Bookmark: Junior College Library
Bookmark: Junior College Library
Bookmark: Junior College Library
ISSUE
11
Feb/March
2017
Junior College Library
BOOKMark
Editorial In this issue …
When students are faced with a research
question, the first thing they do is turn to Ex-Libris (part 1) ……………………………………………… 1
Google and let the internet do it’s magic. Library News ……………………………………………… 2
The internet is a powerful tool, students Ex-Libris (cont.) ………..……………………………………. 3
and researchers alike need to harness its Library Events Calendar ……………………………………………… 4
JC Calendar of Events ………………………………………..……. 5
power to find just the right information
Reading Challenge 2017 …….……………………………………….. 6
they are looking for. Most of the time they
The Museum Fototeka ……………………………………………… 7
are successful but what happens when Did you Know? /Research Tip ……………………………………………… 8
they hit a brick wall? Even though the Getting to Know ……………………………………………… 9
internet provides a vast array of infor- Librarian’s Choice ……………………………………………… 10
mation, sometimes the researcher must
use alternative sources of information.
New books in the Fiction Section New Non-Fiction and Scholarly Works
Il-Kulur tal-Lellux Good Omens Jesus CEO The Par cle Zoo : The search for
Rita Saliba Neil Gaiman & Laurie Beth Jones
Terry Pratchett the fundamental nature of reality
Gavin Hesketh
Bookplates were not only produced in Europe. In India, Shah Jahan of the Mughal dynasty had bookplates commis-
sioned in 1645, whilst the earliest American bookplate belonged to John Williams in 1679.
The earliest bookplates usually had heraldic designs, which could have included the
family motto. This was an easy way for people to recognise the owner, especially
those who could not read. Later on, the designs started to reflect more the profession
or personality of the owner. So, if the owner was a doctor, the design would have a
medical theme, or if the owner happened to enjoy gardening, the design of the book
plates would include floral motifs. Sometimes, they even included a short poem,
warning users to return the book to its rightful owner.
For the artists creating the bookplates, these are quite a challenge because they had
to work in an area of not more than 13x13cm. Surprisingly many famous artists such as
Durer, Picasso and Dali produced bookplate designs. Additionally, personalities such
as Dickens, Mussolini, Queen Elizabeth II, Albert Einstein etc… have used bookplates
in their collections.
Between 1890 and 1940 bookplate collecting was very popular, however with the advent of TV and different pastimes,
the number of collectors has dwindled. This does not mean that bookplates are lost forever. In fact there are over 40
associations of bookplate collectors such as the Bookplate Society of England and the German Deutsche Ex-Libris
Gelleschaft. Many publish their own publications such as the Turkish Istanbul Ex-Libris society who has its own journal
titled Ex-Librist.
Some artists produce bookplates which are for collection purposes only. Collectors value these for their aesthetic
qualities. Apart from the aesthetics, collectors might specialise in certain themes such as animals, flowers, famous
personalities, a certain designers etc…
With the current revival of everything vintage, bookplates have once again become popular with certain groups of
enthusiasts, and a new generation of artists are creating new and wonderful designs. Let us hope, that bookplates will
be around for many years to come.
References:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=118202&partId=1&searchText=Amenhotep+III&page=6
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2009/11/extraordinary-world-of-ex-libris-art.html
http://www.fisae.org/whatareex.html
http://exhibits.library.yale.edu/exhibits/show/exlibris/intro
http://exlibrist.net/index.php/exlibrist/index
everyone!
things woman!
• Biographies
• Fiction
Jc events calendar
Dates: 6th to the 9th February 2017 Dates: 27th and 28th February 2017 Dates: 27th and 28th March 2017
Venue: JC Foyer and other places Venue: TBC Venue: TBC
Organised by: Sports and Leisure Organised: Youth Work Office Organised: Youth Work Office
Department and the Youth Work
Office
During this week we will be raising During these two days we will be During these two days there should
awareness on Physical, Mental and meeting different persons involved be stands and talks on what is Fair
Social Health and how these can in the entrepreneurial world who Trade and what one can do to make
effect each other. There will be will be sharing their experience. We a difference, even here in Malta.
different activities such as talks, will also be having a session to get
sport sessions and interactive to know who an entrepreneur is and
sessions which the students and what skills one needs to be an
staff can participate in. A full entrepreneur.
calendar of events will be published
soon.
For more informa on, please contact Students Advisory Services representa ve Mr. Roberto Calleja
Or
visit their Facebook Page: h,ps://www.facebook.com/uom.studentsadvisoryservices/
For more informa on, please contact Ms. Boryana Chaneva at the Euro-Centre Office
New Year… New Goals! Challenge yourself and try out this reading challenge for
2017! Not sure where to begin? Check out the Library’s Fiction Section where we’re
Photographs open windows into the past. They are not only important memories of what was, but are also very important primary
documents. Photography was introduced at a very early stage in Malta. It was March 1840 when Horace Vernet demonstrated to
the Governor at the time, Sir Henry Bouverie, how a ‘drawing’1 was taken. This ‘drawing’ was what we nowadays know as a photo-
graph. The photographic technique at the time was known as a Daguerreotype, which had been invented only a few months be-
fore in France. This documents what we believe, as the first photograph taken on the island and we know it represented the statue
of Manoel de Vilhena which was, at the time, situated in the centre of the courtyard of Fort Manoel on Manoel Island2
In 2008 a project started whereby the extensive collection of historic 19th century photographic material housed in Heritage Malta’s
National Museum of Archaeology, were gathered in one storage facility, the ‘Fototeka’. Apart from a large collection of printed
photographs in the Photographic archive, there are also a significant number of negatives, both on glass and film. Even though
these negatives were found in this particular museum, Archaeology is not the only subject matter. In fact, the subjects are
extremely varied and include: paintings, architecture, archaeology, social life, war damage, feasts, important visits, ships that
entered the harbour, etc. These photographs have already managed to shed light on past excavations, important historical visits
and events for which one had no proper documentation.
Unfortunately not all the photographs are signed and therefore we don’t know who all the photographers who took these
photographs were. However, the majority of the photographs in the collection were taken by Edward Alfred Gouder. Fortunately,
most of the photographs he took are stamped with his name. He also numbered and catalogued his photographs, and thanks to
this, by comparison we can also identify the photographs he did not mark with his name, as his. Records show that Edward Alfred
Gouder was employed by the government between 1892 and 1936 to take photographs which included: National and Maritime
events; Archaeological sites and artefacts; Paintings and other works of art; Tapestries; Churches and other buildings; Construction
and demolition works.
Another person who took a number of photographs, which are now stored in the Fototeka, was Sir Temi Zammit. He took quite a
number of photographs as a way of documenting excavations during his time as director of The Museum, between 1903 and 1935.
He also used some of these photographs as illustrations in his notebooks. It is interesting to note that there are a number of copies
of some of these photographs at the University of Malta which are in the form of lantern slides3. These were used by Zammit to
illustrate lectures he gave at the university.
A conservation project is currently underway and this involves the cleaning, digitising, cataloguing and storing of this photographic
material in order to preserve them for future generations.
E.A. Gouder - Eucharistic Congress, Valletta (1913) Sir T. Zammit - Tarxien Temples excavations (1915)
1
Henry Edward Fane, Five Years in India, Volume II, London, 1842, pp. 305.
2
Unfortunately the present location of this photograph is unknown.
3
The Lantern slide is the predecessor of the slide.
Acknowledgments: Ms. Sharon Sultana – Senior Curator of the National Museum of Archaeology
Bibliography
Cardona, David; Galea, Lindsay; Sultana, Sharon, 2016, ‘Through Lens and Pen’: Caring for Our Heritage: Conference proceedings, Heritage Malta: Malta
Fane, Henry Edward, 1842, Five Years in India, Volume 2, Henry Colburn, Great Marlborough street: London.
Harker, Margaret, 1992, Photographers of Malta: 1840 – 1990, Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti: Malta.
Ms. Lindsay Galea is a book, paper and photograph conservator-restorer at Heritage Malta
Did you know?
Origins of the Trench Coat
What is now considered as a fashion staple, started off as a very utilitarian
garment used for … you guessed it, in the trenches of WW1.
In 1879, Burberry created a new textile called gabardine which was a tightly
woven cloth that was light, water repellent and kept the wearer warm.
Previous water repellent materials were coated in wax or rubber which made
them quite stiff and uncomfortable for the wearer. The trench coat’s design
originated from the Tielocken coat, designed by Thomas Burberry for officers to
use during the Boer War, in 1895. Before the Tielocken coat, officers wore a
heavy woolen greatcoat which was not suitable for the African climate.
Another important aspect of the Trench Coat is it’s colour. Previously military
uniforms were made out of colourful fabrics so that soldiers would be able to
distinguish who was friend or foe. However, with modern warfare, colourful
uniforms made soldiers easy targets for their enemies. ‘Khaki’ is the Indian word for dust, and it was the perfect colour for
British soldiers to camouflage themselves in the African environment. This was welcomed by the British soldiers as a practical
solution, however French soldiers still insisted on wearing red trousers because they felt it was dishonourable to fight in
camouflage.
Despite it’s popularity amongst the ranks, the Trench Coat was not a regulation garment and therefore only those who could
afforded had one. Companies such as Burberry and Acquascutum went into mass production, in turn this produced cheaper
garments which could be bought by lesser ranking officers.
During WW1 the Trench Coat was also marketed for the civilian man and woman. After the war, the Trench coat was a
symbol of heroism. The popularity of the Trench Coat continued to increase with some help from Hollywood. Many gangster
movies portrayed characters wearing these coats. After WW2 they were associated with actors such as Humphrey Bogart and
continued being used on in movies by the likes of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
References:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-29033055
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/10/20/man-guide-trench-coat/
Research Tip
Neil Gaiman is a British author currently residing in the United States. He was born in Hampshire in the UK. He is
mostly known for his short fiction, novels., graphic novels and comics, but he has also worked in theatre and film.
His most notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American
Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. For his work he has won prestigious awards such as the Bram Stocker
award and also Newbery and Carnegie medals.
Able to read by the age of four, Gaiman was a prolific reader throughout his childhood. His favourite books
included Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings , C.S. Lewis’ Narnia Chronicles. Other favourites included Alice’s Adventures
in Wonderland and Batman comics.
In his early years, Gaiman pursued journalism . He worked extensively for the British Fantasy Society both as a
writer and a reviewer. “Featherquest” was his first professional short story which was published in Imagine
Magazine in May 1984. His first book was a Duran Duran biography which was a great success.
After reading Alan Moore’s comic Swamp Thing, Gaiman became immersed in the world of comics and graphic
novels. In January 1989, Gaiman published his first graphic novel for DC comics, which ended up into The
Sandman series. This series is about Dream, a mythical personification of imaginative powers, also known as
Morpheus . A total of 75 issues and spin-off characters such as Death (Dream’s big sister) were produced with the
series officially ending in 1996.
In 1990, Gaiman collaborated with Terry Pratchett to write Good Omens. Neverwhere was released in 1996 as a
novel in tandem with the TV BBC series. 1999 saw the release of Stardust in both novel and illustrated editions. In
2001, further success was gained with American Gods. In this novel, Old World deities ended up transplanted into
the landscape of the United States, where new gods such as Celebrity, Fame and Drugs are considered Kings.
Gaiman also wrote a book for children, titled The Graveyard Book. Based on Kipling’s Jungle Book , the plot
involves an orphaned toddler, aptly named Nobody ‘Bod’ Owens, who is raised by ghosts residing in a cemetery
where he happened to wander. Bod is a normal boy who happens to be educated by ghosts who are always
warning him not to leave the cemetery. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Gaiman’s latest novel, published in
2013. It involves a man who returned home for a funeral and starts to remember events which started forty years
earlier.
Neil Gaiman is also a great supporter of Libraries. He credits librarians as the
people who helped foster his imagination and his love for reading. He
regularly speaks against the closure of libraries due to financial constraints
stating that “Libraries really are the gates to the future. So it is unfortunate
that, round the world, we observe local authorities seizing the opportunity to
close libraries as an easy way to save money, without realising that they are
stealing from the future to pay for today. They are closing the gates that
should be open.”
Interested in reading Gaiman’s work? Check out the JC Library’s Fiction section!
References:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-
reading-daydreaming
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Gaiman
https://literature.britishcouncil.org/writer/neil-gaiman
Librarians’ Choice
Recommended readings from our bookshelves
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
Chinese Cinderella is an autobiography for children based on the bestselling Falling Leaves by Adeline
Yen Mah. Jung-ling's family considers her bad luck because her mother died giving birth to her. They
discriminate against her and make her feel unwanted yet she yearns and con4nuously strives for her
parents' love. Her stepmother is vindic4ve and cruel and her father dismissive. Jung-ling grows up to be
an academic child, with a natural ability for wri4ng. Only her aunt and grandfather offer her any love
and kindness. The story is of survival in the light of the mental and physical cruelty of her stepmother
and the disloyalty of her siblings. Jung-ling blossoms in spite of everything and the story ends as her fa-
Trafficked : The Terrifying True Story of a Bri sh Girl Forced into the Sex Trade by
Sophie Hayes
He'd been her friend for years. He said he loved her. Then she realised she didn't know him at all...When
everything seemed to be falling apart in Sophie's life, she was thankful for her friend Kas, who was al-
ways at the end of a phone, ready to listen and to offer comfort and advice. Her father's cold dislike of
her and then her parents' divorce had le6 her with a deep distrust of men. But, gradually, Kas made her
believe there was at least one man who truly cared about her. But she was wrong. At first when Sophie
went to stay for a few days with Kas in Italy, he was kind and caring, as he'd always been. But three days
a6er she arrived, everything changed. His eyes were cold as he described the things he expected her to
do 'for love'. But soon Sophie's bewilderment turned to fear as he punched and shouted at her and
threatened to kill her adored younger brothers if she didn't do exactly as she was told...to sell her body
on the streets to pay off Kas's debts. Terrified of Kas, the police and the men whose pleasures she was
forced to sa4sfy, Sophie worked seven nights a week for the next six months on the dark and lonely
streets of a town in northern Italy. Subjected regularly to Kas's verbal, mental and physical abuse, she
knew she would never escape. And then, one day, a6er she'd been admi9ed to hospital with stomach
pains - and knowing that Kas would kill her if he found out - she dared to phone her mother. But who
would reach her first?