Our twenty-fifth treasure is an unpublished manuscript from an important north Queensland literary and political figure. From the Library Archives comes Life on a Barrier Reef Island or Island Interlude by Jean Devanny.

Liz Downes answers the question "why is this significant?"

Jean Devanny’s unpublished manuscript, Life on a Barrier Reef island, was written in the 1950s. Newly arrived in Townsville, which was to become her final home, Jean spent several months in 1950 and 1951 living on Magnetic Island, confessing she was first attracted to the place by the presence of its windmills! It was an odd interest but once she had settled into her free and easy guesthouse at Alma Bay, made a friend of the landlady (and her dog) and become acquainted with her neighbours, she found there was so much more to explore, discover and celebrate—by day and night—than windmills.

What leaps off the neatly-typed pages is her exuberant delight at everything and everybody she encounters. Entrance…

This week is National Reconciliation Week and the theme is “In this together”. The National Reconciliation Week website lists 20 ways to be in this together.
On our Indigenous Studies Guide we share some links to some media outlets that focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander news and current events, tv, music, film and other items of interest. Some of them are produced, operated or controlled by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations or staff. Exposing ourselves to new content and ideas can also help us to be “in this together”.
We love the idea of the virtual book club. We have a few of these titles available in our library, including Archie Roach’s book “Tell me why: the story of my life and my music”.
Here is Archie Roach singing “We won’t cry” with Uncle Jack Charles.

Our twenty-fourth treasures exemplifies the meeting of art, architecture and the imagination, showcasing the ability to turn the mundane into the fantastical. From the James Cook University Art Collection comes S'labicated Monument 1 and S'labicated Monument 2 by Bob Preston

Jonathan McBurnie answers the question "why is this significant?"

Robert Preston’s 2010 drawings, S’labicated Monument 1 and S’labicated Monument 2, remain confident and lively drawings made partially on site at James Cook University, but it is the complex registers of meaning that the artist applied to the site that make the works compelling. Were they simply rendered in situ from the then-recent additions to the campus, these works would still stand as expertly rendered observational drawings. However, in many ways, these two drawings sum up— deliberately and otherwise— the complex emotions orbiting what was then the new School of Creative Arts for JCU.

The act of making these drawings imbues th…

Library & Information Week is an annual event which recognises the vital contribution which libraries make to research and education, not the least of which is supporting people who may otherwise be disadvantaged by their lack of access to information and services.

The theme this year is ‘Create’ and it is particularly relevant to the situation in which we have all found ourselves.

We have had to create new ways of delivering services to our library users, new ways of connecting with colleagues and new ways of sharing information. We have had to support students, researchers and staff as they create their own ‘new normal’, given the necessary constraints on movement and activities. Read more about how JCU's library services have adapted to the challenges presented by COVID-19.

In Townsville, our Artist in Residence Rob Douma has been busy creating stunning artwork for the forthcoming Mabo Library Art Exhibition. Prior to starting his work, Rob wrote:
I look forward to interact…