TumbleBookCloud does not include a television

So I may or may not be in trouble with the spirit of Roald Dahl. You see he is quoted as saying:

So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall.

So the questions is would he have been as upset with computer screens – even if they are there to convey the content of a book?  Maybe if I had shown him TumbleBookCloud he would have been forgiving? TumbleBookCloud is aimed at young adults but may also be of help to ESOL students. It contains:

•  E-books: the classics such as Macbeth and modern publications such as Victorio’s War;
• Read-alongs: full-length professional narration and highlighted text so you can follow such titles as The Great Gatsby or Battle of the Bands;
• Graphic novels: If you like comics then witness the exploits of  Excalibur: The Legend of King Arthur in all its glory;
• Audiobooks: Hear George Orwell’s 1984 or the award-winning Born Confused ;
• Videos: see a Muhammad Ali biography, explore the Mystery Of The Crop Circles or find out what Snail Zombies are!

This resource can be found through the catalogue and at the Source. It can be used at home as long as you have your library card number and PIN, or in any community library.

If you seek the same sort of resource but for a younger audience try TumbleBooks.

 

Christchurch on screen: DIY digital video

Everyone’s a shooter these days, trying out their camera’s movie functions with the extraordinary scenes that confront us in Christchurch.

For those people with iMovie, there’s a new book online from Safari Tech Books Online – one of the many free resources that your library card gives you access to – which gives you a step-by-step guide to the new version of this popular piece of software.

There are also a couple of dozen good titles on digital video editing, so there’s bound to be one to suit you.

And what do you do with your masterpiece when you’re finished? If it’s earthquake related, donate it to the library, or upload it to the Canterbury Earthquake Kete.

What we document today will be fascinating in the future, as these 1980s titles from NZ on Screen show:

• Beatnik by The Clean, filmed at the Victorian Coffee Gallery
• McPhail and Gadsby – best of series five
• On the Mat from 1980, filmed at Canterbury Court Stadium
• Victoria – video by the Dance Exponents
• Hello Sailor perform Blue Lady in 1978 at Christchurch’s Civic Theatre.

Have you had a go at DIY digital video? Which are the best Christchurch videos you’ve seen lately?

 

Christchurch: words can not explain

Sometimes silence says it all. Which is why, I suspect, Civil Defence added no commentary to this video. It is brilliantly shot, and quite moving.

Source: Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM) and licensed by MCDEM for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.

Watch it, share it, and write us a comment if you feel inclined.