If you have not yet heard, there's a controversy out there.
Many of the newest, most popular books, are not available to libraries as ebooks. Some that are have prices (to libraries) that might cause your jaw to drop. Luckily, action is possible now. Several websites are hosting information or petitions. Facebook has a group. [Did you know Facebook changed the rules recently on "liking Pages"? Now you not only have to like the page, but then, on that page, click on the little box with a gear and select "add to list"--and you may need to name that list the first time--in order to ever see that page's posts in your regular news-stream.]
One library advocate made a short video, comparing which titles you are accustomed to seeing in hardback at the library and which are still not available to libraries electronically. http://youtu.be/l5anyt9jooI or
The blog where this video first posted is:
http://ebooksforlibraries.com/news/libraries-advocacy-and-ebooks-whos-doing-what/
It is one place to keep current with developments on this issue.
One library system is leading the charge. Here is their specific list of actions to take: http://www.piercecountylibrary.org/books-materials/audiobooks-ebooks/Default.htm#scrooge
Does this affect you? Let us know in the comments or chat with us during your next visit.
P. S.: The Children's department hopes to collect stacks of the following items for this year's Summer Reading Programs crafts:
styrofoam trays (the kind under meats or produce at the store)
oatmeal containers
metal coffee cans (1 to 2 lb and 5 lb)
scrap 2x4s (about 5 inches)
net bags (the orange mesh around fruit and root vegetables)
everlasting flowers, or fresh flowers to dehydrate into everlasting displays
And just as a reminder: the rolls in wrapping paper or paper towels
the lids on juice bottles or milk jugs
Showing posts with label law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label law. Show all posts
Monday, March 11, 2013
Monday, October 22, 2012
A re-introduction to our homepage's resources: the Reference tab
I've noticed myself blithely clicking through the library's homepage, hardly noticing what has changed. As staff at the library, I ought to be acutely aware of the resources at hand. So, to re-acquaint myself, I will take you, dear reader, with me on a trip through the library's homepage.
Libraries are all about order and sequence, but this time I will hop around the tabs instead of starting on the far left and working to the right. Or maybe I just want to start with the Reference Tab. Allons-y!
When your mouse hovers on the Reference Tab, two options appear: Ancestry and ABE/ESL students. The Ancestry option works inside the library building; it takes you to our subscription for Ancestry Library Edition, which is similar to Ancestry.com. Look up a name, learn how to interview a relative to preserve family history, or connect with other potential family.
The ABE/ESL option stands for Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language. This tab suggests some fee and a few free sites to support anyone preparing for the US Citizenship Exam, GED, or California's Distance Learning Project.
When you click on the Reference Tab, the screen displays a plethora of link options, in fact 23 groups! Here is a brief overview of the categories:
About Computers (how-to classes from the very basic to the mildly advanced)
Business & Finance (small business beginnings to stock market information)
Consumer Information (Ruidoso's Chamber of Commerce and links to the federal government)
Create Free e-mail (most of these sites require a cell phone with text-messaging to get started anymore)
Education (how to start homeschooling, find money for college, or create a citation for your paper)
Elections (see where your precinct is, where to vote, request an absentee ballot, read the League of Women Voters or Project Vote Smart's interviews with candidates, sample ballots when available)
Fast Facts (what you used to ask the librarian for: statistics, local facts, safety recalls, or almanacs)
Federal Student Aid (guides to the FAFSA--often required for students to work in college)
For Seniors (local health services, NM's Aging & Long-Term Services Dept, and Social Security info)
Health (Doctor Finder, travel updates, and scientific or medical journals)
Jobs (State and Federal job listings and help sites; information for career seekers/changers)
Language (quote dictionaries and dictionaries for all ages)
Legal Forms (Bankruptcy, divorce, contract examples, and basic assistance)
Lincoln County Libraries (find Capitan, Corona, ENMU, public schools, and digital libraries in the county)
New Mexico Facts (Cities, maps, tourism, genealogy and government links)
New Mexico Law Library (more forms, regional court specifics, statutes, and municipal codes)
New Mexico Links (MVD's driver's manual, oral history projects, and fun sites)
People (find people, phone numbers, businesses, or census data)
Reading Suggestions (social networks for book lovers, a database of all mystery books ever, find which book is next in a series, or find a suggestion to try next)
Research (encyclopedia, more genealogy, maps, other municipal codes)
Tax Help (state and federal websites and forms and how to file in other states)
Village Emergency (where to register your physical address with the village or county to hear about evacuations or frozen pipes on your cell phone while you are out of town)
Other (look up ZIP codes, the World Fact Book, and read about jobs and salaries in the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Dept of Labor)
Was that too much for one blog-post? Probably. If you find a broken link, please comment below or send an email to the library. I check them every year, but that may not be often enough these days.
Libraries are all about order and sequence, but this time I will hop around the tabs instead of starting on the far left and working to the right. Or maybe I just want to start with the Reference Tab. Allons-y!
 |
| The bar of tabs on the homepage |
When your mouse hovers on the Reference Tab, two options appear: Ancestry and ABE/ESL students. The Ancestry option works inside the library building; it takes you to our subscription for Ancestry Library Edition, which is similar to Ancestry.com. Look up a name, learn how to interview a relative to preserve family history, or connect with other potential family.
The ABE/ESL option stands for Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language. This tab suggests some fee and a few free sites to support anyone preparing for the US Citizenship Exam, GED, or California's Distance Learning Project.
When you click on the Reference Tab, the screen displays a plethora of link options, in fact 23 groups! Here is a brief overview of the categories:
About Computers (how-to classes from the very basic to the mildly advanced)
Business & Finance (small business beginnings to stock market information)
Consumer Information (Ruidoso's Chamber of Commerce and links to the federal government)
Create Free e-mail (most of these sites require a cell phone with text-messaging to get started anymore)
Education (how to start homeschooling, find money for college, or create a citation for your paper)
Elections (see where your precinct is, where to vote, request an absentee ballot, read the League of Women Voters or Project Vote Smart's interviews with candidates, sample ballots when available)
Fast Facts (what you used to ask the librarian for: statistics, local facts, safety recalls, or almanacs)
Federal Student Aid (guides to the FAFSA--often required for students to work in college)
For Seniors (local health services, NM's Aging & Long-Term Services Dept, and Social Security info)
Health (Doctor Finder, travel updates, and scientific or medical journals)
Jobs (State and Federal job listings and help sites; information for career seekers/changers)
Language (quote dictionaries and dictionaries for all ages)
Legal Forms (Bankruptcy, divorce, contract examples, and basic assistance)
Lincoln County Libraries (find Capitan, Corona, ENMU, public schools, and digital libraries in the county)
New Mexico Facts (Cities, maps, tourism, genealogy and government links)
New Mexico Law Library (more forms, regional court specifics, statutes, and municipal codes)
New Mexico Links (MVD's driver's manual, oral history projects, and fun sites)
People (find people, phone numbers, businesses, or census data)
Reading Suggestions (social networks for book lovers, a database of all mystery books ever, find which book is next in a series, or find a suggestion to try next)
Research (encyclopedia, more genealogy, maps, other municipal codes)
Tax Help (state and federal websites and forms and how to file in other states)
Village Emergency (where to register your physical address with the village or county to hear about evacuations or frozen pipes on your cell phone while you are out of town)
Other (look up ZIP codes, the World Fact Book, and read about jobs and salaries in the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Dept of Labor)
Was that too much for one blog-post? Probably. If you find a broken link, please comment below or send an email to the library. I check them every year, but that may not be often enough these days.
Monday, June 4, 2012
#3 Research Assistance
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| Gloria H, Chaparral, NM, 9 y.o. |
When you have a pesky problem to solve, Google may be the first thing you think of, but a librarian (and the library) can provide depth, context, and help identifying the real question.
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| Merrit B, Santa Fe, 13 y.o. |
We have helped with information on legal forms, medical conditions, and shopping comparisons. As librarians, we cannot advise on legal or health matters, but we can help you think through what you really want to ask. We can share books, websites, and county or state government resources, which define terms, explain the steps necessary for filing a form, or to whom else you might best ask your questions.
If you are considering a new pet, vehicle, or vacation, we'd love to help you. We have books for all ages on which pet fits your personality, how to take care of the pet you have, or how to mourn the loss of a pet. The library subscribes to Consumer Reports, both the magazine and the annual buying guide. If you cannot decide on where to spend your vacation, you may check out travelogues, travel guides, and how-to travel books (hiking, trains, cruises, or accessibility).
If you are interested in very deep research, you can set up an appointment with a librarian to take a quarter of an hour or more to explore your topic, then give the library some time, maybe a few days, to gather the very best resources for you to explore. One of my favorite tasks at the library is demonstrating Grzimek's (said Chimex) Animal Encyclopedia or Opposing Viewpoints (two online databases or encyclopediae) for a student writing a paper on zebras or the economy.
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