JANUARY 2012 www.texascity library.org Moore Memorial Public Library Newsletter GREAT NEW ONLINE RESOURCES FOR YOUR NEW YEAR S RESOLUTIONS W hether you want to learn a new language, study a new subject online, or devote more time to books with audiobooks or ebooks, Moore Library has an online resource to make your New Year s resolutions easy. Our newest addition, Transparent Language Online, offers free, online lessons in over 80 different languages using technology such as videos, social media and mobile apps to meet your language-learning needs. It includes English-as-asecond-language lessons, as well as foreign languages. This includes English for Spanish Speakers, English for Arabic Speakers, English for Portuguese (Brazilian) Speakers, and more. You can learn everything from Albanian to Zulu! Transparent Language online has a personal progress tracker that helps you see how far you ve come, pronunciation tools, and many other language and cul- INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ADULT PROGRAMMING 2 COMPUTER CLASSES/ TV ON DVD 3 LOCAL HISTORY PROGRAM/ BEST BOOKS LISTS TAX TIME/ SERVING SENIORS/NEWS BRIEFS KIDS ZONE 6 MOORE TEENS 7 4 5 tural resources to develop basic skills or help build fluency. If you re already fluent in over 80 languages, but still have the learning bug, Moore Library has you covered. Through Universal Class, library card-holders can take free, online personal enrichment classes in over 500 subjects, including computers, art & photography, sewing, languages, teacher education, GED prep, finance, small business ownership, gardening, math, health/wellness, and more. This includes excellent training for a plethora of computer programs. Each class is taught by a real instructor that you can contact for help on assignments or to understand lesson plans. It s like a free school inside your computer. Users have up to six months to finish each course, and they can enroll in up to five courses at a time. Moore Library cardholders can use this service at the library or from any computer with internet access. Laura Castillo and her son Isaac using our computer workstation to learn. Want to read more,? One Click Digital gives patrons access to over 3,800 audiobook titles, including adult, young adult, and children s audiobooks. The best part about this service is all titles will be available all the time, with no waiting on someone else to finish using them. Cardholders will be able to download audiobooks from any computer with an internet connection and Windows Media or itunes software. Titles can be downloaded to an ipod or MP3 player, or you can listen to them directly from your computer. All these databases and many more can be found on the library homepage at http://www.texascity-library.org. For more information on our databases please call our reference desk at (409) 643-5977.
Page 2 Winter Adult Programs All Meetings will be held in the Moore Library Meeting Room. Local History Program: Stringfellow Orchards Samuel Collins III, owner of Stringfellow Orchards in Hitchcock, will give a presentation on this historic property and its significance in the Galveston County area. WHEN: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 @ 1:00 PM Downloadable Ebook Tutorials The last two Fridays in January and the first two Fridays in February will feature individualized tutorial sessions for anyone wishing to improve their knowledge of downloadable ebooks and audiobooks. Patrons are welcome to show up at the Reference Desk between 1:00 and 2:00 and receive one-on-one assistance from trained staff members on how to get started. WHEN: Friday, January 20, 2012 @ 1:00 PM Friday, January 27, 2012 @ 1:00 PM Friday, February 3, 2012 @ 1:00 PM Friday, February 10, 2012 @ 1:00 PM FDIC Money Smart Borrowing Basics Representatives from the Woodforest National Bank will deliver a brief financial workshop on the finer points of personal credit, bank loans and how interest works when borrowing money. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions. WHEN: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 @ 1:30 PM Make Your Own Valentine Join us the Friday before Valentine's Day to make your own customized Valentine for that special someone in your life. Seating is limited to 15 people so be sure to arrive on time. WHEN: Friday, February 10, 2012 @ 3:30 PM The Nutritional Benefits of Vegetarianism A Nutritionist from UTMB will be discussing the nutritional benefits of vegetarianism and veganism. Various points discussed will include how the various vegetarian dietary measures can affect long term health and how daily eating habits change. WHEN: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 @ 4:30 PM Fixing Photos Tutorial Learn how to crop, recolor, edit, save, and send photographs in this one hour tutorial. All attendees will be prescreened for basic computer skills before each class and space is limited to the first ten patrons, so registration will be at 2:30. WHEN: Thursday, February 23, 2012 @ 3:00 PM Internet Security: Keeping Safe on the Web A member of the local police will speak on the potential pitfalls of sending unsecured personal information over the internet. If you have questions about paying bills online, sending personal information over the web or are just curious about how secure the internet is, there will be hands-on demonstrations on how to safely use the web. WHEN: Thursday, March 1, 2012 @ 3:30 PM Finding Quality Medical Information on the Web A medical librarian will be presenting a seminar on finding medical information on the web. Topics covered will be what websites are best for your personalized medical inquiry & how to access quality medical information for free. WHEN: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 @ 1:30 PM Lost Bones: How to Start Your Family History The Texas City Ancestry Searchers will show you the basics on how to start researching your family history. Please bring basic family historical information you already have, such as names, birth or death dates /places of ancestors. WHEN: Date is To be Determined. Please call the reference desk at (409) 643-5977 for details. For more details about these events, please call our reference desk at (409) 643-5977.
Page 3 Improve Your Computer Skills O ur computer classes are aimed at beginning to intermediate computer users. The library offers courses to help patrons learn basic skills using MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, Email, the Internet, and more. All attendees will be pre-screened for skill level before each class. All computer classes begin at 10 AM and run about an hour. Thurs., Jan. 5 Basic Mouse Skills Fri., Jan. 6 Basic Windows Thurs., Jan. 12 Basic Word Fri., Jan. 13 Windows: Files and Saving Thurs., Jan. 19 Basic Internet Fri., Jan. 20 Toolbar Tips Thurs., Jan. 26 Basic Email Fri., Jan. 27 Fixing Photos Thurs., Feb. 2 Intermediate Internet Fri., Feb. 3 Advanced Search Strategies Thurs., Feb. 9 Basic Excel Fri., Feb. 10 Basic PowerPoint Thurs., Feb. 16 Basic Mouse Skills Fri., Feb. 17 Basic Windows Thurs., Feb. 23 Basic Word Fri., Feb. 24 Windows: Files and Saving Thurs., Mar. 1 Basic Internet Fri., Mar. 2 Basic Email Thurs., Mar. 8 Intermediate Internet Fri., Mar. 9 Reference & Periodical Databases Thurs., Mar. 15 Basic Mouse Fri., Mar. 16 Basic Windows Thurs., Mar. 22 Basic Word Fri., Mar. 23 Windows: Files and Saving Thurs., Mar. 29 Basic Internet Fri., Mar. 30 Toolbar Tips Thurs., April 5 Basic Publisher Thurs., April 12 Basic Email Fri., April 13 Intermediate Internet Sign-up & Registration Procedure: Registration for ALL computer classes will occur THE DAY OF the scheduled class. All potential students must come to the library between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. on the day of the class for pre-class screening. Admission to the class will be granted on a first-come first-served basis for those persons successfully completing the pre-assessment survey exercise. Admission for most classes is limited to 10 persons per class. For more information, please contact the Reference Desk at the library, 409-643-5977. M oore Library s new collection of television series on DVD is booming. We have a collection of new hits, classics, and British television. If you are in the mood for comedy, musicals, drama, mystery, suspense, or anything in between, there s a series for you. We have popular current network series like Bones, Blue Bloods, Castle, Glee, The Office, and more. We also have a great selection of classic series like Columbo, Dallas, GET YOUR TV ON DVD The Cosby Show, Dynasty, and MASH. Best of all you, no longer have to search the regular DVD stacks to find your favorite series. We have all TV series separated in the shelving units next to our water fountain.
Page 4 LOCAL HISTORY PROGRAM: STRINGFELLOW ORCHARDS S amuel Collins III, owner of Stringfellow Orchards in Hitchcock, will give a presentation on this historic property and its significance to the Galveston County area. The presentation will be at the Moore Memorial Public Library on Wednesday, January 11 th, 2012 at 1:00 PM. Mr. Collins is a financial advisor for the investment firm Merrill Lynch, at their Galveston location. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Texas A&M University. In 2007 Mr. Collins found evidence that as a boy Frank Bell Sr. worked for noted horticulturist Henry Martyn Stringfellow. Mr. Bell s family was among the first families to live in the historic African-American Settlement Community, in present-day west Texas City. Mr. Stringfellow imported orange trees from Japan and his pear orchard was considered a showplace of the Gulf Coast. Mr. Collins community ties include serving as a Board Member with the Galveston Chamber of Commerce, GEDP, THC SBR, National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Ruby Bridges Foundation National Board. The house at Stringfellow Orchards, after restoration. (Photo: Samuel Collins III) This free event will be in the Holland Meeting Room and is open to the public. Attendees will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis and there are no reservations. For more details about this event call our Local History Librarian Rebecca Snow at (409) 949-3007. CREAM OF THE CROP: THE YEAR S BEST BOOKS e ve scoured the internet to find the best of best books lists to give you a variety of resources to help pick your holiday reading. W Amazon: A list defined by popularity, the best sellers of Amazon give a look at what the world read this year. http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/2011/ books/ NY Times: the Old Grey Lady is known for excellent and insightful book reviews and their year end list is always hotly anticipated http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/ books/10-best-books-of-2011.html Goodreads: Voted on by the users of Good Reads, this list is a true people s choice selection of the best books of the year. http://www.goodreads.com/list/ show/8226.best_books_of_2011 Publisher s Weekly: A great resource of the best in fiction, including lists for genres like Science Fiction, Romance, and more. www.publishersweekly.com/pw/bestbooks/2011 National Book Award: One of the most prestigious awards in publishing, this award is a great way to find the most important books of the year. http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2011.htm National Public Radio: A huge collection of different subject lists from all the critics at NPR. http://www.npr.org/2011/11/30/142942283/the-best-books -of-2011-the-complete-list Patron Paul Rue reads the critic favorite, The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides Salon: Over 50 popular working authors give their favorite books of the year. http://www.salon.com/2011/12/09/ writers_choose_their_favorite_books_of_2011/ Washington Post: The Post s top 10 of the year splits evenly with 5 for fiction and 5 for non-fiction, http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/best-books-of- 2011/2011/12/06/gIQANFuwcO_gallery.html
Page 5 I t s that time of year again time to file taxes! The filing deadline for individual tax forms is April 17th, which is just around the corner! The Internal Revenue Service will NOT automatically mail tax forms to individuals. Most 2011 tax forms and instructions are available for download and printing from the IRS website, www.irs.gov. Help with common tax questions and problems is also available at this site, along with assistance in filing taxes online for free. After January 1, 2012, an individual may M oore Memorial Public Library is proud to continue our program of visiting local senior citizen centers monthly. Each month our Young Adult Librarian, Luke Alvey- Henderson, and our Public Services Assistant, Kristina Garza, visit 5 senior citizen living centers and the Nessler Center Senior Center Programs. Programs are designed to engage seniors on topics of interest, direct interaction, and short games. This year s program theme is Movies and Music, where we listen to Academy Award Winning songs from the 1940s and talk about the winners, losers, and fun trivia of the Academy Awards from that period. This is to engage seniors on periods from which their memories are the most TAX TIME STRESS FREE request forms by mail through the IRS toll-free number, 1-800-829-3676. LIBRARY OUTREACH: SERVING SENIORS Moore Memorial Reference staff are ready to help patrons find and print forms and instructions from the IRS website. Please bring the tax number of the form or instructions publication needed to the library, and library staff will assist you in accessing and printing what you need. (Printing charges are $.10 per page.) vivid. The goal of our program is to provide entertainment, information, and mental stimulation for our patrons who can t physically visit us. It s just a part of our dedication of trying to serve the entire Texas City community. If you d like more Gulf Health Care Center resident Elizabeth Taylor and librarian Luke Alvey-Henderson information about this program please call Luke Alvey-Henderson at (409) 949-3008. NEWS BRIEFS LIBRARY HOLIDAY CLOSINGS: The library will be closed on the following dates: New Year s Day The library will be closed Monday January 2nd Reopen Tuesday January 3rd at 9am Martin Luther King Day The library will be closed Monday, January 16th. Reopen Tuesday, January 17th at 9 AM. Easter The library will be closed Friday, April 6th and Saturday April 7th. Reopen Monday, April 9th at 9 AM. BOOK CLUB: Book lovers who enjoy engaging in stimulating conversation about literature are invited to attend Book Bits. Book Bits, a book club for ages 18 and up, continues to meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 2PM. This informal group setting allows readers to share new & old print favorites, discuss controversial titles, compare favorite authors and more. The group will meet on: January 4th February 1st March 7th
Page 6 Kids Zone ach week, the library offers two programs. The first E program is Toddlerific Storytime on Tuesdays beginning again on January 3 rd at 10:00 am for children ages 1-2. Children listen to stories, interact with fingerplays, and sing songs together. There is also play time for the children. The second program is Preschool Storytime on Wednesdays beginning again on January 4 th at 10:00 am for children ages 3-5. Children listen to stories, interact CHILDREN S STORYTIMES Jabari proudly displays his Storytime Craft. FINDING FICTION MADE EASY with fingerplays, sing songs, and assemble a craft. Storytimes are held in the Holland Meeting Room. These free programs are a special opportunity to begin developing your child s literacy skills. For more information about these programs, call (409) 643-5983. For the spring, storytimes will be every week between January 3 rd and May 23 rd. re you having a hard time narrowing down what you want A to read in the fiction section of the children s department? There are lots of bibliographies to help narrow your search. Bibliographies are lists of works all about the same subject. Right now we have: Dragon Fiction, Horse Fiction, Magic Fiction, Mythology Fiction, Right Out of the Fairytales Fiction, and Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies in Fiction. We will continue to update fiction bibliographies, so stop by the bibliography holders at the top of the Easy Readers and check them out. BULLETIN BOARDS: THANKS FOR MAKING MOORE LIBRARY MORE BEAUTIFUL We want to thank all our library patrons that helped decorate our bulletin boards with their excellent coloring work! Please help us out with our new bulletin boards too. We ll have A New Year A New Book in January, Love & Family in February, and All Things Green in March. TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES AWARD BOOKS T he 2X2 Reading List, the Texas Bluebonnet Award, and the Lone-Star books of 2011-2012 have been announced. The Bluebonnet awards is the award for the best books for children. The 2X2 is a reading list for the best books for Children aged 2 through the second grade, the Bluebonnet Award is for the best books for children in grades 3 through 6 and the Lone-Star is for the best books for grades 6 through 8. So check out all the great lists then check the books out of Moore Library! There are bibliographies of all these book lists available in the Children s Department. All these reading lists can be viewed at: http:// www.txla.org/reaing-listsreading-lists
Page 7 UP-COMING TAB EVENTS Check out what the Teen Advisory Board is all about. By being a part of TAB you get leadership experience that looks great on college applications and resumes. It s also a great way to meet new people or hang out with your friends. We ll talk about ways to make the library better for young adults, have a teen-led current events round table, talk about our favorite books, and have a great time doing it. And as always, snacks will be provided. Upcoming meetings will be on: Friday, January 6 at 4 PM Friday, February 3 at 4 PM Friday, March 2 at 4 PM GET MANGATIZED T he Moore Manga Club is a way for teens to get together and read manga and talk about their favorites with other teens. We even provide snacks, so empty stomachs don t interfere with our manga enjoyment! Last month the Manga Club got mangatized! We used an online program www.faceyourmanga.com to make manga avatars for our new Manga Club IDs. If you want your own Manga Club ID, email our Young Adult Librarian, Luke, for instructions at lalvey@texas-city-tx.org. The club will be open for anyone 12-18 years old. Call our Young Adult Librarian at (409) 949-3008 for more information. Upcoming meetings will be on: Friday, January 13 at 4 PM Friday, February 10 at 4 PM Friday, March 9 at 4 PM BOARD GAMES YOU VE NEVER PLAYED B ack by popular demand. Teens ages 12-18 can come to the library to play board games, strategy games, and card games like you ve NEVER played before. We have selected fun award winning games that are totally unlike any board games you ve ever played! We have Settlers of Catan, Fluxx, Munchkin, Forbidden Island, and Fresco. If you want something more traditional, you can play a rousing round of chess or the ancient strategy game Go. We also have the super fun party games Apples to Apples, Cranium, and Scattegories as well as all your favorite classic board games likes Monopoly, Scrabble, Sorry, and more. Upcoming Meetings will be on: Friday, January 20 at 3:15 PM Friday, February 17 at 3:15 PM Friday, March 16 at 3:15 PM TXLA ANNOUNCES NEW READING LISTS Teens looking for new reading material should check out the new reading lists from the Texas Library Association. TAY- SHAS lists the best young adult books for 2011 and the Maverick list is the best graphic novels for teens in 2011. Check out the lists and then check out the books at the library! All TXLA award books can be found at: http://www.txla.org/reading-lists
Moore Memorial Public Library 1701 9th Avenue North Texas City, Texas 77590 Become a Friend of Moore Memorial Library Friends Membership Form Please return this form, along with your payment, to Friends of Moore Memorial PL, 1701 9th Avenue North, Texas City, TX 77590. Thank you for supporting the library. MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL Please make checks payable to Friends of MMPL. Name Address City/State Zip Phone The Friends dues for calendar year 2012 (Jan. 1, 2012 through Dec. 31, 2012) are the following: Individual ($10) Family ($25) Senior Citizen 60+($5) Student ($5) Sustaining ($50) Valued Friend ($100) Life Member ($1,000) If you would like to receive this newsletter electronically through E-mail please send Vivi a message at vhoang@texas-city-tx.org