What's new
Latest news and information for library staff.
December
Monthly and Yearly Website lists
The list for December, containing 20 records, and a list for 2008, containing 918 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
SCIS upgrade
A routine upgrade will take place over the weekend of 13-14 December 2008. SCISWeb will be unavailable for short periods of time while the upgrade is in progress.
Cover images in SCISWeb orders table
A new SCISWeb feature is the inclusion of cover images, where available, in the orders table. Images are licensed for use only in the school library OPAC. Link to more information.
Access over Holidays
SCIS products will be available during the holiday period and Customer Support will be available until Wednesday 24th December and resume Monday 5th January 2009.
Register now - March 2009 PD to start your school year with success!
Assessment for Learning professional development workshops with Toni Glasson & Robyn Adams
Friday 20 March 09 - Adelaide
Friday 27 March 09 - Melbourne
Friday 3 April 09 - Sydney
Smart Thinking: Developing skills in reflection and metacognition with Dr Jeni Wilson & Lesley Wing Jan
Friday 13th March - Melbourne
Contact: the sales team on (03) 9207 9600 or sales@curriculum.edu.au or www.curriculumpress.edu.au
November
Monthly Website lists
The list for November, containing 64 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
2008 Inky Awards
The 2008 Inky Awards, from the SLV Centre for Youth Literature, for authors of young adult fiction in which young readers can participate, have been announced:
Jenny Downham won the Silver Inky for her book, Before I Die
James Roy won the Golden Inky for his book of short stories, Town.
Congratulations to the winners and more information available from: http://insideadog.com.au/inkys/
Monthly Website lists
The list for October, containing 60 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
October
World Toilet Day: Improving Toilets and Sanitation Globally
World Toilet Organisation (WTO) has declared November 19 as "World Toilet Day" and this is now being celebrated by members all over the world. Thus increasing awareness and generating local action for better sanitation. WTO was created in 2001as a global non-profit organization committed to improving toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide.
Further information is available: http://www.worldtoilet.org/
Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year
Congratulations to the 2008 Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year - Jan Radford from Delany College, Granville, New South Wales.
This award is to a teacher librarian who demonstrates a high level of achievement in their role and thus provides a library and information service that improves student learning. The award is sponsored by Australian School Library Association Inc. (ASLA) and Pledger Consulting Pty Ltd (LinksPlus/Weblinks).
Jan strives to provide an information rich learning environment for her school community. She has particularly excelled at developing a rich virtual space for a wide range of curriculum areas, and supporting literacy and recreational reading.
Jan's website is available at http://www.delanylibrary.com/.
SLAV Innovator's Grant
Congradulations to the library team from Firbank Grammar school, who won the SLAV Innovator's Grant. The library team worked successfully and pro-actively to identify and provide resources to support the whole school roll-out of the new technology of interactive whiteboards across all curriculum learning areas.
The grant will consist of a package of SLAV professional development and/or publications to the value of $800 plus $200 worth of Pledger Consulting products.
October is International School Library Month
The theme is Literacy and Learning at Your School Library
For further information please see the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) website:
http://www.iasl-online.org/events/islm/
ELR school library survey out now
Have you received an Educational Lending Right (ELR) school library survey package with its bright green distinctive sticker?
You may be one of the schools that we have asked to participate, if so, this is your opportunity to make a difference to the creators of Australian books. By running the survey on your library automation system and sending in the results, you are contributing to the cultural program set up by the Australian government to provide financial support to Australian authors, illustrators, translators, compilers, editors and publishers.
Please complete the survey and send or email the results to ELR as soon as possible. If you have any questions or problems, please contact us for assistance.
Telephone: 1800 337 405 (free call outside Melbourne metropolitan area within Australia) or 03 9207 9600
Email: elr@curriculum.edu.au
ELR – Encouraging the growth of Australian writing and publishing
Educational Lending Right (ELR) School Library Survey is managed by the SCIS unit of Curriculum Corporation for the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA).
More information available from: http://www.curriculum.edu.au/scis/partnerships/elr.htm
Invoices for SCIS subscriptions
Invoices will be dispatched in October 2008 to schools not involved in a bulk deal. The cost of a subscription to SCISWeb, SCIS Subject Headings Online and SCIS Authority Files will not increase in 2009. Payment is appreciated by the end of 2008. There are several payment options.
For more information: http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/scis/productinfo/payment.htm#payment
Monthly Website lists
The list for September, containing 60 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
The Collaboration in Teaching and Learning Tankette
The Collaboration in Teaching and Learning Tankette is being conducted by education.au (www.educationau.edu.au) as part of the Strategic ICT Advisory Service it is providing to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Schools invited to participate in an open conversation about collaboration in teaching and learning (CTL), online from 3 October 2008 to 14 November 2008 at http://www.groups.edna.edu.au/course/view.php?id=2010.
To participate, register at edna groups at http://groups.edna.edu.au/ and use the group invitation key CTL2010.
Inaugural International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) School Librarianship Awards for 2008.
As part of the celebrations for International School Library Month (October), the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) is pleased to announce the recipients of the IASL School Librarianship Award. The recipients are recognised by IASL for their contribution to the national development of school libraries and services within their own country or internationally.
Special congratulations to Jane Viner who has been awarded the IASL School Librarianship Award for her service in the development of International Baccalaureate (IB) school libraries in Australia and the Asia Pacific region.
IASL School Librarianship Award 2008 information can be found at http://www.iasl-online.org/events/islm/award2008.htm
September
Top 100 books held in Australian educational libraries
From the results of the Educational Lending Right Survey 2007–08, a list of the top 100 books held in Australian educational libraries is produced.
Please see: http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/scis/partnerships/top100_2007_2008.pdf
Monthly Website lists
The list for August, containing 70 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
Australian Citizenship Day
Australian Citizenship Day is an opportunity for all Australians to reflect on the meaning and importance of our Citizenship. It is a chance for all of us to think about the changes that have shaped our nation and the role both new and Australian born citizens have played in building Australia and shaping our future. It is a time to celebrate our democratic values and commitment to a fair go, equality and respect for each other.
More information: http://www.citizenship.gov.au/news/announcements/citday-involved.htm
The Australian Geography Teachers' Association Biennial Conference (AGTA)
Date: 29 September 2008 - 2 October 2008.
Theme: Taking Geography Above and Beyond
Location: University of Sushine Coast, Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs.
Further information is available: www.agta.asn.au/conf08/index.htm
August
SCIS subscriptions 2009
There will be no increase in the price of SCISWeb, SCIS Subject Headings Online and SCIS Authority Files subscriptions in 2009.
On 13 October 2008 invoices will be posted to schools. Payment by the end of November 2008 would be appreciated.
Latest edition of SCIS Authority Files
SCIS Authority Files Edition 2 2008 are now available online to all current subscribers. Your current user name and password gives you access to the SCIS Authority Files online. The files are available in ASCII or MARC formats the same as the SCIS Authority Files CD-ROM.
More information is available on SCIS Authority Files online page.
For customers who requested the SCIS Authority Files CD-ROM, it has been dispatched.
Children's Book Week 2008
Children's Book Week, 16th - 22nd August, theme: Fuel Your Mind
Book of the Year Winners to be announced on Friday 15 August 2008.
For more information: http://cbca.org.au/index.htm
The Inky Awards
The second annual Inky Awards were annouced at the State Library of Victoria on Friday 1st August.
The Inkys are Australia's only teenage choice book award and a great opportunity to promote reading to secondary students, in particular those you might find hard to reach.
The long list is now available, please see: http://www.insideadog.com.au/inkys/2008_longlist.html
Monthly Website lists
The list for July, containing 170 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
July
My SCIS profile
SCIS Customer Centre and SCISWeb pages have been updated with a new button – My SCIS Profile.
The My SCIS Profile page incorporates all that was previously available from Change Password, Customer Profile and SCISWeb Profile.
Special order files
The ClickView and TLF learning object files have been updated.
The complete files contain all records currently available from SCIS. There is also an update file, which contains the records added to SCIS since the last complete file.
Change to SCIS Subject Headings Online
SCIS Subject Headings Online is being migrated to a new software platform, MultiTes WDK (Web Deployment Kit). MultiTes WDK incorporates the following enhancements:
- 'Starts with' search allows you to browse from initial results to subsequent pages;
- 'Subject headings which contain this word or letters' (previously known as 'string' search) now works more effectively in that all matching terms are retrieved, rather than being limited to the number of headings specified;
- We have included a link to Google as well as SCIS OPAC.
Monthly Website lists
The list for June, containing 83 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
Professional development events
Thinking beyond the text: Making meaning: composing, connecting, comprehending with keynote speakers Andrea Hillbrick and Lesley Wing Jan
Saturday 26th July at Australian Catholic University, Victoria Parade, Melbourne
This workshop helps teachers develop strategies and processes that promote more independent learning in the primary classroom.
Further information: http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/pd/thinkingBeyondTheText-2008.pdf
Learning for Themselves: Pathways to independent learning in the K-6 classroom with two of Australia's most sought-after educators Jeni Wilson and Kath Murdoch.
Tuesday 5 August at Victoria University, Flinders Street, Melbourne.
This full day will focus on helping students progress from basic decoding to thinking actively about what they read.
Further information: http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/pd/T159-LearningForThemselves.pdf
Exploring the essentials for your mathematics program! with Andrea Hillbrick
Friday 22 August, Citigate Central Hotel, 169-179 Thomas Street, Haymarket
Three hands-on sessions will explore: techniques used by effective maths teachers, assessment tools and strategies and open-ended learning tasks.
Further information: http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/pd/T160-ExploringMathsProgram.pdf
Comprehension Matters! with Andrea Hillbrick
Friday 29th August, Mercure Hotel, 85 North Quay, Brisbane
This practical seminar will show teachers how to create the supportive learning environment students need to actively comprehend a variety of types of texts across the curriculum.
Further information: http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/pd/T162-ComprehensionMatters.pdf
June
Our new contact details
SCIS, Curriculum Corporation
Level 5 440 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Postal address unchanged:
PO Box 177
Carlton South VIC 3053
Telephone numbers unchanged:
Tel: + 61 3 9207 9600
Free call: 1800 337 405 outside of Melbourne metro area
New fax number:
Fax: + 61 3 9910 9800
Finalists Announced for the 2008 LIANZA Children’s Book Awards
These unique awards, judged by a panel of librarians and showcasing the expertise of the library and information profession, celebrate New Zealand authors and illustrators and are presented for excellence in literature, illustration, non-fiction and te reo Maori.
More information: http://www.lianza.org.nz/news/newsroom/news1212549377.html
Monthly Website lists
The list for May, containing 102 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
May
Monthly Website lists
The list for April, containing 53 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
CensusAtSchool Questionnaire
The CensusAtSchool data collection will close on 7 July 2008. Please ensure your students get access to local data by encouraging them to submit a questionnaire. Students contribute data about themselves so as much data as possible is available for their advantage.
The 2008 database will be open to the school community post July 2008, and will be supported by a range of classroom activities for use in ICT, Mathematics and SOSE/HSIE. If your students are part of it, they will be more eager to analyse it. Visit the website at www.abs.gov.au/censusatschool.
Curriculum Corporation is on the move
The Curriculum Corporation, which includes SCIS, is moving to a new location in the CBD of Melbourne.
This move will take effect from Monday 26th May 2008.
Our details will be:
New location:
SCIS, Curriculum Corporation
Level 5
440 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Postal address unchanged:
PO Box 177
Carlton South VIC 3053
Telephone numbers unchanged:
Tel: + 61 3 9207 9600
Free call: 1800 337 405 outside of Melbourne metro area
New fax number:
Fax: + 61 3 9910 9800
Fax: 1300 780 545 (within Australia)
No SCIS Customer Support on . . .
SCIS Customer Support will not be available on Friday 23rd May 2008 as it is our moving day.
April
New CBCA website
There is a new national CBCA website, http://cbca.org.au. It's a place where much discussion of books, authors, shortlists and bookweek themes takes place. The branch sites have had a makeover and if you haven't already, please change your bookmarks.
Comprehension for Deep Thinking with Diane Snowball, Tues 22nd April 2008 4.15-6pm
VUT Conference Centre, 12th Floor, at 300 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Join us for a the launch of Teaching Comprehension resource and Professional Development program. Commencing with wine and food, Diane's presentation will run 5-6pm.
See flyer for further information: http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/pd/comprehension-strategies.pdf
Comprehension Strategies for New Times, New Literacies with Michéle Anstey and Geoff Bull, Thurs 15th May 8.30-3pm at Darebin Arts Centre, Preston, Melbourne
Designed for P–8 teachers, this workshop will explore teaching comprehension with a focus on multi-literacies and metacognition, and helping students understand the comprehension process. Attendees will review and develop strategies and activities for their own classrooms.
See flyer for further information: http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/pd/comprehension-strategies.pdf
Libraries are for everyone: Library and Information Week 19 - 25 May 2008
Library and Information Week is to communicate and promote the tremendous contribution libraries and information services and information professionals make to educate, inform and entertain all Australians. It combines activities, events, contests, product launches and presentations at national, state and local levels. The week also provides the opportunity to publicly canvas issues of importance to the provision of library and information services in Australia.
For more information on events and activities visit the Library and Information Week webpage at http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/liw/2008/
Monthly Website lists
The list for March, containing 108 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb.
The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
March
SCISWeb celebrates 10 years!!
It is 10 years since schools commenced downloading catalogue records from the Internet using SCISWeb. This online process was a great improvement on the previous delivery methods for catalogue records that schools had been using from 1977 until 1997. Rather than wait for the delivery of catalogue records in the post library staff could log onto SCISWeb and in a few minutes get the catalogue records they wanted without any delay.
Over the 10 year period the number of catalogue records on the SCIS database has almost doubled. At the beginning of 1998 the schools had access to 595,595 catalogue records whilst at the beginning of 2008 they will have access to 1,020,441 catalogue records which includes over 10,000 websites.
During the past 10 years enhancements have been made to SCISWeb to improve the service. The number of users has increased significantly over the past 10 years from 7,307 at the beginning of 1998 to 11,124 at the beginning of 2008. The majority of subscribers are based in schools in Australia and New Zealand whilst there are also some schools from 23 other countries using SCISWeb.
SCIS is more. . . .
Another record was reach when 2179 customers logged on to SCISWeb on Tuesday 11 March.
Previously the record had been 2079 for 18 March 2007. March is proving to be a very busy time for cataloguing in school libraries.
Latest edition of SCIS Authority Files
SCIS Authority Files Edition 1 2008 are now available online to all current subscribers. Your current user name and password gives you access to the SCIS Authority Files online. The files are updated twice a year and are available in ASCII or MARC formats, the same as the SCIS Authority Files CD-ROM.
More information is available on SCIS Authority Files online page.
For customers who requested the SCIS Authority Files CD-ROM, it is in the process of being dispatched.
Monthly website lists
The list for February, containing 86 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb. The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
Labour Day public holiday:
SCIS Customer Support will not be available on Monday 10 March 2008.
Easter public holidays
SCIS Customer Support will not be available on Good Friday 21 March 2008 and Easter Monday 24 March 2008.
ALIA 2008 Biennial Conference Dreaming 08
The ALIA 2008 Biennial Conference will be held in Alice Springs at the modern Alice Springs Convention Centre from 2-5 September 2008.
The conference is expected to attract organisations and delegates from Australia and New Zealand as well as the Asia-Pacific region. The conference theme, dreaming08, will produce a program that empowers library and information professionals in the development, promotion and delivery of quality services in all sectors.
Further queries: alia2008@icms.com.au
February
CensusAtSchool 2008 Data Collection Is Now Open
Register your school to participate in the 2008 CensusAtSchool project. The more students who submit their responses to the online questionnaire, the richer the data available for analysis!
CensusAtSchool provides teachers and students with a large database of relevant, up-to-date data about Australian students, available FREE online.
Be part of the data in 2008. Follow this link get your school involved in CensusAtSchool:
http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/cashome.nsf/Home/Home
Monthly website lists
The list for January, containing 46 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb. The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
Thank you - ELR survey completed
Thanks to nearly 400 schools across Australia, the Educational Lending Right (ELR) school library survey results have been compiled. SCIS has provided the Australian government with estimates of the number of copies of over 60,000 Australian titles held in Australian school libraries. These will be used by to calculate financial payments to Australian authors, illustrators, translators, compilers, editors and publishers. Payments will be made in May 2008.
ELR – Encouraging the growth of Australian writing and publishing.
ELR School Library Survey is managed by the SCIS unit of Curriculum Corporation for the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage of the Arts (DEWHA).
For more information about the ELR school library survey, contact the ELR Project Officer, Curriculum Corporation.
Telephone: 03 9207 9600
1800 337 405 (free call outside Melbourne metropolitan area within Australia)
Email: elr@curriculum.edu.au
Web: http://www.curriculum.edu.au/scis/partnerships/elr.htm
Library Lovers Day!
Celebrate your school library in a different way by being involved in the Library Lovers Day - 14 February 2008.
This promotional campaign is an advocacy event organised by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Public Libraries Australia (PLA).
Check the website at http://www.librarylovers.org.au/ for great ideas and other information.
ASLA (NSW) 2008 - 'Leading learning ... into the research'
At the NSW State Library 23 February.
Di Laycock will present her research on graphic novels in the curriculum, Lyn Hay on research on Web2.0 and student learning, Susie Glasson on the art of questioning, Anne Rumpler on podcasting, David Woodgate on WikiFun, Heather Voskuyl on YA Literature, and Lee Fitzgerald and Jenny Scheffers on guided inquiry will complete the day's focus on practitioner research and its practical applications.
Download a registration form now at http://www.aslansw.org.au/
2008 CBCA National Biennial Conference - All the Wild Wonders
2 - 4th May 2008, 9th Biennial CBCA Conference will held at the Melbourne Convention Centre. It will explore the question of why books should still matter in the 21st century.
Keynote speakers across the three days are:
- Jack Zipes - US academic known for his work on storytelling, fairytales, editing the 2006 edition of the Oxford Companion to Children's Literature
- Wendy Cooling - children's literature consultant in the UK, anthologist, book prize judge, editor, teacher, founder of the Book Start program
- Shaun Tan - winning huge acclaim here and overseas for The Arrival. One of the most exciting illustrators working in Australia today
- Jan Ormerod - ex pat. Australian and UK resident and the creator of many picture books over the past 25 years
- Neil Gaiman - author of picture books, children's fiction, adult fiction, graphic novels, not to mention a film maker. An international star in so many fields.
- Emily Rodda - her Deltora Quest series has sold 10 million copies world wide, making her Australia's undisputed leader in the field of fantasy for younger readers.
Check out the website at http://www.iceaustralia.com/cbca2008/ for more information.
January 2008
Teachers' Pocketbooks Shortlisted for Education Publisher of the Year Award
Teachers' Pocketbooks (series) have been shortlisted in the Independent Publishing Awards (run by the IPG in partnership with The Bookseller and the London Book Fair).
The nomination is for the Xerox Education Publisher of the Year.
New title in the series: Teaching Thinking Pocketbook, and new edition of the Secondary Teacher's Pocketbook are now available.
All titles in the series available from http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/index.php
IASL School Library Happenings Worldwide blog
This space is designed to capture school library happenings around the world, to share experiences at school library happenings, and to provide information and connections for those in school libraries. Karen Bonanno is currently the web manager for the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) Inc.
Located at http://iasl.wordpress.com/
International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) 2008 Conference
3 - 6 August 2008, University of California at Berkeley, California, USA
Theme: World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
37th Annual Conference incorporating the 12th International Forum on Research in School Librarianship.
More information: http://www.iasl-online.org/events/conf/2008/index.htm
AwesomeStories
AwesomeStories is a gathering place of primary-source information. Its purpose is to help educators and individuals find original sources, located at national archives, libraries, universities, and government web sites. It’s an interactive learning experience as you see thousands of hand-selected and relevant links to pictures, artefacts, manuscripts, documents and other primary sources, IN CONTEXT, within each story. The first eight chapters of every story are available to all.
Group access to the site is free for all schools, libraries and educators.
More information available from http://www.awesomestories.com/
School Libraries Leading Learning
An invitation to all information professionals to attend the NSW State Conference - School Libraries Leading Learning.
28 - 29 March 2008, The Kings School, Parramatta
Presented by ASLA (NSW) with School Libraries and Information Literacy Unit (NSW Department of Education).
More information: www.aslansw.org.au/learning/conference.htm
Australia Day Public Holiday 28 January
SCIS Customer Support will not be available on Monday 28th January 2008.
2008 SCIS subscriptions due
A reminder that payment for SCIS subscriptions is now due.
Invoices were posted to schools in October 2007. Please check that your payment has been sent to SCIS.
Contact Accounts if you require a copy invoice.
Payment is required by 29 February 2008. Payment options
13 digit ISMNs
The National Library of Australia (as the Australian ISMN Agency) has recently advised that International Standard Music Numbers (ISMNs) will be issued in 13 digits starting 1 January 2008. The existing 'M' prefix will be replaced by the prefix '979-0', while the rest of the number will remain unchanged, including the check digit. This reflects the Bookland barcode that is already in use.
SCISWeb supports download of the new format ISMN. We will investigate the feasibility of enhancing the SCISWeb download program to enable retrieval by either format.
An example of the new format ISMN will be added to the SCIS standards section 6:C4 in the update which is currently in preparation. SCIS Standards for Cataloguing and data Entry can be found at http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/scis/managing/standards.htm
More information about International Standard Music Numbers is available at http://www.nla.gov.au/ismn/about.html
ACCE Conferences - ACEC 2008
The Computer Education Group of the ACT (CEGACT), the ACT Catholic and Independent Teacher Librarians Network (CITL) and Navigator Schools' Consortium (Navcon) invite you to experience Spring in the Nation's Capital and join them at ACEC '08
29 September – 2 October 2008.
National Convention Centre, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Monthly website lists
The list for December, containing 26 records, has been added to the Website lists available from SCISWeb. The websites can be reviewed by using the link provided. A selection of the websites listed can be made and the catalogue records downloaded, following the instructions provided.
2008 International Year of ...
The International Year of Languages 2008
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2008 the International Year of Languages. It will aim to promote unity through linguistic diversity. The Assembly called upon States and the Secretariat to work towards the conservation and defence of the world's languages.
More information is available: http://www.eurolang.net/
The U.N. General Assembly has also declared 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation. The goal is to raise awareness and to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target to reduce by half the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015.
Further information available: http://esa.un.org/iys/
The International Year of the Reef 2008 is a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs and threats to their sustainability, and to motivate people to take action to protect them. All individuals, corporations, schools, governments, and organizations are welcome and actively encouraged to participate in IYOR 2008.
Further information available: http://www.iyor.org/
The celebration of the International Year of the Potato (IYP) will raise awareness of the importance of the potato - and of agriculture in general - in addressing issues of global concern, including hunger, poverty and threats to the environment.
Further information available: http://www.potato2008.org/en/index.html
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