Library announces March activities

 

Posted February 5, 2012

 

Library offers online interview assistance -- Prepare yourself with interview assistance through JobNow, an online resource accessible for free to Nicholson Memorial Library System cardholders.  JobNow is an electronic tutoring service dedicated to employment preparation that includes interview coaching with a live tutor, interview tips, and Internet resources for the job seeker.

 

In the live interview coaching segment, the job seeker will be connected to a tutor who will ask mock interview questions using an online white board.  As each question is answered, the tutor will provide feedback on what was answered well and where improvement could be made.

 

JobNow also offers a list of common interview questions and tips on interview preparation, such as researching a potential employer.  It also lists selected websites for interview resources.

 

Library cardholders may access JobNow seven days a week from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.  To access the service go to www.nmls.lib.tx.us, and click on Online Resources.  Then select Online Tutoring—Job Seekers and look for JobNow.  Enter your library card number and PIN.

 

Create a great resume -- Make your resume stands out from the crowd with a free online resource.  The library offers cardholders an electronic tutoring service for employment preparation.  The JobNow service offers four choices. The user may elect to use a live assistant, utilize one of the prepared resume templates, submit their own written resume to be critiqued, or review other websites on resume writing.

 

If requesting help from a live assistant, the user will be connected to a tutor who will review their resume components via an online white board.  For do-it-yourselfers, JobNow offers a Resume Lab, which allows users to submit their drafted resumes.  An expert will review the resume and return an analysis within 24 hours.

 

For additional assistance, JobNow provides a variety of resume templates.  JobNow also connects users to resume resources on the Internet.

 

JobNow is available seven days a week from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. through www.nmls.lib.tx.us. Click on Online Resources and then on Online Tutoring—Job Seekers.  When at JobNow, enter library card number and PIN.

 

Find car care solutions online -- Is your car or truck in need of repair?  Find resources to help you with Auto Repair Reference Center, an online resource available for free to cardholders.

 

Auto Repair Reference Center is an electronic database that provides detailed instructions on repairing cars, trucks, and vans.  It includes information for current vehicles as well as models dating back to 1945.  All major vehicle makes are represented in the reference center.

 

In addition to repair instructions, users can also obtain printable wiring diagrams and specifications, identify maintenance intervals, and monitor service bulletins with ARRC.

 

The database has recently been updated.  The service now includes Auto IQ, which contains videos illustrating how different vehicle components work.  Other enhancements to the database consist of a section with care and repair tips, as well as an in-depth troubleshooting resource.

 

To access Auto Repair Reference Center visit www.nmls.lib.tx.us and click on Online Resources.  Next click on the Do It Yourself subject area, then find Auto Repair Reference Center.  Enter library card number and PIN.

 

Book discussion group features Little Bee -- The Page Turners, the book discussion group, will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, at the Central Library, 625 Austin St.

 

The group will discuss Little Bee, by Chris Cleave.  In this novel, the lives of two women intersect on a beach in Nigeria and are irrevocably changed.  One, a journalist, is on holiday with her husband trying to improve her strained marriage.  The other is a 16-year-old orphan.  What happens on the beach will be pushed aside in each of their minds until they are reunited a few years later in England.

 

Everyone’s invited to join the discussion, or just come to listen.  For information, call 972-205-2502.

 

Spring book sale -- The Friends of the Nicholson Memorial Library System will conduct a Spring Book Sale at the South Garland Branch on March 29, 30, and 31.

 

Shoppers will find bargains on a variety of books, including fiction and nonfiction, paperback and hardcover, and coffee table and reference books.  Non-book items available at the sale may include puzzles, videos, DVDs, audio books, computer games, and more.

 

The sale will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 29, and end at 8 p.m.  Friends of the Library members will receive a coupon for one free book if they check in prior to entering the sale on March 29.  The sale continues Friday-Saturday, March 30-31, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

 

The South Garland Branch Library is at 4845 Broadway Blvd., at Oates Rd.  Admission is free.  For more information call 972-205-2543, or email folgarland@gmail.com.

 

Celebrate favorite children’s series -- The library will host free programs for school children during spring break, March 12-15.  Children will talk about their favorite series titles and enjoy games and crafts.  Call 972-205-2517 for information.

 

Monday, March 12, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Central Library, 625 Austin St., 972-205-2517

Book Series:  Magic Tree House, by Mary Pope Osborne

 

Tuesday, March 13, 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Walnut Creek Branch Library, 3319 Edgewood, 972-205-2585

Book Series:  Nancy Drew/ Hardy Boys, by Carolyn Keene/ Franklin Dixon

           

Wednesday, March 14, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

North Garland Branch Library, 3845 North Garland Ave., 972-205-2804

Book Series:  Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney

 

Thursday, March 15, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

South Garland Branch Library, 4845 Broadway Blvd., 972-205-3934

Book Series:  My Weird School, by Dan Gutman

 

Garland goes Gaelic -- In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, the Broken Man Band will perform Celtic music at Senior Social Hour at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 15, at the Central Library.

 

The band features local husband and wife duo William and Aurelia Drake, who engage audiences with music that is accessible and entertaining.  Their repertoire embraces long-established Scottish and Irish tunes, which showcase instruments such as a hammered dulcimer, tenor guitar, and Irish whistles.  

 

The program is free and open to anyone 55 and older.  Donations of gently used items for the Friends of the Library book sale will be accepted during the program.  Registration not required, but seats fill up quickly.  Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance.  Call 972-205-2502 for information.

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Library offers assistance for job seekers

Posted January 5, 2012

Create a great resume -- Make your resume stand out from the crowd with a free online resource from Garland's public library. 

The Nicholson Memorial Library System offers cardholders an electronic tutoring service for employment preparation. The library’s JobNow service offers four choices. The user may elect to use a live assistant, to utilize one of the prepared resume templates, to submit their own written resume to be critiqued, or to review other recommended websites on resume writing.

If requesting help from a live assistant, the user will be connected to a tutor who will review their resume components via an online white board. 

For do-it-yourselfers, JobNow offers a Resume Lab, which allows users to submit their drafted resumes. An expert will review the resume and return an analysis to the user within 24 hours of submission.

For additional assistance, JobNow also provides a variety of resume templates. These templates include four of the most common resume types; chronological, combination, targeted, and functional.

JobNow also connects users to resume resources on the Internet. These resources include carefully selected websites to further help with resume writing.

JobNow is available seven days a week from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. through the library’s website at www.nmls.lib.tx.us. Click on Online Resources and then on Online Tutoring—Job Seekers. When at JobNow, enter library card number and PIN, and you are ready to build your resume.

Interview assistance online -- Prepare yourself with interview assistance through JobNow, a resource accessible for free to Nicholson Memorial Library System cardholders. 

JobNow is an electronic tutoring service dedicated to employment preparation. The service includes interview coaching with a live tutor, interview tips, and Internet resources for the job seeker.

In the live interview coaching segment, the job seeker will be connected to a tutor who will ask mock interview questions using an online white board. As each question is answered, the tutor will provide feedback on what was answered well and where improvement could be made.

JobNow also offers a list of common interview questions and tips on preparing for interviews, such as researching a potential employer prior to the interview.  It also lists carefully selected websites for interview resources.

JobNow may be accessed seven days a week from 3 to 10 p.m. Go to www.nmls.lib.tx.us, and click on Online Resources. Then select Online Tutoring—Job Seekers and look for JobNow. Enter your library card number and PIN, and you are ready to prepare for your interview.

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Library Online can help with resolutions

 

Posted December 31, 2011

 

Garland's Library Online can help with almost any New Year’s resolution.   Would you like to learn a new language? Immerse yourself in Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, or English for Spanish speakers with Powerspeak online or the language and audio books at the libraries.

 

Need to improve your grades this semester? Check out HelpNow, an online tutoring service. Get help for kindergarten through college in subjects such as math, science, social studies, English, and writing.

 

Want to research your family tree? Explore your ancestry with Heritage Quest or Ancestry Library Edition. Heritage Quest is accessible at the library and online, but Ancestry must be used in the library.

 

Interested in finding a new job or career? Live resume assistance and interview coaching, as well as tips and templates are offered through JobNow, an online resource.

 

Need to strengthen your computer skills before finding that new job?  You can access tutorials on basic computer functions, the Internet, Microsoft Office programs, and more.  Learning Express Computer Training is available online.

 

Pursuing your popular reading with a mobile device or e-reader? Check out the growing resources online, including OverDrive downloadable books, book clubs, and reading newsletters. Library Elf, which alerts you to books on hold and upcoming due dates, is free. 

 

Visit www.nmls.lib.tx.us or call 972-205-2509 for more information.

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Library announces February activities

 

Posted December 31, 2011

 

Book discussion group meets an Outlander -- The Page Turners will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Central Library, 625 Austin St., in downtown Garland.  The group will discuss Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.  In this time-travel romance, Claire Randall touches a boulder while on a second honeymoon to the British Isles in 1945.  The touch transports her to the 1743 Scottish Highlands where she meets an evil ancestor of her husband as well as a young soldier named James Fraser.  After Fraser is injured, Claire nurses him back to health, and a romance blossoms between the pair.  They encounter many dangerous adventures before Claire discovers a way to return to 1945. 

 

Interested readers are invited to join the discussion, or just listen.  For information, call 972-205-2502.         

Find a great read with NoveList -- Looking for a great book to read or find what comes next in a series? Want information on your favorite author?  Find all this in NoveList, an online resource free to cardholders.  NoveList is an electronic database consisting of information on novels and novelists in over 10 genres. 

 

NoveList offers author bibliographies, links to websites, as well as read-alikes, which identify an author’s style and recurrent themes and then suggest writers with similar motifs.  The database also contains book discussion guides for hundreds of titles.

 

To access NoveList you need your library card.  Go to www.nmls.lib.tx.us and click on Online Resources.  Next click on the Books & Reading area, then find NoveList.  Enter card number and PIN.

 

Learn to love languages with Powerspeak -- Te amo. Je t’aime. I love you. This Valentine’s Day, tell that special someone how you feel in up to five different languages with help from Powerspeak, an online language program. 

 

Powerspeak is a language instruction program that gradually immerses users into their language of choice while employing instruction methods to help teach that language.  Each language section consists of eight units with approximately 20 to 30 activities.  Completion of a unit requires about one hour.  No special software or downloads are required to use Powerspeak; users simply create an account name and password.  Languages currently offered include Spanish and French, Mandarin, German, and ESL for Spanish speakers.

 

To access Powerspeak you need your library card.  Go to www.nmls.lib.tx.us and click on Online Resources.  Next select the Do It Yourself subject area, then find Powerspeak.  Enter your library card number and PIN and get ready to love a new language.

 

Guitarist Peter Fletcher at Senior Social Hour -- Musician Peter Fletcher will present a classical guitar concert at Senior Social Hour at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the Central Library.  This is Mr. Fletcher’s second appearance at Senior Social Hour and will feature 80 minutes of classical music.

 

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Senior Social Hour programs are free and open to anyone 55 years of age and older.  Donations of gently used items for the Friends of the Library book sale will be accepted during the program.  No registration is required, but seats fill up quickly.  Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance.  Call 972-205-2502 for information.

 

Celebrate Black History Month with South Dallas Concert Choir -- In celebration of Black History Month, the South Dallas Concert Choir will present a program at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Central Library.

 

The program, which combines elements of education, cultural awareness, and preservation, will consist of a wide range of music beginning with songs sung on the Underground Rail, such as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Wade in the Water.”  This portion of the program will be followed by a selection of gospel music, jazz, and freedom songs from the civil rights movement.

 

Sponsored by Friends of the Library, this program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but seating is limited.  Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. 

 

Library Offers TumbleBooks for iPad and iPhone 4 -- Do you love TumbleBooks?  Have an iPad or iPhone 4?  You can now enjoy TumbleBooks on these devices with a collection of iPad-compatible titles that is increasing every day.

 

The TumbleBook Library is a collection of animated, talking picture books, available for free to cardholders.  These books teach children about the joys of reading in an exciting new format. 

 

To access TumbleBooks on your iPad, use the Internet browser to visit www.nmls.lib.tx.us and click on Online Resources.  Next, click Reader’s Resources and then on TumbleBook Library.  Select Story Books from the TumbleBook menu, then click the iPad-compatible titles link.  An iPad icon will be listed next to each title and, once selected, will take you to the book.  Choose the full screen option to view the book in full screen mode.

 

No iPad?  Access the Tumblebook Library from the library’s Online Resources page on your PC or Mac.  There are more than 300 titles to read, have read to you, or add to playlists of your favorite stories.  The full version of the TumbleBook Library includes 160 Tumble Games, in addition to a growing selection of books in Spanish and French.  For information, call 972-205-2517.

 

Catch a Train at the Central Library -- The Central Library will host a free Model Train Exhibit open to the public, Feb. 9, 10, and 11.  The exhibit, provided by The Spring Creek Model Railroad Club, will feature a HOn3 narrow-gauge line, which is 16 feet wide by 20 feet long and features mountainous scenery. 

 

Narrow gauge rails were used primarily between1900 and 1940 and accommodated both passenger and freight service. The narrowness of the rail made it ideal for use in the mountainous areas of the country, particularly in Colorado. In fact, one of the most prominent examples of a narrow gauge track still in use is the state’s Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train.

 

The club’s hobbyists will be present during this exhibit to lend their expertise on how to build and run model trains and answer questions.  The exhibit can be viewed at the Central Library 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10, and 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11.  For information, call 972-205-2502.

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Library offers ‘Value Line Research Center’

Posted December 10, 2011

Do you need reliable information on stocks and investments? You can find it in Value Line Research Center, an online resource, accessible for free from your library.

Value Line provides full-page reports, analyst commentaries, and rankings on approximately 1,700 standard stocks and 1,800 small and mid-cap stocks. All stocks are ranked for performance, technical merit, and safety. The Research Center includes the Mutual Funds Survey, the Daily Options Survey, the Special Situations Service, and the Convertible Survey.                       

To access Value Line Research Center you will need your Garland library card.  Simply go to www.nmls.lib.tx.us and click on Online Resources.  Next click on the Business subject area, then find Value Line. Just enter your library card number and PIN for convenient access to up-to-date, independent investing information.

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Nicholson Memorial Library System announces January activities

 

Posted December 3, 2011

 

Library offers Internet-based tutorials

 

Learn a new software program or improve computer skills from your home or office Internet connection with Learning Express Computer Training, a free online resource available to Nicholson Memorial Library System cardholders.

 

Learning Express Computer Training has more than 18 beginner-level tutorials covering computer and Internet fundamentals.  Topics include email, social networking, and Internet security, as well as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook.  Learning Express can also teach the basics of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Microsoft Publisher.

 

Each video-based tutorial is narrated by an expert instructor and allows users to work at their own pace.  The videos offer easy-to-follow instructions, demonstrations, and illustrations.

 

To access the tutorials go to www.nmls.lib.tx.us and click on Online Resources.  Next, click Do It Yourself and then on Learning Express Computer Training.  Enter a Garland library card number and a personal PIN to access the tutorials.

 

Disney Books Go Digital at Your Library!

 

You can now read books featuring your favorite Disney characters from the comfort of your home computer with OverDrive Disney.

 

The free OverDrive Disney collection offers books for children of every reading level from beginners to independent readers so all children may read along.  Titles include Disney’s “magic pen” feature that turns pages, pronounces words, locates definitions, all with a mouse click.

 

The collection consists of approximately 700 online books including some popular series in downloadable EPUB and PDF formats.  They can be accessed on Windows or Mac computers. Titles are always available which allows for an unlimited number of simultaneous users.

 

Disney EPUB and PDF titles are checked out in the same manner as other OverDrive e-books.  In addition to reading the Disney e-book online, these titles can be transferred to compatible e-book readers.  A complete list of compatible devices can be found on the library website.

 

To access the OverDrive Disney Collection you will need your Garland library card, a computer, and an Internet connection.  Visit www.nmls.lib.tx.us and click on OverDrive Downloadable Books.  Locate the Disney Digital Books link on the menu on the left side of the page, and you are ready to browse the collection.

 

Spring Storytimes begin January 9

 

NMLS announces Spring Storytimes for children and families January 9 – April 28, 2012.

 

Central Library, 625 Austin Street, 972-205-2517

Toddler Storytime (18-36 mos.)               Mondays, 10 a.m.

Preschool Storytime (3-5 yrs.)                 Mondays, 11 a.m.

 

Walnut Creek Branch Library, 3319 Edgewood Drive, 972-205-2585

Family Storytime                                   Thursdays, 7 p.m.

 

North Garland Branch Library, 3845 North Garland Ave., 972-205-2804

Wee Read (birth to 18 mos.)                  Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.

Toddler Storytime (18-36 mos.)               Fridays, 10 a.m.

Preschool Storytime (3-5 yrs.)                 Fridays, 11 a.m.

 

South Garland Branch Library, 4845 Broadway Blvd., 972-205-3934

Toddler Storytime (18-36 mos.)               Wednesdays, 10 a.m.

Preschool Storytime (3-5 yrs.)                 Wednesdays, 11 a.m.

Family Storytime                                   Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.

 

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