Staff faves Online...August 2023

Published on 28 July 2023

This month we mix it up by sharing some of the staffs favourite online apps or reads. With the pending closure of Harry Bailey Memorial Library it’s a good time to jump online and check out the online collections.

From Storybox for young kids, Beamafilm for some great viewing, to apps such as Mango for learning a new language there is something for everyone.

Rhy recommends Storybox

I love watching Storybox Library with my granddaughter. I’ve created a playlist with some my favourite Australian actors, authors and comedians including Emma Watkins, Noni Hazelhurst and Jimmy Rees. Some of our favourite stories are Wombat Stew, Not Cute & Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas. It’s easy to use and lots of fun!

Check out Storybox and download the app

Donna recommends Mango

I used Mango to learn some basic German phrases before travelling to Germany. It really helped to break down some barriers when meeting some friends face to face for the first time. They were amused at my attempts particularly as they are all so fluent in English’.

Mango is an online language-learning system that teaches actual conversation skills for 72+ different languages (and still growing), as well as ESL courses tailored to native speakers of 14 different languages.

Download the Mango app

Jann and Kate recommend Bolinda – Borrowbox

Jann recently read e-book ‘The Accident’ by Katie McMahon – The story is well written and is told from the perspective of three women, whose lives are intertwined through friends, partners, ex-partners and children. It’s a psychological drama with enough surprises, twists and turns to keep you guessing right to the end.

Reserve The Accident

Kate uses eAudiobooks travelling to work. Borrowbox and Libby are my favourites because they are so easy to use and have a great range of non-fiction audiobooks which is my listening preference. I am currently listening to Stan Grant’s ‘Australia Day’, which is pertinent to the current discussions around the Voice to Parliament. Would highly recommend it for anyone who likes to or wants to read more non- fiction but is short on time!

Reserve Australia Day

Libby

Donna loved eAudiobook ‘Kickback’ by Garry Disher – Book 1 in the Wyatt thriller series. The series follows professional thief Wyatt. As usual, Garry Disher writes well developed gritty books with engaging characters and it’s an interesting twist looking at crimes from the inside. Fans of Lee Child should enjoy this series.

Reserve Kickback

Beamafilm

For people interested in movie streaming, a very unusual documentary Donna recommends is The Wolfpack which follows the lives of six brothers who grow up confined to a New York apartment by their dominating father. To pass time the brothers enact scenes from their favourite films until one day a brother finds his way outside…

Download the Beamafilm app