Information for job seekers

The U.S. Department of Labor sponsors a website for job seekers. Whether you are new to the job market or seeking re-employment, this site will be of help.

It offers information on resumes and job interviews as well as information on different careers. There are also links to local WorkForce and Career centers.

Your library also has many books on resumes and job skills. Look in the 650 non-fiction section.

In addition look at the online service that the libraries subscribe to: Learning Express. Sign up for an account using your library card number and PIN (get your PIN from the library.) Learning Express contains information on brushing up your skills in math and writing.

National Spelling Bee

Spelling bees have become big news.

In recent years we've seen spelling bee finals in the national news and broadcast in prime time on TV. This is great recognition for students who excel in spelling and perhaps other academics.

Spelling bees have a long history in the United States, both in real life and in fiction. A popular movie Akeelah and the Bee as well as television episodes from Psych, Roseanne, and Southpark have included spelling bees.

The National Spelling Bee is held this year on May 27 and 28. There will be 293 spellers, the largest group ever. Most are 14-15 years old. It is an exciting time for participants and their parents and supporters.

Memorial Day

On Monday, May 25 we observe Memorial Day in the United States; a day to commemorate U.S. men and women who died while in the military service.

Here's an interesting photo collection from the Florida Memory Project provided by the State Library and Archives of Florida.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

"Who done it?"

Mysteries are one of the most popular genres of fiction books that libraries lend. There are numerous mystery writers; one early writer of mysteries was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

May 22 is Sir Arthur's birthday. Born in 1859 in Scotland he produced a prodigious body of work and was most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction. He was a prolific writer whose other works include science fiction stories, historical novels, plays and romances, poetry, and non-fiction. He died in 1930.

Many editions of Doyle's works have been published as well as many movies with Sherlock Holmes as the main character. Holmes first appeared in publication in 1887. Holmes is famous for his intellectual prowess and astute observation to solve difficult cases.

Happy Birthday, Sir Arthur!

Construction updates

From Emily Taber Public Library in Baker County. Brick going on. Good color match for this historic building.


And Union County is making progress....paved parking lot and inside work moving along.
See their blog.

Children's Book Week 2009

May 11-17, 2009 is Children’s Book Week, and people across the country will be celebrating in schools, libraries, bookstores, and homes. The libraries encourage you to spend time reading with your child during this very special week.

Here are some ideas for celebrating Children’s Book Week at home.
· During dinner, each family member can share their current favorite book by naming the title, author and illustrator, and giving a brief description of the book and why it’s a favorite.
· Go to the library as a family and help each other pick out new books to bring home.
· After dinner, instead of watching television, read aloud from a book (or books) to each other.
If you haven’t been read to in a while, you’ll be surprised how much fun it is.

Parents, librarians, teachers, booksellers and anyone interested in good books for children have been celebrating Children’s Book Week since 1919.

The need for promoting good children’s literature was a collaborative
effort between the Boy Scouts, publishers and a librarian from the New York Public Library.

The goal of publisher Frederic Melcher in 1919 was to create a "Book Week (that) brings us together to talk about books and reading and, out of our knowledge and love of books, to put the cause of children's reading squarely before the whole community and, community by community, across the whole nation. For a great nation is a reading nation."

A worthy goal and still true today.

Swine Flu

Reliable information on H1N1 Flu (swine flu)

Thank you Florida!

Florida public libraries receive an appropriation from the State Legislature each year that is used to supplement local funding. Libraries all over the state use this money for books, programs and services for residents.

In this tough budget year, this State Aid to Libraries was in danger. Money was requested but at the last minute in negotiations it was decided not to allocate any money for libraries. This would have been difficult for libraries all over the state and disastrous for libraries in our three county area.

But the people of Florida responded positively. Citizens all over the state called, emailed and even visited state legislators and Governor Crist with the message that this 'zeroing out of library funds' should not happen. Library users told them how important libraries were to their lives.

After a weekend of back and forth negotiations between the Florida House and Florida Senate a resolution was reached. State funding is back in the budget. The legislators of Florida listened to its citizens.

Remaining is the final vote on the budget by the legislators this week, and signing of the budget by Governor Crist.

You did it Florida!

Building progress at Emily Taber Public Library

Progress on construction.

This will be a two story addition and also includes an elevator.