Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

NSW learner drivers will now be able to practice their L plate theory using a new iPhone application.

The RTA NSW Practice Driver Knowledge Test is available through iTunes for anyone wanting to get their licence. Last year, the RTA issued 169,552 learner driver licences, 108,363 P1 licences and 93,535 P2 licences. The new app simulates the theoretical test with 45 questions from a possible 600, it provides the answers and a score – showing learners where they need to improve.

Read more about this and other recent changes to the under 18’s drivers licenses at http://www.premier.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/100505-RTA-phone-app-and-new-licence.pdf

Louise McMorland, Youth Librarian, Manly Library

  “Own Your Space–Keep Yourself and Your Stuff Safe Online”  is a  free Digital Book about on-line safety.      

 Microsoft have published this book by  security expert and author, Linda McCarthy, free online http://www.microsoft.com/protect/resources/book.aspx

This book is designed for anyone who is:

posted by Louise McMorland, Youth Librarian, Manly Library

 

NSW Industrial Relations has a one-stop-shop website designed specifically with young workers in mind. 

 It includes warnings about unpaid work trials as well as practical tips on resolving workplace issues. Go to http://www.youngpeopleatwork.nsw.gov.au/

University is a big decision. At anywhere from $20,000 -$100,000, university is the 3rd largest purchase we make in our life. It influences the future direction of our life. Our occupation, happiness, health and wealth. Currently, the only way for anyone to make such a big decision is to rely on sales pitches at university orientations, education agencies, and word of mouth from friends and family.  

With such limited information it is no surprise that nearly 20% of students drop out of university by the end of their first year. In response to this alarming figure, we contacted tens of thousands of past and present university students to discover their authentic and candid thoughts in relation to their university and course.  Using this research, we have compiled over 30,000 of these constantly updated raw reviews for students and parents to read for free! Uni Australia is the first and only website in Australia that provides student generated rankings of all Australian Universities, based on actual student experiences. We have no university affiliations, and all our rankings and extensive student reviews are raw and honest. 

Check out what students are saying about their university & course at:   http://www.uniaustralia.com.au/

  (from a Youth GAS post)

Louise McMorland, Youth Librarian, Manly Library

The Kokoda Track website has been set up by the Commonwealth Government Dept of Veteran Affairs in conjunction with the staff of the NSW Board of Studies.

Included are details of topography, animated maps and video interviews.  This will be a great source for students studying this topic as part of Australia in World War 2.

The website is at http://kokoda.commemoration.gov.au/

Louise McMorland, Youth Librarian, Manly Library

The State Library of NSW has a rolling program to increase the availability of online content for NSW residents who have State Library readers cards ( http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/using/access/register_card.html ).  The following products are available for personal use access from home via the State Library website. An  Additional seventeen full text and index database covering a wide range of subject areas were made available on our Access to database from home ( http://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/databases/athome.cfm )page recently. They are:

- BiographyResourceCenter

 - Book Review Index Online Plus

 -ScienceResourceCenter

 -Shakespeare Collection

- Applied Science Full Text

- Art Full Text

- Book Review Digest Plus

- Essay and General Literature Index

- Legal Periodicals Full Text

- Library Literature and Information Science Full Text

- Biography Reference Bank

- Education Full Text

- General Science Full Text

- Humanities Full Text

- Readers Guide Full Text

- Short Story Index

- Social Sciences Full Text Other new contents added are retrospective indexes that go back to the time when these indexes were first published.such as:

- Applied Science and Business Periodicals Retrospective

- Art Retrospective

- Book Review Digest Retrospective

- Essay and General Literature Retrospective

- Library Literature & Information Science Retrospective

- Biography Index Retrospective

- Humanities and Social Sciences Index Retrospective

- Readers Guide Retrospective

- Short Story Index Retrospective

Louise McMorland, Manly Library, from an e-list posting from the SLNSW

Mission Australia’s  National Survey of Young Australians 2010  has been launched.  The results of the survey assist with the development of programs and services that meet young people’s needs, as well as being a key resource document for policy makers in the youth space.

The survey is for all young people aged between 11 and 24 years and asks them what is important to them, what their issues of concern are, where they turn to for advice and support and their participation in community activities.

This year the survey has some additional questions, around what young people think should be done about their issues of concern, what they see as the main issues in Australia today, and how optimistic they feel about the future. These questions will help us to develop youth advocacy strategies that are shaped by the voices of young people themselves. 

Last year close to 48,000 young people participated.

The survey can be completed online at http://problemfree.co.uk/rendersurvey.asp?sid=4cajqmab9vb04kp720702 until Friday 2 July 2010.

Louise McMorland, Youth Librarian, Manly Library (from the Mission Australia website)

A new book published in late 2009 is “Stories of Belonging: finding  where your true self lives” and edited by Kali Wendorf.

Kali says….”belonging is an aspect of our true nature.  It is not just a feeling or a sentimental experience.  When true belonging is denied, we suffer a haunting povery of the soul”

This book consists of 15 stories from writers from Australia and around the world.  They each reveal their own search to find where they belong.  Experiences range from riding the rapids of the Grand Canyon, to living in a remote village of Tibet, to being confronted with sadness and loss, to being a member of the Stolen Generation.  Ask for this book at your local public library.

Louise McMorland, Youth Librarian, Manly Library

Is success at school just about your marks? Young Australians are now having their say by joining a huge national campaign called Tell Us: Are you more than your marks?  For the first time, secondary school students are being asked what success at school really means. At http://www.tellus.org.au/#/are-you-more-than-your-marks, students can complete a short survey, and go into the draw to win some awesome prizes, including iPod touches, pocket cameras and Red Balloon vouchers. Students can also get creative and speak up using video, text or photography.
Tell Us is open from now until Friday 30 April. The results will be presented to Government, giving young people the chance to speak up and change the way ‘success’ is measured at school.   If you are aged 13-19, visit http://www.tellus.org.au/#/are-you-more-than-your-marks & take the survey now

Louise McMorland, Youth Librarian, Manly Library

 (from a post by  The Foundation for Young Australians  Melbourne Victoria 3000)

 

  At TROVE you can search in Australian historical newspapers.  As at                 December 2009 the millionth page of Australian newspaper history was made available.   There will be 40 million articles available by 2011.

Digitisation of Australian newspapers started in 2007 and 4.4 million pages were targeted for digitisation over 4 years to be complete and publicly accessible as full text articles by June 2010. 3 million of the identified 4.4 million pages have been scanned from microfilm into digital images so far. Of the 3 million scanned pages 1 million have been converted into full text articles  and are publicly available. The remaining pages will be made available from now through til June 2010.  The 1 million pages publicly available amounts to 10 million articles with coverage dates of 1803 -1954.

Public users of the newspapers can enhance the data by fixing the text on-line.  So far 8.13 million lines of text in 368,390 articles have been “fixed”. 

A key primary source the  Sydney Morning Herald’s first 70 years are now  available from 1831-1901.  Some issues of the Sydney Morning Herald are missing and are being sourced in hard copy from locations  around Australia and will be added asap in 2010. 

TROVE is part of the National Library of Australia’s website

Louise McMorland, Youth Librarian, Manly Library