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The Dane County Job Service is holding a series of workshops at the Central Library aimed at assisting people get themselves ready for the job search. Called Diversify Your Approach to Employment, the workshops help you analyze your skills and market yourself in the best way possible for today’s job market. Sign-up for the classes online or call 266-6350. And, while you’re at it, register with the Job Center of Wisconsin.
Here’s the workshop schedule:
January 21 - 1-2:30 p.m. Diversify your Resume, 3-4:30 p.m. Marketing your Skills & Cover Letters
February 4 - 1-2:30 p.m. Transferable Skills: Identify Yours, 3-4:30 p.m. Develop a Formal Work-Search Plan
February 18 - 1-2:30 p.m. Diversify your Resume, 3-4:30 p.m. Marketing your Skills & Cover Letters
January 19th, 2010
terrymc
A FoodShare specialist from Second Harvest FoodBank Wisconsin will be on hand at many library locations to help you find out if you’re eligible and to assist you with the application process. Call (toll-free) for an appointment at 877-266-3635 or feel free to drop-in. The program is available to singles, families, students, seniors and disabled individuals with limited or fixed income.
At this time, the schedule is as follows. But check back–more dates will be added soon.
- Central Library–Every Monday through February, 12-4pm; Wednesdays, February 10 and 24, 10am-2pm.
- Hawthorne Library–Tuesday, January 26, 2-6pm
- Lakeview Library–Saturday, January 23, 12-4pm.
- Meadowridge Library–Wednesday, January 20, 12-3pm
- Sequoya Library–Wednesday, January 27, 3-7pm
- South Madison Library–Friday, January 29, 4-7pm
Bringing the following documents will help you complete the application and get benefits sooner:
- Identification for every member in the household, including driver’s license, SSN card, and birth certificate.
- Proof of income (pay stubs, unemployment stubs, social security or SSI letter, etc.)
- Housing expenses (rent, mortgage, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, etc.)
- Utility bills
- Medical bills that you pay (if you are 60 or older or disabled)
January 19th, 2010
terrymc
Simply by using your Madison Public Library card, you can get full-text magazine articles from Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Creative Kids, and Shape, to name just a few? Neither did I until I started poking around with Serials Solutions. It’s this super great database that lets you plunk in the name of a magazine or newspaper and lets you know if you can get it electronically. Easy and sweet! And, maybe not quite as much fun, but helpful nonetheless, you can also check to see if we have access to British Poultry Science and the South African Journal of Animal Science–we do!! And this is only one of the many things you get–free–with your library card.
December 18th, 2009
terrymc
And, as you do, feel free to wear your pajamas–that is, if you have access to both a phone and internet connection from home. Morningstar’s Director of Personal Finance, Christine Benz, will be your guide to getting the most from your investments at this free webinar. It all happens Wednesday, December 16 at 3pm Central Time. To register, send an e-mail to librarytraining@morningstar.com. And, when you do, please mention you heard about the webinar from Madison Public Library.
With a Madison Public Library card, you can access the Morningstar database (and lots more databases) for free. And again, if you’re learning from home, feel free to wear your pajamas as you do.
December 5th, 2009
terrymc
If you have the need or desire to collect demographic data, you must try DemographicsNow Now! So easy to use–you can customize results by geography, choosing the area best suited to your needs. Established businesses, prospective entrepreneurs, business students, and anyone who needs to identify cultural patterns or sociological trends will benefit from this ultra flexible marketing tool. Listen to a 3 minute introductory webcast or be guided through more detailed search tips. Access to DemographicsNow is made possible through a Madison Community Foundation collection grant to the Central Library for small business and entrepreneurship. The database was chosen with the input of several area business and entrepreneur groups.
And there’s more! If you’d like to search both Madison Newspapers or the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, whether it’s for an article, an obituary, or just to browse a day’s events, you’ll find NewsBank to be just the ticket. NewsBank is an easy-to-use newspaper archive containing full text articles from the Wisconsin State Journal (1989- present), Capital Times (1989- present), and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1990-present). Updated daily, entries exclude advertisements, employment ads and classifieds. You’ll find detailed searching information here. Due to licensing restrictions, both DemographicsNow and NewsBank are only available to customers who visit a Madison Public Library and remotely to Madison residents with valid library cards. We are in the process of arranging access through the library’s wireless networks for those who want to use the database in the library but on their own machines.
These are the newest additions to the library’s extensive list of databases. Searching from home has never been easier.
October 7th, 2009
terrymc
1. Get on the internet (use library card to log onto our computers or bring your laptop to use free wireless)
2. Get the newest books (use your library card)
3. Get the newest dvds (use your library card)
4. Get the newest cds (use your library card)
5. Place a hold on back issues of your favorite magazines (use your library card)
6. Take the kids to storytimes (at all 9 locations)
7. Download audiobooks onto an iPod, MP3 player, to your computer, or burn to disk (use your library card)
8. Attend educational and entertaining programs (at all 9 locations)
9. Access numerous library databases (business, investment, literature, genealogy and lots more)
To get a library card (10. that’s free too!), bring a photo i.d. with your current address to your nearest library—get started today!
July 22nd, 2009
terrymc
Here’s the story: The State of Wisconsin’s contract with database vendors, which provided access to ProQuest and Ethnic NewsWatch, ended June 30.
But not to worry. The new contract provides an expanded version of EBSCOhost which will hopefully make your searching transition relatively seamless.
Just a few highlights of the new EBSCO: Besides the addition of copious full-text magazine and journal articles, there’s Newspaper Source Plus, (takes the place of most of the old Proquest newspaper search); Consumer Health Complete (includes news and reports on health issues); Auto Repair Reference Center (lots of info on over 33,000 vehicles from 1945-present); Coin Career Library (has easy-to-use resume builder and plenty of info for the college-bound, including a “College Finder” and ACT/SAT quizzes); NovelistPlus (now includes non-fiction titles), Novelist K-8, (provides all the reading help you’ll need for the kids, including book descriptions, reviews, discussion guides, and articles).
Sadly, however, the current contract does not include online access to the Capital Times archive. The library is currently exploring options to rectify this matter.
Check out the long list of new EBSCOhost offerings and see what you can find. And, as always, ask a librarian if you need any help.
July 3rd, 2009
terrymc
In these tough economic times, the City of Madison’s Office of Business Resources (OBR) can help. OBR staff works with businesses to provide start-up, retention, expansion, and guidance.
Of timely interest are two new funding programs. First, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has designed a deferred payment loan program (up to $35,000) designed to help small businesses make payments on existing debt. Called America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) Loan Program, these loans are available through SBA-approved small business lenders through 09/30/2010 or until the funds run out.
Secondly, the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) annouces grant funds for Wisconsin manufacturers. Grant funds can be used to defray project cost in two areas: lean transformation or business growth. Offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, project completion deadline is 12/31/2010.
Also, don’t overlook the abundant materials Madison Public Library has that will help your small business boom. Check out just some of the newest resources on the subject.
June 10th, 2009
terrymc
In time for summer, Morningstar Investment Research Center has released a new report titled The Morningstar College Savings Guide. Sections of the report cover Best and Worst 529 College-Savings Plans, Alternatives to 529 College-Savings Plans, Managing Your 529 College-Savings Plan, 529s: Should You Stay In-State or Shop Around, and Are 529 Prepaid Plans All They’re Cracked Up to Be?
Morningstar has also posted the Market Outlook for the 1st Quarter of 2009. Learn what the industry outlook is as of March 31 according to Morningstar.
In a recent survey, customers indicated they’d like the ability to export data from Morningstar. Now you can export some information for stocks. Choose “Financial Statement” tab on the left and then choose 10 Year Income Statement, 10 Year Cash Flows or 10 Year Balance Sheets tab. Look for the “Export to Excel” link on the bottom right side of those pages. You can also export price history for the last five years into Excel. Choose the Dividends & Returns tab on the left, then look for Price/Dividends/Splits and choose Price History. Click on one of the year links for a full listing of that year’s information and an “Export to Excel” link. Morningstar plans to add export features to other sections as well. Do you have something you’d like to be able to export? Let us know, and we’ll pass it on to Morningstar.
If you want to learn more about Morningstar Investment Research Center, contact your local Madison librarian or sign up for the next Live Web Training hosted by Morningstar on Wednesday, September 30 at 3 p.m. Central Time. To register, email librarytraining@morningstar.com and mention the name of your library.
June 2nd, 2009
terrymc
