Budding authors

You thought that actually writing the manuscript was the difficult part, but had you considered the following aspects?

ISBN 

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique identifier for books. An ISBN is not mandatory, and does not provide copyright on a work. However, ISBNs are the global standard for identifying titles, and are used internationally across the book trade and library sector. Most retailers require ISBNs to track book inventory for ordering, stocktake etc.

An ISBN is unique for a single version of a single book. If you wish to publish multiple versions of the same book eg. hardback, paperback, large print, digital (EPUB, MOBI, PDF), audio (CD, playaway, MP3) etc. each version has a different ISBN, thus identifying which version you have. Even different editions of the same book have different ISBNs.

In Australia the agency for providing an ISBN is Thorpe-Bowker, you can find more information and purchase an ISBN at their Identifier Services.

Legal deposit

A copy of most works published in Victoria must be deposited with State Library Victoria, within 60 days of publication, under Section 49 of the Libraries Act 1988 (Vic). As well, a copy must also be deposited with the National Library of Australia in Canberra.

Legal deposit, which has its origins in the Copyright Act 1869, has helped preserve and maintain a lasting record of Victoria’s publishing history. It has also enabled the State Library to collect Victorian publications not held in other libraries, providing valuable material for researchers.

A work can be written or printed, including books, magazines, newspapers, brochures, catalogues, newsletters, annual reports, maps, and musical scores, or in another format such as audio, video, CD-ROMS, DVDs or microfiche & film

While the legal deposit provisions of the Libraries Act 1988 do not specifically cover digital/electronic publications, the State Library is accepting and actively collecting these publications.

Works produced for companies, organisations, community groups, private individuals or the public must be deposited by the publisher. Even if your work isn't commercially published, you still need to deposit a copy of it.

Copyright

A word about copyright. Copyright is a legal right created by the law of a country that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights for its use, and the right to control certain activities with their works. These activities include copying and re-use, such as publication, performance, adaptation and communicating the work to the public (eg. by making it available online).

Copyright should be a balance between the creator protecting their work, and the work being available for legitimate use.

Generally, in Australia, copyright for photographs lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years. Ownership of a photo varies depending on the circumstances under which it was taken, eg. if it was created under an agreement or by commission, it was taken for the government, if an employee takes a photo as part of their job, copyright rests with the employer, except if the employer is a newspaper or magazine publisher – but excepting freelance photographers, and unless they have made a contrary agreement – yes copyright is a murky area.

Creators of copyright works, including photographers, have “moral rights” separate from copyright. Moral rights impose certain obligations on people who use a copyright work. A photographer has the right to:

• be attributed as creator of the photo

• take action if their work is falsely attributed

• take action if the work is distorted or treated in a way that is prejudicial to their honour or reputation.

It is just common decency to apportion credit, recognise sources, or admit the information came from elsewhere and wasn't your own work. An acknowledgement of where the information, image...was obtained, is the way to go.

 

Planes, Trains and Fuel Tanks

The Wimmera Branch of the National Trust is organising a special bus tour as part of the Australian Heritage Festival.

Serviceton Railway Station

Visit and tour the historic Serviceton Railway Station, the Nhill Airfield and Wolseley Fuel Tanks by coach from Horsham.

The Wimmera Branch will host a special coach trip leaving the Horsham Library car park to travel to Nhill, Wolseley, Mundulla and Serviceton. Representatives from each stop-over will meet and greet the visitors.

At the Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre. The Centre has a Avro Anson, Link Trainer and Tiger Moth, and is fundraising for a Wirraway. See the current restoration projects while partaking of a refreshing morning tea.

Water tower, Sericeton

Crossing the border into South Australia, view the Wolseley Fuel Tanks which were camouflaged as farm buildings. In WWII fuel storage depots were erected at various inland sites considered secure from attack by sea-borne aircraft. At Wolseley two standard 120,000 gallon storage tanks and one 40,000 gallon ethyl mixing tank were erected & camouflaged to look like farm buildings with broom bush and straw.

Take in lunch at the historic 1884 Mundulla Hotel for their seasonal menu (at additional cost), or BYO picnic hamper in the park opposite the hotel.

Back in Victoria, tour the once-grand 1887 Serviceton Railway Station. Built on the border between Victoria and South Australia, Serviceton served as both the changeover point for the different railway gauges and Customs Control between states until Federation in 1901.

Serivceton Railway Station Yards, T. Payne

Serviceton, close to the Victoria-South Australia border, was the changeover point for locomotives and crews on the broad-gauge system until through-running was introduced between Melbourne and Adelaide. Thus a variety of motive-power and rolling stock from both state-systems could be expected there at any one time. In more recent years this line has been converted to standard-gauge; most of the facilities seen in this photograph are but a memory and trains no longer stop there.  Taken on 2 December 1967 by Ted Payne (from “Closed station - Lost Locations Victoria part 2” Train Hobby Publications).

This amazing photograph shows the station at a time of transformation - steam is still going strong, but there’s a rail-motor backed up to the water tower which has since been dismantled, and a diesel locomotive. Curious items are the 2 M.A.S.H.-looking ambulances and the caravan parked beside the grain shed. Things that have disappeared are, the water tower on the left, the All Saints Anglican Church and the cattle loading yards, and all the siding track.

Refreshment Room, Serviceton

Enjoy afternoon tea in the Station Refreshment Room before returning home.

This is a rare opportunity to see some special locations and learn from their stories.

Details: The tour is on Sunday 6^th May, 2018. Parking available in Library Carpark, where the bus departs from.

Arrive at the Library 8:15 for a 8:30am departure. The toilet-equipped bus will be returning at approximately 6:00pm.

Cost is $75:00 per person. Pre-booking is required, contact tintacarwimmera@outlook.com or by phoning 03 5382 0681.