Friday, April 16, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Libraries in your state need your support this week!
This week is National Library Week, a perfect time for you to send a quick e-mail to you state legislators and governor to let them know how important libraries are to you!
Libraries are in a perfect storm. They are busier than ever helping families survive during these tough economic times, yet public, school, and academic libraries are facing closures and elimination of librarians and library workers—the people who help those with a job application, teach 21st century skills, and nurture the love of reading in kids that will serve them the rest of their lives.
State governments provide much needed funding for libraries to provide public access to the Internet for everyone, databases for individuals and small businesses, homework help, and much more. Without this funding, libraries are in peril, and residents in your state are denied critical resources when they need them most.
Please send an e-mail to your governor and your representatives today, and pass this message on to your friends and colleagues.
Thank you for advocating for libraries and library staff in your state.
Sincerely,
Michael Dowling
Director, Chapter Relations Office
American Library Association
Libraries are in a perfect storm. They are busier than ever helping families survive during these tough economic times, yet public, school, and academic libraries are facing closures and elimination of librarians and library workers—the people who help those with a job application, teach 21st century skills, and nurture the love of reading in kids that will serve them the rest of their lives.
State governments provide much needed funding for libraries to provide public access to the Internet for everyone, databases for individuals and small businesses, homework help, and much more. Without this funding, libraries are in peril, and residents in your state are denied critical resources when they need them most.
Please send an e-mail to your governor and your representatives today, and pass this message on to your friends and colleagues.
Thank you for advocating for libraries and library staff in your state.
Sincerely,
Michael Dowling
Director, Chapter Relations Office
American Library Association
Libraries quietly give us what we need, love
A woman who lost 60 pounds, without joining a weight loss program or a gym, was on a television show and said the secret to her succes was in her pocket. She whipped out a library card.
Yes, the woman had been devouring library books. Low calorie, low fat and rich in fiber. Well, not really.
She had been devouring books to educate herself on nutrition and exercise, developed her own plan for weight loss, and put it to work.
There's not much you can't learn at the library - includeing the follies of writing sentences with doulbe negatives.
To quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who is at the library at this very moment, " how do I love thee? Let me count the ways."
I love libraries because they have summer reading programs, and summer reading programs keep mothers sane. Kids who are reading books are kids who are not yelling, bouncing off the walls or corralling worms in your Tupperware.
I love libraries because their late fees are reasonable, none of the 28% business the credit card companies charge.
I love libraries because they promote social networking. You can meet explorers, artists, musicians, politicians, theologians, talking dogs and singing frogs at the library.
I love libraries because they don't play games with frequent flier miles. Simply open a book and you can travel to France, Italy, the Arctic or the Outback. The air fare is free and there's no baggage fee.
A library is the only business model that lets you smaple before you buy. If you suggest that the grocry store let you load up a cart, take it all home and return what's left a month later, they'll call security. Only a library lets you take home the goods and fully enjoy them.
I love libraries because they are the last remaining institution able to sustain the reverential hush. The reverential hush has all but disappeared from the movie theathers and concert halls. You can still find it in some churches, but even many of thse have been overcome by the Casual Friday mentality.
How do libraries still maintain the hush?
With the look - chin up, eyes narrowed jaw set. Mastering the look is a prerequisite to a library science degree, along with a commitment to simple hairstyles. Libraries are also able to enforce the hush because word among the stacks is that all those demure librarians have Tasers beneath the checkout counters.
One belly laugh, one cell phone call and - ZAP!
Now is a good time to express your appreciation for libraries and librarians who run them. How, you ask? Quietly. Very, very quietly.
By Lori Borgman
McClatchy News Service
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
4/11/10
Yes, the woman had been devouring library books. Low calorie, low fat and rich in fiber. Well, not really.
She had been devouring books to educate herself on nutrition and exercise, developed her own plan for weight loss, and put it to work.
There's not much you can't learn at the library - includeing the follies of writing sentences with doulbe negatives.
To quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who is at the library at this very moment, " how do I love thee? Let me count the ways."
I love libraries because they have summer reading programs, and summer reading programs keep mothers sane. Kids who are reading books are kids who are not yelling, bouncing off the walls or corralling worms in your Tupperware.
I love libraries because their late fees are reasonable, none of the 28% business the credit card companies charge.
I love libraries because they promote social networking. You can meet explorers, artists, musicians, politicians, theologians, talking dogs and singing frogs at the library.
I love libraries because they don't play games with frequent flier miles. Simply open a book and you can travel to France, Italy, the Arctic or the Outback. The air fare is free and there's no baggage fee.
A library is the only business model that lets you smaple before you buy. If you suggest that the grocry store let you load up a cart, take it all home and return what's left a month later, they'll call security. Only a library lets you take home the goods and fully enjoy them.
I love libraries because they are the last remaining institution able to sustain the reverential hush. The reverential hush has all but disappeared from the movie theathers and concert halls. You can still find it in some churches, but even many of thse have been overcome by the Casual Friday mentality.
How do libraries still maintain the hush?
With the look - chin up, eyes narrowed jaw set. Mastering the look is a prerequisite to a library science degree, along with a commitment to simple hairstyles. Libraries are also able to enforce the hush because word among the stacks is that all those demure librarians have Tasers beneath the checkout counters.
One belly laugh, one cell phone call and - ZAP!
Now is a good time to express your appreciation for libraries and librarians who run them. How, you ask? Quietly. Very, very quietly.
By Lori Borgman
McClatchy News Service
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
4/11/10
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Credit Card Act
The Credit Card Act of 2009, which took effect February 22, 2010, aims to reform the credit card industry and halt abusive credit card practices. It makes changes to the credit card provisions of the Truth-in-Lending Act, and amendments to the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. The new law requires credit card companies to give 45 days notice before making significant changes to the terms of the card, changing fees associated with the card, or increasing the interest rate. The new law also bans retroactive interest rate hikes on existing balances. For an explanation of the new Credit Card Act protections read, What You Need to Know: New Credit Card Rules from the Federal Reserve Board.
Following is a selected list of State Law Library resources on the topics of consumer credit and debt collection that may be useful for doing further research. Wisconsin-specific resources have a “W” in front of the title. For assistance in accessing these or other materials, please contact our Reference Desk.
Remember that printable and online versions of all our Start Here guides are available through the Learning Center section of our website! Print a copy of our most recent guide now: Start Here: Credit/Debt
article from WSLL 4/10
Following is a selected list of State Law Library resources on the topics of consumer credit and debt collection that may be useful for doing further research. Wisconsin-specific resources have a “W” in front of the title. For assistance in accessing these or other materials, please contact our Reference Desk.
Remember that printable and online versions of all our Start Here guides are available through the Learning Center section of our website! Print a copy of our most recent guide now: Start Here: Credit/Debt
article from WSLL 4/10
Friday, March 26, 2010
Can't wait to start working in your flower garden?
Garden Puzzle is an online tool that makes designing your garden simple. In 4 easy steps you’ll have a design that will help you figure out how to start a garden. Just upload a photo of your garden area, indicate what kind of climate and soil conditions you are dealing with, choose plants you want to add (they also suggest some for you), and create visuals for each season you deal with.
When spring is upon us, the time has come to make our way back to the backyards. Most of us have been cooped up in the cold and are ready for some fresh air and a project to keep us busy. Why not start that garden you’ve been meaning to get to? With the help of the Internet you can have that green thumb you’ve always wanted.There are several types of places on the Internet that can help you in your gardening pursuits such as online garden planners, social networks of like-minded gardening types, informational sites, and more!
MakeUseOf 3/2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Spring Ahead!
Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour Saturday!
Daylight Saving Time -- http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html -- Daylight Saving Time gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring. Yet, the implementation of Daylight Saving Time has been fraught with controversy since Benjamin Franklin conceived of the idea. Even today, regions and countries routinely change their approaches to Daylight Saving Time. At this site you can learn about the history of daylight saving (or as some may say, daylight shifting), the standardization of time, and when regions around the globe spring ahead and fall back. Daylight Saving Time is one of several exhibits in the WebExhibits online museum (http://www.webexhibits.org/), all of which promote discovery through multidisciplinary approaches that support all learning styles. WebExhibits is a public service of the Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement (IDEA).
Channel Weekly 3/11/10
Daylight Saving Time -- http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html -- Daylight Saving Time gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring. Yet, the implementation of Daylight Saving Time has been fraught with controversy since Benjamin Franklin conceived of the idea. Even today, regions and countries routinely change their approaches to Daylight Saving Time. At this site you can learn about the history of daylight saving (or as some may say, daylight shifting), the standardization of time, and when regions around the globe spring ahead and fall back. Daylight Saving Time is one of several exhibits in the WebExhibits online museum (http://www.webexhibits.org/), all of which promote discovery through multidisciplinary approaches that support all learning styles. WebExhibits is a public service of the Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement (IDEA).
Channel Weekly 3/11/10
Monday, March 1, 2010
BooksShouldBeFree
Acting on the belief that books should be free for everyone, this website brings you thousands of free downloadable audio books in either MP3 or iTunes format. You can search for a book by title, author, keyword or browse through the collection by categories such as fiction, history and romance. Read more: Booksshouldbefree: Get Free Downloadable Audio Books In MP3 & iTunes Format.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)