Lansing Public Library News and Announcements

Announcing Web Print!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Lansing Public Library is pleased to announce we have added Web Print.
Wi-fi users and even remote users at home can send print jobs to our upper level print queue.
Run out of ink at home? No problem!
No printer at all? No problem!
$0.25 per page. Cash only.
Jobs are held in the queue for 24 hours.

Watch the video! <a href="http://www.lansingpl.org/tutorials/webprint3/webprint3.html">Learn how! (3 min., 15 sec. video)</a>

Catalog Scheduled Maintenance 5/22

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:26:00 +0000

Public catalog upgrade scheduled for Tuesday 5/22. Scheduled to begin between 11-11:30 a.m.
Estimated length 3 hrs. Catalog and web services (paypal payments of fines and use of the BookMyne app) will be unavailable during that time.

Library Still Seeking Volunteers for Testing New Website Prototype

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:37:00 +0000

Lansing Library Seeks Volunteers to Evaluate New Website Prototype

Lansing Public Library will be conducting usability testing of the prototype for the new library website to be launched this spring.

Computer users from beginners to expert are welcome. Testing will be most successful if there is a range of participants of varying skill levels.
Volunteers should be:

Willing to spend approximately 60 minutes participating and giving feedback.
Able to use a mouse.
At least 12 years of age.
Not currently employed by Lansing Public Library.

Registration is required, space is limited.
Usability Testing is scheduled for 1 hour sessions on:

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.
Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 3:30 p.m.

Details about the usability testing tasks, and registration is online at http://lansingpl.org/usability.html

Heartland Blood Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Loraine) — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Thursday, May 17th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Once again Heartland Blood Centers will be at the library taking blood donations. This year, if you give blood, you will receive a certificate good for $11 in retail purchases at any Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy store location. Please give blood if you can. It is greatly appreciated. This year our goal is 13 donors. Please sign up ahead of time. You can register on line or call the library at 474-2447.

Those Were the Days Radio Players

noreply@blogger.com (Loraine) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Thursday, May 10th from 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Take a sentimental journey back into time. Enjoy classic radio humor, performed from original scripts of old time radio shows, by Those Were the Days Radio Players. Using their voices, music, and audio and acoustical sound effects, this group re-enacts old-time radio shows. Please sign up for this program.

May Juvenile Book of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brandi) — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:29:00 +0000

Eleven by Lauren Myracle

Eleven follows a year in the life of 11-year-old Winnie. Starting with her birthday party in March, Winnie's story begins with a rocky start. Winnie learns the importance of including everyone and treating everyone the same. Specifically, Winnie watches the other girls in her class treat Dinah poorly because she dresses differently and acts, according to the some, "babyish." The summer before Winnie starts 6th grade initiates some of the changes she will endure. The first big change takes her by surprise. Her best friend Amanda who always wants to do the same things as Winnie begins to get a bit more interested in guys and a bit less interested in the stories and plays that Winnie loves to create. In addition to that, the new girl in school, Gail, intends to become the queen bee, pushing out Winnie and Dinah from activities and plans. It soon becomes apparent that Gail wants to be Amanda's best friend and plans to leave Winnie behind. Winnie uncovers that truth that you may find your true friends in unexpected places when you aren't even looking for them.

With each chapter representing a month in Winnie's 11th year, Myracle's story is funny and truly reflects real life. Read about her summer vacation to the beach, the cat emergency on Halloween, the Chinese Jump Rope competition, and the incredibly rare blizzard in Georgia. Give this title a shot and, if you like it, keep a lookout for the other books in the series, "The Winnie Years."

Lansing Library Seeks Volunteers to Evaluate New Website Prototype

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Lansing Library Seeks Volunteers to Evaluate New Website Prototype

Lansing Public Library will be conducting usability testing of the prototype for the new library website to be launched this spring.

Computer users from beginners to expert are welcome. Testing will be most successful if there is a range of participants of varying skill levels.
Volunteers should be:

Willing to spend approximately 60 minutes participating and giving feedback.
Able to use a mouse.
At least 12 years of age.
Not currently employed by Lansing Public Library.

Registration is required, space is limited.
Usability Testing is scheduled for 1 hour sessions on:

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
Monday, May 14, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.
Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 3:30 p.m.

Details about the usability testing tasks, and registration is online at http://lansingpl.org/usability.html

World Book Night, April 23, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:37:00 +0000

We are celebrating World Book Night Monday, April 23rd. This event began last year in England and has spread across the pond to include the U.S. as well as Ireland and Germany. I think it is fitting that it is also the birth and death date of William Shakespeare.

Today 500,000 free books will be distributed by 25,000 volunteers. Thanks to the generosity of the publishers involved.

If you happen to be in the right place at the right time you may see one of those volunteers handing out books and promoting the joy of reading!

Here are some national stories about the event from
USA Today
and The Washington Post

Happy Reading!

Debbie Albrecht

Director

Catalog unavailable during routine maintenance 4/25

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:58:00 +0000

Beginning approximately 5 a.m. on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 the library catalog functions will be unavailable due to a routine maintenance software update. We hope to have access restored by 9 a.m. that same morning.

Twitter for Job Seekers

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Slides from this morning's presentation: Twitter for Job Seekers are available!
http://www.lansingpl.org/webfiles/twitterforjobseekers.ppsx

Handouts are also available http://www.lansingpl.org/webfiles/twitter-for-job-seekers-handout.pdf

Laughter Therapy and Meditation

noreply@blogger.com (Loraine) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Thursday, April 26th at 6:30 pm
Research shows that laughter is good for your health. It can strengthen your immune system,
reduce pain, and improve your breathing. This class on laughter and meditation is facilitated by
Dr. Om Johari who is a Certified Laughter Leader. Join us and start laughing today.
Sign up is required for this program.

Landscaping -- Thanks Friends!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:19:00 +0000

For many years, Friends of the Library conducted book sales and fundraisers partnering with local businesses such as Beggars' Pizza, Bakers Square and Burger King.
Through your support Friends was able to raise funds to improve the landscaping around the library.
Ambrose Landscaping is planting as I write this. You've got to stop by and see the changes!
Thank you Friends for this visual reminder of your hard work that will be enjoyed by all for years to come!

Online Catalog Working Again

noreply@blogger.com (Kelli Staley) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:15:00 +0000

The online catalog was down from approx 4:30 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. today.
The issue has been resolved.
Thank you to the patron who let us know it was not working!

Twitter for Job Seekers

noreply@blogger.com (Loraine) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Saturday, April 21st at 10:00 am
Twitter is one of the best online tools for networking and job seeking. This session, presented by Kelli Staley, will cover tips and techniques to help patrons network and find jobs on Twitter. Sign up is required.

Life on the Mississippi

noreply@blogger.com (Loraine) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Thursday, April 19th at 6:30 pm
John Lynn will share his river experience canoeing the Mississippi River, from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. This modern day Huck Finn will reveal the river's character and course.
Sign up is required for this program.

Job hunter tool:The Careers College

noreply@blogger.com (Loraine) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Wednesday, April 18th, from 10 am to 12 pm
Todd Bermont, the founder and developer of The Careers College, will be with us to introduce this new resource for job hunting. He will also demonstrate how to use The Careers College website.
Registration is preferred. Walk-ins are welcome.

Congrats!

noreply@blogger.com (Brandi) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Congratulations to the 25 high school students who successful complete the Read for a Lifetime program. Each teen had to read a minimum of 4 books to finish the program, although a majority of the participants read above and beyond the goal. Special congrats due to freshmen Hannah K. and Janeise D. who read all 25 titles on the list.

The top books read this year were:
Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas
The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Those who completed the program will receive a certificate of accomplishment from the Secretary of State and will be entered into a raffle to win a gift card. Students who participate in the program are encouraged to list the completion on their college applications.

Stop by the Teen Desk today to sign-up for next year's challenge and receive the new list of books.

Monthly LEGO Play Day, Sat. April 14th

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Kids in grades 1-5 are invited to get creative with the Library's LEGOS! Join us on Saturday, April 14th, from 2-3:30 pm. Children's individual masterpieces will be displayed in the Youth & Teen Services Department until our next LEGO day on May 12th. No sign up is required and we are accepting LEGO donations to grow our collection.

Eddie Korosa Jr. & his boys from Illinois Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Loraine) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Join us for the last concert of the season. Eddie Korosa & his boys from Illinois will be playing at the library on Friday, April 13th at 6:30 pm. Doors open at 6:00 pm.
This band has played numerous polka festivals in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy and Hawaii. They have been playing together since 1976. This concert is sponsored by Friends of the Library.

National D.E.A.R. is April 12th

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R.) is Thursday, April 12th. Can you accept the challenge and D.E.A.R. for 30 minutes? Do you need a librarian to D.E.A.R. with your organization? Contact the Youth & Teen Services Department to schedule a visit to your classroom or daycare, we dare you to D.E.A.R. (708) 474-2447.

Storytime for Babies & Toddlers!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:20:00 +0000

Call or visit the Lansing Library to register your child for one of our exciting, enriching storytime sessions. There are still openings in the Monday Baby Talk at 10:30 or 11:30 am., and Wednesday Toddler Time at 10:30 am. This week the toddlers will put on bunny ears and do the Bunny Pokey dance! Storytimes run through April 26th, and will resume in June with the SUMMER READING PROGRAM!

Teen Book of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Ellen) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

City of Bones

Cassandra Clare

Demons. Vampires. Werewolves. Pixies. Faeries. Shape-shifters. City of Bones, Book One of The Mortal Instruments series, has enough to satisfy the appetite of those who crave the mystery of hidden worlds and secret powers. The story centers around Clary Fray, a fiery 15-year-old who stumbles upon a hidden world while at the Pandemonium Club, where she meets three shadowhunters -- Jace, Alec, and Isabelle. She soon learns that shadowhunters are a special clan of assassins, who make it their business to kill wayward demons that have entered the world of the mundanes (regular humans). Shortly after her run-in with the shadowhunters, she is attacked in her own home by a particularly vicious demon and her mother is taken captive.

After Jace returns and rescues her from the demon, Clary wakes up in the Institute, a makeshift school for the instruction of young shadowhunters, where Jace, Alec, and Isabelle are all in residence. Together with Clary's best friend Simon, Clary and the shadowhunters slowly begin to unravel the mystery of why Clary was attacked, the true identity of her parents, and why she is able to see the shadowhunters, when no one else can.

The premise of this book is a good one: shadowhunters, demons, vampires, and werewolves all fighting each other for control of one world. Unfortunately, Clare's style of writing reminds one more of an adolescent writing a torrid romance novel than an imaginative adult writing a fantastical occult drama. Her prose are often insipid, redundant, and cliché, with predictable story "twists", and an annoying overuse of similes involving the body parts of cats (e.g. "his voice was as soft as cat's fur). Her characters are shallow and feel tedious much of the time, mostly due to their unceasing clever banter and their perfect physical beauty. The only parts of the book that marginally hold any attention are the scenes that reveal the different creatures of the Underworld, namely demons, vampires, werewolves, witches and warlocks, pixies and faeries -- in other words, any scene without the human characters are more interesting than even the most dramatic love scene.

If you are looking for a well-written fantastical drama, read Tolkien. However, if you are a rabid fan of all things magical and mystical, and cannot bear to pass up any book with vampires or werewolves, by all means read City of Bones…but don't say no one warned you.

April Picture Book, Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs Missing Treasure

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

A class field trip turns into a museum mystery that takes the young reader on an adventure he won't soon forget. Pirates, dinosaurs, and a magical cupboard will propel you through this story, with a group of children who must overcome the fierce pirate Giganotosaurus! Climb aboard Matey!

ANNOUNCING the Careers College

noreply@blogger.com (Patty H.) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:28:00 +0000

This is a new web service that teaches you how to market yourself in today’s job market. Many people have no idea how to showcase their talents. Using this resource will allow you to learn how to present yourself to potential employers.

This virtual course is self-paced, with online job search course ware and career transition guidance. Using this site lets you learn at your own pace to prepare for the job hunt, from building your confidence to exploring career options, searching for the hidden job market (the jobs that aren’t advertised), making contact , getting hired and starting your new job right.

In addition, on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, from 10 a.m. to Noon, Todd Bermont, the founder and developer of The Careers College and author of 10 Insider Secrets to a Winning Job Search & Cognitive Selling will be at the library to introduce this resource and answer your questions. He will discuss the current job hunting market and demonstrate how to make use of The Career College website.

Windy City Harmonicas

noreply@blogger.com (Loraine) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The Windy City Harmonicas will be playing at the library on Thursday, March 29th at 10:00 am.
This is a lively troupe of harmonica players. They will be performing songs
from the 1930's, 1940's and the 1950's. Come and join us for great music from days gone by.