Category Archives: Brisbane

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GIF IT UP

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GIF IT UP is an annual gif-making competition for the most creative reuse of digitised cultural heritage material. This year’s 6th edition is run by Europeana in close cooperation with Digital Public Library of America, Digital NZ and Trove.

QUT Library Digital Collections has three submissions created from digitised cultural heritage material.

If you like our gifs please vote for us!

  1. Click here to view OUR gif

    Source material: 1. Territet-Glion funicular railway; 2. Children’s party in the grounds of the Herston residence, Coralyn, ca. 1907| Robert Augustus Henry L’Estrange; 3. Glasshouse mtns Beerwah, 1894
    | Queensland University of Technology via Trove
    The images used by this GIF are sourced from Queensland University of Technology Digital Collections. The Territet–Glion funicular railway image is a postcard from Montreaux, Switzerland and the photo with the young ladies are from the L’Estrange collection. The mountain in the background is one of the Glasshouse mountain images from the QUT Stories collection.

  2. Click here to view our gif

    Source material: Unknown people in horse drawn cart and coachman; possibly Chester, England (Bache Hall) Inside grocery shop possibly Kelvin Grove Queensland Harrison’s jams and jellies display | Robert Augustus Henry L’Estrange | Queensland University of Technology

  3. click here to view our gif

    Source material: Shot putter; Inside grocery shop possibly Kelvin Grove Queensland; Harrison’s jams and jellies display | Robert Augustus Henry L’Estrange | Queensland University of Technology via Trove

You can view all entries here at GIF IT UP

 

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November 11 is Remembrance Day

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November 11 is Remembrance Day, which commemorates those who lost their lives in war, conflict and military service for Australia.

Traditionally, a silence is observed at 11am on the 11th of November, which comes from the “the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month”: the time and date that the armistice between the Allies and Germany ended the First World War in 1918.

Remembrance Day is also observed in other nations, sometimes by another name like Memorial Day or Veterans Day.  The day is observed in the USA, Commonwealth countries including Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and many Caribbean nations, France, Belgium and Serbia.

Originally known as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day was first meant to commemorate those who died in WWI. But since WWII, the day came to include people who had died in later wars too.

Remembrance Day traditions generally focus on members of the armed forces and military who died in conflict, but other people may be commemorated too. Casualties of conflict or peacekeeping missions include civilian nurses and medical staff, members of auxiliary services (including women’s auxiliaries), humanitarian volunteers, war correspondents and police officers assisting in peacekeeping activities.

Red poppy flowers are used in Remembrance Day traditions, and are a common symbol of commemoration of those killed in conflict. Red poppies grew in the churned-up soil of the Western Front in WWI, and their bright red colour eerily evoked the spilled blood of fallen soldiers.

Remembrance Day ceremonies commonly include the Last Post bugle call, which was used on the battlefield to announce the end of the day’s activities and the time for sleep. It is now also used at remembrance ceremonies and military funerals to signify that the soldier’s duty has ended and they can rest in peace.

Take a moment to view the display at the Kelvin Grove Library on level 3 (pictured above) and feel free to borrow any displayed items.

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Anti-Poverty Week

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Anti-Poverty Week 13 – 19 of October 

Anti-Poverty Week supports the Australian community to have an increased understanding of poverty and to take action collectively to end it.

For more information about poverty in Australia visit the Anti-Poverty website.

QUT library also has a large number of resources about poverty and you can check them out here.

Seek help @ QUT

If you find yourself in need of financial assistance while you’re studying with QUT, we offer a number of support services to help get you through, just click here.

The QUT Guild Foodbank can also provide basic food items to get you through, they stock non-perishable items, fresh fruit and veg and hygiene products.

 

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Winners of the SAGE Higher Degree Research Student Publication Prize Announced

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A paper on the challenges of visual place recognition for autonomous vehicles has taken out first place in the SAGE Higher Degree Research Student Publication Prize. Sourav Garg was awarded first prize and $1500 for his article, Semantic-geometric visual place recognition: a new perspective for reconciling opposing views, published in The International Journal of Robotics Research.

QUT Library has partnered with SAGE Publishing since 2014 to offer the SAGE Higher Degree Research Student Publication Prize. The prize is awarded to a Higher Degree Research (HDR) student, who is the lead author on a paper published in a peer reviewed journal with a Q1 or Q2 ranking. Aik Kai Tok, Library Sales Marketing Executive at SAGE Publishing said of their support for the award, “SAGE is globally committed to fostering healthy minds and cultures and to supporting both access to and output of the research community. In addition, SAGE invests time and funds in supporting the research community through sponsored awards and research outputs.”

QUT Library received a record number of entries to the prize this year. A panel of five judges, two academics and three librarians, evaluated the submissions on originality of the research, readability, and contribution of the applicant to the publication. Research Support Manager (Acting), Jennifer Hall, said that the calibre of entrants to the competition was extremely impressive, and that selecting the top three papers was no easy task for the judging panel.

Second place and $900 was awarded to Zhongtian Li for his paper, Corporate social responsibility employment narratives: a linguistic analysis, published in Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. B.M.C. Randika Wimalasiri-Yapa was awarded third place and received $500 for her paper, Chikungunya virus in Asia-Pacific: a systematic review, published in the Open Access journal Emerging Microbes & Infections.

The awards were presented to the winners on 10 September. Sourav Garg, stuck at the airport in Tokyo due to monsoonal weather, attended via Skype. Sourav’s supervisor, Professor Michael Milford, accepted the award on his behalf.

QUT Library would like to thank SAGE for its ongoing sponsorship of the Higher Degree Research Student Publication Prize.

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R U OK?

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R U OK? Day is Thursday 12 September – Get involved!

R U Ok? Day is dedicated to reminding everyone that every day is the day to ask, “Are you ok?” and support those struggling with life’s ups and down . This year the message is for everyone to Trust the Signs, Trust your Gut & Ask R U OK?

For more conversation tips visit the R U OK? website.

Seek help @ QUT

QUT has a range of support services available to staff and students including free confidential counselling

Other help available

Lifeline 24-Hour Counselling – 13 11 14. Lifeline is a national charity providing Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Calls to this number are free if made from a mobile, and charged the cost of a local call if made from landline number.

Kids Help line – 1800 55 1800. Kids Helpline is a free, private and confidential, phone counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 years. Counselling can be via the telephone, web-based or email, and is available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

BeyondBlue – 1300 22 4636. In addition to offering a number of resources about mental health related issues, BeyondBlue also offers a 24 hours, 7 days a week telephone counselling service, as well as an online chat service, online chats through community forums and an email service.

 

 

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Brisbane Writers Festival

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Celebrate the written word at this year’s Brisbane Writers Festival, 5-8 September.

Hosted by the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), and various public libraries around Brisbane, the BWF features an impressive program of panel discussions, workshops, performances, and meet-the-writer sessions.

It’s a great opportunity for readers of all persuasions–not to mention students in Creative Writing and related disciplines–to hear local and international writers read and discuss their work. The diverse program comprises novelists, poets, children’s authors, journalists, historians, philosophers, and at least one former Prime Minister.

This year’s line-up includes Brisbane-born Melissa Lucashenko, whose novel Too Much Lip won the 2019 Miles Franklin Award; British author Jasper Fforde, perhaps best known for his highly original novel The Eyre Affair; multiple Walkley Award-winning journalist Kerry O’Brien; and over 150 other writers.

For devotees of Young Adult literature and getting into things for free, the BWF is hosting Love YA, a full day of (free) events at Brisbane Square Library, Saturday 7th September. Meet notable Australian YA authors such as James Moloney, Randa Abdel-Fattah, and Will Kostakis. If you’re not familiar with their books, there’s a good selection in QUT Library’s Curriculum Collection.

The work of many other featured BWF writers can be found in the Library’s General Collection.

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It’s Pride Month!

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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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Children’s Book Week

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CONGRATULATIONS to the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) 2019 Book of the Year Award winners and honour books! Gritty, contemporary themes are tackled by many books, challenging their readers to contemplate a range of important social issues.

You can access the CBCA website for the Winners,  CBCA Short list and Notables list.

The Library has a lovely display of the CBCA books. All titles are available for loan and can be found in the Curriculum area on level 4 of R Block, Kelvin Grove Library.

 

We also have a Children’s Literature Library Subject Guide where you can read the shortlisted and winning books and follow the links to QUT Library’s online and print copies.

Enjoy Children’s Book Week and happy reading !

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Remixing Brisbane’s Past

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If you stop in at the Kelvin Grove library, you might see our new display of items from the L’Estrange Collection showcasing life and photography at the turn of the century: kerosene darkroom lamps, photo negatives on glass and a wooden camera as big as a basketball. But if you pull out your smart device, you’ll discover a more contemporary dimension to the display.

The Library has added augmented reality layers to some photos in the exhibition, which you can access by downloading the Zappar app. The AR layers add movement, sound and contemporary context to the historical images, and new augmentations will be added over time so keep your eyes peeled.

Not that this is the first time the L’Estrange images have been remixed — QUT Librarian Greg Steele has adapted some of L’Estrange’s photos for the annual GIF IT UP competition, which you can find in QUT ePrints.

GIF IT Up is a great example of the creative reuse of digitised cultural heritage material. Some gifs bring life to static images, and others add depth and context to their image. Some are pure silly fun, others provide modern perspective or critique their subject.

Moustache by Nicholas Kreutzer from Philadelphia, United States Source: Mikas Petrauskas, George C. Stukas | Kauno miesto muziejus via Europeana

 

1991 by Zsolt Sarkozi from Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Source material: Oversize Coat for Christmas | John Heywood | V & A via Europeana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solar System by Monash University Library from Melbourne, Australia

Source material: Transparent Solar System, displaying the planets with their orbits as known at the present day, by James Reynolds, 1844 | Monash University Library via Trove

 

All the L’Estrange collection images are in the public domain, so they’re free to be remixed, reused and transformed. We encourage you to use them creatively – and @ us when you post your creations online!

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Artistry & Chemistry: The Robert Augustus Henry L’Estrange collection

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While most of QUT’s library collection consists of the expected textbooks, online databases and other learning materials, we also have our special collections – unique collections of historically and culturally significant materials. Currently on display in the Kelvin Grove Library are items from the Robert Augustus Henry L’Estrange collection, generously donated by his family.

Image: L’Estrange Family, circa 1910

Robert L’Estrange (b.1858- d.1941) had a varied and wide-ranging life but he eventually settled with his family in Victoria Street, Red Hill – less than 500m from the KG campus. He was a keen and prolific amateur photographer and his photographic materials from the turn of the century form the basis of the collection.

Image: Unknown lady with rifle and a saltwater crocodile

Hundreds of his photos, taken between 1880 and 1919, have been digitised from the glass plate negatives by QUT Library. They depict life in Brisbane, North Queensland, and other parts of the world at the turn of the century, just when photography was becoming accessible to the at-home enthusiast. His subjects include early Brisbane cityscapes, local shopkeepers at their work, portraits of his family, and even a young girl’s backyard birthday party.

Image: Children’s party in the grounds of the Herston residence, Coralyn, ca. 1907

Image: Petrie Bight showing National Hotel and Customs House, Brisbane, 1900

Artefacts on display include glass-plate negatives, L’Estrange’s wooden Harrington & Co camera, lab equipment for preparing photographic chemicals, and lantern slides that would have been used with a gas-lit early form of projector.

Come in to Kelvin Grove library and check out the displays on Level 2 (underneath the central staircase) and Level 4 (between the fire stairs and the printers).