You've got us in the palm of your hand!

We've gone mobile! If you use your phone to access the internet, you'll be pleased to know that you're now able to read our blog in a mobile friendly format. You don't need to do anything, our blog will adapt to whatever device you are using, just open your browser and enjoy! Now you can take us with you in your pocket and catch up with all the latest library news anytime, anywhere!

Children's literature prize winners announced

The 2011 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals were awarded last week. Patrick Ness has won the Carnegie Medal for his book, Monsters of Men, which is the finale to the Chaos Walking trilogy. Grahame Baker-Smith is the Greenaway winner for the picture book FArTHER.

These prizes are awarded annually by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and are highly respected in the publishing industry, as well as by us librarians! The Carnegie Medal, awarded to the writer of an outstanding book for children, was established in 1936 in memory of Andrew Carnegie, a wealthy philanthropist who used his fortune to establish over 2800 libraries all over the world. Kate Greenaway was a popular children's illustrator in the nineteenth century. The medal that bears her name was established in 1955 and recognises distinguished illustration in a children's book.

You can find out more about the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals on the website: http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/. You'll also find lists of past winners, many of which are available to borrow from the Teaching Practice collection in Townhill Library. You'll find lots of popular authors amongst the prize winners. Many of these books are classics which are well worth a read or a re-visit, even if you're all grown up! Don't forget, books borrowed during this summer vacation won't need to be returned until the 6th October 2011.

Just a reminder - SMU Libraries are open during the summer vacation!

As it's the last day of term, this is just a little reminder that your SMU Libraries will be open right through the vacation. Please see our website www.smu.ac.uk/library for further information on opening hours - we look forward to seeing you during the summer months!

Telephone system maintenance - disruption on Monday 27th June

Essential maintenance work is going to be carried out on the telephone system at Swansea Metropolitan University on Monday 27th June.

This is going to affect the Dynevor campus, the BBC building and some phone extensions in the Cadogan Building and Alexandra Road for most of the day.

As Dynevor Library will be affected, if you need to ring us please can you alternatively phone either the Owen Library (01792 481 141) or the Townhill Library (01792 482 113). Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Rekindle your love of reading!

This week we have invited a special guest blogger!

Nigel Morgan (pictured above) is a subject librarian at Cardiff University. He will be sharing his thoughts and experiences of the Amazon Kindle e-reader with us (please feel free to add your own comments too!). Here's his first instalment...

Having been surrounded by people obsessed with gadgets on my daily train commute, I'd resisted the temptation of Amazon's Kindle. However, with no space for extra IKEA bookcases to house my growing collection (I'm a sucker for those 3 for 2 offers!) I finally succumbed. And very smart it looks too in its flashy navy and scarlett fabric jacket (a £5.99 budget version of the official protective case). But what a palaver linking it to my wi-fi. With a 26 digit code to enter and lots of fiddling with buttons on my router, I felt drained of energy and enthusiasm before I'd got the thing running. I was hopping mad!

Now that I've chilled, I'm proud to tell you that I've downloaded my first books. Firstly, "Smith" by Leon Garfield (a kiddies book from the 1960s - I'm in a book club and it's this month's choice). Also, "Mr Chartwell" (about a rather nasty talking dog) and "The Crimson Petal and the White" (a ripe 'n racy tale of Victorian vice to get the heart pounding). First impressions: mild irritation. I wasn't aware that when you advance a page, a negative of the new page flashes up briefly like an X-ray burning into your eyeball. Hmm. Not the seamless transition I'd envisaged. Hope I'll get used to it.

My Kindle will be accompanying me on my commute for the first time this week. Very risky, as I've absentmindedly left enough paperbacks on trains over the years to stock a small branch of Waterstones. I don't relish the prospect of losing a £111 piece of kit. Perhaps I should chain it to my belt? My first read will be the riveting "Smith". Was I right to abandon my print paperbacks? Will I look a bit geeky? Will let you know how I get on.

Yale Center for British Art

We now have a link to the new website of the Yale Center for British Art, via the Art & Design websites link from our library webpages www.smu.ac.uk/library.

The Yale Center for British Art is a public art museum and research institute for the study of British art and culture, and houses the largest collection of British art outside the UK!

From the site, you can search across the Center's entire collection of paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, rare books and manuscripts. You are then able to download high-resolution images of objects in the public domain with no restrictions, free of charge.

So take a look, and let us know what you think!

Summer Travels!

It's that time of year again when we're all starting to think about our summer holidays and, given the unpredictability of the great British summer, it's no wonder that we have thoughts of more exotic foreign climes!! If you've already booked your trip, or if you're simply looking for some inspiration, why not pop into the Owen library and take a look at our extensive range of travel guides? Whether you're going for a relaxing beach holiday, a road trip across America, or backpacking your way around Europe we've got all the information you'll need to make your trip a success! Try searching our library catalogue now.

Maybe you'd like to tell us where you're off to on your hols this year...or if you have a fantasy holiday destination you've always dreamed of visiting? Share your favourite/funniest holiday memories with us, we'd love to hear them!

Oh, and in case you were wondering...my favourite holiday destination is Italy (hence the photo of me in Venice!), my dream holiday would be a trip to the Arctic Circle to see the Northern Lights...but this year I'm off to Croatia for a week in September!

Winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction 2011

The winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction 2011 has been announced as Tea Obreht, first time novelist and the youngest author to win the award in its sixteen year history!

Her debut novel, The Tiger's Wife, saw off competition from five other shortlisted writers including Emma Donoghue, with her outstanding novel Room. Obreht's book is set amid the horrors and aftermath of Balkan civil war; Obreht herself was Belgrade-born but is now living in the USA.

We will be purchasing a copy of The Tiger's Wife for the fiction section of our Townhill Library, but in the meantime, if you'd like to get your hands on the novel, Swansea public library service has several copies available - check their online catalogue for details!

Summer Vacation - SMU Libraries Are Open!

All three SMU Libraries will be open right through the summer vacation if you wish to use our services and facilities! Please see the individual Library information on our website for further information on opening hours: www.smu.ac.uk/library

Also, any 'ordinary loan' items now issued or renewed are not due back until 6th October! Weekly loan items issued/renewed from Saturday 18th June will also be due back then, with two-day loan items 'rolling over' from 23rd June, and overnight loans from 24th June! If you have any queries regarding this, please just ask a member of library staff for clarification.

So if you are living in or staying in Swansea over the summer months and want to use our libraries, we are open, and look forward to seeing you!

Trial of IEEE/IET Electronic Library (IEL) and IEEE Xplore® Digital Library

Are you looking for information on technology that is relevant to your studies?

Whatever course you are studying, try searching the IEEE/IET Electronic Library (IEL) and IEEE Xplore Digital Library and let us know what you think! For a trial period from 6th June - 5th July, the resource can be accessed from the A-Z listing of Online Resources at http://www.smu.ac.uk/library (select Databases and then IEEE/IET Electronic Library).

Access has been made available for use both on and off campus during the trial, so take a look - this package may be more than you think it is!

Blog-tastic!

Our blog has received more than 10,000 pageviews since its creation last July!

The top five most popular individual posts to date are:

1. World Book Day 2011 (386)
2. I'm a Celebrity Librarian...Get Me Out of Here! (331)
3. Titanic Anniversary (293)
4. What do you love about your SMU Library? (255)
5. New e-books available (132)

Thank you to all our followers and viewers!

Wales’ new children’s poet laureate announced

Eurig Salisbury is the new Welsh-language Children's Poet Laureate (Bardd Plant Cymru), charged with the task of promoting poetry to the children of Wales. He takes over from Dewi Pws Morris and will hold the title for two years. The announcement was made right here in Swansea at the Urdd Gobaith Cymru National Eisteddfod. Check out the Welsh Books Council website to find out more about our new laureate and his role. Da iawn, Eurig!

Reminder to final year students!

Please remember to return all library items, and clear any library debts before you leave the University.

And wishing you all the very best for your future as SMU graduates, from Library & Learning Resources service!