What will you read this summer break?

Posted by Catherine on 19 December, 2019

Summer is well and truly here!

Many of us are taking some time off, some travelling, some having staycations. Wherever you go (or don’t go) you can always take a book with you. These days, the formats are so diverse but all can transport you to another place and time, inspire you to make great changes or maybe no changes at all.

“Downloadable audiobooks are here” by Lucius Beebe

Good stories can be like friends. They can pick you up when you’re feeling down, make you laugh out loud or bring you to tears. I have one or two novels that I’ve read (well, listened to actually… BIG fan of audio books – you should check out QUT Library’s collections of audiobooks) so many times I almost know them off by heart. They are my comfort reading books. The beauty of an audiobook is that you can be listening/reading while doing something else such as lying on a beach, preparing a Christmas feast or going for a walk after consuming said feast.

Are you the sort of person who likes the look, feel and smell of a physical book? New books especially can build that sense of excitement; that you are the first person to look at these particular pages, the first one to feel them, to read the words that the author has spent labouring over, and sometimes it will feel like they are speaking directly to you.

iPad on a desk with pen, keyboard and mouse

“iPad ereader” by Constance Wiebrands

What about ebooks? Ereaders (think Kindle, Kobo, etc) these days are great for offering you the flexibility of enlarging the text, changing the background colour, the font, personalising your reading experience. Our etextbooks don’t have quite the same flexibility or customisation as an ereader, but are still really handy if you want to get ahead of the game for 2020 and use your summer reading time to learn something new in anticipation of what you will learn or teach next year.

However and whatever you like to read, I hope that you enjoy the summer break and the festive season and may 2020 be your best year yet.

P.S. QUT Libraries will be closed from the 25^th of December and reopen on 2^nd January. Check the website for more details.

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Summer is almost here – Let’s go!

Posted by Catherine on 27 November, 2019

You’ve worked hard all year and the time is right to take a break from work, study and perhaps even the summer heat.

Personally, I love the summer – the long hot days and the balmy summer nights but I also love getting out of the City and heading to the beach. My favourite place to escape to is the Sunshine Coast with its gorgeous white sandy beaches and enticing blue waters. Just remember to swim between the flags and ‘slip, slop, slap, seek and slide’!

For those of you not so enamoured with the beach, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland can be absolutely breathtaking and a cooler area than the coast. Mary Cairncross Park has spectacular views across to the Glasshouse Mountains and beyond. They have a museum and environmental education section as well to learn about all the fabulous flora and fauna in this remarkable area.

The Gold Coast has its own natural beauty with its beautiful beaches and luscious hinterland as well as the added attraction of the theme parks for those adventure seekers.

If you’re looking to go a little further afield, why not check out our collection of travel guides at Kelvin Grove Library. There are online versions of some of the guides too so you can access them wherever you are (with an internet connection of course 😊).

What ever you do or wherever you go we wish you a safe and restful holiday break.

Get your game on!

Posted by Catherine on 4 November, 2019

It’s time for International Games Week (IGW). IGW is an initiative “…around the world to reconnect communities through their libraries around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games.” https://games.ala.org/international-games-week/

Personally, I love playing games. Not with people’s feelings and emotions, but with a board and some tokens or some cards, or a bat and ball. I like games I play on my mobile device too, but not as much as the ones I play face to face. I love the strategizing where I’m trying to be the best zombie killer, the cooperative games where I’m helping to stop a pandemic from wiping out the world and the storyteller, who’s taking my character through a series of challenges imagined by the castle-master. I enjoy the team games like Pictionary or Charades that test my creativity and quick thinking and the more active ones like table tennis (I know that this is an Olympic sport, but the way my friends and I play, it’s a game) or Marco Polo (for those of you who don’t know what this is, see here for a definition/rules for game play). I’m not always the best player but I’m always willing to have a go.

QUT Library gets involved in the action too. At all the Libraries there are games to help you get your mind off your exam prep, relax a little and enjoy a bit of socialisation, ready for the next study session. The Law Library has chess, KG Library has giant Jenga and table tennis (Ping Pong) and GP Library has table tennis too! If the digital games really are more your thing, you can borrow Xbox or Playstation games to take home or use the Games Lab if you’re at KG Library. See which games are available in Library Search. So get your game on and get those endorphins flowing!

It’s Pride Month!

Posted by Catherine on 29 August, 2019

rainbow on blue background with white clouds

Pride Month is here! Celebrations at QUT kick off this Friday with Wear it Purple hosted by LTU, The Guild and Queer Collective and finish with QUT Guild Pride Fest from 23-27 September. See below for live events and check back in to the events page for updates including the Pride Fest program.

Looking to learn and grow? This article from ReachOut article is a good place to start: What is an LGBTQIA+ ally, and how can I be a good one? You may also want to attend Pronouns: a conversation to find out more about why people declare their pronouns, and how it can impact those around you.

Attend a Pride event at QUT:

Wear it Purple Day: Your chance to Stand Up and Stand Out for LGBTIQA+ young people. There’ll be stalls, Wear it Purple freebies, purple food and friendly folks who are open to chat. There will be a solidarity photo at 12:30pm.

Out and proud? Come and share the positive impact that your visibility has had on your (chosen) family, friends and community. Consider yourself an ally? This is your opportunity to put your words into action and connect with Ally Network members.

Friday 30 August, 10am – 2pm on both campuses. Find out more about how you can get involved.

Pronouns: a conversation: Have you noticed people declaring their pronouns, but not sure why? Come along to hear from the Queensland Aids Council (QuAC) and a panel of QUT speakers who will take us through why we use pronouns, the impact this can (and does) have at an individual level, and what is happening in this space internationally. Be part of the conversation about pronouns at QUT and have the opportunity to share your experience and ask questions.

Thursday 5 September, 12-1pm, OJW room, Gardens Point. Register to attend.

Diverse genders and sexualities research forum: Join us during Pride Month for our second showcase of QUT researchers working in the area of diverse genders and sexualities. Brief presentations will be followed by an opportunity for Q&A and networking.

Tuesday 17 September, 12pm-2pm, E Block, Kelvin Grove. Find out more and register via Eventbrite.

Brisbane Pride March: In 2019 we will be joining with friends from UQ, Griffith, USQ and USC under a University Unity banner. Join us to march with your work mates, family and friends to demonstrate acceptance, unity, inclusivity and support for the LGBTIQA+ community. Be one of the first 100 people to register and you’ll receive a University Unity t-shirt to wear on the day.

Saturday 21 September, 9:30-11:30am, Fortitude Valley. Find out more and register your interest to receive updates.

Bi+ Visibility Picnic: Join QUT’s Pride Staff Network for a picnic to celebrate Bi+ Visibility Day. BYO lunch, scintillating conversation provided. Members of the bi+ community and allies are welcome to come along, share stories, raise awareness and celebrate bi+ sexuality.

Feel free to stay the whole time, drop in and say hello, or give us a wave from across the lawn.

Monday 23 September, 12-1pm, A Block lawn, Kelvin Grove.

Digital displays – flags of pride: Not technically an event, but informative and beautiful. Visit the Cube, Sphere and HiQ digital walls during Pride Month to learn about some of the more common pride flags and the meanings behind their designs.

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International Cat Day

Posted by Catherine on 8 August, 2019

For some of us, International Cat Day is the most important day of observance in the calendar. Okay, religious observances, birthdays, anniversaries and other important milestones may trump it, but it’s still important. Just like the millions of cat videos that are streamed daily on millions of devices the world over. The world would be a sadder place without them 😹

International Cat Day was started in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare which works to rescue individual animals, safeguard populations, preserve habitat, and advocate for greater protections. Interestingly, they did not start National Dog Day (26 August – look out for a blog post about that one closer to the time 😊).

Those furry felines who have captured our hearts and attention are very popular in library land, with a large majority of library staff caring for these purring bundles of joy (can you tell I’m a cat lover 😻). Some libraries even have a library cat (we can’t have one at QUT Library, I’ve checked 😿) which many of the patrons look forward to seeing on their library visits.

While we can’t have a living, breathing fuzzy feline friend here at QUT Libraries, we do have an excellent art exhibit which lives on level 7 at Gardens Point Library.

GP cats

We also have resources (videos, books, audiobooks, journals, articles, plus more) related to and about cats as well. Check it out today.

Here are some of the cute cats your QUT Library staff share their homes with.

black and white cat in a black and white cat tent

Immerse Yourself

Posted by Catherine on 17 July, 2019

Immerse yourself in another world Some of our fabulous QUT Library Staff will be showcasing our new Virtual Reality hardware (Oculus Quest headset) and the Faculty of Education’s new 3D Printers. The three printers will be set up and working in the Course Reserve area at Kelvin Grove Library, and there will be activities for students and staff to explore. We will also have Augmented Reality activities and other VR hardware and software for people to try.

The Course Reserve area is on level 2 between R block (Library) and E block (Education precinct).

So why don’t you escape from the real world and completely immerse yourself into another. Explore the wonders of 3D Printing, Virtual Reality, 360 Video, and Augmented Reality.

Join us and discover the endless possibilities with these innovative technologies.

ResBaz Brisbane 2019

Posted by Catherine on 2 July, 2019

ResBaz - Research Bazaar

“The Research Bazaar is a worldwide skill and community-building festival promoting the essential digital skills researchers need to perform modern research…The aim of the event is to equip researchers from all career stages and disciplines with the digital skills and tools required to do their research better, faster, and smarter.” https://resbaz.github.io/resbaz2019/brisbane/

There will be workshops on software carpentry using R and Python; Board games including Copyright the card game and the Publishing Trap (great for early career researchers); data visualization and tips for boosting your research profile; plus guest speakers who have walked the walk and talked the talk and are still making waves in their respective professions.

ResBaz Brisbane is hosted by QUT, UQ, Griffith University, USQ and Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF). The location for the event this year, is at our very own Gardens Point campus (P block).

You can follow the event at @ResBazBris and use #ResBazBris to share your experiences.

Places are limited but you can still book here.

“Grounded in truth, walk together with courage” Reconciliation Week: 27 May – 3 June

Posted by Catherine on 22 May, 2019

Resilience - Rachael Sarra 2018

QUT will be celebrating Reconciliation Week with a number of events for students and staff. There are film screenings, badge making and art projects to get involved in at Kelvin Grove and Gardens Point during that week. Find out about the events here.

In fact, the festivities kick off on Friday 24 May with a Quiz Night. All proceeds are going to Indigiso, QUT’s Indigenous Student Club, to help send a team to the Indigenous Nationals in Perth, a multi-sport competition. Go with a team or as an individual and meet some new people. Bookings can be made here.

For those of you wanting to know more about reconciliation with our indigenous Australians, QUT Library has a variety of resources available to borrow or use online. This is one of the best ways to be grounded in truth so that you can walk together with courage.

ANZAC Day 2019

Posted by Catherine on 23 April, 2019

“As the sun rose on 25 April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers rowed towards the shores of Gallipoli and into history itself. Every year since, as the sun rises, Australians gather across the nation to remember their legacy, and the legacy of all those who have followed in their footsteps.” https://rslqld.org/Whats-On/ANZAC-Day

ANZAC Day in Australia is a day of great significance to many Australians. Many of us have had family members who have fought in wars and some who have died in those same wars. My great grandfather was one of those who fought and his photo (along with his brothers-in-arms) is on the wall at the museum in Gallipoli, Turkey. I think it was at that moment of seeing his face there in black and white, that it struck me what an awesome sacrifice our soldiers made and continue to make, for our freedom and peace. It still makes me quite emotional to think of these brave men and women, laying down their lives for me, for us.

ANZAC Day is also a day to remember all those who supported and cared for our troops, both in the warzones and at home. The medical staff, the administrative staff, supply and logistics departments, plus many more. While they may not have seen combat, they certainly felt the effects of it.

If you’re interested to find out more about ANZAC Day and the history behind it, QUT Library has a range of different resources from videos, to articles, to puzzles and a whole lot more.

Even though ANZAC Day is a public holiday, QUT Library will be open to cater for your study needs.

This ANZAC Day, there will be services around the country and around the world, gathering to commemorate the soldiers who have served this country. Find out where there’s one near you.

Shrine of Remembrance, Ann Street facade

Curious encounters with science, the arts + technology – Curiocity Brisbane 15 March – 3 April 2019

Posted by Catherine on 18 March, 2019

“Take a break from reality and immerse yourself in Curiocity Brisbane – a brand-new series of science, art and technology experiences spanning the Brisbane River. For 20 days starting in March, one-of-a-kind installations, pop-ups and interactive spaces crafted by local and international artists, technicians and makers will be on display and free for everyone to explore.” https://curiocitybrisbane.com/

The experiences are on both sides of the river including one on the lawn of Gardens Point Road, just near P Block. Why not start your journey there and make your way around to the other experiences? You can take your time to explore as they’re open 24/7. Are you coming to GP campus to do some study in the Library? Leave a little earlier and take in some experiences on your way in. Who knows, it may just inspire you to create your own experience for next year’s event.

QUT Library can help with inspiration too. Search for art installation or art AND technology or art AND science and use the filters on the left to limit to Creative Works to see online images of past exhibits, art or installations from former QUT students, staff and external artists.