Oscar Fever

The Oscars are set to air on February 24, 2013.  That’s only three short weeks away.  What are you spending your time viewing until then?  Why not check out our latest board on Pinterest, Based on the Book. Here you will find the names of films, currently sitting on our shelves, that were based on books.  Are you in the mood for something sinister?  Why not check out Dreamcatcher [2003], based on the novel by Stephen King. Would you rather watch something based on history?  Try Dances with Wolves, [2004] based on the novel by Michael Blake.  Looking for something lighter? How about Confessions of a Shopaholic, [2009] Based on the books “Confessions of a Shopaholic” & “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella.

Whatever you’re in the mood for, we’re sure to have it on our shelves.  So stop by, pick up a film or two, then head home and start popping the popcorn!

Dracut jobs

Looking for a job in the Dracut area? We have resources that can help.  Indeed.com allows you to search Dracut (or any city or town) for jobs by job title, keyword or company name.  JobQuest is another free site run by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which allows you to post your resume, search for jobs and training sites, as well as alerting you to job fairs across the state.  Don’t have a computer at home? We have public computers available to use, free with your library card! Pass the word along to your friends and family – together we can all get working!

Historical maps

If you are doing genealogical research or just like looking at old, historical maps this is a link you should be looking at! It’s fun and who knows what you’ll see and discover!

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Historical Quadrangle Scanning Project (HQSP) is in the process of releasing all editions and all scales of more than 200,000 historic topographic maps of the United States dating from 1884-2006.

For more than 130 years, the USGS topographic mapping program has accurately portrayed the complex geography of our Nation. The historical topographic map collection contains all editions and all scales of USGS topographic quadrangles. Files are high resolution (600 DPI) scanned images of all maps from the USGS legacy collection.

The historical topographic map collection includes all States and U.S. territories mapped by the USGS. The HQSP creates a master catalogue and digital archive for all topographic maps and provides easy access to the public to download this historical data to accompany topographic maps that are no longer available for distribution as lithographic prints.

Historical maps are available to the public at no cost in GeoPDF format from the USGS Store. These maps are georeferenced and can be used in conjunction with the new USGS digital topographic map, the US Topo

Getting started in genealogy

You may have seen our post last week about our upcoming Genealogy Workshop on April 28th. (you can register here) We want you to start getting the feel for how easy it can be to trace your family roots. So this week we’re introducing you to The Genealogy Forum Beginner’s Center. There you can ask questions, download printable forms or post to the site’s message board. It’s a place to begin, and so are WE! Feel free to come to the library – ask questions and explore the resources we have that you probably didn’t even know existed!
Explore. Learn. Grow. Know. It’s what LIBRARY is all about!

USA.gov

The USA.gov is the official source for all federal government information. Whether you are trying to find federal tax forms, Social Security information, product recalls or travel advisories, USA.gov is the place to find what you are searching for!

Do the Dewey

Yup, libraries have unique filing systems for all those books and other materials. Sometimes it can be a little hard to figure it out. But some clever folks have come up with a little rap that may just help solve those “where are the books on” questions (as well as change the image of librarians as ‘straight laced, tight bunned and no-fun). Check this out:

Yup, There’s an App for that! …

Did you see something in a bookstore and want to know if your library has it? Do you need to find a local library? Or find out if there is a library which has a CD of your favorite (but not yet famous) rock band? We’ll there’s an app for that! That app is RedLaser which harnesses WorldCat, the world’s largest database of bibliographic information built continuously by libraries around the world since 1971. The RedLaser app from iTunes is $1.99 and perfect if you are a bibliophile or just a thrifty shopper. Click the links for more information.

http://www.oclc.org/us/en/news/releases/2010/20101.htm

http://worldcat.org/blogs/archives/2010/01/more-on-library-results-within.htm

What to read?

Looking for something to read but you don’t know what? Our reference staff has tipped me off to a great find: Book Browse Find books and get suggestions on specific genres, read-alikes (if you like so and so then you’ll like…) even online book clubs! Looking for a specific time period? How about new releases? Book Browse has it! The site is for all age groups, adults, children & teens.  If you’re an avid reader then this is worth looking into!

Goodreads = Goodtimes

Doesn’t it drive you crazy when you come to the library, find what looks like a great book, but you aren’t really sure if you’ve read it before? Do you have index cards listing every book you’ve every read? Or do you simply take the book home only to read the first 4 pages and realize you’ve already read the book? Are you a person who would like to join a bookclub but just don’t have the time?

If the answer is yes then Goodreads.com is for you!

• Get great book recommendations from people you know.
• Keep track of what you’ve read and what you’d like to read.
• Form a book club, answer book trivia, collect your favorite quotes!
• See what your favorite authors are up to
• Share your writing

And if you’re also a Facebook user you can download an app that will allow you and your friends to share the goodtimes in Goodreads!

You can quote me on that!

Sometimes we just need some words of wisdom to help enrich a paper, speech or special occasion toast. Or maybe just a movie and TV quotes to stump our friends online. WikiQuote.org is a wonderful resource to find sourced quotes from people, literature, movies even epitaphs and last words. Once you start exploring WikiQuote you may not be able to stop!