What's new?

• Topic List 2003 Term 1 update
• Infocus order form
• Suggestion form
• HSC Summit flyer
• Lines on the Ice: Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-1914

Term 1 update

The Term 1 update includes approximately 40 new items. Topics covered by these new resources include:

• SeaChange (Items 2039 - 2041)
• City vs country living (Item 2042)
• Popular Culture: Girl Power (Items 2043 - 2045)
• History in Art, The Conciliation (Items 2046 - 2049)
• Radiance [Film] (Items 2050 - 2052)
• Stolen Generations (Item 2053)
• Rabbit Proof Fence [Film] (Items 2057 - 2060)
• Aboriginal Totemism (Item 2054)
• Identity and Aboriginality (Items 2055, 2056)
• Cultural identity and family relations (Items 2061, 2062)
• Japan and education (Items 2063 - 2065)
• War on Terrorism (Item 2066)
• Family change (Item 2072)
• Australian bush legends (Items 2078, 2079)
• Germany - Historiography (Items 2080, 2081)

2003 HSC Summit

Due to popular demand, we've brought back the HSC Summit! Public libraries, in particular, have sought State Library assistance in better understanding the information needs of HSC students, and reminded us just how useful the HSC Summits were. So, we've scheduled one for 18 March, commencing at 9.15. Join us to explore opportunities, discuss issues and share expertise, with a view to working more effectively with Stage 6 students. The seminar is free for Infocus members, but bookings are essential - contact Niki Kallenberger (nkallenberger@sl.nsw.gov.au).

The Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection

With great pleasure, the State Library has just launched The Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection. A generous gift from the Nelson Meers Foundation is enabling the Library to showcase some of its greatest treasures over the next ten years in an eclectic and changing exhibition.

In 2003, the Collection will feature:

• nine of the First Fleet journals, displayed together for the first time
• Bligh's log and journal from the Bounty voyage, including a detailed description of the mutiny led by Fletcher Christian
• magnificently illuminated medieval Books of Hours
• the exquisite and very rare Chinese punchbowl hand-painted with a scene of Sydney Cover around 1820
• rare books, including the first four folios of Shakespeare's plays dating from 1623
• original letters written by players of the infamous 'bodyline' cricket series
• plus many other manuscripts, photographs, posters and drawings.

The Library's Dixson Galleries have been refurbished to accommodate the Collection. All items have been digitised and can be viewed at www.sl.nsw.gov.au/heritage/

The Heritage Collection will be an exciting resource for teachers and students interested in cultural heritage. Follow the "for students and teachers" link at the above URL to find an education kit for teachers planning a class visit, information about how to book a class visit and details of teacher previews.

Whether you visit it virtually via our website, or in person, you're sure to find the Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection a fascinating destination. Enjoy!

Staff changes

As the saying goes, "the only thing that's constant these days is change". Infocus is no exception, with two recent staff changes. Education Officer Maggie McElhill has accepted a six month secondment to the State Library's Policy and Research Branch. At this stage, we are awaiting confirmation on a replacement for Maggie.

David Barclay, our stalwart administrative assistant who answered tricky financial questions with ease, has joined the team that provides corporate and directional information at the State Library. We already miss his expertise, but wish him well in his new role. Nishi Pandey has joined Infocus in his place. She is rapidly learning the intricacies of Infocus administrative and financial matters and is looking forward to meeting Infocus members. You can contact Nishi by phone on 02 9273 1769 or email her at npandey@sl.nsw.gov.au

Nadyne Eggleton, Education Officer, and Niki Kallenberger, Manager, Education and Training, continue to work with Infocus. Don't forget that we like to meet members, and are often able to do so by coming to your workplace, or hosting a meeting for local or district groups at the State Library - just ask!

Infocus Online developments

Work is now well underway to add an online ordering function to the Infocus website. You'll be able to place the items you want in a shopping cart, and order them when you're ready; we'll then invoice you as usual. Login and password access will ensure you maintain control of your account. It will save you the drudgery of writing out orders and faxing them to us, and will save us time when it comes to processing your orders. At this stage, resources will still be delivered on paper, something many members tell us they like. We will need members to help us trial this new system, and will be calling for volunteers soon. Stay tuned!

Hot Topics

Please note that Hot Topics 1 - 20 are out of date and have been withdrawn from publication. Number 21 is still available, but number 22 has been withdrawn. Titles from number 23 onwards are still available. You may wish amend your Infocus Topic List accordingly.

Lines on the Ice

In this mailout, you'll find a copy of the guide to the State Library's 2002 exhibition, Lines on the Ice: Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-1914. Rather than pulp an oversupply of guides at the conclusion of the exhibition, we are sending one to all Infocus members. We hope you'll find it useful.

Stella Bowen: Love, Art & War

The first retrospective of expatriate Australian artist Stella Bowen (1893-1947) has been assembled by the Australian War Memorial. Bowen worked between the wars in the midst of a bright circle of artistic and literary figures including Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein and Ford Madox Ford. Her work, which includes portraits, interiors, still lifes and landscapes, illustrates a private view of a woman's life - her home, her friends and the places she lived. The exhibition of over seventy paintings and works on paper features a selection of her most significant works and will be on display at the State Library of New South Wales from 18 March - 18 May 2003.

What's On

To keep your finger on the pulse of events, exhibitions and courses at the State Library, bookmark www.sl.nsw.gov.au/whatson/

Infocus contact details

Infocus: linking people and information
State Library of New South Wales
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: 02 9273 1519 Fax: 02 9273 1248
E-mail: infocus@sl.nsw.gov.au