Planning and Running a Book Club

Participating in a book club can be a great way to enrich your reading experience. Discussions with fellow readers lead us to understand books in new ways and make connections between literature and our own lives. Often, we build great friendships with other book club members too.

To get the most out of the book club experience, it helps to put a little planning into it ahead of time. There are a lot of things to think about, but doing so will ensure that your club members have a satisfying experience that makes them look forward to each meeting.

Here are some things you'll want to consider:

• Choice of book: The fun novel that helps you unwind after work or that you take to the beach may not be meaty enough for an engaging book club discussion. You may want to choose a book with complicated characters, ethical dilemmas, or social issues so that you can have a lively conversation.
• How the talk will flow: To keep people coming back for more, you want your club's participants to feel free to discuss controversial issues in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Depending on your club's members, you may want to set ground rules so that everyone gets a chance to speak. Every book club is different; some like to have a free-flowing discussion and others structure the conversation around a set of reflection questions.
• Venue and meeting frequency: Making sure everyone is on the same page about club logistics will help prevent scheduling conflicts. Do you want to meet at someone's home? If so, will that person furnish snacks or will the meeting be a potluck? Or, will you meet at a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, or the library? Who will be responsible for making these choices and communicating them to the other members?

Getting a successful book club going and keeping it going can be a challenge, but luckily there are plenty of resources to help you at every step of the way.

Websites

“Starting a Book Club,” from ilovelibraries.org.  This site has many suggestions and links to other helpful resources.

“Ten Tips for Starting and Running a Successful Book Club,” by Rachel Jacobsohn

“Starting and Running a Book Club,” from Book-Clubs-Resource.com

Reading Group Guides has suggested discussion questions for many books available

LitLovers is a website with tips on running meetings, leading discussions, and more.  There are also reading guides for many books with suggested discussion questions.

Find more reading-related links on the Books and Publishers page of our website.
Books
The reading group handbook : everything you need to know, from choosing members to leading discussions Rachel W. Jacobsohn (WPL Call Number: 374.22 J17r)

The complete idiot's guide to starting a reading group byPatrick Sauer. (WPL Call Number: 374.22 S255c)

What to read : the essential guide for reading group members and other book lovers Mickey Pearlman. (WPL Call Number: 011.7 P359w.  There is also a revised and updated 1999 edition available by placing a hold through the C/W MARS catalog.)

Running book discussion groups : a how-to-do-it manual Lauren Zina John. (WPL Call Number: REF 374.22 JOHN)

The New York Public Library guide to reading groups Rollene Saal. (WPL Call Number: REF 374.22 SAAL)

Good books lately : the one-stop resource for book groups and other greedy readers Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens. (Available by placing a hold through the C/W MARS catalog.)

The book group book : a thoughtful guide to forming and enjoying a stimulating book discussion group Edited by Ellen Slezak ; foreword by Margaret Atwood. (Available by placing a hold through the C/W MARS catalog.)

You can always ask a librarian at the Worcester Public Library for help with choosing a book for your club to read. We can point you to some websites and other resources to help you channel your interests into a book club pick. Have a fruitful - and fun - conversation!

Adult Book Club February Pick: The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

Did you know that approximately 6 million African Americans moved from the South to the North and West in the years between 1916 and 1970? This period in American history is known as the Great Migration, and it serves as the backdrop of a new novel by first-time novelist Ayana Mathis, The Twelve Tribes of Hattie. The titular character of Mathis's novel moves from rural Georgia to Philadelphia in the 1920's; the book follows her struggle to chase the American dream in the urban, industrial north. Oprah has selected the book for Oprah's Book Club 2.0, and the library has chosen it for our February book discussion.

Join us in the Main Library on February 19th at 7 PM in the 3rd floor ellipse for a conversation about the book. We appreciate it if you RSVP through our event calendar, but RSVPs are not required.

You can also join the discussion on Goodreads, where we'll post links to related resources you can use to learn more about the historical context of the book.

To reserve a copy of the book, place a hold in the catalog.  If you use an e-reader like a Kindle, Nook, or iPad, you can download the book from Overdrive.  You can also download an audiobook version.

We hope you'll join us on the 19th! Discussing this book will be a fun way to celebrate Black History Month.

Free AARP Income Tax Preparation at the Library

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$$$    AARP Tax Help Program    $$$

Free income tax preparation

for low-income individuals and households (* see restrictions below)

Worcester Public Library

3 Salem Square, Worcester, MA 01608

www.worcpublib.org

Saturday mornings, February 2 to April 13, 2013

To make an appointment:

·       By phone:  508-799-1655 option 3  (reference)

·       In person:  Library’s reference desk on 2^nd floor (see below for library hours)

Appointments are highly recommended.   You may walk in without an appointment, Saturdays between 9:00am and noon.  However, you may need to wait a long time, or even come back another time, if you do not have an appointment.

* Restrictions:  The AARP Tax Program is a free service for low income taxpayers with simple tax returns only.  We cannot prepare your tax return if you have:

·       Higher income (more than $50,000 if single, $65,000 if head of household, $80,000 if married)

·       Rental income (Schedule E)

·       Complex self-employment income (Schedule C)

·       More than 12 Schedule D transactions (sale of bonds and stocks)

·       Other complex tax situations. We can determine whether we are qualified to prepare your return when you come in at your scheduled appointment time.

Other places to get tax help or referrals if you meet the qualifications for receiving help through their service:

·       Main South Community Development Corporation:  508-752-6181

·       Plumley Village/Community Builders:   508-770-0508 (Spanish 831-9835)

·       Worcester Community Action Council, Inc.:  508-754-1176 ext 124

·       Worcester State College:   508-929-8424 or 8635

·       Worcester Senior Center:   508-799-1232

Please cancel your appointment if you cannot make it.

To cancel, call 508-799-1655 option 3.

We will not serve you if you miss an appointment without cancelling.

Where to go for your appointment

In the main Worcester library, go to the periodicals section on the 3^rd floor. 

See the AARP tax help receptionist in the waiting area located at two long tables.

What to bring to your appointment

1.    Photo ID

2.    Social Security numbers and birth dates for everyone on the return. Actual social security cards are best if you have them.

3.    Tax documents for all 2011 income, including whichever of these apply to you:

a.    Earned Income (W-2)

b.    Social Security Income (SSA-1099)

c.     Pension/Retirement Income (1099-R)

d.    Unemployment Income (1099-G)

e.    Nonemployee Compensation (1099-MISC)

f.     Gambling Income (W-2G)

g.    Interest Income (1099-INT)

4.    A copy of last year’s tax returns, Federal and State, if available.

5.    Health Insurance Statement (1099-HC)  If you can’t find the form your health insurance provider mailed to you, bring all health insurance cards.

6.    A blank check for us to see, so you can have direct deposit of your refund (recommended).

7.    If you rent, the amount you paid for rent of your primary residence.

8.    If you own your home, bring your Mortgage Interest Statement (Form 1098) and the amounts you actually paid during 2011 for real estate taxes.

9.    If you pay child care expenses, bring receipt showing the name, address, and social security number of the care giver and the amount paid.

10. If you are a senior citizen claiming the Circuit Breaker Credit for Massachusetts, bring the name and address of the landlord if you rent, or real estate taxes actually paid during 2011 and separate amounts paid for water and sewer if you own your home.

11. Any education payments including student loan interest, tuition, and scholarship amounts.

Learn How to Place a Hold in the Library Catalog

Did you know that you can request that the library reserve an item for you right from your own computer at home?  You can do this with our books, DVDs, and CDs - anything you can borrow from the library.  There are several situations in which you might want to do this:

• The item you want has been checked out by someone else and you want to get in line to borrow it next
• You can't come in to the library for a few days, and you want to make sure the item you want will be available for you when you do come
• Another library owns something you want and you'd like to pick up in Worcester

In all of these situations, you can place your request by placing a hold in the library catalog.  Here's how to do it:

Go to the library homepage, at http://www.worcpublib.org/index.htm.  Click on ‘Search Catalog.’  

In the Formats field, select Books (or another media type) from the dropdown menu.

If you know it, type the title of the item.  If you don’t know the title, you can search by author or keyword.

Select ‘Title’ from the next dropdown menu (or author or keyword, if you are not searching for the specific title).

Expand your search to include all of the libraries in our system by choosing ‘All C/W MARS Libraries’ from the next dropdown.

Hit the ENTER key or click on the Search button.

When you find the item you are looking for in the search results, click on ‘Place Hold’ on the right side of the screen.

Login to your library account by typing your library card number into the Username field and your password into the password field (if you are not sure what your password is, try your last name in all capital letters or the last four digits of your phone number.  If neither of those works, come into the library with a photo ID to get your password reset).

Choose the library where you want to pick up the item (you can choose any library in the C/W MARS system).  Then click on the Submit button to make your hold request.

Next, you’ll see a screen that says “Hold was successfully placed.”  This means that your hold has been submitted.  You can click on ‘Continue’ to go back to your search results.

Your hold has been placed!  Now just wait to receive an email or phone call telling you that your item is ready to be picked up.

Things to know about placing holds:

• When the item you’ve requested is available for you to pickup, a library staff member will notify you.  You can receive your notifications by phone or email, depending on your preference.

• To receive your hold notifications, you must keep your contact information in your account current.  If your email address or phone number changes, call or visit your local library.

• Once the item you requested is available, you have seven days to pick it up.  After that, it will be returned to the collection for another patron to borrow.

• It may take two weeks (or longer for very popular items) to fill your hold request.

Call, email or text a librarian with any questions.

Main Library Adult Book Club

Have you read a great book recently and wished you had someone to talk it over with? 

 If so, the WPL Adult Book Club is for you.  We’ll be discussing notable works of modern literature.  All adults are welcome to attend monthly meetings, even if you haven’t finished the book.  Registration through our events calendar is recommended, but not required.  You can also join the discussion, learn more about the books we'll be reading, and find out about future meetings on Goodreads.

On Tuesday, January 22, 2013, we’ll be discussing The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, which won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, by Michael Chabon.  The book follows two Jewish cousins as they enter the burgeoning comic books industry in World War II-era New York City. Follow their triumphs and travails as they attempt to solidify their personal and professional identities in the Golden Age of Comics. The book has been called an epic, exhilarating adventure tale that captures the fast-paced mood of a bygone America.

Readers can request a copy of the book by placing a hold through the C/W MARS catalog. You can also request a copy through Overdrive to read on your e-reader device.

Please join us on the 22nd at 7 p.m. in the Saxe Room. Book club participants are welcome to bring snacks or beverages to enjoy while discussing the book. We look forward to seeing you then!

Ask a librarian if you have any questions.

Morningstar Available for WPL Card Holders at Home!

Starting January 1st, 2013, Morningstar Investment Research Center is now available for WPL card holders at home.

The Morningstar research center is provided by the Library in place of the printed format of Morningstar mutual funds commentaries, which will no longer be published after December 31, 2012. Morningstar Investment Research Center is an excellent resource for those planning to do research on Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Industries and more.

It will help individual investors:

•  review analyses of over 41,000 investments, 
• get reliable portfolio analysis, learn about investment options, and 
• read up on the most up-to-date financial news commentary, 
• watch videos on investing and personal finance. 
• There are also portfolio analysis tools and savings calculators accessible on the site.

For new investors, Morningstar Investment Research Center includes a good deal of on-board training for you. You will find the following features under the Help & Education tab:

• Investing and Specialized Centers in PDF format that show you how invest. 
• Users Guide and Quick Guide in PDF format—just download and print. 
• Investing Classroom with 200 interactive classes on how to evaluate stocks and mutual funds.
• A comprehensive glossary of investment terms that appear in Morningstar Investment Research Center

To access:
1. Go to www.worcpublib.org
2.  Click Online Databases in the left column
3. Select Business and Finance
4. Click on the house icon next to Morningstar Investment Research if you are at home
5. You need to type in your library card number to log in

Need to get a library card? Click here to get one.

If you have any questions, please ask a librarian at http://www.worcpublib.org/services/asklibrarian.htm

About this blog

The WPL Reference Blog will keep you up-to-date on resources, services, collections, archives, public programs, classes, and exhibitions of the Worcester Public Library. All blog entries are written by the WPL own experienced and knowledgeable reference librarians.  Email Pingsheng Chen if you have any questions.

Friends Film Series, Winter 2012

— Skating on Film —

In honor of the city ice rink opening!
Dec. 1: Ice Castles
The beloved tearjerker starring 1970s teen heartthrob Robby Benson in a classic story of love triumphing over tragedy, 1978. (PG)
Dec. 8: Thin Ice
Delightful film features the Olympic- gold skating talents of Sonja Henie and her prince, Tyrone Power, 1937.
Dec. 15: Cutting Edge
Romantic movie showcases charming performances by D.B. Sweeney and Moira Kelly who portray a fading hockey player and a prima-donna skater, 1992. (PG)
Dec. 22: Breakaway
An ethnic Canadian hockey player struggles against traditional family values
and discrimination from his mainstream hockey buddies, 2011. (PG)
Dec. 29: Ice Princess
With the help of her coach, par- ents, and the boy who drives the Zamboni, nothing can stop Casey from pursuing her dream to be a champion skater, 2005. (G)

— Social Justice —
Jan. 5: The Interrupters
An intimate, inspiring journey into the stubborn persistence of violence in our cities, 2011.
Jan. 12: Freedom Writers
A teacher (Hilary Swank) inspires her class of at-risk students to learn toler- ance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school, 2007. (PG-13)

Jan. 19: Inside Job
Oscar-winning documentary (stars Matt Damon) takes a closer look at what caused the financial meltdown, 2010. (PG-13) The film is followed by a moderated discussion on the impact of the foreclosure crisis on Worcester residents.
Jan. 26: The Constant Gardener A widower (Ralph Fiennes) is deter- mined to uncover the secret circumstances surrounding his wife’s murder, 2005. (R)

— Loving Basketball —
Feb. 2: Coach Carter
Controversy surrounds high school basketball coach Ken Carter after he benches his entire
team for breaking
their academic con-
tract with him,
2007. (PG-13)

Feb. 9: Hoop Dreams Absorbing film follows two
African-American boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the
road to going profes- sional, 1994. (PG-13)
Feb. 16: Love and Basketball
A romantic tale of two Los Angeles neighbors who grew up loving basket- ball and, eventually, each other, 2000. (PG-13) Location to be announced.
Feb. 23: He Got Game
A basketball player’s father (Denzel Washington) must convince his son to
attend a college so Dad can get a shorter prison sentence, 1998. (R)

Gift Ideas: Best Products of the Year (Consumer Reports)

Don't know what to buy,  check out "Best products of the year: 475+ top picks and great buys" Consumer Reports magazine: November 2012

 This ultimate buyer's guide includes the best electronics, appliances, and other products among the thousands our secret shoppers bought throughout the year and that our testers rigorously tested.

All of the products listed are recommended, which means that they performed well in Consumer Reports' labs, and where they’re able to assess a brand’s reliability, they believe the brand to be reliable. Many choices are included in each category, so you’re bound to find at least a few that meet your needs.

In the middle part of each page in the PDF, they highlight CR Best Buys across a range of prices. CR Best Buys perform well in our tests and are of exceptional value.

Email pchen@worcpublib.org if you have any questions.

Culinary Arts Collection: Best Holiday Recipes!

Do you know you can find recipes and other culinary information from Culinary Arts Collection? The database is provided by Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and Mass Library System. A valid WPL library card is required to access the database.

 This database is comprised of more than 300 major cooking and nutrition magazines as well as almost 20 reference titles from Delmar, including
 ✔ Art Culinaire
 ✔ Better Nutrition
 ✔ Confectioner
 ✔ Delicious Living
✔ Environmental Nutrition
✔ Farmers Guardian
 ✔ Food and Drink
✔ Food Magazine
✔ Food, Culture & Society
✔ Prevention
✔ Tea & Coffee Trade Journal
✔ Vegetarian Times
✔ Wine Handbook
✔ And many more

The collection provides access to not only recipes, but also restaurant reviews, industry information and practical instruction, such as
✔ Creating baked goods
 ✔ Preparing popular recipes
✔ Managing your weight
✔ Choosing the right wine
✔ Gaining catering experience
✔ Preparing fast meals
✔ Practical advice on opening a restaurant
✔ Developing healthy eating habits
✔ Calculating recipes
✔ Becoming a wine connoisseur
✔ And much more

 To access: 
Go to www.worcpublib.org
Click Online Databases in the left column of the page
Choose Auto Repair, Culinary Arts, Consumer under By Subject
Select Culinary Arts Collection

Search Tips
• Choose from Basic, Subject Guide, Publication or Advanced Search
• Limit search to Full Text documents 
• Limit search results to Document Types,  such as recipes only
• Support a multilingual community by translating documents on-demand
• Manage documents in the collection by e-mailing, bookmarking or printing them

Sample Search: Holiday Recipes

• Type in holiday recipes in keyword search
• Check Only Full Text  in the left column
• Now you will be able to browse through over 84 holiday recipes at http://tinyurl.com/d5tyhsx

Sample Search: Thanksgiving recipes

• Type in thanksgiving in keyword search
• Check Only Full Text  in the left column
• Click Recipes under Document Types in the left column
• Now you will be able to browse through over 140 Thanksgiving recipes http://tinyurl.com/aapmzvp 

Enjoy the following two delicious recipes:

• Sears, Kate. "Our Thanksgiving cookbook." Good Housekeeping Nov. 2010: 156+. Culinary Arts Collection. Web. 17 Nov. 2012.  http://tinyurl.com/c33cwhu

• And the winner is: the best thanksgiving recipes from our reader contest." Vegetarian Times Nov. 2001: 64+. Culinary Arts Collection. Web. 17 Nov. 2012. http://tinyurl.com/apgw3ov

 
If you have any trouble accessing the database, please email Ping, the eResources Librarian at pchen@worcpublib.org

WPL Main Library Computer Classes!

  ———————— Level 1 ——————————

Computer Basics (4 Sessions)
Fridays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Third Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: For anyone who has no computer skills. Familiarize yourself with the computer. Gain mouse and keyboarding skills. Learn how to use the Internet. Sign up at the 2nd Floor Desk

                                  ***

eMail for Beginners
Drop-in Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Third Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: People who have taken the Computer Basics class or have basic computer skills. Will create a Gmail account for every student, teach how to send, and reply to a message, and attach a document. No registration required.

          ————————–——–———— Level 2 ——————————–—————

New!  Smart Searching Series (4 Sessions)
Drop-in Fridays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. 3rd Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: For people who have taken the Computer Basics class or have basic computer skills. Instruction on how to surf the Internet effectively, use Google, and access your library account online. Also, view recommended websites, learn to navigate online databases, and retrieve full-text documents. No registration required.

                                                                         ***

New! Introduction to Microsoft Word (4 Sessions)
Tuesdays, 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Third Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: Students, Adult Learners Learn how to create and edit documents, format text, proofread, upload documents to email, and add tables and graphics. Pre-requisite: You must have an established email account prior to attending classes. Register on the Events Calendar on the library's website at www.worcpublib.org

          ———————–——–————–— Level 3 ——————————–—————

eBooks and eReaders
Drop in Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Third Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: Everyone who is interested Will demonstrate major features of different e-readers, and help students download library eBooks, audiobooks or music to his or her device. Please bring your device to the workshop if you have one.
                                                                           
                                                                        ***
                                                              
College Admission Essays, Resume, Job Applications, Research Help
Wednesday evenings 5:30-8:30 p.m. Second Floor Reference Desk
Audience: Students, Job Seekers, Adult Learners
Assistance with finding information on a topic, editing, content organization and citations. Register one hour session on the Events Calendar on the library’s website at www.worcpublib.org


_____________________________________________________________________________
For more information, call 508-799-1655 x3 or email wplref@worcpublib.org Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem Sq. Worcester MA 01608, revised on 1/20/13

Free JAWS Workshops

The Worcester Talking Book Library is planning a series of free JAWS workshops beginning this fall and continuing into the spring of next year. The workshops are open to all interested parties and not limited to Talking Book Library patrons. If you know someone who may be interested in the workshops, please let them know by sharing this announcement. Thank you.

The first two workshops, scheduled for November 10 and November 17, will offer an introduction to JAWS version 13, which will include important JAWS commands and keystrokes for editing and reading text; navigation; the computer desktop and start menu environments; and basic file management. Possible topics for future JAWS workshops may include using JAWS with NLS BARD downloads, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook and Windows Media Player as determined by participants’ preferences.

The workshops will be held in the computer lab at the Worcester Public Library on Saturday mornings from 10 AM – 12 noon. Participants are encouraged to bring a recording device or small tape recorder, as well as a set of earbuds or headphones to the workshop. Earbuds can be purchased at the Worcester Public Library for $2.00 for anyone who may need a set.

Workstation seating space is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 18 people who register. Seating for an additional six observers will be available at the back of the computer lab.

Hurricane Sandy and Preparedness Tips

assachusetts Emergency Management Agency
Hurricane Sandy Situational Awareness Statement (SAS) #9

Date:  October 28, 2012
Time:  1:30 PM

Situation:
Hurricane Sandy is currently off the coast of North Carolina and is expected to move north-northwest tonight and tomorrow, making landfall along the New Jersey coast sometime Monday night into Tuesday.

Given the large geographic size and duration of Sandy, Massachusetts will experience moderate to major impacts, including damaging winds for a period of 12 – 18 hours, associated widespread power outages, and heavy rains. In addition, both south- and east-facing coastlines will experience moderate to major coastal flooding and beach erosion.

Potential impacts of Sandy include:

High Seas: Sandy is predicted to cause unusually high seas (30 feet or greater) off the coast of New England with seas building Sunday evening and peaking Monday and Tuesday. Strong gale and storm force winds are expected with hurricane force gusts possible.  Seas will be dangerous and potentially life-threatening, even for large vessels. National Weather Service (NWS) advises all vessels be in port by Sunday morning.

Winds: Damaging winds and associated widespread power outages are likely. Wind damage may be exacerbated in southern New England as most trees still have foliage at this time of year. Inland Massachusetts could experience sustained 30-40 mph winds with gusts of 50-60 mph. beginning Monday morning. The Massachusetts coastline will see winds of 40-50 mph with gusts 60-80 mph beginning in late Sunday night and early Monday morning.

Coastal Flooding: Both east- and south-facing coasts in Massachusetts may experience moderate to major coastal flooding and beach erosion during the Monday and Tuesday high tide cycles. For south-facing coasts, the Monday evening high tide is of most concern and may experience major coastal flooding. Surge is expected to reach 3-5 feet, with high energy waves of up to 30 feet approaching the coastline. There is the possibility that areas within Buzzards Bay, especially the south coast, may to see up to 6-10 feet of surge as the winds push water up into the bay, resulting in destructive coastal flooding. For east-facing coasts, minor to moderate coastal flooding may occur, with the Monday midday and midnight high tide cycles of most concern. East-facing coasts may see 2-4 feet of surge during high tide, with 3-5 feet possible during low tide cycle.

Rainfall:  Massachusetts can expect 1 -3 inches of rainfall Sunday night through Wednesday with locally higher amounts of 3-5 inches possible, especially in the Berkshires and Worcester Hills. Rain is expected to begin Sunday night and potentially last through mid-week.

The latest 5-day forecast map from the National Hurricane Center is included below.

The State Emergency Operations Center has activated to Level 2 (Full)as of 9:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, and will expand activation to a Level 1 (Highest) on Sunday night.

Hurricane Preparedness Tips for the General Public:

·        Finish your preparedness activities today:

·        Be sure to have a well-stocked Family Disaster Kit in the event you lose power or are isolated for a number of days.

·        Clear clogged rain gutters. This storm brings the potential for torrential rain. Providing clear drainage will help prevent misdirected flooding.

·        Secure outdoor items such as lawn furniture, trash barrels, hanging plants, decorations, toys and awnings that can be broken or picked up by strong winds and potentially become a projectile.

·        Elevate articles in your basement that could be damaged from even minor flooding.

·        Keep your vehicles fully fuelled.

·        Have a certain amount of cash available.  If power is lost, ATMs may not be working.

·        Stay informed by monitoring the storm via the media.

·        Plan to stay safely indoors throughout the course of the storm, beginning Sunday night and through Tuesday morning. Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and are operable.

·        If you use a generator, be sure to operate it outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.  Be sure to shut off your main power supply to your home when running your generator.

·        Do not use gas stoves or candles as heat or light sources.

·        Heed guidance and directives from your local officials.

Ping4alerts!:
MEMA encourages smartphone users to download the free ping4alerts! app. This app is available free of charge for iPhone and Android phones and receives severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service and emergency information from MEMA based on the user's location.  Learn more at http://www.mass.gov/mema/mobileapp.

Online Resources:
For additional information and resources, visit:
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency at www.mass.gov/mema (Hurricane preparedness tips and other preparedness information are available through the “Hurricane” link on MEMA’s homepage).
MEMA's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsEMA
MEMA Twitter: @MassEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov
National Hurricane Center website at www.nhc.noaa.gov
National Weather Service/Taunton at www.weather.gov/boston
National Weather Service/Albany, NY at www.weather.gov/albany
Mass211 at www.mass211.org

Q&A: library cards and borrowing policies

Q: How do I get a WPL library card?
A: You may apply for a WPL library card in person at any one of our locations, mobile library or online through our website. You must present proof of current address.
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Q: I lost my library card. What do I do now?
A: You can get a replacement card at the library card desk. The cost is $1.00 for adults and $0.50 for children, teens and seniors.
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Q: How many items can I borrow on my card?
A. You may borrow a total of 50 items on your card.
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Q: Do I have to return the materials to the same location I borrowed it from?
A: No. Items may be returned to any library in central or western Massachusetts that belongs to the C/W MARS network.
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Q: Is there a charge to borrow materials from the library?
A: No. All borrowable materials are loaned for free. You will only accrue a fine if materials are returned late. Please refer to our fines policy for more information on specific fines.
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Q: My book is due tomorrow and I am not done with it yet! What do I do?
A: Most items owned by Worcester Public Library can be renewed if no one else is waiting in line for that item. Please refer to the renewal policy for details.
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Please feel free to email Priya, if you have further questions regarding library cards and how to borrow materials from the Worcester Public Library.

E-Content of the Month, October 2012

Whatever your goal, LearningExpress Library's resources will help you succeed.

 The Learning Express Library is an online collection of practice tests, exercises, skill-building courses, and ebook.

Just some of the many practice tests available include:
ACT, AP, ASVAB, CDL, Civil Service Cosmetology, EMS Firefighter,  GED, GMAT,  GRE,  Law Enforcement, LSAT, MTEL, Nursing and Allied Health,  Praxis/PPST,  Real Estate,  SAT,  TOEIC,  TOEFL,  U.S. Citizenship.

The Learning Express Library also includes basic reading, writing, and math skills improvement for school children and adults. A "skills improvement" section is also included with Spanish language instruction.

To access Learning Express Library: (A valid Worcester Public Library card is required.)
1. Go to the library's homepage www.worcpublib.org
2. Click on Online Databases in the left column
3. Choose Test Preparation and Online Tutorials under By Subject

Note: 
All users must create an account to use the Learning Express Library.

If you are already a registered user, you do not need to register again. Click here to login.

If you are using this resource for the first time, please click "New User." Create a username and a password of your choice. Both your username and password must be a minimum of six characters and should not include spaces. Enter your email so Learning Express Library can send you a new password if you forget yours.

If you need help with your account, call Learning Express Library at 1-800-295-9556, ext. 2; or e-mail them at libraries@learningexpressllc.com.

If you have questions regarding using Learning Express Library, ask a librarian at 508-799-1655 x3 or email Ping at pchen@worcpublib.org

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