Personally I sometimes think the media in New Zealand can be both brilliant and frustrating, often within the space of the same column of newsprint. However one thing we do really well in New Zealand is cover international events and the current crisis in Myanmar is an example. The news feeds that are coming back from this country where political parties are generally illegal, access is difficult and the tragedy of the recent monsoon is deepening by the minute, make poignant and often horrifying reading.
Geography was never my strong point (although I can read a map) so when the news came through about the monsoon in Myanmar, I scrambled for an atlas. Of course being in the library is the right place to find one of those, especially as you need one slightly more up to date than my old school atlas.
Did you know there are two places in the library you can find an Atlas? For an Atlas you would like to take home, head to the adult or the children's non fiction shelves and look under number 912. There is a huge scope here from picture atlases for the kids to student ones with country summaries and comparisons, and then atlases on the adult shelves, some of which are virtual works of art. The other place you will find the Atlases is in the Reference section. These are items which are for library use only, often because of their size or potential for research. These are shelved by the same number system so once again you will find them under number 912. We regularly update our reference collections at all libraries so that we can provide the most current information for you. A subject search for Atlas in our catalgoue give a great starting point to find the right one for you to find out where Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is and all about the country.
Hopefully aid organisations will be able to get access today to get in and help the population devastated by the cyclone.
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