Treasures From The Archives Book Sale

Some books from the Information Services stack at Speers Point Library have been culled and will be sold at the library from 5 -16 January 2009.

There are many unique and collectible items, many over 50 years old. Second hand traders are welcome but please note, all items will be sold at their market value and there will be no previews. The hours of the sale will coincide with the opening hours of Speers Point Library.

For more information on this "once in a lifetime" opportunity refer to http://www.lakemac.com.au/downloads/whats%20on%20Dec%202008%20Jan%202009.pdf

The staff at Information Services would also like to take this opportunity to wish all our patrons and their families and friends a Merry Christmas and happy new year!

Regards; Glenn, Anita, Judy and Julie (right in red pants)

Member For Charlton & The Mining Maps

The Hon. Greg Combet AM MP (pictured left with Council's Jo Smith) recently took time out of a busy schedule to pay us a visit at Information Services. During his time with us the Member for Charlton presented us with a heritage grant and inspected part of the donated collection which the money will help preserve.

The collection referred to incorporates several thousand maps detailing aspects of many of the region's coal mines as well as early plans of Wangi Power Station. Several of the maps date back to the 1950s and include accident reports.

This extensive and culturally significant collection had been formerly located at the old Rhondda Colliery near Teralba. Lake Macquarie Library took ownership in 2000 and the maps have been housed it in the vicinity of Morisset Library since then.

In 2007, the library successfully applied for a federally funded Community Heritage Grant which enabled us to commission a significance assessment for the collection. Following on from this, Council applied for a supplementary grant aimed at gaining assistance in preserving the items. We were again successful in our application and as a result, Mr Combet (himself a former mining engineer) presented us with the grant in person.

Help Us Record Our History - We Want To Hear From You!

Historically speaking...

Lake Macquarie City Library is collecting photos, stories and information about the people, industries and buildings of Lake Macquarie's past.
At Speers Point Library we have almost 6000 photos, 100 recordings, and a large amount of written material in the collection, but we are looking for more.

We are interested in all areas of Lake Macquarie so please contact Information Services if you have any photos, information, or know people who would be interested in being interviewed.

Ph: 49210446
Email: libinf@lakemac.nsw.gov.au

HSC Resources

Information Services retains the following reference based resources which may be of special interest to senior school & HSC students. They include;

INFOCUS NOTES
Infocus Notes are compiled by specialist staff from the NSW State Reference and Mitchell Libraries who identify HSC-related resources. Normally these resources would be hard to locate without visiting the State Library of New South Wales. The Infocus Notes have been copyright cleared. They are stored in publicly accessible folders kept in filing cabinets at Information Services. To check the range and availability of these records you may wish to visit the Lake Mac library catalogue:
http://lib.councilsonline.com.au/lakemac/

RESEARCH FILES
Research Files are similar to INFOCUS notes except that they are compiled by Lake Macquarie City Library staff and focus exclusively on the people, places, and events relevant to the Hunter Valley. Information Services staff will happily assist patrons to find these resources. Patrons may photocopy these notes and browse them within the library.

Online Databases

Information Services subscribes to a number of online databases, most of which are publicly accessible through the Lake Macquarie website
http://www.lakemac.infohunt.nsw.gov.au/library/links_level.asp?Level=2&LevelID=92

APA-FT: This resource provides an indexing and full text database referencing journal articles primarily about social sciences and humanities
Grangers Poetry Index: an index to many thousands of poems
ANZ Reference Centre: a general database of Australian and international content
Grove Dictionary of Art Online:A reference resource containing 45,000 articles on every aspect of the arts
History & Reference Library Access from Home: Substantial information on Australian history, World War I, World War II, Modern and Ancient World History
Science Reference Centre: easy access to a multitude of full text science oriented content

History & Reference 'Library' You Can Access From Home

Lake Macquarie City Library has subscribed to a new history themed reference index which you can access from home. Called the "History & Reference Library," this online resource contains major titles adapted for online use. One benefit of this index is that it has extensive searching capability. Whether you are a secondary student learning about the World Wars or you are simply curious as to what may have happened on this day in Australian history, this index is well worth a browse.

To access this resource have your library card at the ready and click on the following link.
History & Reference Library (Access from Home)

History Week September 6 - 14

The Water's Edge

This year, the theme for History Week is "The water's edge". Initiated by the History Council of NSW, History Week is about celebrating the best in community and professional history, highlighting its role in our cultural life and inviting people to get involved. Across Lake Macquarie City's libraries you will be able to view photographic displays of the Lake area at Morisset, Swansea, Belmont and Toronto branches. Family history workshops will also be offered.

For further information phone: 49210463 or visit the following site;

http://lmcclibraryevents.blogspot.com/

Local History

At Information Services we offer extensive information on local history in the form of books, pamphlets, oral recordings, newspapers, and photographs.

You may also access an index of newspaper articles and documents held in Lake Macquarie City Library's Information Service historical clippings folders

Titles and inscriptions have been taken from original items. These reflect attitudes of the time the items were created. You may view, photocopy, or print copies of these images at Information Services

The photographic collection contains more than 5,000 historical photographs which are available for viewing and purchase You can order copies at any library branch. We welcome donations and loans of photographs to add to our collection.

Mr Clive Read, a volunteer with a
passion for local history.

Genealogy - Lake Macquarie Family History Group Inc.

For extra guidance with family history research you can visit us each Friday between 10 am and 1 pm at Information Services (Speers Point Library).

Volunteers from the Lake Macquarie Family History Group Inc. donate their time each Friday to assist those with more detailed family history information requests.

Welcome to our new Blog!

Who are we?

Information Services are a specialised outlet of Lake Macquarie City Library Services and we are located at the back of Speers Point Library (139 Main Road, Speers Point). We are publicly accessible from 9 am - 6 pm Mon- Fri and from 9 am - 1.30 pm Saturday.

What do we offer?

Information Services provide a range of reference materials and assistance to researchers ranging from school children to university students and those with an interest in family history.