Media releases

The State Library of Queensland is offering hope for anyone who feels like they're falling down the rabbit hole whenever they jump online.

Looking @2.0 is a free, online course presented by the State Library in partnership with public libraries throughout the state.

The course is designed to help people navigate the world of online technologies, keep up with the online activities of their children, stay safe online and utilise some of the many positive aspects Web 2.0 has to offer.

With some great prizes up for grabs to Queensland residents, including iPads, a digital camera, and an iPod touch, people are invited to go online and learn a bit about Web 2.0.

State Librarian Lea Giles-Peters has announced the opening of Queensland’s 21st
Indigenous Knowledge Centre in the central Queensland aboriginal community of
Woorabinda.

Ms Giles-Peters said the Woorabinda Knowledge Centre was an exciting initiative that
would provide a community hub for sharing information, knowledge and cultural heritage.

Arts Minister Rachel Nolan today gave a sneak preview of the highlights for the 2011 Ideas Festival, which will invite Australia's leading minds to grapple with the themes of well-being, food futures and sustainability.

"The 2011 Ideas Festival, taking place from 19-22 May, at the State Library brings together Queenslanders to brainstorm on issues that impact our daily lives," Ms Nolan said.

Donated to the State Library on Friday (18 Feb), the notes for Premier Anna Bligh’s famous We are Queenslanders speech show that she spoke from the heart.Executive Manager, Queensland Memory Louise Denoon said Premier Bligh’s handwritten dot points revealed a compassionate and strong leader grappling with tragedy and disaster.

State Library of Queensland reopens its doors with a whole weekend of activities remembering the state’s recent devastating floods.

State Librarian Lea Giles-Peters said two days of stimulating talks, events, displays and family activities will shine a light on the 2011 floods.

The State Library of Queensland gets into the spirit of The Antiques Road Show with free military memorabilia appraisals this Sunday 20 February from 1pm.

If you have any military medals, badges, photos, letters or other personal wartime treasures, bring them in and Australian War Memorial curators will offer advice on the significance of the items, and tips on care and preservation.

As communities start to recover from the floods, the State Library of Queensland is helping children to bring joy and routine back into their lives.

The State Library has been working in public libraries to deliver a free program of music, storytelling and creative play in suburbs across Brisbane.

The State Library is calling for residents to help record the events of the 2011 floods and Cyclone Yasi for future generations.

Members of the public can help by contributing their images, videos, links to tweets, blog entries or websites they found useful during the crises, as well as other related ephemera, such as flyers distributed at the evacuation centres, posters and placards.

State Library of Queensland experts are reminding cyclone-affected Queenslanders not to throw out their precious memories as they begin to put their lives back together.

The State Library’s fact sheet - Salvaging Water Damaged Collections - offers simple, home based solutions for preserving books, documents, photographs, films, tapes, and digital media.

Public libraries are playing a vital part in keeping flood affected Queenslanders connected to the outside world.

As the clean up and recovery process gets underway, public libraries are offering valuable services for those displaced from their homes, or without access to power.