. They were killed in German extermination camps as part of the “Final Solution”.

The theme for Holocaust Remembrance Day 2024 is “Freedom is Fragile”. Book burning in Germany began in 1933, aimed at ‘un-German spirit’ and Jewish intellectualism. When Poland was occupied in 1939 Jewish access to libraries was banned. Removing access to books limits what people can learn and controls their thinking and their communications. It attempts to cancel their culture, history and heritage.

Books matter. The proverb ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ suggests the power of the written word. We need to value books, and access to books through libraries large and small. Freedom is fragile and vulnerable.

Celebrating January 26

In his 2021 book, Truth-Telling: History, Sovereignty and the Uluru Statement, Melbourne historian (and national living treasure) Henry Reynolds reports on the widespread confusion about why January 26 was chosen as Australia Day. A national survey carried out in 2017 identified that while 70% of participants believed a national day was important to them, most could not correctly identify why January 26 was chosen in the first place. Which event did it commemorate? 8% believed it marked the arrival of the first European to the continent.  One in five selected Captain Cook’s first arrival on the east coast of Queensland. One in six thought it was the date of Federation. Seven percent believed it marked the signing of a treaty with the First Nations. The same proportion identified it as the date when Australia ceased to be a British colony. Two percent stated that it was the date of an important battle in the First World War.  14% said they did not know (perhaps they though it marked the first AFL fixture Collingwood v Richmond). Only 43% correctly identified January 26 as the date of arrival of the first ship of the First Fleet.

In 2018 Mount Alexander Shire Council decided to formally dual name events held on 26 January as Australia Day – Survival Day, to recognise how celebrations on this day impact the First Nations community. This acknowledges that for many January 26 is a day of mourning.

January 26 also marks the 161^st birthday of the Maldon Athenaeum Library! Well done, Maldon, a great achievement for an engaged and active community.

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Happy New Year and Happy Holiday Reading

Holidays are a great time for reading.  When it’s too hot for gardening, the cricket is washed out and television offers only re-runs (yet again), there is always a good book. If the crowds in bookshops in December are any indication, many gifts of books were received again this year. If your bookshelves are packed, or you would just like to share the joy with others, please consider re-gifting to our Library collection.  If you are not already a member, why not join the Maldon Athenaeum Library? For $30 you can have a year’s worth of books, choosing from the collection over 17,000 items. Come in and pay any time we are open or see the library volunteers about paying online. A reminder for current members that annual subscriptions for 2024 are now due.

DECEMBER 2023

Holiday reading

Last week we added 30 new titles to our shelves thanks to some recent donations.  This week we’ve added another 20 books, almost all of them fiction and just perfect for your holiday reading. Lovers of detective fiction and thrillers will be pleased to know that ten more books have recently been donated and are now available for borrowing. They include Elizabeth George’s latest Inspector Lynley novel Something to Hide published in 2022.  This is her twenty first novel in the ever popular Inspector Lynley series of mysteries which began in 1988. We also have a new Sarah Barrie thriller, Dead man’s Track and Pip Drysdale’s recent thriller Paris Affair. Ken Follett fans perusing the shelves will spot four more titles alongside his other novels. And for fantasy-lovers, we now have the complete set in the Game of Thrones series – a total of seven novels of pure escapism.

If you prefer non-fiction, and enjoy Paul Theroux’s wittily observant style, you might want to immerse yourself in Dark Star Safari in which he tells of his travels through Africa overland from Cairo to Cape Town by train, boat and cattle truck. Or for something completely different, try Castlemaine author Lynne Kelly’s totally absorbing and intriguing The memory Code.

The library will be closed from noon on Saturday 22 December and will reopen Monday 8 January at 2pm. From all of us here at the library we wish everyone a safe, joyful and book-filled festive season.

Thirty new books hit the shelves

To cater for your holiday reading needs we have just added 30 new titles to our shelves thanks to some recent donations.  Covering seven different genres there’s surely something for all tastes. Amongst the fiction donations, thirteen joined our crime collection – always a favourite amongst our members. They include two authors whose work we have not had on our shelves before. The first is Australian author J.M. Green, whose books Shoot Through and Too Easy feature the wisecracking Stella Hardy. The second new-to-us crime fiction author is Australian M. J. Tjia with the first and second of her Heloise Chancey mysteries A necessary murder and She be damned. We also added six new books to our general fiction shelves including The enchanted island by new-to-us Irish Australian author Ellie O’Neil, and The crossing, which will join our many other available-to-borrow Nora Roberts novels.

For readers who prefer non-fiction, we have two new titles in the True Crime Collection: The sins of the brother by Mark Whittacker and Les Kennedy about the Ivan Milat backpacker murders, and The wicked boy by Kate Summerscale about a Victorian-era child murderer. There are also new books in the Military History Collection and one about Donald Trump in Politics. Biography-lovers will be pleased to know that four new titles are now on the shelves, including The Messiah’s bride by Melbourne-based investigative journalist Megan Norris about Stefanie Hinrichs who grew up in an abusive cult and then escaped.

And finally, two new titles have been added to the Cooking, Food and Wine shelves. Members who would like to indulge in a bit of armchair travel and also expand their culinary repertoire over the coming festive season could join Dave Myers and Si King as they motorbike through four continents sampling the food as they go. The hairy bikers ride again has mouth-wateringly delicious recipes accompanied by interesting text and great photos.

Many thanks to those who donated these and all the other books throughout 2023 that helped to keep our collection fresh, relevant and diverse. We couldn’t do it without you.

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GOLD!

Have you heard of the Welcome Stranger − the biggest gold nugget ever unearthed? It was found in 1869 by Cornish miners on Dja Dja Wurrung Country nine miles north-west of Dunolly.  Want to know more? Well, come on in and head for the Local History and Geography Collection where you’ll find a book by Terry F. Potter aptly named The Welcome Stranger.  This book was recently ‘liberated’ from its ‘Not for Loan’ status along with a number of others about gold mining in our local area, such as Mount Alexander Goldfields by Harry Ottery, and Minerals of the Maldon Goldfield, a special publication by the Mineralogical Society of Victoria written by J.C. Haupt.  Other newly liberated books that relate to gold mining outside our region have been placed in the Australian History Collection and are now available for browsing and borrowing. These include The History of Gold Discovery in Victoria by James Flett and Gold: A pictorial History of the Australian Gold Rush by Geoff Hocking.

And then there’s An Artist on the Goldfield annotated by Marjorie Tipping. This is the diary and collection of sketches and paintings by Viennese-born artist Eugene von Guerard of his experiences during his year digging on the Ballarat goldfields in 1853.  Von Guerard (1811−1901) is recognised as the most distinguished artist of Australia’s late colonial period. This magnificent first-hand account in both words and pictures of life during this tumultuous time can now be found on the shelves alongside our other art books. 

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The library has a number of books that have until recently been classified as ‘Not for Loan’. A few months ago we began the slow process of reviewing these books and updating records to make as many as possible more accessible to our members. Observant visitors to the library may have noticed that a set of shelves, which have for some time been labelled ‘Work in Progress’, are now nearly cleared. Yes! We found time for a blitz of work. On these shelves, we were excited to find books devoted to letters from the Australian colonial era and beyond. They include a gem published in 1979 entitled Advice to a young lady in the colonies which is the reproduction of a letter sent to Maria Macarthur (married to John Macarthur’s nephew, Hannibal) by ‘Mrs E’ who is believed to have been her godmother. Another, Life lines (1992) is a collection of women’s letters and diaries written between 1788 and 1840. Edited by Patricia Clarke and Dale Spender, the letters are by women from all walks of colonial life. My dear Betsy (1993) is a compilation by Warwick Hirst of letters arranged chronologically from 1771 to 1944 written by well-known figures such as William Bligh, Elizabeth Macarthur, Banjo Paterson, Miles Franklin and Lloyd Rees. Then there is the beautifully presented book In her own words by Robyn Walsh, which is a collection of the writings of Elizabeth Macquarie from 1801 to 1835 accompanied by sumptuous photos and other illustrations. Finally, there are two copies of Letters from Victorian pioneers by Thomas Francis Bride, which contains 50 letters from squatters and other early settlers carried to England by Charles Joseph La Trobe in 1854. The earlier publication will be kept in the Reserve Collection but the later edition is available for borrowing. All five of these recently ’liberated’ books can now be found in our Essays, Letters and Diaries Collection. They are sure to delight anyone interested in a personal, historical or social insight into the lives of convicts, settlers and their colonial masters.

NOVEMBER 2023

In a recent online report several people were asked if they had read a book in the past 12 months and what it was that they like most about book reading. They gave a host of reasons that ranged from the highly practical to the sublime.

26% of those who had read a book in the past 12 months said that what they enjoyed most was learning, gaining knowledge, and discovering information.

15% cited the pleasures of escaping reality, becoming immersed in another world, and the enjoyment they got from using their imaginations.

12% said they liked the entertainment value of reading, the drama of good stories, the suspense of watching a good plot unfold.

12% said they enjoyed relaxing while reading and having quiet time.

6% liked the variety of topics they could access via reading and how they could find books that particularly interested them.

4% said they enjoy finding spiritual enrichment through reading and expanding their worldview.

3% said they like being mentally challenged by books.

2% cited the physical properties of books – their feel and smell – as a primary pleasure.

In their own words, respondents were eloquent and touching. One respondent noted “I read to save my sanity” Others said it was a way of being able to experience so many times, places, people, and events, and all in the comfort of their home.

World Children’s Day – November 20^th, 2023

World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s annual day of action for children and by children, marking the adoption by the UN General Assembly, of the Declaration and the Convention on Children’s Rights.

Here at the MAL we are very much concerned with a child’s right to rest, relax and play.  We also want to support children’s literacy development through providing access to a rich source of books and activities such as rhyme time and story time. The development of our library as a child-friendly space has been generously supported by a Community Grant from the Mount Alexander Shire Council.

Some of the funding has been put towards improving the environment of the Children’s Library and to put a change table into our toilet to more adequately meet the needs of parents/ carers with babies and toddlers who are using the library. We have also been able to purchase more books especially for the Babies to 5 year old age groups and hope that in the near future we can have a Rhyme Time program up and running.

I thought I would share with readers some of the new purchases as well as some recent donations that are sure to delight our younger readers.

Fiona Farley

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Library News

National Novel Writing Month at the Library

Throughout November, writers, both experienced and inexperienced, are gathering in the library as part of National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo, in a companionable writing group facilitated by local resident and writer, Peggy Aeschlimann. You don’t have to be at the start of your novel to take part in this event, you can be part-way though or even nearly finished. Peggy herself, is writing a detective novel called ‘The Cherry Tree Murder Mystery’ that she ONLY works on during NaNoWriMo when she takes a break from the bio-fiction of Anne Fraser Bonn that she’s been working on for some time. The idea is to write 5000 words in the month. It’s an ambitious target but Peggy says it’s amazing how much you can write when sitting with a group who are all focused on the same thing. The format is loose, it’s not a workshop and there’s no requirement to discuss your work or read it aloud for feedback. The purpose of the coming together is companionship in what can otherwise be lonely process. There’s a website too that gives you tools and encouragement and helps you keep track of your achievements. Check it out on www.nanowrimo.org or just come along to the library on any Monday, Wednesday or Friday afternoon in November between 2pm and 4pm (library open hours) to meet and write with Peggy and others.

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Recently, Joy Leneaux-Gale, former President of the Athenaeum’s Committee of Management, has been trawling the TROVE digitised newspaper site (trove.nla.gov.au) to draft a brief history of the library. The newspapers reveal that settling on a name was not easy. On the 16^th of November 1860 ‘The Tarrangower Times & Maldon District Advertiser’ informed its readers that ‘a meeting to consider the advisability of establishing a Mechanics’ Institute in Maldon took place on Wednesday evening, at the Royal Hotel’ where it was agreed that ‘the formation of a Literary and Scientific Institution in Maldon is desirable and necessary’. So that’s two names. The following Tuesday, the paper ran an article titled ‘Literary Institute’, in which other names were mooted. The article said, ‘We may be permitted here to observe that the title of “Mechanics’ Institute” is hardly applicable to the establishment in question at Maldon. For in our district very few of the class from whom this title is derived … are to be found, and in all probability the institute would not number amongst its members at the most five of that class. The designation of “Miners’ Institute” would be more appropriate, but it would still be preferable to select a title which would not imply that the establishment was designated for the benefit of any particular class but of the whole community. No error could be committed in conferring upon it the simple title of “Literary and Scientific Institute;” or if a more ambitious one be desired that of “Athenaeum” might be applied.’ So, within a few days, five different names had been suggested. But wait! In Feb 1872, ‘The Tarrangower Times and Maldon and Newstead Advertiser’ referred to it as the Maldon Athenaeum and Mining Museum. Searching further might turn up other names. But perhaps, for now, we’ll stick with Maldon Athenaeum Library.

OCTOBER 2023

Children’s Week at the Library

This year from October 21^st – 29^th, communities around Victoria are celebrating Children’s Week where the theme is: Children have the right to relax, play and take part in the activities they enjoy.  At the Library I am sure children will enjoy the activities we have planned around our “Teddybears Sleepover” on Friday the 27^th of October.

At the library we believe that reading is both a relaxing and fun activity that can be enjoyed almost anywhere.  We have some new books in our Children’s Library and a few months ago were gifted about 20 picture books from a sale at the Castlemaine Library. These books will be on display during Children’s Week. I hope that our young borrowers will enjoy curling up somewhere to read one of these books and borrow one or two to take home and share with the family.

I thought it would be a good idea to highlight some of our new not so new books that I think our young readers will enjoy and want to take home.

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Did you know we have an extensive collection of large print books? In fact, the nearly 1000 books fill five bookshelves running the length of a whole wall in our beautiful sun-lit back room. Beginning with Martin Amis’ Heavy Water and Other Stories, they range through authors as diverse as such as Charlotte Bronte, Angela Carter, Penelope Lively, Joan London, Tim Parks, Vikram Seth and Minette Walters before ending with Margaret Yorke’s Pieces of Justice. Housed in the same room as the general crime fiction, the large print collection also includes many thrillers, mysteries and detective novels including novels by Agatha Christie, Lawrence Block, John Grisham, Kerry Greenwood, P.D. James, Gabriel Lord, Martin Cruz smith and Ian Rankin, to name a few.  While the back room is a haven for lovers of crime fiction − in both large and regular print − our non-fiction true crime books are housed in the main room. Lovers of this genre will be pleased to know that three more books have recently been added to the shelves: The Murder on Easey St by Helen Thomas about Melbourne’s most notorious cold-case; The Lost Girls by Ava Benny-Morrison, which examines the case of a heinous mother and daughter murder; and The Stoccos by Nino Bucci about the eight-year man-hunt that captivated Australia. All three are bound to intrigue.

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Lament overheard the other day: “With the football season over and the cricket and tennis season yet to start, what are we armchair sports fans supposed to do?” Well, may I suggest that reading about sporting greats might fill the gap? Two recent donations will appeal to football fans: the self-titled autobiographies Jim Stynes for AFL fans, and Cameron Smith for Rugby League fans. Smith, captain of Melbourne Storm, is considered the greatest rugby player of all time. Stynes, not only played for Melbourne FC and won the Brownlow Medal but was also awarded the Order of Australia for his youth work off-field. He staunchly campaigned for cancer research during his own long battle with the illness. Other books on our shelves include Peter Lalor’s biography Barassi about the man who famously changed the way AFL was played after yelling ‘handball, handball, handball’ during the 1970 Grand Final. And let’s not forget the phenomenal success of the Matilda’s who this year reached the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. You can read about them, their journey and their struggles for equality and recognition in The Matilda Effect by Fiona Crawford. Moving away from football, you might like to read Ash Barty’s tennis memoir, My Dream Time, published last year. Looking further back in time, you could read Dawn, One Hell of a Life by Australia’s iconic swimmer Dawn Fraser; Cathy, by Cathy Freeman, who will be forever remembered for her gold-winning run at the Sydney Olympic Games; or Sir Vivian, the autobiography  of charismatic Caribbean cricketer, Viv Richards. You can find these books, and more, in our extensive Autobiography, Biography and Memoir collection in the Main Room, and on our Sport and Recreation shelf in the Hall. 

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For Seniors Week we talked to some of our older members about the library. Angela, a new-comer to Maldon, told us she joined to support the library because it’s wonderful to have one in a small town, especially one in such a beautiful building.  Juliete loves our library’s friendliness, “You can always have a conversation here and sometimes, even a piece of cake!” she said. Her favourite book is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Set in the 1920s, it’s about a man deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal and sentenced to house arrest in the Metropole Hotel.  “It’s beautifully written − I couldn’t put it down”, Juliete said. Fiona agreed, “It’s a heart-warming story and so intriguing − I wasn’t expecting the twist at the end”. Fiona’s own all-time favourite is Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet. As our children’s librarian, her favourite picture story book is John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat by Jenny Wagner with illustrations by Ron Brooks. It’s about Rose, an elderly women, her dog John Brown and a cat who arrives out of the blue and makes itself part of the family. Brenda’s favourite genre is science fiction, while Pete likes history and Jim comes in for the DVDs.  Another library member, Lynda, is working her way through the Irish writers and has now read all the Maggie O’Farrells and the Edna O’Briens. In the gardening collection, she has recently found Brickell and Joyce’s Pruning & Training a very handy reference. Hearing this, one of our local characters, who prefers to remain nameless, chipped in, “I borrow a lot of biographies and detective fiction but I’d never get a gardening book out, I hate gardening”. Each to their own − our eclectic collection has something for everyone.

SEPTEMBER 2023

World Animal Day aims to raise awareness of animal welfare issues and is celebrated annually on October 4, the feast day, in the Christian tradition, of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Here at our (well-behaved) dog-friendly library, the shelves are packed with books about animals. The Animal Tales section in the main room, has true stories somewhat like biographies but of animals rather than people. There you’ll find book such as Emma Pearce’s Sophie, about her the blue cattle dog who was presumed lost at sea but turned up 5 months later after an incredible adventure. If cats are your preference, you could try Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper or Doris Lessing’s Particularly Cats. Or for something more unusual, how about Helen Macdonald’s H is for Hawk or John Lewis-Stemple’s The Running Hare?

On a sombre note, in the Environment and Sustainability section, A Gap in Nature is a coffee-table-sized book by Tim Flannery with breathtaking illustrations by Peter Scouten. It tells the tragic story of the extinction of animals through European exploration, over-zealous collectors, and the introduction of predators. Perhaps the most famous extinct animal is the dodo (dead as a dodo), which we learn was last recorded in about 1681 in Mauritius. The famous Thylacine (Tasmanian tiger), last recorded in 1936, is also in the book along with other now extinct Australian animals. Closer to home, on the Maldon and Surrounds shelves, there’s a slim undated volume published with the assistance of the Commonwealth Government’s Natural Heritage Trust. The book, Declining Woodland Animals in the Maldon−Castlemaine Area depicts local native species that are sadly endangered, vulnerable or declining as a result of vegetation clearance. The book provides guidelines and photos to help landholders regenerate suitable habitat for species such as the Lace Monitor lizard, the Brush-tailed Phascogale and the Diamond Firetail. On our shelves you’ll also find Connecting Country’s Healthy Landscapes; a more recently published and updated guideline for providing habitat for local threatened species.

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Recently we embarked on a project to identify books in the library written by local authors. And what a diversity of books we found! Local authors have written on antiques, Australian flora and fauna, gardening, history, the arts, and sustainable practices. They have written biographies, memoirs, poetry, diaries and novels. Acclaimed novelist, Henry Handel Richardson lived in Maldon in the 1880s, albeit for six years as a child. Current resident Anita Sinclair’s work contributes to our Performing Arts Collection, Autobiography Collection and our Poetry shelves.  Our library is enriched by Ron Ferguson’s books on military history and Peter Cuffley’s books on, amongst other things, heritage cottages, furniture and gardens. A number of Maldon authors have written about the history of the town, for example, Maldon and the Tarrangower Diggings by A.J. Williams, and A Rich Vein: the early days of Maldon’s north and the area known as Eaglehawk by Christopher Creek. Still on the goldmining theme, but a little further afield we have Marjorie Theobald’s book about Castlemaine, The Accidental Town. Currently living and writing in Castlemaine are well-known authors Carmel Bird and Alex Miller, whose many works of fiction can be found on our shelves, as can their more occasional non-fiction books. Further afield again, we have Dunolly: story of an old gold digging by James Flett, who was born in – yes, you guessed it – Dunolly. Another book, this time about the history we share with the First Nations People of this region, is Footprints across the Loddon Plains by Boort residents Paul Haw and Margaret Munro. We have space here to talk about only some of the local talent and their diversity of books. But when this project is completed, you’ll be able to search for local authors via our online catalogue (maldonlibrary.org.au). And on the title page of each book you’ll find stamped ‘Local author: Maldon/Dja Dja Wurrung Country’ in acknowledgement that we live and work, write and read on the traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.

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Do you like browsing antique shops? Do you want to know more about that interesting piece you picked up a few years ago? You might find the information you need in the library’s books about antiques that range from guns to dolls to furniture. If you’re interested in the weapons of colonial Australia, then In defence of lives and property by Edgar Penzig could be just the book for you. Or perhaps you’re wondering about that old bottle you found in an overgrown corner of your garden? Look no further than The Victorian thirst by local author Ken Arnold. Other books by local authors include A survey of Australiana 1790−1940 by Bendigo antiques dealers Kevin Carney, Willi Carney and Paul McKenna. Kevin Carney also co-authored The catalogue and history of cottage chairs in Australia with another local author, Peter Cuffley. You’ll find all these books, and more, in their new home in the Hall.

Talking of new homes, the Maldon Collection has begun what we hope will be its final move to the other side of the Main Room where it can be better housed on shelves that accommodate its many tall books. But we are beginning to think ‘Maldon Collection’ is a misnomer. Yes, there are many books about our town and its people − books such as Maldon: Australia’s first notable town by Grant Blackman and John Larkin; Maldon: a new history 1853 −1928 by Brian Rhule; and Maldon and the Tarrangower Diggings by local man A.J. Williams. But there are also books about gold diggings and towns further afield, for example, The accidental town: Castlemaine 1851−1861 by Marjorie Theobald, and Dunolly: story of an old gold digging by James Flett. Should the collection perhaps be called ‘Maldon and the Goldfields’? But then there are books about the region such as Along the Coliban by Brian Coman with its superb photos by Henry Oldmeadows. So would ‘Maldon and the Region’ be a more fitting name? Or ‘History and Geography: Maldon & Surrounds’? Or should the name acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung, the traditional owners of the land through which the Coliban flows, where the diggings took place and where these towns now stand?

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International Literacy Day (September 8) was first proclaimed by UNESCO in 1966 to remind people about how important literacy is for individuals, communities and societies. Literacy empowers people and improves their self-esteem, creativity, and critical thinking. It enables us to acquire the knowledge and skills to effectively conduct our daily life, get promotions at work, read to our children and carry out our civic responsibilities such as voting. And let’s not forget the joy of curling up with a good book to just relax!

The foundations of literacy are laid down in childhood through the enjoyment of good books. Here at the library we are committed to helping promote inquisitive, creative minds and to fostering the pleasures of reading and writing though our excellent range of new books and old favourites in our Children’s Library. Among them you’ll find the winners of this year’s Children’s Book Week awards: Where the Lyrebird Lives, by Vikki Conley; Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner; Snap by Anna Walker, and Runt by Craig Silvey.

At the other end of the literacy scale, it is said that all adults have at least one book inside them. Is this you? Perhaps you want to write your memoirs for the grandchildren? Or is it a novel? Short stories? For you, we have a small but excellent selection of books aimed at developing or refreshing your creative writing skills. You’ll find Kate Grenville’s The writing book: a practical guide for fiction writers in our Writing/Communication section. There you’ll also find local author Carmel Bird’s classic guide to writing fiction, Dear writer revisited; and Jen Storer’s See me jump: 20 things I’ve learned about writing for children. So don’t hesitate, come on in, bring the littlies, borrow a book and celebrate our good fortune at having the Athenaeum library here in Maldon.

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There has been a gratifying renewal of interest in the library’s Maldon Collection since we moved it to a more accessible location in the Main Room. Rarely a day goes by without members browsing the shelves and taking a few books for perusal while sitting at the long table or in the armchair in front of the stained glass window. Of particular interest are books about the history of Maldon and surrounds: books such as Malcom Crick’s fascinating Maldon Memories, a compilation of recollections told by Maldonians who grew up here in the 1930s; A Rich Vein, Christopher Creek’s history of the area known as Eagle Hawk; and The Essential Maldon by Miles Lewis with its beautiful illustrations by G.H. (Mick) Morton. While these books will always be its core, in order to better display this unique collection, we are in the process of sifting, sorting and rearranging. Many books have previously been shelved in the Maldon collection because they were written by local authors, but they aren’t about Maldon and the surrounding areas, instead being on topics as far ranging as gardening, interior design and military history. We plan on moving these out to be shelved along with others of their kind where they will be more easily found by people interested in each book’s particular topic. Not only will this make them more accessible, but their relocation will allow us to better showcase the Maldon Collection itself. And we’ll showcase our talented local authors by stamping the inside cover of their books with a custom-made ‘Local Author’ stamp.

AUGUST 2023

Children’s Book Week 2023 (19^th – 25^th August)

A child

A book

A read

A chat

This is the way the mind grows

Not with a test but a tale.

Michael Rosen, 2021

Michael Rosen, author of that much loved book “We’re Going on Bear Hunt” wrote this poem to highlight the very significant and important value of quality literature on young people’s lives.

This year’s theme for Book Week was Read, Grow, Inspire and the selected books on the shortlists provided plenty of opportunities for readers to do just that.

On display in our Children’s Library are the following Shortlist Winners/ Honour Books;

Book of the Year: Younger Readers (Books in this category are suitable for readers in Middle to Upper Primary School ( 7 -12 Years)                                                                                                                                                                                            The winner this year was the heart-warming story Runt written by Craig Silvey with illustrations by Sara Acton and published by Allen and Unwin. We featured this wonderful story in a previous Times post for the library a few weeks ago.

Book of the Year: Early Childhood (Books in this category are suitable for children 0 – 6 years)

The winner this year was “Where the Lyrebird Lives “written by Vikki Conley and illustrated by Max Hamilton, published by Windy Hollow Books.    Vikki Conley shared with the CBCA that she was “delighted to see Where the Lyrebird Lives resonating with readers, inspiring them to connect with nature…”

Chosen as an Honour Book was the delightful “Snap!” written and illustrated by Anna Walker and published by Scribble Kids Books.

Commenting to the CBCA Anna said, “Frogs have made me smile ever since I was a child. Frog’s personality reflects the way a child is curious about the world and enjoys finding friends.”

Book of the Year: Picture Book (Books in this category can be for readers from O – 18 years)

Chosen as an Honour Book was “Dirt by Sea” written by Michael Wagner and illustrated by Tom Jellett, published by Penguin Random House

Michael Wagner shared with the CBCA that the “main inspiration for the book was “a little family – a father and daughter and their Instagram photos. It was Alison Lester’s book Are we There Yet? about a family travelling around Australia that inspired the road trip aspect of the book.”

Please visit the library to take a look at these wonderful books that reflect the very high quality of literature available for young readers in Australia.  

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We thought this week we would share with you the Vision and Purpose we have for the Maldon Athenaeum Library.

Our Vision

To celebrate the joy of reading by continuing to provide and support a place where all members of our community can access books to read on a variety of topics.

To explore together with our community new ideas about literature, and to consider new perspectives on the written word.

To be innovative and ensure that the library reflects the changing and diverse needs and interests of our community.

To continue our long-established tradition of providing ongoing volunteer opportunities that enhance a sense of belonging to place by contributing and supporting a library service to our local community.

To maintain the unique heritage of the Athenaeum library, established in 1863, and continue its living history as part of the Maldon township.

Our Purpose

We are a community lending library, as a library we are about more than just gaining information and knowledge, seeking personal improvement, and building on our literacy skills. We are also about relaxing, just sitting and reflecting, reading a book, listening to a story or even sometimes, making a noise. Libraries are about making connections between, people, exploring and sharing ideas and developing friendships through these interests.

We want our library to:

• help support literacy,
• encourage the joy of reading,
• provide a collection that assists with supporting a healthy and informed community,
• provide access to information in a range of forms.
• celebrate local stories to enhance the sense of place and pride.
• be sustainable and relevant.

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This week we have a great selection of newly acquired books for you to come in and
borrow. Thanks to the generous donations from our local members and supporters
we are able to regularly buy new titles for the library collection. We are also very
grateful for the books that are regularly donated to us by local folk. Of course, to
make room for the new books some of the old ones have to be removed. The
cataloguing team very carefully reviews the collection looking for books that are
rarely if ever borrowed, titles that are no longer ‘in vogue’ and perhaps dated and no
longer relevant. This is a meticulous and slow process. Where we can, we offer
these deleted books for sale in the library’s front foyer area and at our popular book
sales. Following this we take books to op shops and second-hand book sellers; we
try everything to give the books a second chance. Come in and say hello have a
browse, you are bound to find something to interest you.

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Human Library: Saturday August 5^th 10am−2pm

On Saturday 5 you can drop into the Athenaeum in the morning and borrow a book and drop in again in the afternoon to ‘borrow’ a person when we host the ‘Human Library’ as part of the Goldfields Gothic Festival of Dark Ideas.  Maybe you’d like to borrow Bethany Knight who is a spiritual medium and paranormal investigator; or Kelly Anne Blake, a Wadawurrung woman with a spiritual connection to country; or Catherine Tait, an artist who taps into her dark side to find her inner creativity. No matter who you borrow, you’re sure to be enthralled, and you never know what dark secrets may be revealed. Check out all the Human Library borrowing possibilities on www.goldfieldsgothic.com/humanlibrary. The conventional library, of course, has a number of Gothic novels available for loan, from classics tales of haunting and mystery like Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca as well as non-fiction publications such as Haunted, John Pickney’s book of Australian modern day eerie encounters. Or you could borrow a spooky DVD – perhaps the 1943 classic horror film, I Walked with a Zombie or the more recent Katherine Bigelow film, Near Dark with its blurb that promises, ‘They can only kill you once but they can terrify you forever’.

JULY 2023

Human Library: Saturday August 5^th 10am−2pm

Hard on the heels of the success of the recent play readings held at the Athenaeum, we have another terrific event coming up. On Saturday August 5, we’ll be hosting a Human Library as part of the Goldfields Gothic Festival. The concept of a Human Library began in Denmark in 2000 and is now organised all over the world. In a Human Library, real people are ‘on loan’, giving the ‘borrowers’ the opportunity to listen to stories first-hand and ask questions of people they may not ordinarily get the chance to interact with. Here in Maldon, an interesting and diverse group have signed up to be ‘books’; to tell their own stories and share their knowledge about our past, the history of Maldon and of the wider Goldfields region. Come along on the day and, for only a $5 donation, borrow a human book for 20 minutes to listen and chat, learn and enjoy. To check out who the books are and who you might like to borrow go to www.goldfieldsgothic.com/humanlibrary.

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Two recent book donations by local authors illustrate the wealth of expertise and diversity of interests here in Maldon. R. Francis Ferguson (Ron to his friends) has lived in Maldon for 25 years. In 2020 he published Heinkel He 219, an illustrated history of the Third Reich’s home defence night fighter plane. The aircraft, which resembled a praying mantis, was unique for its tricycle undercarriage at a time when tail draggers were common, and was the world’s first to be fitted with an ejection seat. Ron’s book is the result of extensive research, and with around 230 photos is probably the most complete archive to date. It’s sure to be well received by our members with an interest in military history. Another welcome addition to our collection is long-time resident Anita Sinclair’s latest publication, A Wild Surmise. In this memoir of her family’s migration to Australia as ‘ten pound poms’ when she was eleven years old, Anita explores the idea that those who spent their formative years elsewhere will always have a sense of ‘split nationality’: at home here but with roots elsewhere. Insightful and revelatory, the memoir is the fourth publication by Anita held at the library. It joins her renowned The Puppetry Handbook and The Mask Handbook, both of which borrowers will find in our Performing Arts Collection, and A Crowded Solitude in the Poetry Collection. We thank Ron and Anita for their generosity.

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The library’s stained glass windows and dark wood cabinets provided the perfect atmosphere for the recent readings of Arson at the Athenaeum. Custom-written by Kyneton playwright, Helen Gramberg, the play is based on a real fire that engulfed Maldon’s quiet library and adjoining rowdy billiard saloon in 1933. Arson was suspected although never proven, but in Helen’s intriguing version, a private eye calls together suspects, potential witnesses, and local law enforcement officers to flush out the culprit. After a glass of welcoming sherry, participants drew the name of their character from a hat. And what characters they were! Miss Eagle, the private eye was read by Helen herself while participants, enhanced by costume of the era, took on roles such as Mr MacArthur the town baker in a tall white bakers hat; Constable Hogan the town’s solo policeman equipped with a set of handcuffs; the town toff in top hat and cravat; a miner named Doug Down; the local floosie; and of course the librarian and the billiard hall manager. The reading took off with gusto and flair as grudges were aired, fingers pointed and allegations rebuffed. Intermission came with an afternoon tea of dainty club sandwiches and profiteroles made and served by library volunteers. Thus fortified, participants resumed their places at the table and after a number of accusations, evasions, fibs and a document hunt, the arsonist was finally revealed – along with a well-kept secret or two. This is the first time a play reading has been held at the Athenaeum, but judging by the enthusiastic response, we are hopeful of another at next year’s Maldon in Winter Festival.

JUNE 2023

Recently, FOCAL (Friends of the Castlemaine Library) held a fund-raising book sale but before opening it to the public, they invited our president, Tina Fratta, to choose books as a donation to our collection. Tina and our children’s library specialist, Fiona Farley, selected books that were not already in our collection and were either by popular authors, recently published or of a genre we are developing and expanding. Here’s a sample:

Children’s books. Through FOCAL’s generosity, the children’s collection has expanded by 20 books, including Runt by Craig Silvey with illustrations by Sara Acton, which is shortlisted for this year’s Book of the Year Awards. Some of the great read-aloud picture story books donated include The Little Dragon by Mem Fox with illustrations by Roland Harvey; and One Keen Koala by Margaret Wild − a counting book with Australian animals delightfully illustrated by Bruce Whitely.

Adult Fiction. Among the books chosen for this collection are three by hugely popular writers of crime novels: The Colours of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith; In a House of Lies by Ian Rankin; and The Closers by Michael Connelly.

Non-Fiction. The Australian History section has been enhanced by the addition of People of the River by Grace Karskens, which looks at the lost worlds of Early Australia; Rob Mundle’s Great South Land about how Dutch sailors found Australia and an English pirate almost beat Captain Cook; and Eureka by Peter FitzSimons. In addition, Blackout, an examination of resources-rich Australia’s electricity crisis by Mathew Warren makes a great contribution to the development of our Environment and Sustainability section.

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Arson at the Athenaeum.

As part of this year’s Mid-Winter Festival the Maldon library hosted Arson at the Athenaeum, an interactive play reading. Thirteen good souls donned various characters and costumes to take on local personas from the 1930s. Detective sleuth Miss Eagle, performed by the play’s author Helen Gramberg, conducted the investigation into the mysterious fire that burnt down the original library and billiards room in 1932. Great fun was had, unearthing hidden clues and secrets and, all helped along with sherry and a scrumptious afternoon tea. The play has a second performance on July 8^th and is sure to become a regular Mid-Winter Festival event.

The cast and characters from Arson at the Athenaeum.

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This coming Sunday is the start of NAIDOC Week (July 2−July 9) celebrating the oldest, continuous living culture on earth with the theme ‘For Our Elders’−those revered ‘cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and … loved ones’ (www.naidoc.org.au). In the last year, we have sadly lost three nationally revered Elders. Most recently we saw the passing of Dr Yunupingu, a Yolŋu leader who spent a lifetime fighting for the rights of his people, from the Yirrkala bark petition of 1963 to the current Voice to Parliament. He was Australian of the Year in 1978 and awarded the Order of Australia in 1985. Last year saw the passing of Jack Charles, a Bunurong and Wiradjuri man, actor, playwright, activist, advocate and member of the Stolen Generations. In 2015 he was the Victorian Senior of the Year, and last year’s NAIDOC Week Awards named him Male Elder of the Year. In his autobiography, Born-again Blakfella, he tells his story with his customary wit and candour. Another widely loved Elder who recently passed away is Gunditjmara singer-songwriter Archie Roach. Who can forget his hauntingly poignant ‘They took the Children Away’ telling of his own pain and that of many others? Among his numerous awards, he received a ‘Deadly’ for a ‘Lifetime Contribution to Healing the Stolen Generations’. His autobiography, Tell me Why (reviewed this week) and Jack Charles’ autobiography (reviewed earlier this year) are in our Indigenous and Reconciliation Collection.

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With the Winter Solstice just passed, we can now look forward to the days getting longer. But the grey skies and cold nights of late will likely continue for a while yet, so what could be better than curling up in the warm with a good book? You could, for example, do some armchair travelling with a book from our Travel Tales Collection; perhaps touring The Best Gardens in Italy with Kirsty Mcleod, The City of Djinns with William Dalrymple or The Bush with Don Watson. If glimpsing other people’s lives interests you, our Autobiography, Biography and Memoir Collection takes up one whole wall of the Main Room, and we’re always adding to it. But if you prefer fiction, then browse our Middle Room with its newly released novels, such as Pip William’s The Bookbinder of Jericho, as well as classics such as Tirra Lirra by the River by Australian author Jessica Anderson. If you’re a lover of Detectives and Thrillers then our Back Room is the place for you because there you’ll find three whole walls lined with the books of your favourite authors. Most people prefer to physically peruse the shelves (and we love to see you), but if you want to browse without leaving your cosy armchair, then try a Keyword, Subject or Author search in our on-line catalogue (maldonlibrary.org.au). For more details, click on individual books in the list that comes up. You could then Reserve your choice by clicking ‘Request’. After that, all you have to do is come in to pick it up!

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This coming Sunday is the start of Refugee Week (June 18−24), which this year has the theme Finding Freedom. Australia has long been a signatory to the United Nations Refugee Convention whereby it pledges to offer asylum to those forced to flee persecution in their own country. At the time of signing (1954) Australia gave refuge to thousands of European displaced persons after World War 2, and for the next few decades focussed on British and European migration. But in 1976 the first ‘boat people’ arrived on our shores fleeing the aftermath of the war in Vietnam. Among them was Anh Do, who went on to become the acclaimed author, actor, comedian and painter many will recognise from his most recent television show Anh’s Brush with Fame. We have Do’s moving, amusing and inspiring memoir, The Happiest Refugee, in our Autobiography Collection and also as a Talking Book. In the Children’s Library, we have a number of his hugely popular children’s books including WeirDo, Ninja Kid and the Wolf Girl adventure series. Like Anh Do, many refugees have made significant contributions to our country economically, scholastically and culturally. In recent times, however, many have waited years for a decision to be made about their claim to need asylum; living in limbo unable to contribute in any way. Amongst them was the Kurdish-Iranian journalist and scholar Behrouz Boochani, who, after 6 years imprisoned in off-shore detention, was welcomed by New Zealand. Once free, he became a Professor in Social Sciences at the University of NSW. We recently added his latest book Freedom, Only Freedom to our Essays, Letters and Diaries Collection.

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Do you like mysteries? Whodunits? Would you like to take part in a play reading? Then Arson at the Athenaeum is the event for you! Part of the Maldon in Winter Festival, Arson at the Athenaeum was written by Kyneton-based playwright and actor Helen Gramberg, and inspired by the real-life fire that engulfed the Athenaeum Library and billiard room in 1934. The play, which has twelve characters, will be led by Helen herself taking on the role of the detective, while the other eleven roles will be read by participants – perhaps the town policeman, the librarian, the showgirl or the miner (after all it is 1934). Participants will be given their character, some props and a script. They can read their part in any way they see fit, using their own voice or a ‘borrowed’ one as they prefer. But who was the arsonist? Clues in the script and hidden in the library will lead participants to their own conclusions and to eventually exposing the culprit. Much fun, name calling, finger pointing and possibly mayhem will occur along the way! Secrets will be revealed. But after all the intrigue, participants can doff their characters, ditch their scripts, drop their props and relax over an amicable and well deserved afternoon tea.  

Arson at the Athenaeum, followed by afternoon tea, will be held at the Athenaeum Library on July 1 and July 8 from 2−4 pm. Don’t miss out! To participate, book now on 0437 094 469. Only $20.

MAY 2023

This week is National Reconciliation Week so what better time to browse our Indigenous and Reconciliation Collection? Newly established this year in the main room near the borrowing desk, this eclectic collection has books ranging from histories and biographies to art and culture. One of the most frequently borrowed is The Good Country: The Djadja Wurung, the Settlers and their Protectors by Bain Attwood. Because it deals with the local people and history of our specific region, it hardly has time to settle back on the shelf before it is borrowed again. Also popular is They Rescued Us: Aboriginal Heroes on Country by Fred Cahir, which tells of historical instances of, for example, Aboriginal people rescuing shipwreck victims, rescuing people by managing fire, and rescuing people by guiding them safely through Country. Or perhaps you’d be interested in two new additions to this collection − Bush Food: Aboriginal Food and Herbal Medicine by Jennifer Isaacs with its sumptuous photographs, and Duane Hamacher’s The First Astronomers: How Indigenous Elders Read the Stars, written in collaboration with Elders and traditional knowledge holders.

Talking of new acquisitions, lovers of crime fiction will be pleased that we have also recently added Alexander McCall Smith’s latest novel The Private Lives of Spies, Chris Hammer’s The Tilt, Garry Disher’s Day’s End, and four Anthony Horowitz detective novels: A line to kill; The twist of a knife; The Word is Murder; and The sentence is Death. You could put these, or any other books, on reserve by going to our website at maldonlibrary.org.au.

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To celebrate World Baking Day (May 21), we have ordered The Sourdough Loaf by John Downes. John, originally from Adelaide, via Melbourne and various other parts of the country, now lives locally. He is regarded by many as the guru of sourdough baking and the father of the Australian sourdough bread movement. He named the ‘casalinga’, now found in most sourdough bakeries. Many of us have on our shelves his Natural Tucker Bread Book, first published in 1983 and still in print. Having set up several iconic artisanal bakeries, John helped get the newly reopened Maldon Bakery started before handing over to a younger cohort of bakers. Remember his scrumptious Irish barmbrack fruit loaf? You’ll find the recipe in the The Sourdough Loaf along with over 40 other recipes for both beginners and experienced bakers. It’ll be in our Cooking Collection very soon. Fittingly, World Bee Day is also celebrated this week. ‘Fittingly’, because without bees there would be no flour and without flour, no bread. The day is held to remind us that we all depend on the survival of bees. The United Nations website (www.un.org) suggests that individuals can help by such things as planting a diverse set of native plants, which flower at different times of the year; avoiding pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in our gardens; by simply leaving a water bowl outside in dry times; and by helping to sustain forest ecosystems. You’ll find ideas to help your endeavours in our Gardening Collection. You might also look in Sustainability & Environment or Australian Flora & Fauna. 

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This week four of our volunteers share their thoughts on books and borrowing. Of all the books in the library, Judy’s favourite is Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, which she came across when reshelving books last year. She says, ‘I was unaware of the writer, an American novelist who won a Pulitzer Prize for Gilead. I have now read all her books and believe her to be one of the finest and important writers of our era’. Eirwen borrows biographies and novels, especially detective fiction and books by Australian women. Her favourite recently-borrowed book is La’s orchestra saves the world by Alexander McCall Smith, a historical novel set in WW2. Desiree, who mainly borrows detective novels but also biographies, history and travel tales, found it difficult to name a favourite as she has many. But she loved Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel, a story about the aftermath of a devastating pandemic. She assures us it isn’t as horrifying or depressing as she had feared it might be, in fact, she couldn’t put it down. Science fiction is Brenda’s preferred genre but if she had to choose a favourite book, it would have to be the non-fiction Diary of a Welsh Swagman, recording an itinerant worker’s time in this region. In May 1883 he noted that, ‘Nearly one third of the population of Maldon is affected by typhoid fever’. But, more happily in May 1886, ‘The Beehive Reefs … retrieved one piece of quartz which contained gold worth over £300’. How times change!

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Our Gardening Collection has been pruned! Gone is the dead wood of damaged, duplicate and redundant books. The collection is now grouped into categories to make it easier to find what you’re looking for. If you want something on gardening with native plants, go straight to the shelf labelled ‘Australian Natives’. If it’s a book about roses you’re after, you no longer need to trawl all the shelves, you’ll find it in ‘Roses and Specialty’ along with other ‘specialty’ books devoted to fuchsias or succulents, or hellebores. In ‘Sustainable Gardening’ you’ll find books on organic gardening, permaculture, soil biodiversity and companion planting. Joining that category this week is a new book, Sustainable garden (2022) by Marian Boswall which has ‘projects, insights and advice for the eco-conscious gardener’. Garden pests, diseases & good bugs (2015) by Denis Crawford joins the Pests & Diseases category. Pruning and Training (2017) by Bricknell and Joyce joins Pruning and Propagating. With a dozen different categories, including Garden Design and Gardening Memoirs, there’s something for every garden-lover. Come and check out the new look.

APRIL 2023

Recent purchases

The Bookbinder of Jericho (2023), Pip Walker’s second novel, is now available for borrowing. Readers who loved The Dictionary of Lost words will be delighted.

The Good Life: How to grow a better world (2021) by Hannah Moloney, a regular presenter on Gardening Australia, makes a terrific addition to our Environment and Sustainability section.

Recent donations

Our thanks go to some generous members who recently donated a number of high quality books. Here’s a small selection to whet your appetite:

The Ink Black Heart (2022) by Robert Galbraith (AKA J.K. Rowling); for lovers of crime fiction.

How to Kill Your Husband (2012) by Kathy Lette; a caustic and hilarious novel of marriage, murder and plot twists.

The Secrets of the Fire King (2007) by Kim Edwards; a collection of short stories by the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, also available in the library. 

When all is Said and Done (2020) by Neale Daniher; the inspiring memoir of a football great and his courage in the face of Motor Neurone Disease.

Fifteen Young Men: Australia’s untold football tragedy (2016) by Paul Kennedy tells the true story of a maritime tragedy off the Mornington Peninsula in 1892.

Killer Caldwell (2006) by Jeffrey Watson; the biography of a man acknowledged to be Australia’s greatest fighter pilot will appeal to those interested in military history. 

Recent work at the library coincides with two significant days commemorated this week: ANZAC Day and Earth Day. We began with a review of the Military Collection, which was put together many years ago for a particular borrowing audience. We selected the books most relevant to our current members and moved them into separate locations where they will be more accessible. Novels from the old collection are now rehoused with other works of fiction, and browsers in the Biography Section will now find gems such as The White Mouse, the autobiography of Australian nurse and journalist Nancy Wake who joined the French Resistance in WW2. Browsers of the non-fiction Animal Tales Section will come across the intriguingly named Bill the Bastard, Roland Perry’s true story of a war horse hero. A new Military History Section has been established alongside Australian History in the hall, where borrowers will also find a selection of military memoirs. This leads us to Earth Day because the shelves vacated by the old Military Collection now house the new Environment and Sustainability Collection with its range of books addressing one of the most pressing concerns of our time. Two new titles in this collection − Safer Gardens: Plant flammability and planning for fire by Lesley Corbett; and Futureproof Your Garden: Environmentally sustainable ways to grow more with less by Angus Stewart and Emma Stewart are reviewed this week. 

Scrabble Club

Well, well, would you believe it, there’s actually a National Scrabble Day in April each year? We asked some of our Saturday Morning Scrabble Club players what they like about it. Woody (11 years old) and his dad Paul are regulars. Woody says that the first time they played together Paul won so they kept coming back because he wanted beat to him (and serendipitously, the day we spoke to them, he did!). They like playing here because playing amongst others creates a nice atmosphere. Paul says that Scrabble is expanding Woody’s vocabulary, and avid-reader Woody likes it that every week, after a game or two, he borrows a book from the Young Adult section. Jill and her friend Cheryll-Lee are also regulars. For them, the game is fun, good exercise for the brain and also a good way to meet people. Jill says that when she first came she didn’t know how to play but others taught her and now she regularly gets high scores. Oh, and there’s snacks and tea or coffee available too.

Athenaeum Library

Newsletter

Dear Library Members,                                                      

The Maldon Athenaeum, your local community library, thanks you for your membership support throughout the last couple of years. We are slowly emerging and recovering from the impact of 2 years of COVID, which saw a sad 50% decline in library membership. However, we are gradually seeing the return of previous members and an increase of new members which is very heartening.

As an independent not-for-profit community library, membership subscriptions are our only primary source of income, unlike public libraries we do not receive any State or Federal Government funding or support. We must raise all our own income via membership subscriptions, fundraising, book sales, donations, and occasional grants. We are proud to say that we are self-sustaining and self-sufficient due to many years of good governance by past and present volunteer committees.

ANNUAL 2023 MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE DUE NOW

To help us maintain this independent tradition we need our members to pay their 2023 annual subscriptions now, (they are due each January). The library has approximately 200-230 members of which only around 100 have paid their 2023 membership subscription for this year. If you are one of those who have paid, we thank you, if you have not yet paid, we humbly ask that you do so at your earliest convenience. You can now pay by EFT online via Bendigo Bank:

Acc. Name: Maldon Athenaeum Library

Acc. Number: BSB:633 000 Acc: 109 829 333

Please use your name to identify your deposit.

The annual membership fee is $30.

You can of course still pay in person at the library during opening hours.

The Athenaeum is a Registered Charity and Incorporated Association, all donations over $2 can be receipted for tax purposes.

As you may know the library has been operating in Maldon for 160 years. It has always been run and managed by local dedicated volunteers who between them give 30+ hours each week to support and maintain the library, without them Maldon would not have this unique and valuable service.

Thanks to the generous donations of books from locals, friends and members, the library has a collection of approximately 18,000 books including fiction, non-fiction, and a children’s section. The collection is under constant review by our cataloguing team, who assess, classify and review the collection ensuring it meets and reflects the diverse interests of our membership. New books are regularly purchased, and the entire collection can be viewed online via our website: www.maldonlibrary.org.au . Here you will see recently acquired titles, reviews and library news, books may also be reserved online.

The library loans an average of three thousand books a year, it has around 1200-1500 visits each year and a team of 25 wonderful volunteers who keep everything running ship-shape.

Maldon is very fortunate to have one of only 6 remaining independent community libraries in Victoria originally founded by the Mechanics Institute.

The Athenaeum library is an integral part of the living history of Maldon and its community, its collection is a part of our past, present, and future heritage. Some people say that they are not necessarily readers, or they already have a lot of their own books, and therefore do not need to become members, to these people we suggest that they might consider joining the library as a sponsor/friend, thereby supporting the continuity of a valued community service that would not otherwise be able to exist.

So, please renew your membership and encourage your friends and neighbours to join and support our Maldon Athenaeum library.

‘Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind,

 flight to the imagination, and life to everything.’

Attributed to Plato

With kind regards from the volunteers and management committee of the Maldon Athenaeum community library.

Tina Fratta, President

April 2023.

Dja Dja Wurrung Country

Easter Book Sale: Saturday & Monday mornings

Several stalls will be groaning under the weight of good quality, reasonably priced books outside the library on Saturday morning and again on Monday morning. This year, as well as novels and some children’s books, we have a large selection of gardening books, biographies and other non-fiction books. Our Easter Book Sale is always a popular event so don’t miss out, there’s sure to be a book or two that will appeal to you.

The library is closed on Good Friday but will be open for borrowing and browsing on both Saturday and Monday mornings at the same time as the book sales. Scrabble Club is on Saturday as usual.

MARCH 2023

Friday 31 March

We’re excited to announce that we’ve received a grant from the Mount Alexander Shire Council to enhance our Children’s Library and our facilities for babies, toddlers, younger people and carers. The children’s book collection is housed in a light-filled room with a carpeted floor and a large stain-glass window that has entranced many a child. Committee member Fiona, who took the lead on the grant application, says that with the funding we’ll add some snuggly places for small ones to sit while they read or listen to a story, and a comfy chair for an adult reading the story. There’ll be a toy box to keep the very small entertained while an older child chooses a book, and a change table in the library’s toilet for those times of need. Of course, we’ll also be building the book collection, particularly books aimed at 0−4 year olds, but across the whole age range too.

Library membership is free for children under 16 years, but a parent or other carer must be a member. So parents, grandparents, aunties, carers why not encourage a love of books and reading from an early age and bring your little one in to see what we’ve got? Read in or take away! 

Friday 24 March

Did you know we have an interesting range of DVDs available for borrowing? You can select from world movies both in English and subtitled, TV shows, documentaries and filmed versions of live theatre, musicals and operas. The original collection was first donated to the Maldon Golden Movies film group and was stored for a while at the house of MGM President Graham Pitts. Then he decided that the library was a better location for sharing the collection with the wider community and so it came to us. Over time more DVDs have been added but the original generous donation remains the core. Ross, who probably knows the collection better than anyone, recommends Fellini’s Intervisa about the magic of film making. Or you may be interested in the little-known film Till Human Voices Wake Us made in Maldon starring Guy Pearce and Helena Bonham Carter. Why not borrow one for World Theatre Day this week?

Wednesday 22 March

Did you know you can look for books in the library by checking our online catalogue at maldonlibrary.org.au? You can search by title, keyword, subject or author. Our library team did a keyword search recently to find books for World Water Day on March 22 and, in particular, to find books related to its theme of the sustainable management of fresh water resources. Our search revealed 65 books, most of them novels, with water as part of their title or content.

But the search also showed that we would find what we were looking for in our Environment and Sustainability Section and the Gardening Section. Talking Water: An Australian Guidebook for the 21^st Century, commissioned by the Farmhand Foundation, looks at ‘the management of water, its source, its availability, its harvesting and the infrastructure needed to respond to the demands of both society and the environment’. The Gardening Section has four possibilities, including Correas: Australian Plants for Waterwise Gardens by Maria Hitchcock, a popular book that has been borrowed numerous times in the last few years. It takes the reader through the discovery of the genus by Joseph Banks, how to propagate correas, how to grow them and which birds they will attract to your garden (with illustrations by John Gould). Its largest section is devoted to the different types of correas, each one accompanied by a photograph, cultivation notes and a distribution map − including ‘Coliban River’ and ‘Inglewood Gold’ from our region.

Coincidently, while we were doing our search, a donation came in that fitted perfectly: The Waterwise Australian Native Garden by Angus Stewart and A.B. Bishop. With stunning photos, it focusses on garden design and plant selection for a more ‘reliable’ garden that is both practical and aesthetic. It’s a terrific new addition to the Gardening Section.

Monday 13 March

The library is closed on Monday 13 for the Labour Day Public Holiday which is now synonymous with Moomba, but was set up to celebrate the momentous achievement in 1856 of Victorian stonemasons who brought about the introduction of the eight-hour working day as part of the international union-led ‘eight-hour day’ movement ‘eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest’ was the slogan. Here at the library, we have been labouring away (but not for eight-hours a day) to get books ready for our garage sale stall, which was a great success. We’ve also made some headway in revamping the Hallway where we have set up a History and Geography section with Australian, World and Local subsections. The Cooking and Sport sections have had makeovers with displays to catch the eye as you come in the door. True Crimes, which was hiding on a bottom shelf in the Hallway, has moved into the Main Room where there are also three new sections: Indigenous and Reconciliation; Travel Tales and Animal Tales – all non-fictions. Ross is continuing to catalogue our rather impressive DVD collection, housed at the end of the Hallway, and Fiona is doing wonders with the children’s book collection and the Children’s Library Room itself. We’ll keep you posted. Talking of posting, our news and book reviews are now also being posted weekly on the website –http://maldonlibray.org.au – check it out!

BARGAIN BOOK SALE

Saturday 4 March: We’re participating in the Maldon Town-wide Garage Sale with several stalls outside the library. We’ll have some bric-a-brac but mostly we’ll have a range of good-quality fiction and non-fiction books for adults and children to appeal to a wide range of reading tastes. Be sure to come and check us out.  

Wednesday 8 March: We’re celebrating International Women’s Day with a display of books all written by or about women. To mark the occasion, we’re also reviewing two new books about remarkable Australian women, one who made her mark on this region in the last century and one who made her mark on the world very recently.

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