Chalkboard quote:
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”

- Martin Luther King Jr

LIBRARY SERVICES

CONTACT US

Give us a call on 9083 8777 Monday to Friday, from 9 am - 5 pm or send us an email at ASK US anytime with your library queries. We will endeavour to respond to your email questions within 48 hours.

You can also download our Waverley Library app and access all of our library e-resources from Beamafilm to Borrowbox. Need a hand? Contact us and we can set up a tech help appointment with you.

KIDS PROGRAMS ONLINE

Waverley Library are stepping back in time this week and celebrating History Week with a range of online activities to keep your children occupied, engaged and creative. Discover Dinosaurs with our Under 5s story and craft time where we will be exploring the land of dinosaurs and making our own prehistoric fossils. For after school fun join the team as we travel back to Ancient Rome and learn about this exciting world, we will be brushing up on our roman numerals and creating craft. If your child is more artistically inclined then come along to our afternoon celebrating the works of Frida Kahlo where they can join in the fun of creating their own Frida Kahlo inspired portrait. Book online at Eventbrite.

ADULT PROGRAMS

LEARN: ACCESSING MAGAZINES ONLINE
Tuesday 7 September, 10 – 11 am via Zoom

Explore how to use our Overdrive platform and the Libby app and deliver your favourite magazines right to your smartphone, tablet or PC. You'll be amazed at the hundreds of titles available at your fingertips ranging from wellbeing, fashion, parenting and culture to foreign magazines. Book online at Eventbrite.

LIVING WITH LESS WORKSHOP ONLINE
Thursday 16 September, 12 - 1:15 pm via Zoom

Need help with reducing the clutter in your life? Want to reduce your housework? Craving some breathing space? Join Susanne Thiebe for great tips on how to declutter and organise your belongings! Book online at Eventbrite.

HISTORY WEEK

PROGRAMS

BARRACLUFFS OSTRICH FARM
Thursday 9 September, 11 am - 12 pm via Zoom

Join our Waverley Local Studies Librarian who will share how Waverley once had its very own Ostrich Farm at Dover Heights, and hear how Joseph Barracluff, a previous Mayor of Waverley built it from the ground up. Book online at Eventbrite.

MATT MURPHY PRESENTS RUM A DISTILLED HISTORY OF COLONIAL AUSTRALIA
Wednesday 15 September, 6:30 - 7:30 pm via Zoom

Matt Murphy, author, part time historian and teacher, will take us through his account of the formation of Australia through the distorted view of a rum bottle. This event is supported by the NSW Public Libraries Association. Book online at Eventbrite.

ERESOURCES

HISTORY EMAGAZINES

The Waverley Library emagazine collection has everything you need to immerse yourself in the past and satisfy your historical curiosity. With magazines like Ancient History Magazine, All About History and History Revealed the Waverley Library emagazine collection can help you uncover something new about the past.

LOCAL HISTORY DIGITAL RESOURCES

The Local History collection has a variety of digital services available that you can access to assist you in researching the history of Waverley. Accessible via the library homepage under the Local History tab, they are a great place to start learning about your local area.

Images of Waverley - Browse through this collection of photographic gems from Waverley’s past, a great resource for everyone from primary school projects to a university thesis. High resolution images are available by request.

ANCESTRY.COM IS AVAILABLE FROM HOME!

Now is the perfect time to start working on that genealogy research you have always wanted to do. Log in to access more than 1.5 billion names in over 4,000 databases. Included are records from the Australian convict index, Australian electoral rolls, United Kingdom census records, United States census and military records and so much more!

ONLINE HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Whether you need information for that school assignment, or just have a personal interest, we have you covered with free access to some excellent databases. Gale in Context: Biography database will help you discover the world's most influential people by searching narrative biographies, news, magazine, and multimedia content. Gale in Context: World History will uncover information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in world history from a variety of sources.

LOCAL STUDIES

HISTORY WEEK: FROM THE GROUND UP AT FLAGSTAFF FARM

It's hard to imagine that beneath the oval and courts on Waverley Park was once the largest and longest running market garden in Waverley. Founded in 1844, Flagstaff Farm was owned by T.D. Edwards, with land being available for lease to keen gardeners and growers. The north-east corner was home to 'the cabbage patch', a fruit and vegetable garden worked by local Chinese families in the 1860s-1870s. Despite Waverley's appetite for fresh local produce, there was a war brewing between Council, the market gardeners and the local cricket club. You can read more about the market gardens here.

HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH

MULTICULTURAL COOKING CLASS
Fridays fortnightly 11 am - 12 noon, next session 10 September via Zoom

Welcome to this culinary extravaganza - a fun, informal, hands-on cooking class. Each class will be dedicated to one of the world's cuisines. Together in our next class we will be baking Lekach, a honey-sweetened cake made for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Book online at Eventbrite.

MAKE HUMMUS NOT WAR

Could a regional love of hummus be the recipe for peace in the Middle East? One of the oldest-known prepared foods in human history, hummus is claimed by multiple Middle Eastern nationalities. With Israel, Lebanon and Palestine fighting once again - over who 'owns' the hummus heritage - Trevor Graham set off on a personal journey into a colourful culinary history. Click here to watch.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

THE BICYCLE THIEF

A masterpiece of Italian filmmaking and foundation stone of the neorealist film movement, Vittorio De Sica's film is a harrowing portrait of loss and depravation in post-war Rome. A working-class man's bicycle is stolen. He and his son set out to find it. Click here to watch.