What else is hiding in the home page?

About Us, Contact Us, and e-Branch

The bar of tabs on the homepage

The last tabs, but not the least, are "About Us" and "Contact Us."  The first has information about the Friends of the Library, FAQs, a history of the library, and a list of the services available through your library card.  The second lists email addresses for library staff, the library board members, and a map to find our building.

Finally, to wrap up this series of posts on the library's homepage links: the e-Branch tab.  Big libraries are developing a whole branch in the electronic realm (like the neighborhood branch libraries in a system, but available in any location).  This is our first attempt at consolidating the electronic services Ruidoso Public Library offers.

Moving the mouse over the e-Branch tab displays a menu list of resources:
Universal Class
Overdrive
Magazines and Chilton's Auto
Genealogy
NM Newspapers
Opposing Viewpoints
My Account

Clicking on the tab opens a new page displaying "widgets" leading to several of these destinations.  A widget works like a button--clicking on it opens that item.  Some request you enter your library card number before opening the site; others may request that information in order to check out materials.

Universal Class offers 500 certified continuing education courses--start it when you are ready (today if you like) and take up to six months to complete the lessons (graded by a professor).  Work with other students online or alone.

Overdrive provides ebooks and audiobooks to download on your computer, Kindle, nook, iPad, ipod, smartphone or mp3 player (among other devices).  Like library books, they are free to check out for a week or two.

Magazines and Chilton's Auto connects you with hundreds, if not thousands, of magazines, journals, and encyclopedia.  While the library is not open 24/7, these resources are, so check here first when you have to research a paper or need to fix your car.

Genealogy opens Heritage Quest, one of the sites for looking up your family tree from home.

NM Newspapers connects you with the Albuquerque Journal, the Las Cruces Sun-News, and the Roswell Daily Record.  It is not as easy to browse as the print copy, but if you have a title or page number, you can find most of the paper's articles that day or since 1995 (ABQJ), 2002 (Roswell), and 2004 (Sun-News).  Twenty-two magazines are also available, digitally, such as Field & Stream, Foreign Affairs, Slate, or Parenting.

My Account allows you to log into your library account and renew your current loans or request a turn with a popular title.  To set your PIN, please visit us in person.  This is the same PIN used to access Overdrive ebooks.