Top Social Network Awards from Mashable

Good to see that my favourite Librarything got a mention

Herge and Tintin

The Pompidou Centre in Paris is hosting an exhibition until 19 February hightighting the work of Herge, creator of Tintin. For details (in French)
http://www.centrepompidou.fr/Pompidou/Manifs.nsf/AllExpositions/D60DD17FF85EB256C12571C7004616E8?OpenDocument

A Guardian article (in English) gives further details at http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/books/2006/12/post_11.html

PC Magazine's Best Five Online Services

Thrilled to see one of my favourites "Librarything" made the list of the 5 best "Apps that run on the Net—not on your PC". I must try out some of the other winners.

Nestle Award Winner

Read the Guardian article for the full prize list.
http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,1971191,00.html

Death of Philippa Pearce

The author of "Tom's midnight garden" has died aged 86. For an obituary see:

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED23%20Dec%202006%2011%3A27%3A22%3A590

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-2519442.html

http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2097792.ece

Bill Bryson OBE

I have had lots of laughs as I've read Bill's travel tales. It is great to see that he has been awarded an honorary OBE for his contribution to literature.

New SMH Book Blog

I've added the Sydney Morning Herald's Book Blog "Undercover" by Herald writer Susan Wyndham to my feeds at Bloglines

Interview with Chris Chris d'Lacey

Now that Christmas is over I have some time to catch up on news and do some reading. I found this interview with Chris d'Lacey interesting.

New SLA Publication

When I was in the UK earlier this year I purchased the "Riveting Reads' publications at the SLA Conference. They have been extremely useful as selection tools and as resources for our students as they search for the right book. I notice that there is a new title in the series "Riveting Reads Plus". Purchase details can be found on the SLA weblog at http://www.sla.org.uk/blg-new-sla-publication.php

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Judith Viorst's picture book is heading for the big screen.
http://www.writingnews.org/best-selling-childrens-classic-heading-to-big-screen/

Sydney Student has Book Published

14 year old Charlotte Howland, a student at Pymble Ladies College, has had a story written as a school assignment published.

North Shore Times article: http://www.northshoretimes.com.au/article/2006/11/28/2245_news.html

Olga the Brolga

Rod Clememt's Olga is the inspiration for a dance piece staged in Edinburgh.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/75661.html

Costa Awarad

The finalists for the Costa Children's Book Award, formerly The Whitbread, have been revealed. The BBC has the news at http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6190000/newsid_6195400/6195426.stm
plus a place for readers to vote for their selection.

NY Times Selections

10 Best Books of 2006
100 Notable Books
Great ideas for gift-giving or holiday reading.

NZ Online Resource

New Zealand Electronic Text Centre’s free online archive of New Zealand and Pacific Islands texts and heritage materials. http://www.nzetc.org/

NLA Digital Collections

http://www.nla.gov.au/digicoll/

I am impressed by the growth of the National Library's digitised collections. There is digitised sheet music for such icons as The Aeroplane Jelly Song; MP3s that include interviews and oral histories; maps that include Sketch & description of the settlement at Sydney Cove Port Jackson in the County of Cumberland taken by a transported convict on the 16th of April, 1788, which was not quite 3 months after Commodore Phillips's landing there plus books and serials.

2006 Farjeon Award

Wendy Cooling has won the 2006 Eleanor Farjeon Award, given in the U.K. in recognition of an individual’s outstanding contribution to the world of children’s books. Cooling was honoured for a life spent promoting reading and children’s literature and, in particular for her role in setting up Bookstart, a national program which gives books to every child at eight months, 18 months and three years.

The Run-up to Christmas: A Bookseller Survey

Publisher's Weekly (US) survey lists titles that US Booksellers are particularly excited about for festive gifts. Although the bias is clearly North American the list is a useful tool.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6396065.html?nid=2788