ASK! about The Librarian 

On 2 August 2008, NLB once again supported people who are disabled by participating in the SDSC’s Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Roadshow, held at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza.

Roy, our librarian, was there to promote books to the public and athletes with disabilities.

“Serving people with disabilities is very meaningful, as we have a chance to bring the joy of reading to them. In doing so, I hope that we can make a positive difference in their lives.” - Roy Won

FAQ: What started the Paralympic Games?
The idea began when Sir Ludwig Guttmann organised games involving British WWII veterans who sustained spinal injuries, in England in 1948. As other countries joined in, an international initiative was born. More athletes of different disabilities also joined in. The first Olympic-style Games for disabled athletes were held in Rome in 1960.

In 1976, the Winter Games started in Sweden. The International Paralympics Committee was formed in 1989. Today, Paralympic Games are held at the same venue and same year as the Olympics, part of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympics Committee’s (IPC) “one bid, one city” initiative.

FAQ: What is NLB doing at the Paralympic Games Roadshow?
Or rather, what business has the library got at any roadshow for that matter. The answer is: education. We are knowledge providers. We cover the whole range of DDC, 000s to 999s, and fiction stories too. Thus, we have practically every topic that’s written in the world. Beyond books, we even have the Digital Library, where you can retrieve current information like research and news. Clearly, information is important, and the library is a rich source of it. What’s more, the library’s free too!

At the SDSC Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Roadshow, a selection of books on athletes with disabilities and the Paralympics were showcased. These books can be generally found at the DDC number 796.08 and 796.01, in the recreation, or Young People general collection of libraries.

Reference:
- “Paralympic Games”, International Paralympic Committee, 2008, 11 Aug. 2008, www.paralympic.org/release/
Main_Sections_Menu/Paralympic_Games/
- “Beijing 2008 Olympic Games: Mount Olympus Meets the Middle Kingdom.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition. 11 Aug. 2008 library.ebonline.com/eb/article-277422

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

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ASK! about Singapore 

Do you feel a sense of loss or nostalgia when you watch children playing? It could be that you lament how ‘traditional’ games have been replaced by technology like computers, or simply feel sadness that children today are not privileged to the simple joys you had long past.

For the youths who are reading this blog, their reactions are probably more of curiosity, a keenness to find out how people in the past could have possibly entertained themselves in the absence of technology like today’s.

Fortunately, information and books have been compiled to preserve the history of games played during early times. Below are some suggested sources:

1. Gateway to Asian Games (Call No.: J SING 790.15095 GAT) 
Inside the book, Gateway to Asian Games, you will find concise information of various games played in Asia, many of which belong to the fond memories of our childhood and parents’ days.  Accompanied by coloured pictures and step-by-step instructions, the book is a user-friendly game guide as well.

The book is packed with surprises as it contains many unknown facts. For instance, you will discover, that a number of games played in Asia, such as Hopscotch, originated in non-Asian countries . It was actually first played in Britain during the early Roman Empire. In Malaysia, it goes under the name ‘ketengteng’ or ‘ting-ting’. Some of the games such as playing swings and kite flying, are followed by a comic strip to explain their origins.

Games you will find inside: Dayam & Paramapadam, Weiqi, Cherki Cards, Paper Dolls, Gasing, Tangram etc.

2. Gateway to Eurasian Culture (Call No.: SING 305.804 GAT)
This book is a collection of the history, culture and lives of Eurasians in Singapore, from the past to the present. Under the chapter ‘Daily Life’, is a mention of Eurasians playing the Peranakan card game Cherki.

Games you will find inside: Cherki, sports like softball, tennis etc

3. Gateway to Malay Culture (Call No.: 305.89928 GAT)
What did the villagers play during the Kampong days? They had no Nintendo or Playstation then, but life in the village was still just as fun. Described in section ‘Home and Attire’, are games like kite flying, chapteh, and congkak.

Games you will find inside: Gasing, kite flying, chapteh etc.

4. National Library’s Infopedia
The Infopedia articles below were compiled base on research from various books and electronic sources:
- Five stones by Bonny Tan (1999)
- Gasing by Zaubidah Mohamed (2004)
- Wayang kulit by Endon Salleh (1999)

Contributed by Ng Cheng Soon, Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

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ASK! about Recreation

Spain won the Euro 2008, after footballer Fernando Torres’ single goal in the final match ended Germany’s dreams of lifting the prestigious Cup. This is their second time winning the Euro Cup, with their previous win in 1964.

Here’s the list of previous winners of the Euro Cup:

1960 - USSR
1964 - Spain
1968 - Italy
1972 - West Germany
1976 - Czechoslovakia
1980 - West Germany
1984 - France
1988 - Netherlands
1992 - Denmark
1996 - Germany
2000 - France
2004 - Greece
2008 - Spain

Source: euro2008.uefa.com - History. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from euro2008.uefa.com Web site: http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/history/index.html

For more information, here are some recommended library books on European soccer:

50 years of the European Cup and Champions League by Keir Radnedge
Publisher: London : Carlton, c2005
Summary: “First published in 2005 to celebrate the golden anniversary of European football’s grandest competition, “50 Years of the European Cup and Champions League” covers every season’s competition with a full report and statistical summary of the Final.”
Call No.: 796.33464094 RAD -[REC]

A season on the brink : Rafael Benítez, Liverpool and the path to European Glory by Guillem Balagué
Publisher: London : Orion, 2006
Call No.: 796.3340942753 BAL -[REC]

Fields of glory, paths of gold : the history of European football by Kevin Connolly and Rab MacWilliam
Publisher: Edinburgh : Mainstream Pub., c2005
Call No.: 796.334094 CON -[REC]

Spirit high and passion pure : a journey through European football by Charlie Connelly
Publisher: Edinburgh ; London : Mainstream, 2000
Summary: “Is modern European football just big business? Or is the game a vehicle for passion, spirit, and national identity? In an attempt to find out, Charlie Connelly embarks upon a European journey in search of the soul of the European game.”
Call No.: 796.334094 CON -[REC]

You can also visit the website, http://www.uefa.com/, for more information about Europe’s soccer scene.

All websites were last accessed on 30 June 2008. Please check the websites’ homepages for the terms and conditions of use. All book summaries were taken from the book descriptions. All images were extracted from www.amazon.com and www.bn.com.

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Posted by Ms Elizabeth Lee
Children’s Librarian
Children’s Services

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ASK! about Recreation

Heard of it? I hadn’t, until I picked up a newsletter during while on Molly’s visit to Salvation Army Gracehaven today.

Like sports such as soccer and basketball, Tchoukball is a team game. The goal post, is a trampoline inclined at an angle on the ground. To score a goal, your ball must hit the net. It is played in a 40m by 20m court, slightly larger than a basketball court. The sport actually had its origins far back in the 1970s, and was invented by Swiss biologist Dr Hermann Brandt who wanted to have a sport where players were less prone to serious injuries.

 A list of centres that offer Tchoukball programmes are available on the Singapore Sports Council’s website, of which the Salvation Army’s Youth Development Centre at Kallang Bahru is listed as one of the centre’s with Tchoukball programmes.

There is, quite amazingly to someone who has heard of this the first time, a International Tchoukball Federation (FITB). The organisation was founded in 1971 and has organised several Tchoukball games worldwide.

In Singapore, the Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS) supports and promotes the game at both national and international level through competitions, workshops, and courses.

Tchoukall is also one of the ball games competitions in the 2009 World Games, which will be held in Kaohsiung. 

The article I had come across is a real life story in Salvation Army’s May issue of their monthly newsletter, ‘Partners In Caring’. It is about a teen called Matthew, who learned about life and its responsiblities after playing the game. If you are interested, Salvation Army’s newsletters can be found on their website here.

Lastly, do you know how to pronounce ‘Tchoukball’? It is actually ’chuke-ball’. Or have you already guess?

Information from:

- “What is Tchoukall?”, Straits Times, 11 April 2008, Newsbank, 10 Jun 08, (Available on NLB eResources)
- “Tchoukball takes off - Two years after its introduction, sport has a growing following in schools” Straits Times, 11 April 2008, Newsbank, 10 Jun 08, (Available on NLB eResources)
- Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS), http://www.tchoukball.org.sg/, 10 Jun  08.
- Ball Sports: Tchoukball, World Games 2009 in Kaohsiung, http://www.worldgames2009.tw/english/index.asp, 10 Jun 08, URL: http://www.worldgames2009.tw/english/Sports/tchoukball.asp

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Kids ASK! about Anything & Everything

Editor Writes: The Rubik’s Cube is seeing a sudden resurgence. I see people playing with it in the train, at the library and it is no surprise to see people keeping one in their bag for entertainment. I have only been able to solve one side – I know there is a formula but a part of me feels that it amounts to cheating. Where is the fun in solving it if you are told exactly how to but then again, that is me and my way of looking at it. There are formulas available online if you are interested.

Erno Rubik was born in Budapest, Hungary. He was an architect, designer and university professor. Erno Rubik invented the Cube in the spring of 1974 in his hometown. He wanted a working model to help explain three-dimensional geometry and ended up creating the world’s best selling toy.

Rubik called his invention the ‘Magic Cube’. It was renamed the Rubik’s Cube by the Ideal Toy Corporation in 1980.

Source:
Rubik’s World. Retrieved May 20, 2008, from Rubik’s Official Online Site Web site: http://www.rubiks.com/World.aspx

If you want to read more about puzzles, here are books that you can check out at our library.

For Children:

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

Mind-stretching math puzzles by Derrick Niederman
Publisher: New York : Sterling, c2005
Call Number: J English 793.7 NIE

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

Sherlock Holmes’ mini-mysteries by Tom Bullimore
Publisher: New York : Sterling Pub. Co., c2005
Call Number: J English 793.73 BUL

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

Brain-tingling mazes: maze madness by Patrick Merrell
Publisher: New York : Sterling Pub. Co., 2005
Call Number: J English 793.73 MER

All websites are last accessed on 20 May 2008. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Originally Answered by Koh Chee Boon,
Librarian, Children’s Services

Posted by Felicia Chan
Librarian, Children’s Services

ASK about Singapore  

Singapore will score some ‘firsts’ in history with the upcoming Formula 1 Race in September 2008. It will be the first street race in Asia and the first night race in F1 history.

FAQs about the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix
- It will be held on 28 September 2008 20:00 hours Singapore time.
- The race track will run along the public roads around the Marina Bay area, passing landmarks like the Esplanade and City Hall.

You can see the route on Google Earth at Earth@sg.

Read more about it here:
- F1 Official Website
- Official Singapore GP Website

Are there books about Formula 1 in the library? Definitely. Books on Grand Prix racing can be found at the number 796.72 in the recreation collection of libraries. There is a book called ‘The complete encyclopedia of Formula One‘ by Bruce Jones (Call No.: 796.7203 JON -[REC]). The popular dummies series also published ‘Formula One racing for dummies‘ by Jonathan Noble and Mark Hughes (Call No.: 796.72 NOB -[REC])

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sginstead of sending a comment.

ASK! about Recreation

According to these related website sources: (last accessed: 26 May07)
“In tennis, a zero is called love, which is a corruption of the French word l’oeuf (an egg, which has a round shape like a zero).”
(Extracted from Source: Spanish Lesson 21
http://www.wvup.edu/Academics/humanities/
Oldaker/spanish_lesson_21.htm)

“Court tennis, an ancestor of most of today’s racket games, originated in 14th century France. Pronounced correctly “l’oeuf”—meaning “egg”—sounds similar to “love.” And the egg, which unquestionably looks like a zero, could have been used to describe a zero written on a scoreboard.”
(Extracted from Source: “The Meaning of Love.” Ask the Editors. Infoplease.
© 2000–2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease.
25 May. 2007 )

0, or nothing, is called ‘love’. It is believed to come from the pronunciation of the French word ‘l’ oeuf’, which sounds like ‘love. The use of ‘l’ouef’, meaning ‘egg’, to denote nothing, is derived from the shape of an egg.
(Extracted from Source: http://atdp.berkeley.edu/2030/dnambiar/tennis.html)

Some related titles in the NLB libraries which might be of interest and which their availability can be checked at http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg:

The tennis handbook : a complete guide to the modern game
By Sue Rich.
Call No: 796.342 RIC -[REC]

101 tips for winning more tennis matches
By Michael Kosta.
Call No: 796.342071 KOS -[REC]

Technical tennis : racquets, strings, balls, courts, spin, and bounce
By Rod Cross, Crawford Lindsey.
Call No: 796.3420153 CRO -[REC]

Answered by Ms Sharon Ong, Librarian (Adult and Young People’s Services)

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ASK! about Pets & Animals

1) How long can a black hen live?
2) How many eggs can she lay in her life time?
3) How long does she take to grow from a chick to an adult egg-laying hen?
4) How long does an egg take to hatch?

1) Most hens, or chickens, live for about seven years. So, on average, a black hen can live for about seven years.

2) “A hen will lay a new egg about every one to one and a half days. Most hens lay about 250 eggs a year, but some lay as many as 320.”

3) It will take about four and a half months to one year for a chick to grow into an adult egg-laying hen.

4) It will take about twenty-one days for an egg to hatch.

Sources: “Chickens” by Hannah Ray, from the QED down on the farm Series, Call No.: J P 636.5 RAY, and “Chickens” by Sharon Dalgleish, from the Farm Animals Series, Call No.: J P 636.5 DAL

Here are some library books on chickens that you and your son might be interested in:

Where do Chicks come from? by Amy E. Sklansky
[New York] : HarperCollins Publishers, c2005
Call No.: JP 636.5 SKL
Click here for item availability.

The hen can’t help it : a first look at the life cycle of a chicken by Sam Godwin
Minneapolis, Minn. : Picture Window Books, 2005
Call No.: JP 636.5 GOD
Click here for item availability.

A chick grows up by Pam Zollman
New York, N.Y. : Children’s Press, c2005
Call No.: JP 636.5 ZOL
Click here for item availability.

Life on a chicken farm by Judy Wolfma
Minneapolis, Minn. : Carolrhoda Books, c2004
Call No.: JP 636.5 WOL
Click here for item availability.

Answered by Elizabeth San Bao Lee, Librarian, Children’s Services

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ASK! about Recreation

Here are some books about long distance cycling and the Tour de France. In general, books about cycling can be found in the Recreation Section, around the Call No.: 796.6. Some of the books listed here are recommended by participants of the Zero Limits 2006 Expedition. For more titles, you could try seaching our online catalogue, using the keywords [cycling and not qjuvenile] for books on cycling (for adults), [tour de france] for books on the Tour and [lance armstrong] for books about or written by Lance Armstrong.

The long distance cyclist’s handbook by Simon Doughty
London : A. & C. Black, 2001
Call No.: 796.6 DOU -[REC]
Click here for item availability.
Book Description: “Packed with useful information The Long Distance Cyclists’ Handbook details all of the preparation and equipment needed to successfully complete a 30-mile charity ride or the 3,000-mile Race Across America. Written for the novice and veteran cyclist alike, it covers all aspects on long-distance cycling.”

The essential touring cyclist : the complete guide for the bicycle traveler by Richard A. Lovett ; photographs by Vera Jagendorf
Camden, Me. ; London : Ragged Mountain Press/McGraw-Hill, c2001
Call No.: 796.64 LOV -[REC]
Click here for item availability.
Book Description: “The classic guide for beginning and intermediate cyclists is back-;and it’s better than ever. With the latest on bikes, gear, and training techniques and new sections on short tours, and touring abroad, this new edition of The Essential Touring Cyclist promises to appeal to a whole new population of aspiring cyclists. Whether you’re heading out for five hours or five months, this vividly designed, heavily illustrated, and resource-rich guide delivers everything you need.”

23 days in July : inside Lance Armstrong’s record-breaking Tour de France victory by John Wilcockson ; photographs by Graham Watson.
London : John Murray, 2004
Call No.: 796.620944 WIL -[REC]
Click here for item availability.
Excerpt from Publishers Weekly review: “The author, whose work has appeared in the New York Times, draws on conversations with Armstrong, his race team and his challengers before, during and after the race for an intimate glimpse of this particular world’s friendships, rivalries and scandals. The resulting portrait of Armstrong, from his recovery from cancer to his exhausting training methods, unmatched physical strength and mental toughness, is that of a newly single dad, with no memories of his own father, and a sporting “legend.” The book’s structure, with its day-by-day account of the Tour, allows readers to appreciate what an arduous undertaking the race is.”

Tour de France for dummies by Phil Liggett, James Raia, Sammarye Lewis ; foreword by Lance Armstrong
Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley Pub., c2005
Call No.: 796.620944 LIG -[REC]
Click here for item availability.
Book Description: “Featuring eight-pages of full-color photos from recent Tour de France races, this easy-to-follow, entertaining guide demystifies the history, strategy, rules, techniques, equipment, and competitors in what is arguably the most grueling and intriguing multiday, multistage sporting event in the world. Cowritten by the most popular English-speaking cycling commentator on the planet, this book is great reading for both experienced and the new bicycle racing fans alike.”

Information regarding the Tour de France:
Official site of the Tour de France
Coverage from Bicycling Magazine

Information about long distance cycling:
Timeoutdoors.com article on nutrition for long distance cycling
The Sideroad article on what to take on a long distance bicycle tour
Bicycle Victoria resource page on Building Endurance

All websites last accessed 25th August, 2006.

Answered by Jillian Lim, Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

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ASK! about Recreation

Weather and weather conditions do affect the catch rate indirectly since catch rate will depend on various factors such as availability of fish, water temperature and pressure and ecosystem of the lake and river. These factors are interdependent on weather conditions. Besides weather conditions, the types of baits and techniques of fishing can also affect the catch rate. Below are some suggested titles on fishing and fishing techniques which might be of interest to you.

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