Good Citations

When completing essays and assignments, are you continually forgetting to record the bibliographic details of books you use? "It had a red cover" may not be much help when you try and find that good one again.  

Perhaps you found a great quote for your essay from an online journal article and have no idea how to use it in your work and provide a correct citation for it.

Is your idea of a bibliography a page of indecipherable Google URLs? Really??? 

Maybe after reading the above you are thinking, "I don't even know what a citation is."

Then perhaps it's time you used an online citation/bibliography generator. There are many out there,  but some of our favourites are EasyBib, BibMe and RefMe.

In our most recent Library Hack session, Ms Mileto showed how to set up a RefMe account and demonstrated some of the features it includes. Click here to see her Prezi!

Choose the best one for you and get organised, keep a record of your research and produce credible work! 

Mrs Klein’s Top Horror Stories

After finishing Horrorstör the other day, Mrs Klein remarked that although she does not prefer the horror genre, she sure is surprised by how many horror stories she has read.

Here is a selection of her favourites:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Victor Frankenstein is a scientist who creates a creature from parts of dead people. After the monster is rejected by Frankenstein, he seeks his revenge. Published in 1818, the story of this lonely and rejected creature still remains one of the saddest stories that I have ever read. 

Dracula by Bram Stoker
First published in 1897, Dracula by Bram Stoker is where the horror story really began. The story of a Vampire with an insatiable thirst for blood - preferably by sucking it from the neck of young ladies.

Vlad : the last confession by C.C. Humphreys
Not really a horror story but is based on what is known about Vlad Tepes (Vlad The Impaler) the 15th century Prince of Wallachia, known as Dracula. After reading this story, I have great sympathy for this man who was betrayed, imprisoned and tortured yet managed to be a great ruler. It is also a great story about the Crusades and gives an insight into the mind of the man who inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Lots of battles.

The enemy by Charlie Higson
This is a world where everyone over the age of fifteen becomes a zombie. In this world without responsible adults, it is up to a group of kids to band together to survive in a lawless London. Lots of exploding corpses and gory scenes!

The prey by Andrew Fukuda
This is a world which has been taken over by creatures who farm humans for their meat. Their desire for human flesh is so strong that the people in these farms need to be kept under a dome during the night to prevent them from being eaten. Gene has lived incognito with these vampire-like creatures all his life but when he reaches puberty, his smell become life-threatening so he must escape. If you want to read something which is truly scary then this is the book for you! The Prey is the first book in “The Hunt” trilogy.

Hunter and collector by S. Carey
Don’t be fooled into thinking that this short story is a book for little kids. When the Alien (Mrs Hunter) chooses William she thinks she has found the perfect prey but everything is not as it seems.

Horrorstor: a novel by Grady Hendrix
If you have ever been lost in Ikea you will know how scary this can be. In Horrorstor, a group of people volunteers to stay overnight in the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio because mysterious things have happened during the night.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Yet another vampire story where the vampires have kept their true identity hidden. When seventeen-year-old Bella goes to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets a boy in her science class who appears to be repelled by her but surprise, surprise, he’s hiding a dark secret. Read it to find out what makes Edward so attractive to girls and why this novel went on spawn the paranormal romance genre. But don’t watch the movie - It’s dreadful!

Mrs Klein

Do you have a favourite horror story that isn't listed here? Share it with us below!

Throwback Thursday

Playing with a giant Jenga-style tower just may be the closest you can get to a workout whilst in the Library. True, it may not be a run around the oval but we guarantee it will raise your heart rate and get your blood pumping. That is if today was anything to go by. If you don't believe me, take a look at this:

This oversized game of gravity has become an instant favourite with students. It was insteresting to watch the techniques used - methods ranged from intense stack-studying and careful block extraction to reckless abandon and noisy bravado. 

On Throwback Thursdays one corner of our Library becomes a device free zone, so when the stacking action got too much for some, chess, checkers, dominoes and the classic Connect 4 were ready to go. 

It's kind of refreshing not staring down at a screen and actually having some "old-school" fun with your friends. Over on Instagram there may even be some evidence of our Class of '15 taking some time out from studying for their H.S.C. exams. Although someone may have to remind them how to set up a Connect 4 grid!

So why not visit us on a Throwback Thursday and get your "daily exercise" in the Library?

Long Live the Bookface!

If you are familiar with the Library’s Instagram account, you have probably noticed a weekly phenomenon – the Bookface. Every Friday a photo appears of one or two Trinity students, their faces fully or partially obscured, strategically lined up alongside a book cover featuring the matching part of the face. That is really all there is to it!

Except that, as is the way when it comes to social media, it is by no means all there is to it. The photos have become more complex; torsos, arms, legs and even whole bodies are now included. The aim is to make it all merge seamlessly and create an instant piece of art. The worldwide trend to add #bookfacefriday to these photos is allowing libraries everywhere to show their fun side online, and it has become insanely popular.

Our #bookfacefriday posts are our most popular on Instagram, sharing the stage with many other Bookface images from libraries and readers around the world. The weekly planning and execution of the Bookface photo has been embraced by our students. They seem to capture the imagination and reflect the sense of curiosity that we hope all boys experience here in the Library. So if you do not follow us on Instagram, please do and tap into the wonderful world of the Bookface!

tgslibrary on Instagram

Six Word Stories

The author Ernest Hemingway was challenged to write a short story in six words – with a beginning, middle and an end – and he produced “For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.” It may not be fact, but it sure is a great anecdote!

True or not, the challenge of brevity lives on in Say It In Six, a hugely popular online project started by Smith Magazine as a way to celebrate the joy of storytelling and personal narrative.

The Library staff liked the idea of this mission so much that we tried it on our windows way back this time last year. And it's that time again, we are asking you  for “A novel in six words”. Go to the comments below and try it!

Library Cards Rule!

On his SearchReSearch blog, Google’s research scientist Daniel Russell has this to say about doing great research. “One of the more powerful research tools you can have is a library card… this is worth repeating: A library card is instant access to a world of resources. Both offline AND online.”  What a wonderful endorsement for libraries everywhere!

One of our many goals here in the Library is to help students perform great research. Librarians are available to personally assist students. Our collection is tailored to the curriculum. Students have access to a selection of subscription databases. The Library pages are accessible through all Canvas courses. But sometimes it may be necessary for students to go further afield for their research needs. This is especially the case for students undertaking their HSC and IB Diploma. That’s why we encourage students and members of staff to visit and join other libraries - to gain “instant access to a world of resources”. A good one to start with is our own state library. Membership of the State Library of NSW is free and you can sign up for a card online. Once you receive your card by post, you have free web access to the library’s eresources - local & international newspapers, ebooks, full-text journals, magazines, and online databases.

Let’s not forget the “offline” component of Daniel Russell’s quote. Studies have shown that the availability of online resources and networks has not diminished demand for “offline” channels of advice and information. Meeting with teachers and librarians in the shared space of the library, asking questions and exchanging ideas continues to be valued by the 21^st century learner.

Google Like A Boss!

Today brought the much-anticipated inaugural session of Library Hacks – a series of twenty-minute talks by members of Library staff in which ideas are shared, knowledge is passed on and tricks of the trade are revealed. There will be a different presenter and new topic each week in the Seminar Area.

Today, Ms Gaspari shared these Google tips and tricks to make your searching not only more productive but more fun too! Take a look at her presentation here! 

And don't forget to...