Newcastle Libraries REAL

Welcome to our second series of our popular podcast CHATS with fabulous children’s authors and illustrators. This week local illustrator Jenni Goodman shares with us the process behind creating a board book series from the Australian Classic, 'Storm Boy'. Jenni also reveals how she came to draw medical illustrations and what her next publication is all about.  This episode features...

It’s Book Week! Wondering what all the fuss is about? Go behind the scenes with our Book Week experts, Jo Cashin from Newcastle Libraries and Karen Eastwood from Storyspot to find out why Book Week is so important for children, schools, libraries and the Australian Book Industry. You’ll also have a sneak peek at the famous Newcastle Libraries Book Week play, viewed ...

In this Know your Rights series 3 - Anti-Poverty week , our host Dan Cox, Broadcast Journalist with the ABC based in Newcastle Australia, will be speaking with three eminent Australians regarding Poverty in Australia, and what actions we can take to reduce poverty in our society and communities. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Elder Laurie Perry will provide some insights regarding how&nbsp...

In this Know your Rights series 3 - Anti-Poverty week , our host Dan Cox, Broadcast Journalist with the ABC based in Newcastle Australia, will be speaking with three eminent Australians regarding Poverty in Australia, and what actions we can take to reduce poverty in our society and communities. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Elder Laurie Perry will provide some insights regarding how&nbsp...

In this Know your Rights series 3 - Anti-Poverty week , our host Dan Cox, Broadcast Journalist with the ABC based in Newcastle Australia, will be speaking with three eminent Australians regarding Poverty in Australia, and what actions we can take to reduce poverty in our society and communities. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Elder Laurie Perry will provide some insights regarding how&nbsp...

For our final episode we go full circle and head right back to SDG 1. Poverty alleviation is at the core of all action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Join us as we talk with Asha McNeil about her work volunteering with the Newcastle Poverty Action Alliance . Asha’s inspirational story demonstrates how young people can get involved and make a difference...

Most of this series has looked at ways that people can make change from the ground up. In this episode we look at how organisations like the United Nations are working to deliver programs and build partnerships to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Join us as we talk with Dr Temitope Egbelakin, director of CIFAL Newcastle about how her organisation is building partnerships a...

Environmental issues like climate change can seem huge & out of our reach, but there is an increasing groundswell of passionate young people stepping up to meet the challenges head on. Join us this week as we catch up with a Jo from the Hunter Community Environment Centre and Alexa from School Strike for Climate and hear how these inspiring young people have found purpose and community in...

What are the ways that businesses can help address environmental and social issues? How can we earn a living as well as benefiting others? Social entrepreneurship is a hot topic right now and for good reason. In this episode we talk to Melissa McCabe, founder of CoreEthics, a country-spanning organisation working to bring about a sustainability revolution in in Indonesia&r...

We live in an age of increasing online connection, but at the same time we are seeing ever-growing social isolation. Join us this week as we chat to Jamie from the Youth Frontiers mentoring program and Byron from Headspace Newcastle . They explore the importance of talking about mental health & wellbeing, how building real-world social connections can have a massive positive impact, and h...

What are the Sustainable Development Goals? In this series we take an in depth look at how young change makers are challenging the status quo to create a better future today.  Join us to learn about the impact of the Sustainable Development Goals and how they’re being put into action in Newcastle, Australia. We explore the ways local people and organisations are working toward...

Learn about your rights as a tenant and how to get help on renting problems. Join this helpful conversation with Nicole Grgas: Manager, Hunter Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy Service (HTAAS) Cath Mahony Peer Worker at Community Disability Alliance Hunter, and host Duhita Lewis, Community Legal Education Co-ordinator, Hunter Community Legal Centre to learn more. This is a Newcastle Libraries REA...

The Know Your Rights Series 2 is presented by Newcastle Libraries REAL, the Hunter Community Legal Centre and Community Disability Alliance Hunter. These podcasts aim to support people with disabilities and the broader community. Australian and New South Wales law is discussed. Know your rights: Legal Health Check Learn more about this tool to assist people with disability and their supporter...

The Know Your Rights Series 2 is presented by Newcastle Libraries REAL, the Hunter Community Legal Centre and Community Disability Alliance Hunter. These podcasts aim to support people with disabilities and the broader community. Australian and New South Wales law is discussed. Know your rights: Neighbourhood disputes and AVOs. Learn more about neighbourhood disputes and  where you can g...

Tea Cooper is an award-winning Australian author of historical fiction. Tea lives and works in the Hunter and has a passion for storytelling. She is the author of several novels, including The Horse Thief, The Cedar Cutter, The Currency Lass, The Naturalist's Daughter, The Woman in the Green Dress and The Girl in the Painting.  Her next book The Cartographers Secret is a mesmerising historica...

Join Hunter based author Barry Maitland as he talks about his journey into his life as a crime writer. Barry moved to Newcastle in 1984 to take up a position of the head of architecture at the University of Newcastle. The 1989 Newcastle earthquake became the catalyst for his book The Marx Sisters the first book in Brock and Kolla Series. The second book in the Belltree Trilogy, Ash Island is set i...

Meet local author and academic Dr Elsa Licumba as she shares her personal story of her journey from Mozambique to Australia.  Elsa’s emotional memoir explores the blending of African and Australian cultures. It is a journey driven by questions about identity and belonging. Elsa’s message is clear. Belonging is not just about place but what is in our hearts that gives us the freedo...

Mayfield author Susan Francis talks about her debut memoir The Love That Remains. Susan’s extraordinary story is about, love, lies, and loss.  Susan devoted 20 years of her life searching for her biological parents. She decided to sell everything she owned and go on an adventure of a lifetime. Susan moved to Spain with the love of her life Wayne but suddenly Wayne died unexpectedly, lea...

Newcastle author and playwright Grahame Cooper isn't one to follow the crowd.  Graham’s trademark humour and wit deal with everyday life and issues such as relationships, social justice, mental health and popular culture.  Graham has written for theatre, radio and television since the late 1980's. His numerous plays have all been described as funny, poignant and thoughtful. They ha...

Dr Wendy James is the author of eight books including The Lost Girls and Out of the Silence, which won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime fiction and was shortlisted for the Nita May Dobbie Award for women's writing.  The Lost Girls which is set in Newcastle has been chosen to be adapted into a Hollywood film. Wendy has lived in Cooks Hill for ten years with her husband and two of their...

It is your right to feel safe in your own home so get to know more about recognising early signs of problems in your family relationships and seeking legal assistance Join this helpful conversation with Cath Mahony Peer Worker at Community Disability Alliance Hunter, Julia Adamski Generalist Solicitor at Hunter Community Legal Centre, and Duhita Lewis,Coordinator of Community Legal Education at Hu...

It is your right to feel safe from fraudsters at your doorstep and online. Know more about how to recognise a fraud and report it. We catch up on an informative conversation with Cath Mahony Peer Worker at Community Disability Alliance Hunter, Toobah Choudari Generalist Solicitor at Hunter Community Legal Centre, and Duhita Lewis,Coordinator of Community Legal Education at  Hunter Community L...

It is your right to feel safe and healthy with your support workers during times of COVID-19 and beyond. Become more aware of your rights and responsibilities and how to assert your rights. Join in an enlightening conversation with Cath Mahony Peer Worker at Community Disability Alliance Hunter, Michael Giles Senior Generalist Solicitor at Hunter Community Legal Centre, and Duhita LewisCoordinator...

In this, the inaugural Treasures from the Rare Book Room podcast, Kerrie Shaw our resident Digitisation Specialist is joined by Dr Anne Llewellyn and Vera Deacon to explore Australian Lepidoptera and their transformations drawn from the life and the Scott family who created this natural history work. Australian lepidoptera and their transformations drawn from the life, written by Alexand...

We ask those in the know. Why is Newcastle such a hub of children’s book authors and illustrators? Can you offer any advice to kids who love writing and drawing and want to take their passion further? Do you prefer dogs or cats? Shining a spotlight on local children’s authors, illustrators and events, Newcastle Libraries asks the big questions to inspire your family on their reading jo...