ASK!

[Editor: Have you ever had the itch to want to go back a chapter and rewrite it because the ending of the book was not satisfying? What about staying in your seat until the last movie credits appear only because you were recovering from the disappointment of the movie’s last scene and wished the ending was different?

I experienced that last week when I watched the movie 'X-Men Origins:Wolverine'. The itch of wanting to change the ending was so strong especially how growing up, Gambit has always been my favourite X-men in the comics and cartoon series. For those who are planning to watch the film, I shall not spoil it for you. All I can say is the movie could have ended better!

This is why I love books from the 'Choose Your Own Adventure series'. You are less likely to feel let down by the ending because as the reader, you are given choices and can decide on the course of the story by turning to different pages. The series is interactive and written in a way that makes the reader play the role of the story’s main character. There are many possible endings and side stories. Some books have more than 100 alternatives.]

Here are some titles from the Choose Your Own Adventure series available in our libraries.
With so many endings to discover, the books are hard to put down and can occupy you for a long time.

Image source: //news.cnet.com/crave/?keyword=adventure

The abominable snowman By R.A. Montgomery
Call Number: J MON

Book Description:
Beware and Warning! This book is different from other books.
You and YOU ALONE are in charge of what happens in this story.
There are dangers, choices, adventures, and consequences. YOU must use all of your numerous talents and much of your enormous intelligence. The wrong decision could end in disaster – even death. But, don’t despair. At any time, YOU can go back and make another choice, alter the path of your story, and change its result.
You and your best friend Carlos have traveled to Nepal in search of the fabled Yeti or abominable snowman. Last year while the two of you were mountain climbing in South America, a guide told you about the legendary creature and you haven’t stopped thinking about the Yeti since. Carlos arrived and went straight into the mountains when a Yeti sighting was reported. He hasn’t been heard from in three days. A late monsoon storm has moved in and the mountains are almost impassable. You know Carlos will depend on you to do the right thing. But what is it?

Image source: www.amazon.co.jp/Cup-Death-Choose-Your-Adventure/dp/1933390646

Cup of death By Shannon Gilligan
Call Number: J GIL

Book Description:
You are looking at another long, cold day of New Year’s vacation, when your good friend Kenichi calls to report the theft of a rare tea bowl from a famous tea ceremony school in Kyoto. You leap at the chance to hone your detective skills and help Kenichi’s brother. But several confrontations later, you realize you may be in over your head – as in glug, glug, glug…
Good luck!

Caravan By R.A. Montgomery
Call Number: JS MON

Book Description:
Have you ever read a book that’s about you? This book is!
You live in Tibet with your family. Once a year, your father travels with a caravan of people, ponies, camels, and dogs to far-away India. The caravan brings yak wool from Tibet and beautiful silks from China to India, where they are traded for spices and tea. Your father’s helper can’t join him this year – are you brave enough to take his place? The caravan crosses a dangerous mountain range, and travels through places very different from your home.
Do you join forces with another caravan?
Will you try to sneak past bandits in the night?
Can you trust an old man dressed like a monk?
YOU choose what happens next! Good luck…

All websites are last accessed on 28 May 2009. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
All images and book descriptions are extracted from http://www.amazon.com unless otherwise stated
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Answered by Ms Farah Adilla Bte Abdullah
Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

For the faithful follower of NLB’s annual Read! Singapore, the time has arrived. For this year’s Read! Singapore 2009, the chosen theme “Dreams and Choices” seeks to encourage Singaporeans to stay focused on their goals during these challenging times.

“From 22 May to 31 August this year, Singaporeans can look forward to a host of exciting reading activities at various locations islandwide. For the first time, READ! Singapore will hold a Singapore record-setting event with a 144-hour Reading Marathon. Participants will form teams of not more than 12 members to read the selected READ! Singapore literary works or other stories of their choice for a continuous period of six hours per team. After completing six hours, each team will pass the baton to the next team to continue the reading marathon. The event will run from 3 to 9 July at The Plaza, National Library Building.”

So what are you waiting for… Let’s start reading now Singapore!!

If you have any enquiries or comments, please drop us an email at ask@nlb.gov.sg and we will reply within 3 working days.

Posted by Mr Justin Tan
Librarian
Adult & Young People’s Services

ASK! about Singapore

Yes, you can. Below is a list of some websites where you can find information about laws and legal practices in Singapore:

Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore
The duty of the Attorney-General is to provide the Singapore Government with legal advice. This website contains historical information on the function of the legal advisor since our establishment as a Straits Settlement during Raffles’ time, and a timeline of the various AGs that had served Singapore. Especially useful for general interest is its ‘Useful Links’. There are links to international legal resources as well, so you can check out the laws in other nations.

Singapore Statutes Online
A statute is a law made by a legislature, written down in a formal document. This is a transparent documentation of our laws, but the legal expressions could daunt a layman. Misinterpretation could also result if you do not fully comprehend the sentences. Hence, consult a professional if you are attempting to decipher the maze of information here.

The Singapore E-Gazette
A gazette is a written document to broadcast changes in the law or government offices, sort of like how newspapers carry latest stories to us.

Singapore Academy of Law
You will find authoritative commentaries made about the law in Singapore by the academy, and read news of latest happenings relevant to our legal system. Apart from news, there are also updates from other government offices such as CPF. These updates are fed from the Singapore Law Watch.

The Subordinate Courts of Singapore
The Subordinate Courts of Singapore consists of the Criminal Justice Division, Civil Justice Division, Family Court of Singapore and the Juvenile Court of Singapore. The FAQ is user-friendly for the laymen, and the glossary is particularly interesting as it is a translation of the common legal terms from English to Chinese and Malay. The resources are also divided into those aimed at the public or lawyers.  As far as possible, the website tries to simplify the court processes for the public. Perhaps due to the law being an inherently complicated topic though, do not expect straight-forward answers here. Overall, the website is well-structured with much information.

Syariah Court Of Singapore
The Syariah Court of Singapore oversees the application of the Muslim law in relevant cases. The website also explains the Islamic view family matters like divorce.

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Associate Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

It is said that being an entrepreneur is different from being a businessman or businesswoman.  Both are in the business (pardon the pun here) of making money right?  Yes but the differences lie in the way of doing the business.  We called someone an entrepreneur when he initiates, conceptualize and materialize a business process which is entirely unique  ( Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Difference-Between-an-Entrepreneur-and-Business-Man&id=1592570).  In other words, he or she comes out with a refreshing idea or ideas to do business in a revolutionary way.

A businessman or businesswoman on the other hand, starts the business on existing platforms initiated by previous entrepreneurs.  In short, an entrepreneur is a leader while a business is a follower. 

So you want to know how to do business as an entrepreneur?  Let some of these books available in the libraries guide and inspire you to be one (no guarantee you will be one after reading them):

So you want to be an entrepreneur?
By Jon Gillespie-Brown
Publisher: Chichester : Capstone, 2008
Call no.: 338.04 GIL -[BIZ]

Awakening the entrepreneur within: how ordinary people can create extraordinary companies.
By Michael Gerber
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Collins, c2008
Call no.: 658.11 GER -[BIZ]

1,000 dollars and an idea : entrepreneur to billionaire.
By Sam Wyly
Publisher: New York : Newmarket Press, c2008
Call no.: 338.04092 WYL -[BIZ]

To check the availability of the titles, please visit our online catalogue at: 

http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/

  Posted by:  Mr Kweh Soon Huat
Librarian, Adults and Young People’s Services

EBSCOHost Kids Search combines all three features in its search engine & has a colourful & friendly layout that makes doing research fun! There are many topics to choose from and it can be used to help you with your schoolwork or gather information about the subjects of your interest.

There are lots of exciting features on EBSCOHost Kids Search & one of my favourites would be the Folder feature. I can add my search results, images or links to a personal Folder which makes gathering information easier. As a visual learner, I also appreciate how there are many pictures and cartoon images to look at on this search engine. Besides articles, I can also search for videos as well as photos, maps & flags to store or print.

Find out what else you can do on EBSCOHost Kids Search by clicking on the user guide link below:
microsoft-powerpoint-ebscohost-kids-search.pdf

Please feel free to download it, but do note that the materials and their copyrights belong to NLB, and the downloads are for personal use only. Drop us an email at ask@nlb.gov.sg for further enquiries on the Guide.

Don’t forget to visit NLB eResources webpage to access other eDatabases as well as eBooks, eJournals, eNewspapers and eMagazines.

Posted by Ms Sharifah
Associate Librarian, Children’s Services

Ever wondered why most Malay or Indian brides in Singapore have their hands and feet decorated with henna before their wedding day?

Is there any significance behind it?

The application of henna as temporary form of skin decoration is known as mehndi. They are widely used in countries like Egypt, Morocco and India during special occasions like weddings, engagements and other festivals like Divali.

It was found that the use of henna dates back to the days of Pharaoh when they decorated the bodies before mummification to please the gods and guarantee a pleasant trip after death.
Try to imagine Egyptian mummies with finely decorated hands and feet in the pyramids.
Amazing right?

The traditional use of henna on brides is a celebrated affair, especially in Hindu culture.
The ritual is considered so sacred that unless the mother-in-law has applied the first dot of henna to the bride’s hand, the painting cannot go ahead. The stain gets darker with time as the henna is left on the skin for hours and many brides believe that a deeply coloured design is a sign of good luck.

Anyway, can it be nothing but a superstitious belief?
A way to escape from household chores during the last remaining hours of singlehood perhaps?

Whatever the reason, the art of henna has now been adopted by other parts of the world and used primarily for its aesthetic value. Thanks to Madonna and other pop icons who used henna during their performances, henna is no longer restricted to brides or special ocassions.

(Source: http://mehendiworld.com/mehendi-wedding-customs.htm
Last accessed on 18 May 2009)

You may wish to check out the following books for more information:

Everything you need to know about mehndi, temporary tattoos, and other temporary body art
Stefanie Iris Weiss
Y STU 391.6 WEI

The art of Mehndi
Sumita Batra
English 391.6 BAT -[CUS]

Mehndi : the timeless art of henna painting
Loretta Roome
391.6 ROO -[CUS]

To check the availabilities and locations, please use our online catalogue at http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/

Posted by Rosjihanah Mon
Associate Librarian, Children’s Services

ASK! about eResources

Are you looking for more information to complete your school projects? Instead of scratching your head and wondering where to start, why don’t you access “The New Book of Knowledge”? It is an encyclopedia with articles and pictures on many topics. Refer to this user guide and discover how easy it is to access “The New Book of Knowledge”:

new-book-of-knowledge.pdf 

Please feel free to download it, but do note that the materials and their copyrights belong to NLB, and the downloads are for personal use only. Drop us an email at ask@nlb.gov.sg for further enquiries on the Guide.

Please also visit NLB eResources webpage to access other eDatabases as well as eBooks, eJournals, eNewspapers and eMagazines.

Posted by Adeline Tan
Librarian
Children’s Services

Below are some website recommendations that propose different theories and explanations: 

There are various reasons but the three major hypotheses related to our failure to recall dreams which have been investigated by dream scientists are: repression, salience and interference.”
Source: Why is Dream Forgetting Common?

http://www.sawka.com/spiritwatch/whyis.htm

Different theories of the function of dreams is presented here: The author has the view that we forget our dreams simply because they are not important to us.

http://psych.ucsc.edu/dreams/Library/purpose.html

‘Unless we are woken up during REM sleep and asked to specifically remember our dreams, we normally tend to forget our dreams, especially the earlier REM dreams. Those that spontaneously remember dreams in the mornings only remember the most recent ones…  Dreams are normally illogical, chaotic and unmemorable, and therefore not startling enough to be retained. A frightening nightmare is a different story altogether, because we are woken up by the nightmare at that moment…’

http://www.kktanhp.com/Dream.htm

Reading suggestions:
Sleep and dreaming / Marvin Rosen.
Y English 612.821 ROS

101 things you need to know – and some you don’t! / designed and illustrated by Richard Horne ; written by Tracey Turner and Richard Horne.
English 032.02 TUR

The secret language of dreams : a visual key to dreams and their meanings / David Fontana ; with paintings by Peter Malone.
English 154.634 FON

To check the availabilities and locations of the above titles, you may use our online catalog.

All websites last accessed on 7 May 09.

Answered by Ms Farah Adilla Bte Abdullah, Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment

ASK! about  Anything and Everything

Bible in the hotel 
According to the website, The Straight Dope (which answers imponderables and interesting facts of life), this practice originated from the International Bible Society, publisher of bibles. They started placing bibles in hotel rooms in 1823. Another group linked to this is the Gideons International, a Christian organisation. Their agents left behind bibles on reception desks during their work to spread their religion.

On the history page of the International Bible Society here, the society states that they began placing bibles in hotels in 1836.

At the same time, Gideons International’s role was highlighted in following news articles:
- Times Educational Supplement ran a series of questions in 2009 which contained “Which organisation is most famous for placing copies of the Bible in hotel rooms and hospitals?” The answer was the Gideons International.
- Associated Press Newswires also ran an article dated 2009, titled “Gideons celebrate 100 years of Bible distribution” which credited the organisation to the widespread availability of bibles in hotels which started since 1908. Both articles can be found on Factiva, available via NLB eResources.

Gideons International is also mentioned in Columbia Enclyclopaedia 2008, which stated that ”its program of placing Bibles in hotel rooms for use by commercial travelers and others has made the organization internationally known.” Enclyclopaedia Brittanica also confirmed this in the article about Gideons International, whose famous act was placing bibles in hotels since 1908. You can access this via CREDO Reference and Encyclopaedia Britannica on NLB eResources.

Hence, from these sources, it appears that Gideons International is famous for placing bibles in hotel rooms since 1908, though the practice dates further back to 1836, beginning with the International Bible Society.

Other books in the hotel
Today, as the world embraces a greater diversity of religions, some hotels carry the texts of other religions as well. A few news articles between 1995 and 1996 mentioned this. One of them was the N.Y. Times News Service’s article, Gideon Bibles Now Share Hotel Rooms With Other Texts in 1996.

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Associate Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Hey Kids! Reading has never been made so fun and cool with TumbleBooks Library!

Tumblebooks Library is an online treasure trove of e-books for kids!

Not only can you select books to read online, you can hear the books being read aloud as well! You control what you want to read and how you want your book to be read.

TumbleBooks Library has a wide range of audio books, ranging from popular picture books like “The Paperbag Princess” and “Bugs! Bugs! Bugs” to well loved tales like “Pinnochio” and “House at Pooh Corner”.

Of course for the advanced readers, there is a variety of audio and e-books for you as well! To make it easier for you to access your favourite books, you can add what you like to read on a customized playlist.

TumbleBooks Library also comes with online games, quizzes and a tool for you to create interesting and beautiful books reports for school!

Now, with all these amazing add-ons, reading will never be a chore again! All you need to do is go to NLB’s e-resources http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/index.aspx and look for Tumblebook Library. There, how you want to utilize this fantastic e-resource is left to your imagination.

Here’s a guide on how to use Tumblebook Library!
microsoft-powerpoint-how-to-use-tumblebooks.pdf

Posted by
Chen Wanying
Children’s Librarian