eResource News

Looking for e-Resource News?

2015-01-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

fauquierlibrary.org

Effective January 21, 2015 Fauquier County Public Library's e-Resource News moved to a new home. Our recommended websites and technology tips can now be found at fauquierlibrary.org, along with a ton of other great information – book reviews, staff recommendations, program highlights and other library tools. Check us out!

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian, Fauquier County Public Library

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online at http://fauquierlibrary.org.

Science Fair Madness Begins!

2015-01-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Do you (or does your child) have a science fair project due? Or are you a parent, teacher or home schooler looking for some practice guides for hands-on science learning? Recommended online sources for project ideas, tips and guides include:

Access Science - All you need is your library card number and you can access supporting articles and research for your science fair projects and research papers. Award-winning materials include encyclopedia articles, videos, news and more.
Discovery Education's Science Fair Central - Includes hundreds of project ideas, advice from judges and previous winners and display tips.
Scholastic.com's Science Explorations - With the help of audio, text, photos, and video, students thoroughly explore six science topics, from the Galapagos Islands to giant squid.
Kids.gov - Here you'll find science fair projects, ideas and experiments from various government agencies; broken down by age and includes a special section for teachers/parents.
ScienceBob.com - Hosted by "Science Bob" Pflugfelder, this site is aimed at elementary and middle school students and includes videos and printable directions.
ScienceBuddies.org - K-12 students, parents, and teachers can quickly and easily find free project ideas and help in all areas of science from physics to food science and music to microbiology

For offline resources, search the library's online catalog (or browse in the 507.8 and J.507.8 nonfiction section -- sort by "reverse year" to see the most recent titles) to place holds/check out books for science project ideas, including:

Junior Science Experiments on File (Warrenton Juvenile Reference)
Janice VanCleave's numerous titles
MythBusters Science Fair Book

For Teens/Older Students

Teens (or middle- or high-school teachers) in search of high quality science content on the web will want to check out Sparticl, a joint venture between Twin Cities Public Television and 3M. Sparticl is a new resource that provides users with filtered, "best of" science materials, including answers to science questions, images, videos, games, and hands-on activities -- all curated by a team of experts.

Sparticle is also a place where teens play a critical part – ranking content, sharing it, and recommending new content, all the while earning points and badges.

In addition, it's a great place for teens to explore careers available to students with education and training in STEM (science, engineering, technology, and math).

Content on the site is broken down by category:

Living Things - Mammals, birds, fungi, etc.
Matter & Energy - Physics and chemistry topics
Tech & Invention - Computers, engineering, transportation
Body & Brain - Health, behavior, nutrition
Earth & Space - Ecology, environment, space, weather, etc.
Explore - Seems to cover everything else, like dinosaurs, sports and controversies

The next time you need to look up/explore a scientific topic, be sure to give these recommended resources a look.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online at our new website - http://fauquierlibrary.org.

Learn research "best practices" for high school and beyond

2015-01-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Research Basics for High School Students is a free, Moodle-based research skills course/curriculum developed with librarian partners. Aimed at addressing the needs of college-bound students, each of the three modules includes video lessons, practice learning activities, a short quiz and a badge reward system to help high school students build academic research skills.

JSTOR, a subscription-based digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources, offers the course, but you don't have to have a subscription (as an institution or individual) in order to take advantage of the course. (Please note that Fauquier County Public Library is not a subscribing institution.)

The courseis made up of three self-paced modules, each containing three short (approx. 10 minute) video lessons and three corresponding sets of practice activities. Each module ends with a quiz to test your knowledge.

Module 1 includes: Effective Searching: Using Library Tools (on databases), Smart Searching Methods (search strategies), Managing Information Overload (planning, refining, documenting);
Module 2 includes: Establishing Credibility: The A-B-Cs of Scholarly Sources, Additional Ways of Identifying Scholarly Sources, Verifying Online Sources
Module 3 includes: Citing Scholarly Work: Creating Citations, Citing and Paraphrasing, Works Cited, Bibliographies, and Notes

Students may receive up to three badges, one for each of the course modules.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

New smart phone or tablet? We have an app for that!

2015-01-07T07:21:00.000-05:00

Did Santa bring you a new tablet, smartphone or e-reader this holiday season? If so, now is the time to get started with e-books, e-audio books and downloadable magazines from Fauquier County Public Library.

e-books & e-audio books from OverDrive

The Blue Ridge Download Consortium, powered by OverDrive, is the place to go to find popular fiction and nonfiction e-books and e-audiobooks. If you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you will want to download OverDrive’s free mobile app, OverDrive Media Console, to easily find and save your library’s OverDrive website and to download and enjoy borrowed titles on your device. Get the app from your app store or from http://omc.overdrive.com for these popular devices and platforms: Android™, BlackBerry®, iOS (iPhone®/iPad®/iPod® touch), Windows® Phone, Kindle® Fire tablets, KoboTM tablets, and NOOK® tablets. For complete details on how to get started using your specific device, you'll want to check out Getting started with OverDrive.

e-audio books from OneClickdigital

In addition to OverDrive, the library subscribes to OneClickdigital, which includes exclusive Recorded Books audiobooks, available to Android, Kindle Fire, Nook, iPhone, iTouch and iPad users. The OneClickdigital collection includes works by popular authors such as Lawrence Block, Rita Mae Brown, James Lee Burke, Alexander McCall Smith, Elizabeth Peters, and John Sandford. OneClickdigital also includes a collection of classic e-book titles. The nice thing about OneClickdigital is that checkouts are unlimited - your entire book club or reading group can check out a OneClickdigital copy of a title and enjoy listening to the title together.

e-magazines from Zinio

Full digital versions of your favorite magazines, including the Economist, House Beautiful, Rolling Stone, Smithsonian Magazine and Weight Watchers are available for download to your tablet or computer. New issues are released and ready for download at the same time as the print edition - many before they arrive at the library. You can check out as many issues as you want and keep them in your account for as long as you wish. To get started, watch this how-to video, then create your Zinio accounts (one for the library, one for Zinio.com), download the free Zinio reader app for your iPhone, iPad, Android, Win 8, Mac, PC or Kindle device, and start reading!

Want to learn more?

Library staff will introduce you to the latest apps available for your device, including e-book/e-audio book and digital magazine apps, as well as our mobile catalog and the Transparent Language Online mobile app, on the following dates at the Warrenton Library:

Saturday, Jan. 10, 10:30-noon
Saturday, Jan. 24, 10:30-noon
Sunday, Feb. 8, 1:30-3 p.m.
Saturday, March 14, 1:30-3 p.m.

If you can't make it to one of these events, be sure to ask our friendly reference staff for tips and advice.

~ Alison -- Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

New year, new (healthier) you with our e-Resource of the Month

2015-01-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

Resolve to get healthy (or healthier) in 2015? Check out our January e-Resource of the Month, Gale's Health & Wellness Resource Center, which can help you find health and wellness information as quickly as a Google search, but with the accuracy of library-quality results.

Features and Benefits

Includes the respected Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Authoritative reference material as well as full-text magazines, journals, and pamphlets from a wide variety of authoritative medical sources
Current health news headlines
Video content and physician-authored articles
Database of drugs and herbal remedies
Up-to-date contact information for various service agencies, offices, companies, people and health products
Links to numerous calculators and risk assessment tools
An alternative medicine module that looks at health care from a holistic lens

In addition, make sure to check out our Health Resources page on our website for additional online health information, as well as lists of recommended books and videos to check out from our collection.

~ Alison -- Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Spiritual Literacy Month

2014-12-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

December, a time for holidays and observances of different faiths and cultural traditions, is also Spiritual Literacy Month. Broadening your understanding of religions and cultures from around the world with these e-resources:

Research and access full-text articles covering different religions and philosophies using the library's subscriptions to the Religion & Philosophy Collection, Literati by Credo Reference, World Book Online and Britannica Library Online;
Use Bloom's Literature to look at books that have spirituality as a theme; then use our online catalog (or mobile catalog if you're using your smart phone) to search for a title, place a hold;
Download (to your Android or iOS device) e-copies of magazines like Guideposts and/or Spirituality & Health;
On the web, check out Annenberg Learner's unit on Early Belief Systems (part of it's Bridging World History module, which is geared at AP study or beginning college students), where Shinto, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and the ethical and philosophical codes of Confucius and Greek thinkers are discussed;
Watch videos covering religion's role in society on PBS's Religion & Ethics Newsweekly;

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Search Like a Librarian

2014-12-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

If you're a frequent library user, you probably spend a lot of time searching for items in our catalog.

The library catalog is a powerful tool, but sometimes it's challenging to narrow your search to the items you want. Here are some tips for power users who want to master our catalog.

1. Modify Your Search

Getting too many search results? Modify Search will help you narrow your search.

In this example, a search for "pie" has 8 pages of results—everything from pie-themed mysteries to picture books.

Select Modify Search to limit the scope of your search. Options include:

Location: Limit your search to items at specific branches and in specific collections (such as Juvenile and Audiovisual).
Material Type: Limit your search by material type. Material types include print books, CD books, and DVDs.
Year: Limit by publication year. Use this option if you only want newer titles on a topic.

Using Modify Search, I can limit my pie search to the Warrenton Adult collection and Printed Materials. Using this technique, I get 3 pages of results, not 8.

2. Search by Call Number

Modify Search is powerful, but it doesn't search categories such as mystery or science fiction.

You can search these categories using the call number prefixes on our item spines. Prefixes include FIC for adult fiction, MYS for adult mysteries, and CF for adult fiction on CD. You'll find a list of item prefixes on our catalog help page.

To search a single category, include the call number prefix in your keyword search. For instance, to find pie-themed mysteries for a foodie book club, search for pie MYS.

This search will bring up results with the prefix MYS. Instead of slogging through 8 pages of results, you'll get a single page of delicious titles such as Pecan Pies and Homicides.

You can also search for nonfiction items by their Dewey Decimal Classification. Select CALL NO from the drop-down menu on the left and enter the call number you want.

For instance, a search for 796.323 will find basketball nonfiction, and a search for 378.3 will find college financial aid guides. You don't need to memorize Dewey Decimal to use this technique—browse the shelves, check our catalog Dewey Decimal Classification help page, or ask a librarian to find the section appropriate to your search.

If you have questions about the catalog or need help finding a specific item, our librarians are happy to help. You can visit a library branch, call us, or ask online.

Happy searching!

Becky @ Warrenton

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Resources for Holiday Giving

2014-12-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

One highlight of the holiday season is the wealth of opportunities to volunteer and give charitably. Yet it can be challenging to figure how to best contribute time and resources.

Charity rating websites can help you get a sense of whether the charity you're interested in is truly effective. Give.org and Charity Navigator are two websites that evaluate charities based on their financial reports, organizational transparency, and overall effectiveness. These websites help identify charities that will make the most of your donation.

It's important to be aware that charity scams pop up during the holidays. The Federal Trade Commission has a Charity Scams page that will help you identify fraudulent charities. If you are donating to a charity based in Virginia, you can verify an organization's nonprofit status or submit a complaint through the Virginia Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs.

It can be especially fulfilling to donate one's time during the holidays. At Volunteer Match, you can search for volunteer opportunities based on your location and interests. Closer to home, the Fauquier Chamber of Commerce membership directory lists local nonprofits and charities.

If your holiday generosity extends to organizations within the community, please consider adding the Fauquier County Public Library, to your list. Our holiday tree campaign is in full swing, and we also welcome your support throughout the year.

~ Happy Holidays!

Becky @ Warrenton

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

e-Resource of the Month - Business Insights: Essentials

2014-12-03T07:59:00.000-05:00

Research and analyze companies and industries around the world using the library's subscription to Business Insights: Essentials. Business Insights: Essentials allows you to...

Access deep research coverage with scholarly journals, business news and company histories
Develop lists of key competitors by industry or location, and sort them according to revenue and other metrics using the company finder. You can then modify, filter, or export your list!
Manipulate statistical data and customize your own charts
Analyze key metrics and compare companies and industries using our company profiles, proprietary private company database, and fundamentals comparison tool
Investigate investment opportunities, comprehensively and easily
Find parent-subsidiary relationships
Obtain competitive intelligence, market share information and product trends
Explore market-industry information and analysis — includes market research, investment, banking and capital market institutions and publishers
Study product and brand information
Compare companies within an industry
Target new customers and inform on potential business opportunities, distribution channels or prime licensing opportunities
Research career opportunities by company, geography or industry; explore related associations and business groups

Find Business Insights on our Articles & Databases page (under the heading Business Information) as well as on our Business Resources page, which includes links to library resources, business databases and directories as well as recommended websites.

~ Alison -- Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

e-Reader or tablet on your holiday wish list?

2014-11-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

November is the month when most "gift guides" featuring e-devices like tablets and e-readers start appearing in publications such as Consumer Reports, as well as on websites like CNET and PC Magazine.

If you prefer the print version of these websites (some of these tech sites have really annoying pop up ads), use Zinio to read/download Apple Magazine, iPhone Life, MacWorld, PC Magazine and PC World.

If your partial to Consumer Reports, which doesn't take (and thus not influenced by) advertising, visit your local library. Each branch of the Fauquier County Library has the print issues of Consumer Reports from 2010 up to the current issue. Just ask at the reference desk and library staff will help you locate the issue(s) which cover e-readers and tablets.

Of course, you'll want to buy a device that OverDrive, which is the library's largest supplier of e-books and e-audio books, actually supports. If you plan on buying an e-reader or tablet, be sure to check out OverDrive's how-tos for supported devices in Getting Started with OverDrive.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Geography Awareness

2014-11-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

Geography Awareness Week, an annual public awareness program organized by National Geographic Education Programs (NGEP), encourages citizens young and old to think and learn about the "interconnectedness of our world." Celebrated during the third week of November (Nov. 16-22, 2014), students, families, and community members are invited to focus on the importance of geography through events, lessons, games, and challenges.

Resources at the library
In the non-fiction section, books and DVDs with call numbers in the 900s cover geography and history, with geography and travel specifically located in the 910s. If you have a specific region or country in mind, check the catalog (try a keyword search) or ask library reference staff to assist you. Atlases, specifically world atlases, can be found in the 912s, in the reference, adult and juvenile (children's) areas of your local library.

If the personal aspect of travel (versus geographical facts or "travel guides") are more your thing, be sure to check out the worldly (and often witty) observations of writers such as Paul Theroux, Frances Mayes, Peter Matthiessen and Tony Horwitz, or winning entries for the Solas Awards Best Travel Writing.

More to explore
Britannica Library Reference Center - Includes a world atlas and the world data analyst module
National Geographic Kids - Explore the magazine, 2009-present, as well as over 200 National Geographic Kids books and 500 kid-friendly, downloadable images
World Book Online Reference Center - Check out Interactive Earth, atlases and more
Transparent Language Online - If you're inspired to travel, learn the language before you hit the road
Virginia Places - Learn more about the places and geology of Virginia
World Geography Games - Play entertaining and stimulating map games to improve your geographical knowledge
Zinio Digital Magazines - Download issues of National Geographic Traveler to your tablet, read any time

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Library resources help student-athletes meet new NCAA eligibility standards

2014-11-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Student-athletes will want to take note that, starting with the class of 2016, the NCAA has released new initial-eligibility requirements, creating a higher academic standard for freshman to play. If you don’t have the core GPA, the test scores or the right core courses in high school, you don’t play in college.

For details and guidance on the student-athlete experience, go to ncaa.org and check out the eligibility center. You can also download/print out the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.

According to the NCAA, the new requirements are intended to ensure prospective student-athletes are as prepared to succeed in the classroom as they are in their sport.

e-Resources to help you meet the new guidelines
Along with the tools provided by your high school counselor and athletic department, students can take advantage of the library's free online test prep using the Testing & Education Reference Center, which covers the PSAT, SAT and ACT, as well as Advanced Placement (AP) exams and some high school exit exams. Resources include online practice tests, online courses, e-books, tips and strategies and a Word of the Day.

More @ your library
The New NCAA and the Rules You Need to Know to Play - Paul Sipes Athletic Director, Wakefield School, will lead an informational seminar about the current NCAA player eligibility requirements and changes being implemented that will affect student athletes. If your child is a student athlete with aspirations of playing college-level sports, or if you work with student athletes, this seminar is a must-attend. One-on-one transcript review will follow presentation. This seminar is being offered in cooperation with Wakefield School.

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 18
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: John Barton Payne Building, 2 Courthouse Square (Warrenton)

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

e-Resource of the Month: Kids InfoBits

2014-11-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

The easy-to-use, age-appropriate Kids InfoBits helps children in grades K-5 explore and gain comfort with doing online research and makes homework seem like fun.

Why make Kids InfoBits your first stop for K-5 research?

Broad subject coverage: Categories include animals, arts, geography, health, literature, music and movies, people, plants, science, social studies, sports and technology.

Multiple formats: Resources include books, magazines, news and more than 13,000 images.

Customized for young learners: Recently redesigned, Kids InfoBits features a new, modern, graphical interface and improved navigation, addressing the way kids learn and conduct research.

Engaging: Kids InfoBits highlights interesting facts about a subject, along with connections to current events.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Keep track of what you've read

2014-10-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

If you want to track the books, movies, etc., that you've checked out from the library, be sure to opt in to the library's Reading History feature. This feature is only available through your online account - library staff do not have access to your reading history.

To subscribe/opt-in to Reading History:

Log into your online library account
Click on the Reading History button
Click on the Opt In button

From this point forward, all items you check out will be recorded in your account and will display in the order of checkout. You can also sort by author and title.

You may opt out at any time or remove any or all titles from your reading history. To delete entries, mark the box beside each item and then select Delete Marked. To delete all entries, select Delete All. To opt out, you will be required to delete all entries before selecting Opt Out.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Awesome History Sites

2014-10-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Paper on World War I due? Looking for inspiration from something other than your possibly (likely!) out-of-date school textbook or Wikipedia? These library e-resources and must-try websites are good supplements to the history topics being covered in the classroom.

For younger students...

America's Story - Brought to you by the Library of Congress, this site aims to "put the story back in history and show you some things that you've never heard or seen before." For example, discover what Abraham Lincoln had in his pockets on the night he was assassinated.
BBC Schools Primary History - Videos, games and activities for ages 4-11 covering a variety of historical topics
Britannica Library-Children - It's best to search for a specific historical topic (versus just "history,"), but users can access articles, videos, images and other related content. Content can be narrowed down by reading level (1-2-3). Access with your FCPL library card.
Kids InfoBits - Under Social Studies, younger students can browse through topics like Historical Figures, U.S. Presidents and more. Text can be read aloud. Access with your FCPL library card.
World Book Online for Kids - Children can explore "Important People" and "History and Government." For struggling readers, there is the option to hear the text read aloud. Access with your FCPL library card.

For older students...

Biography In Context - Get to know the people behind the historical events/social forces you're researching with this engaging database available to FCPL card holders.
Britannica Library-Young Adults and/or Britannica Library-Reference Center - Access articles, videos, images, primary sources and e-books when you search for topics that span history. Like the Children's version, the results can be filtered by reading level. Access with your FCPL library card.
Crash Course - John Green...yes, "The Fault In Our Stars" John Green, is the star (and teacher) of online videos covering US History and World History. Green, along with his brother Hank, also have videos covering science and literature.
Find It Virginia's U.S History Collection and World History Collection - Search hundreds of thousands of articles in scholarly journals not available on the Internet. Access with your FCPL library card.
Google Cultural Institute: Historic Moments - Check out online exhibits that feature art, videos, audio and text about significant historical people, places and events.
Literati - You can search a topic (i.e., World War I) and topic pages containing hand-curated e-reference materials, will bubble to the top of your results. If you don't have a topic yet, click/tap on the Find Topic Pages tab, Filter by Category "History" and explore numerous entries. Access with your FCPL library card.
Made From History - Features picture essays, timelines, videos, and interactive guides to significant events in European and World history, and Civil Rights, with additional topics such as the Civil War in the works.
National Archives: Online Exhibits - Students can use images and documents from the Digital Vault to create posters and videos to enhance research papers and presentations.
World Book Online Info Finder - Older students can access primary sources, e-books and encyclopedia content by searching specific subjects or browsing by subject "History" and then digging deeper into sub-topics such as Russia and Soviet Union, etc. Access with your FCPL library card.

Hopefully the above sites will get you started on your exploration of history and make the research portion of your history project more interesting. Remember too that your local library has loads of good books and videos, and friendly librarians to help you find what you need.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Add the library's mobile catalog to your device's home screen

2014-10-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Your smartphone or tablet’s home screen isn’t just for apps -- you can also pin your favorite websites to your home screen so you can quickly access them.

The directions below explain how you can make the library's mobile catalog one of your home screen icons so that you can quickly log in/access your library account, search for items and place holds.

Android
For most browsers, open the website you want to pin. Tap the Menu button, tap the Page option, and then tap Add to Home Screen. If you're using the "Chrome for Android" browser, open the website or web page you want to pin to your home screen, tap the Menu button and tap Add to Home Screen (there is no Page option).

iPhone, iPad, & iPod Touch
In Safari, go to the website you want to add to your home screen. Tap the Share button on the browser’s toolbar — that’s the rectangle with an arrow pointing upward. It’s on the bar at the top of the screen on an iPad, and on the bar at the bottom of the screen on an iPhone or iPod Touch. Tap the Add to Home Screen icon in the Share menu (you’ll be prompted to name the shortcut before tapping the Add button).

If your device is something other than iOS or Android, open its web browser and look in its menu for an option named something like “Add to home screen” or “Pin to home screen.”

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Stay Safe Online

2014-10-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. With smartphone hacks and consumer data theft in the news, online security is always a timely topic.

If you're concerned about staying safe online, the following websites can help you learn about the issues and take steps to improve your security and privacy.

Guides to Online Safety

FTC Tips on Privacy & Identity - Security tips from the Federal Trade Commission
Internet Safety Tutorial - Online tutorials from GCFLearnFree.org
On Guard Online - Safety tips from the federal government
Stay Safe Online - Information from the National Cyber Security Alliance

Online Privacy

Here are some ways to help protect your privacy from advertisers and others:

Fix Tracking - Suggestions for improving your Internet browser's privacy settings; click the arrows at the top to find instructions for your Internet browser
NAI Opt Out - Opt out of some online tracking from advertisers

Free Antivirus Software

If you don't have antivirus software, here are some free, highly-rated programs to consider:

Want to learn more about online privacy and security issues? You can borrow one of our nonfiction books on this topic.

Becky @ Warrenton

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

e-Resource of the Month: World Vital Records

2014-10-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

Image courtesy of WorldVitalRecords.com

If you've ever done research on your family tree, you are probably familiar with the library's Ancestry Library database, which allows you to search for census records, birth records and much more. Because Ancestry Library can only be used inside Fauquier County Public Library's branch locations, we're pleased to now provide anywhere/anytime access to records through our newest database, World Vital Records.

World Vital Records includes the following features:

Image courtesy of WorldVitalRecords.com

Complete U.S. Census 1790-1940
Cemetery records
City directories
Yearbooks - high school, college and military
Historic U.S. maps - including landowner names
Ability to access records from home with your library card

The World Vital Records database must be accessed through the library's website (vs. direct link):

Image courtesy of WorldVitalRecords.com

Online catalog
Articles & Databases (under Genealogy and Local History)
Local History & Genealogy (under Online Resources > Library Databases/Indexes)

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Hispanic Heritage Month

2014-09-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hispanic Heritage Month runs September 15 through October 15.

Here are some online resources perfect for schoolwork or just for fun:

HispanicHeritageMonth.gov - A variety of images, lesson plans and online features from the Library of Congress, the National Park Service, the National Gallery of Art and more
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage - From Scholastic, geared at elementary school teachers and their students
Biography In Context - Use your library card to access this database to Browse People, choose the category Hispanic Americans
Hispanic Heritage Lessons & Crafts on Pinterest - Lots of craft ideas
Transparent Language Online - Learn Castilian or Latin American Spanish; you can learn using the website or download the mobile app
Zinio - Download your favorite Spanish language magazines, including Cosmopolitan en Espanol, Familia Saludable, Seventeen - Mexico and Vanidades
Other relevant databases students can explore using the library card include Britannica Library and World Book Online

~Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Happy Constitution Day, Citizenship Day

2014-09-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, observed annually on September 17, commemorate the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, and “recognize all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.”

Learn more about the Constitution and our government with Constitution Day resources from the National Archives and Records Administration and the Library of Congress American Memory website.

Watch the Emmy Award-winning series, The Constitution: That Delicate Balance online via Annenberg Learner. Geared at high school-aged learners and above, key political, legal, and media professionals engage in spontaneous and heated debates on controversial issues such as campaign spending, the right to die, school prayer, and immigration reform.

Teachers and home school parents will want to check out the collection of lesson plans, educational games and interactive modules available on the National Endowment of the Humanities website, EDSITEment.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can get the Library of Congress' The U.S. Constitution: Analysis and Interpretation app, which delivers the full text of “Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation”; contains a clause-by-clause discussion of the entire Constitution; discusses all Supreme Court cases and selected historical documents relevant to interpreting the Constitution; lists all federal, state, and local laws struck down by the Supreme Court, and all cases where the Court overturned its prior precedent.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Get Homework Help from the Library

2014-09-13T10:42:00.003-04:00

Fall is the season of cooler weather, autumn landscapes, toasty-hot comfort foods... and homework. Never fear—the library has homework resources for learners of all ages.

Tackle Homework

Starting September 30, students in grades K–8 are invited to our Homework Help sessions.

On Tuesdays from 5–7 pm at the Bealeton Library, National Honor Society students from Liberty High School will help students with homework or class assignments.

Students in grades 3–12 can also get homework help from a teacher via our online homework help service from Literati. Teachers are available to help with reading, writing, and math. To get online homework help, visit Literati and log in with your 10-digit library card number. Click the black Homework Help tab on the right to get started.

Research an Assignment

Not sure where to start with your next assignment? We recommend the library's online collection of information sources for students. Unlike an Internet search, our online collection contains reliable sources selected by experts.

Visit our Articles & Databases page to get started. Our offerings include:

Three editions of Encyclopedia Britannica for kids, young adults, and adults
World Book for Kids and World Book: Info Finder for older students
Searchable magazine and journal articles such as Kids InfoBits and Infotrac Junior Edition for young researchers and Infotrac Student Edition for high school learners
Subject-specific reference sources such as Biography in Context, Access Science, and Bloom's Literary Reference Center

You will be prompted to log in with your 10-digit library card number.

For help choosing the best sources for your assignment, visit our Literati service and scroll down to watch videos about finding and evaluating sources.

Older students tackling a research paper should definitely visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab to learn how to write a paper and format a bibliography.

Need More Help?

If you need assistance using the library, our librarians are here to help.

To get assistance, visit a branch or contact us by phone or email.

Becky @ Warrenton

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Library Catalog Tip - Customizing Your Search

2014-09-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

When I'm working at the reference desk, I'm often asked if there is a list of all the DVDs the library owns, or perhaps all the CD books by a particular author.

For the first example, all DVDs the library owns, you can use the wildcard (*) search and limit by the material type:

Go the Advanced Search page (see drop-down menu of More Searches on upper right of the catalog and select Advanced Search, click green arrow)
In the Enter Search Terms section, in the first field (Any Field), put an asterisk (*)
In the Add Limits section, under Material Type, highlight DVD VIDEO
Hit the Submit key

For the second example, a list of all CD books by a particular author, you can do the following:

Go the Advanced Search page (see drop-down menu of More Searches on upper right of the catalog and select Advanced Search, click green arrow)
In the Enter Search Terms section, in the first field (Any Field), put the author's last name, first (i.e., Child, Lee) and change "Any Field" to AUTHOR
In the Add Limits section, under Material Type, scroll down and highlight CD BOOKS
Hit the Submit key

For more tips on using the library's online catalog, be sure to check our Help page.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

e-Resource of the Month: Literati Public/CREDO Reference

2014-09-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

Literati Public/CREDO Reference is a great place for students to get started on their research. Not only does the service provide in-depth, high quality information from reference e-books, journals and scholarly articles on a given topic, it provides related entries in magazines, newspapers and the library's own catalog, ensuring researchers are exposed to all the library has to offer.

Educational e-content (encyclopedias, atlases, reference books, dictionaries) for K-12 through adult
Topic Pages which organize/present materials (reference e-books, magazine articles, etc.) by subjects including Art, Biographies, Philosophy, Technology and more!
The Mind Map feature for narrowing and broadening topics -- it helps students to visualize their topic and identify associated keywords - great for brainstorming
Subject-specific tutorials and videos that improve information literacy - topics include Genealogy Research and Applying for Jobs Online
Links to related items in the library catalog which you can place holds on/check out
FREE, Live Homework Help (staffed by teachers) for students in grades 3-12 for writing, reading and math. Live help is available from 3 p.m. - 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 am - 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Teachers and students collaborate in the virtual classroom via an interactive whiteboard!
Fun applications such as the Crossword Solver (enter '?' for the letter you are missing in your word)

You can access Literati through the library's online catalog and on the Articles & Databases page (under Encyclopedia & Reference).

Or, go to http://login.credoreference.com/libcard?id=7590 and enter in your 10-digit Fauquier County Public Library card number. If you don't have a library card, apply online today and access this database with a temporary number.

School is back in session and your library is here to help with great resources like Literati Public/CREDO Reference.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Watch the U.S. Open Online

2014-08-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Open website is streaming all U.S. Open matches for free -- without the need to verify that you’re a cable subscriber.

You can find a schedule of all the matches on the U.S. Open website.

iPad and iPhone users can access selected matches through the official U.S. Open iPhone app as well as the U.S. Open iPad app. The mobile app will carry live streams of all of the matches during Labor Day weekend (8-30 – 9/1) and the Finals weekend (9/5 – 9/8).

Android users can access live streams during Labor Day weekend (8-30 – 9/1) and the Finals weekend (9/5 – 9/8) through the U.S. Open Android app.

More tennis enjoyment can be found in the library's subscription to Tennis Magazine (current issue in-library use only, but back issues can be checked out) as well as instructional books, DVDs and biographies of previous U.S. Open winners such as Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, John McEnroe, Rafael Nadal, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Monica Seles, Serena Williams and Venus Williams.

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian (and avid tennis player/fan)

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.

Smart Consuming - Electricity Rate Information

2014-08-20T09:41:00.000-04:00

Wondering how your electric bill compares with someone who lives in a different part of the country or uses a different utility than you? The Utility Rate Database (URDB) allows you to search the rates of nearly 3,500 utilities by zip code or utility name. According to the Utilities Gateway, you can now "find out exactly how you are charged for your electric energy usage. Understanding this information can help reduce your bill, for example, by running your appliances during off-peak hours (times during the day when electricity prices are less expensive) and help you make more informed decisions regarding your energy usage."

For more ways to evaluate and reduce your energy consumption, check out the library's Green Building Resource Center series, made possible by a generous donation from the Green Building Resource Center (GBRC).

~ Alison, Electronic Resources Librarian

To learn more about the Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events or programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or online.