Posts filed under 'General News'
The Library has a new product that may work just as well for you. Transparent Language is an Interactive self-study guide on a USB drive. It’s an immersion program that enables learners to take basic vocabulary and quickly progress to more advanced comprehension and use. Grammar, vocabulary, reading, listening and pronunciation skills are emphasized through the use of native-language videos, texts and stories that immerse the user in the language. Each language edition includes:
- Record, playback and compare
- Conversation practice
- Interactive games
- Over 15,000 words of vocabulary
- Full-motion video
- Testing and scoring
- and much more
Just download the program on to your computer, and as long as you have any of the USB drives in your computer, your work will be saved and available to you.
Languages available are Arabic, Chinese, English for Spanish Speakers, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Look for Transparent Language in LINKcat.
February 22nd, 2010
Lisa
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
What Can You Do with a Paleta? by Carmen Tafolla, illustrated by Magaly Morales, has just been named the winner of the 2010 Charlotte Zolotow Award, awarded by the UW-Madison Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC). This award, created in 1998, is given for the best picture book text published in the United States, and is named to honor the work of children’s book editor and author Charlotte Zolotow.
In addition to the Zolotow Award, the CCBC selected three honor books: Birds by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek; Pouch! by David Ezra Stein; and Princess Hyacinth: (The Surprising Story of a Girl Who Floated) by Florence Parry Heide, illustrated by Lane Smith.
Looking for more great children’s books? Check out our best bets for the 2009 Caldecott Medal winners, or see previous winners of the Zolotow Award and Caldecott Medal.
January 13th, 2010
Alicia
Did you make resolutions for the new year? The library has lots of books that will get you started and keep you on track during 2010, including Jamie Novak’s The Get Organized Answerbook: Practical Solutions for 275 Questions on Conquering Clutter, Sorting Stuff, and Finding More Time and Energy (if one of your resolutions is to get organized).
Find a list of the top ten resolutions and corresponding books as well as web information about what’s in store for the upcoming year.
January 2nd, 2010
Molly
All Madison Public Library locations are closed for Christmas on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25. The Central and Sequoya Libraries will also be closed Sunday, December 27. You can still use the library when we’re closed: place holds in LINKcat, return items to our bookdrops, or use our 24/7 online reference service, AskAway.
December 23rd, 2009
Tana
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
Teen Connection – the statewide educational call-in program for teens, parents and educators on Wisconsin Public Television – will have its season premiere at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15. The program’s topic this month is divorce and teens in the middle. With unprecedented levels of divorce and the separation of parents who never married, more children are being raised by single parents, grandparents, relatives, and living in foster homes than ever before. This broadcast of Teen Connection features a panel of young people and adult experts discussing the ways teens cope with their parents “Splitting Up.” Lois Mischler, a counselor at Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, a nonprofit agency that strives to protect, heal, and care for children and families will appear on the program. Mischler will offer advice for teens and parents, and explain how they can effectively deal with the stress caused by the family’s transition. The live program features a call-in option at 877-988-2888. It is a toll-free call. A related documentary, Splitting Up: Kids in the Middle, will air on WPT and MPTV at 10:30 p.m. following Teen Connection.
Looking for more information? Check out books about divorce for kids and for adults, and other programs from WPT.
December 14th, 2009
Alicia
When a winter storm is predicted, one question we get a lot is, “Are you open?”
Because we’re an essential city agency, we try to stay open no matter what. But we do occasionally close for severe weather. We expect to be open today for all regular working hours, but will be closed on Wednesday, December 9. We hope to be open regular working hours again on Thursday, December 10 but will post updates here, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on the City of Madison’s web site.
We recognize that returning library books or picking up holds are not top priority in winter storm weather. If you are unable to pick up a hold or return an item on time due to to unexpected library closures or extreme weather, please let us know. Our staff will do their best to credit any late charges or to replace lapsed holds - for today, tomorrow, and all days affected by exceptional weather.
And now is a good time to remind you that:
- any item returned to any book drop before we open is considered returned the previous day.
- you can renew most items online at http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org (choose “LINKcat”) or via Telecirc at 242-4700. Items must be renewed by 10 p.m. on the day that they are due.
- you can call us or email us or chat online with a librarian if you have a question.
For more closing updates see the City of Madison news releases, the City of Madison Winter Portal and the Channel3 web site, or watch your local news.
December 8th, 2009
Tana
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
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