NZ Sign Language Week

April 30th – 6th May 2012 is New Zealand Sign Language Week – I am Deaf, let’s talk.

In 2006 the New Zealand Sign Language Act came into effect, making NZSL an official language in Aotearoa, along with English and Maori.

Sign Language Week is a celebration, promoting the use of signing, and raising awareness of the issues faced by the deaf community. Deaf Aotearoa has an excellent website which provides access to resources for learning NZSL. Attend a free class, or watch a video in the “learn at” series.

CPIT Library has several resources including A Concise Dictionary of New Zealand Sign Language.

 

 

 

 

There is also an Online Dictionary of New Zealand Sign Language , and the Deaf Studies Research Unit at Victoria University provides useful information and links.

Learn to sign, and join the community of 24,000 New Zealanders who communicate using New Zealand Sign Language.

ANZAC Day – Wednesday 25th April 2012

Christchurch’s ANZAC Day dawn ceremony will be held in Cranmer Square, and will begin at 6.15am. Traditionally this service has been held in Cathedral Square.

The Returned and Services’ Association  hold the annual service to commemorate New Zealanders killed in war and honours all returned service personnel. It is the anniversary of the landing of Allied Forces at Gallipoli in 1915 during World War I. It became an official holiday in 1921.

The RSA has recently undergone a bit of a make-over. An article in Saturday’s  Press highlighted some of the new ideas aimed at increasing membership, and attracting support from a younger generation. The focus is on community, and the ANZAC spirit of  “compassion, camaraderie, courage, and commitment”

Find out more about ANZAC Day – the history and the traditions 

CPIT Library will be closed on Wednesday 25th April – open again on Thursday 26th at 8am.

Finding databases and online resources

Just looking to search your favourite database? Looking for an e-book or online journal?

Use the Library Subject Guides

From the Library home-page  click on

 All Databases and online Encyclopedias and Dictionaries are listed under the General heading

 

The individual Subject Guides also provide access to databases, and resources specific to your subject area and on the left hand side of each page there is also a link back to the list of all Databases.

The Guides are designed to help you quickly and effectively find the information and resources most  relevant to your study. Please let us know what you think, or if you have any suggestions for resources we could include. Leave us a comment, or email library@cpit.ac.nz

Word Tip

Want an easy way to add your name, student number, page numbers to your document? If so try this:

Double click at the top of the document and this will open the header/footer space and the Header & Footer Tools tab in the ribbon. 

On the right in the Position Group is the Insert Alignment Tab.

Click on this and then tick the position you want to enter the information required, it is best to work from left to right in the header or footer or you will find it will put entries on multiple lines.

If you want to add page numbers go to Page Number in the Header & Footer group on the left and from the drop down box choose Current Position and select the number style.

That sinking feeling

image:wikipedia

 It is one hundred years ago this month, on the 15th April, that the Titanic sank in the Atlantic after hitting an iceberg. It is one of the most famous stories of our time, but if you only know the Leonardo De Caprio and Kate Winslett version…even if is was in 3D…you might want to check out more of the facts behind this dramatic and tragic event.

CPIT Library has a collection of resources – factual, fictional, and even a musical!

There is a website dedicated to Titanic stories, and I recently watched a very good National Geographic documentary on a commemorative re-build of part of the hull of the Titanic, which will form part of the Titanic Belfast  visitor attraction.

Closer to home it was 44 years ago on Tuesday (10th April) that the Wahine Ferry sank in Wellington harbour with the loss of 51 lives.

Wahine Ferry sinking in Wellington Harbour 10th April 1968(image courtesy of nzhistory.net.nz)

 Searching the Library’s online databases brings up a list of newspaper articles about the disaster
and the stories of the survivors.

 While Wikipedia and other websites provide facts, figures and images of the fateful day.

Take a look…..

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/wahine-disaster

http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/kids/nzdisasters/wahine.asp

http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/nzbc-classics—wahine-disaster-1968

Easter egg hunt – with a difference

Easter is upon us and the hot cross buns are flying off the shelves.  If the thought of chocolate easter eggs leaves you cold, you may be interested in an easter egg hunt of a different kind – virtual easter eggs.

These are little messages or extra features hidden in computer programs, videos, games or even appliances.

Here are a few to get you started. Open Firefox and type any of the following in the address bar:

about:mozilla
about:robots
about:kitchensink

If about:kitchensink doesn’t work in your version of Firefox, type about:kitchensink into the Google search box and click on the first link. Turn that tap!!!

Here’s a cool little easter egg brought to you by Fisher & Paykel.

 

For more hidden treasures,  check out the Easter Egg archives.

AND REMEMBER, the library will be closed from Friday 6 April until Tuesday 10 April.

Happy Easter!!