December 2015

The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute Newsletter

Christmas Library HoursThe library will be closed from midday Thursday 24th of December and will reopen on Monday 4th January 2016.

The beautiful Heritage Room came alive as a Singing Room at 2am on Sunday 22 November with the serenading of choir music led by Stella Savy. The Library has precious and rare collections including 176

books printed before 1800, another 5000 before 1900 and newspapers such as the Ballarat Times of 1856. The setting was indeed a celebration of soft lighting, old tomes and beautiful voices wafting in and out over a period of 40 minutes – a wonderful experience. There were 20 singers and musicians, three BMI people – David Berry, Geraldine Roberts and Phil Roberts – and about 40 participants on the 24-hour experience.

Geraldine Roberts - Member of the BMI Marketing Committee

24 – Hour Experience

Sulari Gentil

Sulari is an Australian author, also known under the pen name of S.D Gentill. She was a corporate lawyer before she began writing. Her series of The Rowland Sinclair Mysteries are set in the 1930’s in Australia.

Spirits of the Ghan Judy Nunn

It is 2001, and as the world charges into the new millennium, a century-old dream is about to be released in the red centre of Australia, the completion of the mighty Ghan Railway.

MYSTERYDepraved Heart Patricia CornwellThe Guilt David BaldacciThe Sixth Lamentation William BrodrickAll Dressed In White Mary Higgins Clark/ Alafair BurkeThe Crossing Michael ConnellyTricky Twenty-Two Janet EvanovichFront Runner Felix Francis Career of Evil Robert GalbraithA Banquet of Consequences Elizabeth George Playing with Fire Tess GerritsenRogue Lawyer John GrishamPretty Is Maggie MitchellCross Justice James PattersonEven Dogs in the Wild Ian RankinDark Corners Ruth RendellObsession in Death J.D.Robb,.The Drowning Lesson Jane ShemiltThe Dying Season Martin Walker

NOVELThe Magic Strings of Franki Presto Mitch AlbomHouse of Thieves Charles Belfoure This House is Haunted John BoyneAccording to Yes Dawn FrenchJam & Roses Mary Gibson Letters of the Past Iona GreyThe Disremembered Man Christina McKennaThe Violinist of Venice Alyssa PalomboThe Song Collector Natasha SolomonsSee Me Nicholas SparksThe Book of Speculation Erika Swyler

ROMANCEThe Marble Collector Cecelia AhernShopaholic to the Rescue Sophie KinsellaStars of Fortune Nora Roberts

AUSTRALIANA Tattooed Heart Deborah ChallinorThe Horse Thief Tea CooperSweet Wattle Creek Kaye DobbieA Time for Renewal Anna Jacobs Napoleon’s Last Island Tom KeneallyRain Music Di MorrisseySpirits of the Ghan Judy NunnAn Empty Coast Tony ParkBeneath A Rising Sun Peter Watt

SCANDINAVIANDead Joker Ann Holt The Man Who Watched Women Hjorth & RosenfeldtMidnight Sun Jo NesboThe Chosen Kristina Ohlsson The Other Son Alexander SoderbergThe Andalucian Friend Alexander SoderbergDark as My Heart Antti TuomainenThe Undesired Yrsa Sigurdardottir

NON FICTIONGreat Australian Outback Police Stories Bill MarshMore Cloak than Dagger Molly J. Sasson As Green As Grass Emma Smith

LITERATUREThe Japanese Lover Isabel Allende

Authorof the month

New Releasesfor December

December 2015 has arrived. Please make a note in your diary for 14th December,

as the Board would like to thank all volunteers and staff - including other interested members and partners - who have contributed to the functioning of the BMI in 2015.Join us with drinks and nibbles on 14th Dec. at 4.30pm in the Humffray room. Please let Rosemary know your attendance for catering purposes.At the last Board meeting all members were given the Handbook and Code of Conduct to sign. This is the first step in the important move toward improved governance at the BMI. Each Committee Chair will be given the document so that when their next Committee meet, all volunteers can complete this necessary state requirement.Associate Professor Don Garden, who is the President of Australia’s and Victoria’s Historical Associations, visited on the 20 November and was most impressed with BMI progress and restoration.On Sunday 22 November at 2am, an experience of song and light in the Heritage Reading Room indeed moved the over 40 persons who attended. A choir serenaded the audience with an enthralling experience. Congratulations to the conveners and BMI certainly hopes that the experience can be repeated.“Springfest” is upon us, and BMI encourages all to attend and support the event.

There is a saying that “the only constant is change”, and the Board, with regret, bids farewell to Ann Cato, who has resigned. Both Ann and Ivan Cato have been an immense force behind the scenes, working with Twilight Talks and many other functions with the Friends of Minerva. Indeed, thanks go to all the many helpers who have assisted Ann. It was Martin Luther King Jr. who said that “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”. The BMI today must build on inspirational ideas with harmony and purpose to face the future.On behalf of the Board, I wish all readers, friends and members a joyous Christmas and may you all welcome the New Year with laughter and exuberance.Complements of the Season to all,

Graham GoodingPresident

News from the President

HOLIDAY READING

Book Sale

Recommended ReadsBeneath A Rising SunPeter Watt

Beneath A Rising Sun is the 10th novel in the Frontier Series.Sergeant Jessica Duffy relishes her work as a code breaker in MacArthur’s headquarters, but is also secretly reporting on the Americans to the Prime Minister. She uncovers treason at the highest level, neither duty nor dishonour will stop her getting justice. From the frontlines of the Pacific to the back lots of Hollywood, a new generation faces deadly missions, impossible choices and an inescapable family legacy.

The Violinist of VeniceAlyssa Palombo

This is a sweeping historical novel of composer & priest Antonio Vivaldi, a secret wealthy mistress, and their passion for music & each other.Like most 18th century Venetians, Adriana d’Amato adores music, except her strict merchant father has forbidden her to cultivate her gift for the violin, but she refuses to let that stop her.From living her dreams she begins sneaking out of her family’s palazzo under the cover of night to take violin lessons.

Bookof the month

From Monday 7th of Decemberuntil Monday 18th of January

Nothing over $5

This month we welcome new members Sarah Lapinski,Peter Barwood, Louise Ford, Gabrielle Driscoll and Graham Hammond

Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute

Established 1859

117 Sturt St Ballarat, Vic 3350

www.ballaratmi.org.auP: (03) 5331 3042e: library@ballaratmi.org.au

Library hours:Mon - Fri: 10am - 4pmSaturday: 9:30am - 12pm

For venue hire enquiriesP: 0419 677 713e: bookings@ballaratmi.org.au

with Amy T

Story BoxI would like to wish everybody a very happy festive season and leave you with some poems and images from my book

Streets & Skies that I published this year as part of a Ballarat International Foto Biennale Exhibition

at the Known World Bookshop.For more or to say hello go to www.amytsilemanis.com.au

FOR HOLLY

And you step up to sing,Not knowing what will comeThrowing off the day’s clutter

Find your way in

And like an Arvo Part choir,Cutting through all you know

Sit on the noteBreathe it free

Between a chord and a rhythm,Come find me

POEM FROM THE MORNING,BEFORE THE MACHINERY BEGINS

The flow of days,From where to where? Fonts to be determined

Online, underlined quotesRinging bells in the vastnessValue the learning, the process

And more teenage poetry recalledFrom the catalogue of memory, from useA risky business of letterbox and print,Finger-loose

idle eyelash wishesthe weight of moons

wood smoke,rain, birds,we cannot start this thing again,

The flow of days,Reins us in,Sets us free

Amen