The AV Language Library is closing
***** ANNOUNCEMENT *****
The AV Language Library will close in December 2012 and its video, audio, and printed resources will in the future be made available to students and staff by other means and in other venues. This transition will happen during the period of the University close-down and in early January so that most users of the old facility will not be affected. We are confident that the new arrangements that will be in place after the transition will deliver more effective and efficient access to the Centre’s materials than is currently the case.
Please note the following with regard to this change:
1. All 1400 video files will be uploaded onto Blackboard where students will be able to access them via any computer on campus. (At present they are accessible only through one of the computers in the language labs.) We will create an e-Community on Blackboard so that all University students will be able to access the video files throughout their candidature, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a language unit. The collection will be catalogued and all items will be easy to locate on the Blackboard site.
2. All 2500 audio files will also be uploaded onto Blackboard for use in the same manner as the video files.
3. The Centre’s collection of books—consisting of dictionaries, grammars, and other language-learning printed materials— will be selectively moved to the Fisher Library where they will be properly catalogued and fully integrated into the Library’s collection.
4. Fisher Library has equipment which will provide a pleasant and effective learning environment for all students, including those undertaking language-learning. Apart from Access Centre and Library computers, the Library has collaborative spaces, two home theatres and 4 small sound booths. Two collaborative rooms and the four sound booths can be booked for use.
5. The computer stations in the Self Study room in the Language Study Centre will continue to be available after the old facility closes.
We ask for your understanding and patience while this transition takes place. We anticipatethat by early December all video and audio files will have been uploaded onto Blackboard and available for use; the collection of books going to Fisher Library should be available by the commencement of first semester, 2013.
The School will keep everyone updated on the progress of the transition.
For further information please contact Drasko Mitrikeski, School Administration Manager, at drasko.mitrikeski @ sydney.edu.au or Michelle Liu, Librarian, at michelle.liu @ sydney.edu.au .
New foreign language movies (August 2012)
Dear all,
Over the past month, movies and documentaries in various languages have been recorded and stored in the AV Language Library’s server for you to view. These programmes are available in the Self Study room(Level 2, Brennan MacCallum building).
For a comprehensive listing of all foreign movies that have been recorded, please visit the Foreign Film Catalogue.
FRENCH
99 Francs
A first-person diatribe against modern consumerist society as seen through the eyes of a cynical advertising executive whose efforts to get fired from his job backfire as he keeps getting promoted.
(2007) (France/French) Director: Jan Kounen
MA V,S,A,D Comedy 110 mins Repeat
A Film and Its Era: Children of Paradise
One of the finest French films ever made, Marcel Carne’s Les Enfants du Paradis (Children of Paradise) is the tragic 1945 story of the ill-fated love between an actress and a theatre mime. It is a darkly magical piece of escapism set in 19th-century Paris, made in the golden age of French cinema. This documentary examines the context of the film and the stories behind its production, with interviews from French legends Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault and Pierre Brasseur.
France PG Documentary 60 mins Repeat
Anything for Her
When his wife is wrongfully imprisoned for murder, and all legal avenues exhausted, unassuming school teacher Julien conspires to bust her out of prison; however, Julien soon finds himself well out of his depth as he falls deeper and deeper into the criminal underworld. Nominated for Best First Film at the 2009 Cesar Awards.
(2008) (France/French) Director: Fred Cavaye
M Crime 105 mins
Spanish resources @ the AV Language Library
Learning Spanish? Come by the AV Language Library & play a few games that’s not only fun, but helps you increase your vocabulary too!
Learn Spanish Now and World Talk Spanish are just two of the FUN & FREE resources you can use as a learner of Spanish – available from the computers in the Self Study room. Come by during our opening hours to check it out!
For more information on the product, click on this link: http://eurotalk.com/en/resources/learn/spanish
Also another great resource is Rosetta Stone – Spanish. This interactive software comes in three levels where you can learn Spanish and gain the confidence to talk about your environment such as giving and getting directions, dining out, shopping, and enjoying basic, social interactions.
Try the demo for yourself at http://www.rosettastone.com/flash-demo
These three excellent materials are available from the AV Language Library & Self Study room, during opening hours. For more information including our opening hours, click on our Facebook page or drop the Librarian a message either through this blog or via Facebook 🙂
New foreign language movies (June/July 2012)
Dear all,
Over the past month, movies and documentaries in various languages have been recorded and stored in the AV Language Library’s server for you to view.
These programmes are available in the Self Study room (Level 2, Brennan MacCallum building).
For a comprehensive listing of all foreign movies that have been recorded, please visit the Foreign Film Catalogue.
Chinese
The World (CM7200.WOR1)
Dancer Tao and her security guard boyfriend, Taisheng, come to the World Park – a theme park on the outskirts of Beijing – to build their life together. But they find the environment artificial and isolated, and many of the staff are lonely and disillusioned with life. Winner of the Critics Award at the 2005 Sao Paulo International Film Festival.
(2004) (China/Mandarin) Director: Zhang Ke Jia
M L,S Drama 140 min
French
Altiplano (FR7200.ALT1)
A former war photographer and her physician husband are caught up in a riot when locals in an Andean village vent their unhappiness with contamination from a nearby mine. A visually striking feature set against the majestic backdrop of the high Andes in Peru. Nominated for Best Film at the 2009 Ghent International Film Festival.
(2009) (Belgium/French) Directors: Peter Brosens, Jessica Hope Woodworth
M L,S Drama 109 min
Flanders (FR7200.FLA1)
Set during a future European war, a group of young men leave their tiny rural Flemish community, and their loves, to fight a war in a distant land. It’s a story about the misery and horror of war and what happens after, when they have to become men again. Winner Grand Prix Cannes 2006.
(2006) (France/French) Director: Bruno Dumont
M L,S Drama 90 mins
Hunting & Gathering (FR7200.HUN1)
From master director Claude Berri comes an enchanting romantic fable about a collection of misfits in Paris. Without each other, Camille, Franck, Philibert, and Paulette’s lives feel empty, but through one another they rediscover their passion for life and learn to face the world.
(2007) (France/French) Director: Claude Berri
M L,S Drama 100 mins Repeat
My Best Friend (FR7200.MYB1)
Catherine refuses to believe that her business partner, the unlikeable Francois, has a best friend, so she challenges him to set up an introduction. Scrambling to find someone willing to pose as his best pal, Francois enlists the services of a charming taxi driver to play the part.
(2006) (France/French) Director: Patrice Leconte
M L,S Comedy 90 mins
Ricky (FR7200.RIC1)
From acclaimed director Francois Ozon comes this surprising tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. When everyday factory workers Katie and Paco meet, they fall in love and marry. From this union a very unusual child is born: Ricky – a boy with special powers. Nominated for the Golden Bear at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival.
(2009) (France/French) Director: François Ozon
PG Comedy 90 mins
Hindi
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (HI7200.RAB1)
Director Aditya Chopra proves that love knows no bounds in this colourful romance concerning a mild-mannered office worker who enters into a glorious love affair with a vivacious and beautiful young artist. The sparks begin to fly as the two polar opposites find themselves drawn together by fate. Nominated for eight 2009 Indian Filmfare Awards, including Best Film.
(2008) (India/Hindi) Director: Aditya Chopra
PG Comedy 167 mins
Italian
Unfair Competition (IT7200.UNF1)
A poignant depiction of Fascist life in the 1930s. The lives of two rivalling tailors are chronicled in this bittersweet drama set during one of the darker moments in Italian history. Winner of the Best Director Award at the Moscow International Film Festival in 2001.
(2000) (Italy/Italian) Director: Ettore Scola
PG Drama 115 mins Repeat
Japanese
Goemon (JA7200.GOE1)
Based on a Japanese folk legend that echoes the tale of Robin Hood, this ninja thriller follows the exploits of Goemon Ishikawa, who leaves his fighting clan after its chief is murdered and uses his skills as a thief to help the poor. But after learning the identity of his leader’s killer, Goemon sets out on a bloody path of vengeance. Nominated for two Asian Film Awards in 2010, including Best Visual Effects.
(2009) (Japan/Japanese) Director: Kazuaki Kiriya
PG Drama 128 mins
Spanish
Bombon: El Perro (SP7200.BOM1)
At the age of 52, Juan has been made redundant from the service station where he has worked for over two decades and the future looks grim. To earn some money, he makes handcrafted knives, but business is very slow. When Juan helps a young woman whose car has broken down, he is paid with the unusual gift of a pedigree Dogo Argentino – a huge, white, South American hunting dog.
(2004) (Argentina/Spanish) Director: Carlos Sorin
PG Drama 97 min.
Me Too (SP7200.MET1)
This touching Spanish drama delves into the life of Daniel, a young man with Down Syndrome. Highly intelligent and largely independent, Daniel doesn’t fit the usual stereotype. Outside of his loving family, however, he struggles to find the intimacy he craves. When he develops romantic feelings for a co-worker that are not reciprocated, his frustration builds as the world refuses to see past his condition. Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
(2009) (Spain/Spanish) Directors: Antonio Naharro, Alvaro Pastor
PG Drama 103 min.
Minimal Stories (SP7200.MIN1)
Three people and a baby set off on separate journeys along the same road. Their disparate dreams and stories intertwine amid the breathtaking deserted Patagonic route. Winner of the Special Prize of the Jury at the 2002 San Sebastian International Film Festival.
(2002) (Argentina/Spanish) Director: Carlos Sorin
PG Comedy 95 mins Repeat
Trash (SP7200.TRA1)
A close-up portrait of three Barcelona women – two sisters and their ageing mother – coming to terms with their life circumstances. Younger sister Clara, having foregone a big job opportunity abroad, finds her musician boyfriend cheating on her. Meanwhile, pregnant sister Susana has to deal with her husband being away on long business trips. And mother, Carme, is seriously ill in hospital.
(2009) (Spain/Spanish) Director: Carles Torras
PG Drama 91 mins
And the winner is…
*drum roll*
Ashleigh Maihi! Congratulations to Ashleigh, who has won a 2GB USB stick by simply filling in our online survey and ‘Liking’ our Facebook page 🙂
Ashleigh, please come to the AV Language Library during our opening hours (8am-4pm Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays) to collect your prize! Alternatively you may contact me via Facebook to arrange a pick-up time.
For everyone else, thank you for filling in our short survey. Look out for more competitions in the near future, with attractive prizes to be won!
New foreign language movies (April 2012)
Dear all,
Over the past month, documentaries and movies in various languages have been recorded from free-to-air TV channels.
Please feel free to pass on this post who might be interested. These programs are available in the Self Study room (Level 2, Brennan MacCallum building) should you wish to view them.
——————————————————————————————————–
Win a prize by completing a short survey!
Dear students of Sydney University (& everyone else reading this blog!),
Want to win a prize and at the same time, help us identify what’s good / not so good about your Language Library? 😉
The AV Language Library is conducting a 5-10 min survey on its physical & virtual resources. Here’s your chance to give us your feedback what you’d like to see more of in the Library, this Blog & our Facebook page!
Please Click Here to take the survey. The survey will close on 4 May, 2012, and all results will be anonymous. The lucky winner will be announced the following Monday.
We appreciate your assistance! 
P/S: The Language Library is committed to using the results of this survey to identify areas of improvement, and enable us to recognise what is working well.
New opening hours from May 2012
Dear all,
Please note that our opening hours (and days) will take effect from 1 May 2012. We will open on:
Mondays: 8.00 am – 4.00 pm
Tuesdays: 8.00 am – 4.00 pm
Thursdays: 8.00 am – 4.00 pm
However, the Self-study room will still be open if you wish to watch a foreign film or practice on your vocabulary / listening / speaking skills throughout the weekdays (Mondays – Fridays: 8.00 am – 5.00 pm).
Both the AV Language Library & the Self-study room are closed on weekends & public holidays.
Happy studying, and enjoy the rest of this semester! 🙂
Photo: AV Language Library
Browse our specialised collection of language materials at the AV Language Library!
New foreign language movies (Jan-Mar 2012)
Dear all,
Over the past 3 months, documentaries and movies in various languages have been recorded from free-to-air TV channels.
Please feel free to pass on this post who might be interested. These programs are available in the Self Study room (Level 2, Brennan MacCallum building) should you wish to view them.
Arabic
Caramel
Lebanon’s official entry at the 2008 Academy Awards takes a vibrant and intricate look at the lives and relationships of five Christian and Muslim women who work at and frequent a Beirut beauty salon.
(2007) (France/Arabic) Director: Nadine Labaki
M A Romantic Comedy 105 mins Repeat
Chinese
At the End of Daybreak
Looking to escape the burden of his alcoholic mother, 23-year-old Tuck strikes up an illicit online relationship with Ying, a 15-year-old schoolgirl. A stark portrait of troubled youth, dysfunctional family life and tragedy. Winner of two awards at the 2010 Asian Film Awards, including Best Newcomer.
(2009) (Malaysia/Mandarin) Director: Yuhang Ho
M A Drama 94 mins
The Chinese Are Coming
Journalist Justin Rowlatt investigates the spread of Chinese influence around the globe and asks what the world will be like if China overtakes America as the world’s economic superpower. (Part 1)
Documentary | English, Portuguese
Cinema Asia: China
This five-part documentary series takes viewers into the most dynamic film scene on the planet. China is now the world’s third-largest producer of cinema films. Since the darkness of the Cultural Revolution, when filmmaking virtually ceased in China, the Chinese cinema industry has come storming back. Arthouse films such as Yellow Earth and Red Sorghum introduced the world to a new kind of cinema.
Documentary | Mandarin
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
A bittersweet tale of love, courage and the magic of storytelling. A 2003 Golden Globe nominee, set during the Cultural Revolution and based on the director’s life.
(2002) (France/Mandarin) Director: Sijie Dai
M A Drama 110 mins
Hero
In ancient China, before the reign of the first emperor, warring factions throughout the Six Kingdoms plot to assassinate the most powerful ruler, Qin. When a minor official defeats Qin’s three principal enemies, he is summoned to the palace to tell Qin the story of his surprising victory.
(2002) (Hong Kong/Mandarin) Director: Yimou Zhang
M A Action 99 mins
Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) Mommy
What is it like to be taken from your Chinese foster family, put on a plane and then wake up in a new country, family and culture? This is the story of Fang Sui Yong, an eight-year-old orphan, and the Sadowskys, the Long Island Jewish family that travelled to China to adopt her. Sui Yong is one of 70,000 Chinese children now being raised in the United States. Through her eyes, witness her struggle with a new identity as she transforms from a timid child into someone that no-one – neither her new family nor she – could have imagined.
DOCUMENTARY | USA | ENGLISH
Sydney Uni AV Language Library 