Career Transitions Now Available at Troy Public Library

Are you daunted with the thought of having to conduct a job search? Do you need help writing a resume? Are you interested in exploring new career options?

With Career Transitions, a new eResource provided by the Troy Public Library, you can do all of this and more. Career Transitions walks you through each step of the job search process. It features personal assessment tests to help you discover careers in which you may be interested, and shows you projected growth rates of careers by state.

Career Transitions features a self-guided resume builder that allows you to quickly create a resume that can be saved in a variety of file formats. Additionally, there are tips during each step so that you create a quality resume.

Best of all, you can look up and apply to jobs directly through Career Transitions.

To access Career Transitions you will need a Troy Public Library card. Go to the Troy Public Library website and click eResources on the left under Library Links. Click on the Job Seeker link, and then click on Career Transitions.

Rebalance Your Portfolio Using Morningstar

Morningstar Investment Research Center, one of the popular business eResources to which the Troy Public Library subscribes, is offering a free training webinar Wednesday, December 16 at 4 pm on how to rebalance your portfolio for 2010.

To register, send an email to librarytraining@morningstar.com, and mention that you use Morningstar through the Troy Public Library. You will need an Internet connection and a phone to attend this webinar.

Even if you can't attend the webinar, Morningstar Investment Research Center has helpful training brochures available for download that cover a variety of topics, such as getting started in investing, retirement planning, and investing in options. Additionally, a series of 150 courses provide instruction in investing topics. These items are available anytime and can be found under the Help and Education tab within Morningstar.

Morningstar Investment Research Center is available through the Troy Public Library website, by clicking on eResources, selecting Business & Economics, and then selecting Morningstar. You will need a valid Troy Library card to use this eResource.

Mango Basic Language Learning Program Now Available at Troy

If you use Mango Languages, an online language learning program offered through the Troy Public Library, you will notice something different when you login. Now, instead of a screen showing various languages, you have a choice: Mango Complete or Mango Basic.

Mango Complete is Mango's standard language learning program. It features courses in 9 foreign languages and ESL support for 3 languages. Each course contains 100 lessons.

Mango Basic is new product designed for people who need basic-level language skills in a short amount of time. It includes lessons for 22 foreign languages and ESL courses for 14. This includes languages that are in Mango Complete, such as French, German, and Japanese, as well as new languages like Arabic, Hindi, and Korean. It uses the same flash card style as Mango Complete.

Each language lesson in Mango Basic is divided into 2 sections. Section 1 teaches greetings, gratitude, and goodbyes, while section 2 discusses how to ask if someone speaks English. In addition to basic words and grammar, cultural information is also covered.

To access Mango Languages, you will need a Troy Public Library card. Go to our website and click eResources on the left under Library Links. Click on Language Learning, then Mango Languages.Try it out and let us know what you think.

For more information about Mango Basic, see this blog post.

ConsumerReports.org Now Available at Home from the Troy Library

Are you considering buying a new car? Do you need to replace a home appliance? Or, perhaps you want to know the best value for your money when it comes to everyday products, from breakfast cereal to light bulbs.

In today's economy, it's more important than ever to make informed purchasing decisions. Consumer Reports, the magazine of nonprofit organization Consumer Union, has been independently testing, evaluating, and rating products for over 70 years.

Now you can get all the ratings from Consumer Reports at home through the Troy Public Library's subscription to ConsumerReports.org. Our subscription gives you access to all subscriber-level content, including ratings, product overviews, video, and more. You can also browse issues from the current calendar year.

To access ConsumerReports.org, you will need a Troy Public Library card. Go to the Troy Public Library website and click eResources on the left under Library Links. From the Magazines, Journals, and Newspapers subject list click on ConsumerReports.org.

New Troy Library Computer System Coming September 30

As many of you might know, the Troy Library is in the process of changing to a new Integrated Library System (ILS). I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the status of this change.

An ILS is the software that knits together all the processes necessary to manage a modern and busy library. There are several modules -- for acquisitions, cataloging, serials, patron services, circulation and administration -- that make up the modern ILS.

In February, the Library chose the Polaris system as our next ILS. Moving to Polaris means we are leaving an older, UNIX-based ILS that is cumbersome, "cranky," and no longer cost effective. During these tough economic times it may not seem to make sense we would be investing in a significant software purchase, but not only is Polaris a much more efficient and standardized Windows-based environment, it is actually significantly more cost effective over the next five years. So the Library will gain functionality, improve efficiencies, and save money all at the same time. And our patrons will see it directly in better service, better response times, and a friendlier interface to our Public Access Catalog.

While it is no small task to accomplish this new system, the conversion offers an opportunity to reassess our internal processes, developed years ago for what is now an outdated system. To date we have installed new virtualized server hardware, developed new profiles for our array of internal processes, cleaned up a lot of bad data (orphaned records, errors, non-compliant records, etc.), developed new data code models for managing our collections, developed more automated ordering systems, modified our patron support processes, and begun the preparation for our staff for a September 30 launch date.

We are truly excited about this opportunity to improve our patron experience at the Troy Library while improving internal processes that are invisible to our patrons, but extremely important to that experience. All these changes are welcomed, timely, and another sign of the desire of the entire Library staff to better serve the Troy community.

I will continue to post updates as move forward. Please feel free to post questions in the comments section and I will be happy to respond to them.

Free Training Available for Morningstar Investment Research Center

Morningstar Investment Research Center, one of the popular business electronic resources to which the Troy Public Library subscribes, is offering a free training webinar on September 30 at 4 pm. This training will walk you through the Morningstar database, describe how to get investment information about specific companies and industries, and demonstrate the Portfolio X-Ray feature, where you can view how a set of holdings works together as a portfolio.

To register, send an email to librarytraining@morninstar.com. You will need an Internet connection and a phone to attend this webinar.

Even if you can't attend the webinar, Morningstar Investment Research Center has helpful training brochures available for download that cover a variety of topics, such as getting started in investing, retirement planning, and investing in options. Additionally, a series of 150 courses provide instruction in investing topics. These items are available anytime and can be found under the Help and Education tab within Morningstar.

Morningstar Investment Research Center is available through the Troy Public Library website, by clicking on Information on Demand, selecting Business & Economics, and then selecting Morningstar. You will need a valid Troy Library card to use this database.

Celebrate Small Business Week with Electronic Resources from TPL

May 18 marked the beginning of National Small Business Week. If you currently have a small business, or are considering starting one, here are several electronic resources available from the Troy Public Library that may be of use to you.

• Small Business Resource Center
  Easily searchable by business topic or type of business, this database from Gale provides a wealth of information to entrepreneurs. It includes several how-to articles that describe how to buy, sell, and finance your business. You can find articles from a large selection of business journals. It also includes many examples of sample business plans.


• Gale Virtual Reference Library
  Through Gale's Virtual Reference Library, TPL has access to all 14 volumes of Business Plans Handbook. Each volume in this series features actual business plans from small businesses throughout North America.


• Legal Forms
  This database compiles legal forms for a variety of topics, including many for operating a small business. It also includes an attorney directory and a dictionary of legal definitions.

All of these resources are available to patrons in the Library. The can also be accessed at home if you have a valid Troy Library card by going to our website and clicking on the "Information On-demand" icon.

Online Jazz Festival, May 12- 14

Have you enjoyed the jazz posts here at The Tech Desk? Well, there is more music coming your way. As part of the launch of its new database, Jazz Music Library, database publisher Alexander Street Press is hosting an Online Jazz Festival from May 12 to May 14. Not only will the Jazz Music Library be free for this time, but there will also be contests, free music downloads, and drawings for free CDs.

Jazz Music Library features over 18,000 audio tracks from over 3,800 different artists. Labels that comprise the database include Verve, GRP, Fantasy, Concord Jazz, Original Jazz Classics, and many more. Be sure to go here starting Tuesday, May 12 to participate in the Alexander Street's First Annual Online Jazz Music Festival. For more information about the festival, click here.

CQ Researcher Discusses the Future of Journalism

Another day, another small newspaper ends its print run. This time, the Hamtramck Citizen has stopped publishing as of April 20. This joins a growing list of papers such as The Troy Eccentric, Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, and Ann Arbor News, which have all cut back on print publication or are ceasing to publish altogether.

The newspaper industry is rapidly changing. With these changes, how is this going to affect the future of journalism? CQ Researcher, a database that the Troy Public Library offers, has recently issued a report regarding this topic. It outlines the history of newspapers, where the industry stands today, and also offers pro and con opinions regarding the future of print newspapers.

To access CQ Researcher and read this report, you must have a valid Troy Library card. Click the "Information On Demand" link on our homepage, click Social Sciences from the subject listings, and then click CQ Researcher. The Future of Journalism report can be accessed along the right-hand side under the "Recent Reports" heading. Additional reports discuss wrongful convictions, business bankruptcy, extreme sports, and the future of the GOP.

Be sure to also check out CQ Researcher's Twitter feed to see when new reports are available.

More Courses and Tests Available from Learning Express

LearningExpress Library, a test preparation database to which the Troy Public Library subscribes, has recently added several new practice tests and course offerings.

Practice exams are now available for various healthcare related exams, including radiography, certified surgical technologist, and certified medical assistant. Practice is also available for Commercial Driver's License topics, including basic CDL knowledge, air brakes, passenger transport, and more. GED practice exams are now available in Spanish as well as English.

Several previous course offerings have been updated. This includes many practices exams for Advanced Placement subjects such as biology, chemistry, and calculus. Practice tests for the GMAT and GRE have also been updated.

To access LearningExpress Library from our homepage, you must have a Troy Public Library card. Click the "Information On Demand" link on our homepage, click Education from the subject listings, and then click LearningExpress Library. If you have never used LearningExpress, you will need to register for an account after arriving at the LearningExpress Library homepage.

Additionally, if you are reading this and do not have a Troy Library card, but are a resident of Michigan, LearningExpress is available to all Michigan residents through the Michigan eLibrary. Go to mel.org and click on the MeL Databases link.

Sixth Sense Wearable Device Expands the Way You Interact with the World

Here is a pretty interesting eight minute video about Sixth Sense – a wearable device with a projector that allows you to interact with your environment and the Internet in some new and profound ways.



The device was created by Pattie Maes, who works at the Media Lab's Fluid Interfaces Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, along with her student, Pranav Mistry.

This product was unveiled at the 2009 TED – Technology, Entertainment, Design – annual conference. This conference brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes.

New Source of Reliable, Health Information on the Web

Are you looking for reliable health information on the Internet? Check out healthfinder.gov, a new website of the National Health Information Center of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Available in English and Spanish, healthfinder.gov is full of personalized, actionable health and wellness information and tools presented in an easy-to-read format with simple navigation. Some features of the site include:

• Quick-reference health guides with facts, actions, and Start Today tips;
• Personalized health recommendations based on age and sex;
• Interactive tools like menu planners, calorie counters, videos, and online checkups;
• Information on specific disease prevention topics;
• Lists of questions patients can take to the doctor;
• Links to information from more than 1,600 government and nonprofit organizations;
• Tools to locate health care providers including federally funded health centers that care for patients, even if they do not have health insurance; and
• A calendar of national health observances, useful in promoting health events.

Visit healthfinder.gov and see for yourself why it is listed as one of the Medical Library Association’s Top Ten Most Useful Web Sites. A good place to start is with this tour.

Library of Michigan Hosts Genealogy Seminar on April 4

Genealogists and family history researchers can discover tools and tips to make their search for ancestors more productive at Learning More at the Library of Michigan: Online Genealogy, on Saturday, April 4, at the Michigan Library and Historical Center in Lansing. The Library houses one of the top 10 genealogy collections in the United States.

This free annual seminar – which typically attracts 300 Michiganians interested in exploring their roots -- will highlight the growing number of free Web sites and subscription databases for family history research.

Among the topics to be discussed are: Effectively Using HeritageQuest Online; Finding Free Vital Records; Ancestry Library Edition; Utilizing Footnote at the Library of Michigan and from Home; Seeking Michigan Death Records? A New Digitization Project; and Accessing Obituaries on the Internet.

The free, half-day workshop runs from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Michigan Library and Historical Center, located at 702 W. Kalamazoo St. Free weekend parking is available at the Library's parking lot off Kalamazoo. Seating is limited, so registration is recommended. Sign up online at www.michigan.gov/familyhistory. For more information, phone at 517.373.1300.

Getting the Most Out of Your Library

Here’s a great article from U.S. News and World Report, geared toward college students, on getting the most out of the 21st century library, written by Alice Sneary, head of the community team at the Online Community Library Center library cooperative, known as OCLC.

Among her tips, good for all library users to keep in mind, are:

Use the library’s website – the virtual library. It is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Don’t miss the databases. “There’s a world of knowledge beyond the quick Google search, including scholarly content that your library pays for that is NOT indexed in search engines,” Sneary writes.

Take advantage of Audiobooks. The author advises: “Audio versions of classics like Shakespeare's works are entertaining and can help unlock meanings you might miss on the page. E-audiobooks can also help with learning foreign languages. Transfer titles to a portable device, and take them with you.”

And, finally, Sneary's most important tip: “Ask for help. Take a tour, and get to know the librarians on staff. With your GPA and those tuition dollars at stake, it’s time well spent. Librarians are trained professionals who are there to help you find and make sense of information. Plus, many university libraries have subject specialists with advanced degrees in your field. Use them.”

[via stephenslighthouse]

Celebrate Teen Tech Week at the Troy Library

In honor of this year's Teen Tech Week, March 8 - 14, the Troy Public Library will sponsor a teen scavenger hunt that will highlight the Library's databases, downloadable books, and other electronic resources.

All young people between the ages of 13 and 18 who have a Troy Library card are eligible to participate in the hunt. There will be a drawing of prizes of Visa gift cards, video game rentals, and flash drives, for those who successfully finish the hunt.

For more information, contact the Library's Teen Librarian Judy Frankin, at j.franklin@troymi.gov. The scavenger hunt ends on March 16.

Teen Tech Week is an annual event sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association to celebrate and showcase the technology and non-print resources that teens can use at the library.

New Year's Resolutions

It's time once again to make resolutions for the new year. Here are some technology-related resolutions you may wish to consider:

1. Check out electronic business reference sources available at the Troy Public Library

Researching businesses and stocks? We subscribe to many comprehensive business databases, including ValueLine, Morningstar, Standard & Poor's Net Advantage, thestreet.com and Mergent Online. Need to find information about a particular industry? Check out Plunkett Research Online. Looking for contact information for a particular business? Try Reference USA. You can access these databases by clicking the "Information on Demand" icon on the Library's homepage.

2. Use research databases available from the Troy Public Library
Everything from full text articles from Consumer Reports, Time, and Newsweek to Environmental Nutrition, Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, and Mathematics Education Research Journal can be found in databases from the Library (all of these publications can be found in Academic OneFile). You can access these databases by clicking the "Information on Demand" icon on the Library's homepage.

3. Check out an eBook or eAudiobook
The Troy Public Library subscribes to two services (NetLibrary and OverDrive) that provide downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks. You can access these services here. Try them out! (Note: first-time NetLibrary users will need to register for an account in the Library).

4. Use snopes.com
Before sending money to Nigeria, deleting JDBGMGR.exe, using Listerine to kill mosquitoes, or other things that forwarded emails tell you to do, check out snopes.com. Snopes is a site the debunks urban legends and misinformation that often comes in emails. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true in an email, it probably is.

5. Keep your anti-virus software updated
Anti-virus software is only as good as its last update. Make sure your software is current so that your computer is completely protected. Also, be sure to scan your computer on a regular basis.

6. Use an RSS reader
Do you get frustrated when you check out a favorite blog, and there is no new information? Instead of wasting time checking sites to see if they have been updated, have the updates sent to you automatically by using an RSS reader. For more information, check out this video.

7. Recycle or donate old electronic equipment
So you bought a new computer, printer, cell phone, etc...? What are you going to do with the old one? Instead of throwing it away, consider donating or recycling it.

Another Great Resource for Researching Family History

Many of you who do genealogy know about Ancestry.com, a great online source for family history information with more than 7 billion names and 26,000 searchable databases.

But did you know Ancestry.com has it's own blog? Started in September 2007, the blog features short articles about products and publications, database updates and webinars (online seminars).

For those of us who use Ancestry.com for family history research, the blog adds a layer of up-to-date information which may just help you find that elusive ancestor. Check it out here.

And remember, Ancestry.com is available from the Troy Library computers, free-of-charge.

New Database Features at TPL

While attending the Michigan Library Association Annual Conference in Kalamazoo last week, I went to a session that showcased new updates in databases to which the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) subscribes. These databases are provided to the Troy Library free-of-charge, courtesy of the State Library of Michigan. Here are the highlights:

• Kids's Infobits, this youth database now has the ability to read the text of an article to you. This can be helpful for people with dyslexia, or people who use English as a second language. You can play the audio at your computer while looking at the article, or can download it to your computer as an MP3 file to be listened to later.
  
• MeL Michigana has added more content. This database houses several digital collections relating to Michigan history, including the Civil War Diaries Collection from Western Michigan University, the Archives of Michigan Image Collection, and the Virtual Motor City image collection from Wayne State University.
• Business & Company Resource Center now has enhanced investment reports compiled daily by Reuters Research on Demand.
• LearningExpress Library has added a U.S. Citizenship practice test dealing with history and civics. LearningExpress still continues to offer practice exams for the ACT, SAT, ASVAB, and various civil service exams, as well as practice tests for various school subjects. LearningExpress Library also contains a large library of eBooks to help in test preparation.

To access any of these databases, go to the Troy Public Library homepage and click on "Information On-Demand". Have your Troy Library card number handy.

Consumer Reports Available Online at Home from the Troy Public Library

Thinking about buying a new appliance for your home? How about the latest MP3 player or laptop? Trading in your automobile for a new model?

Often when people are planning big purchases, buying something new about which they know little, or deciding between competing models, they turn to Consumer Reports. CR has been evaluating and grading consumer products since 1933. Since that time, CR has been a staple in public libraries across the country.

Now you can find the information you need from Consumer Reports right from the comfort of your home -- as long as you have an internet connection and a Troy Public Library card.

That's right. Just go to the Library's website and click on the Information on Demand -- All Day, Every Day link in the middle of the page. That will take you to our Databases and Electronic Resources list.

From there, click on the Alphabetical Listing of Databases link, and go to the letter G. CR is in a database called General OneFile. Click on General OneFile and enter your 14-digit Library card number, when prompted.

There you will find a search box. Enter your search term, and enter Consumer Reports, where it says Limit results by publication title. You will be able to search all CRs from 1999 to the present.