New & Noteworthy @ WHPLibrary

75% of Long Island homeowners have taken the first step by investing in more insulation in their homes. Learn how you can improve the energy performance of your home and get the best benefits and incentives possible from State and utility energy efficiency programs!

The Long Island Green Homes (LIGH) Program provides residents the opportunity to save money, create jobs and to improve our environment by implementing energy efficiency improvements to their homes. Start by getting a comprehensive Home Energy Audit - it's free or at a reduced cost for most Long Islanders.

The LIGH program is a publicly-funded effort through a New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA).

We want you to JOIN US this year in our 5th Annual Photo supporting the GO RED For WOMEN campaign to alert women about the dangers of heart disease. (See the American Heart Association video.)

We've been participating by WEARing RED every year since 2008 and this year, we'd like you to be a part of our event by joining our staircase photo at 3 pm on Friday, February 3, 2012, or if that time does not work for you, just WEAR RED in the library on Friday, and we'll photoshop or collage you into the group photo!

Here we are last year in 2011:

We hope you've figured out how to use the West Hempstead Public Library's free eBooks at the Nassau Digital Doorway. (If Not, click on the MY HELP icon, or call the Reference Desk at 516-481-6591). Unfortunately, there is still a WAITlist for our more popular bestsellers. But, before your patience wears thin, try these other free resources, available on the web. Thank you to The Long Island Library Resource Council (LILRC) for compiling and publishing this list in their January/February 2012 Newsletter:

Spotlight On: Websites that Offer Free Downloadable E-Books

As the demand for e-book lending increases there are a number of web-based resources that provide free access to downloadable e-books.

http://books.google.com/ebooks
"Read nearly 3 million free e-books and hundreds of thousands of titles that are ready for purchase; you can read all of your favorite books using just about any device with an Internet connection."

A little nostalgia!
Here's what our library looked like just before we moved from the Chestnut Street School to our new building at 500 Hempstead Avenue in October 2007:

Now take a look at our library after 4 years!
If you haven't already done so, we welcome you to visit us (in person, or online). Join in our programs, check out (or download) our materials, and use the many services we offer to our West Hempstead residents and the local community!

We will be closed on Thursday September 29 for Rosh Hashanah, on Saturday October 8 for Yom Kippur, and on Monday October 10 for Columbus Day.
Enjoy the holidays!

We are all anxiously awaiting Hurricane Irene, by monitoring the National Weather Service and local news services, stocking up on batteries, and tying down our trash cans and lawn furniture!

We have been advised by our web hosting service that they are taking precautionary measures to minimize damage, so our library website (www.whplibrary.org) will NOT be in-service from 5 pm on Saturday, August 26 through sometime on Monday August 28, depending upon local conditions.

If you want to know if the library is CLOSED, please call us at 516-481-6591 and press #1 for the Hours. We will post a message on our answering machine. We will also post our status to the Events Calendar on our website and to Facebook and Twitter once our status is known. Remember that these services will only work if the electricity is running both at our location AND at the hosting service, so please be patient!

If you are calling to see if an adult or teen program has been CANCELLED, please wait until an hour or two before the scheduled start time, and ask for the Reference Desk 516-481-6591 x22. For children's programs, call x32.

West Hempstead Public Library patrons who are travelers or appreciate history, architecture, and libraries should read the Sunday 7/31 NY Times article describing libraries in Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, Prague, Seville and Vienna as great European sanctuaries.

History buffs will appreciate the nearly 900 year old Prague Strahov Monastery and Library

and the Paris Bibliotheque de France which was created in 1368 for Charles V's manuscripts. Travelers interested in the history of the discovery of the Americas will find the Seville Archivo General de Indias fascinating. Nearby in Seville they can also visit the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

Each library's architecture is worth a visit. The Austrian National Library in Vienna includes frescoed ceilings, marble statues and ornate bookcases while the Amsterdam Centrale Biblioteek is a beautiful 10 story structure built in 2007. The National Library of Ireland in Dublin has a domed ceiling and a floor mosaic with the motto "Sapientia", Latin for wisdom.

Libraries are always great places to visit while traveling, and as the article suggests, they are often free of crowds. So if you visit any beautiful libraries in Europe or elsewhere, be sure to take a few pictures where permitted and share them on our Facebook fan page.

This article was reported on by B.Koehler, with weblinks added by L.Joe.

Family Service League is offering a FREE
12-week computer literacy class to Nassau County Veterans. There are NO geographical or income restrictions associated with this class.

Students will be given instruction in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, keyboarding, and basic Internet applications that can be utilized in office positions. Whether you consider yourself a beginner, intermediate, or advanced student, do not hesitate to apply - your current skill level will help to determine the instructional level of the classes!

The classes will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from September through December from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Kornreich Adult Computer Literacy Center in Roslyn. Upon successful completion of the class, students will receive a certificate of completion for the specified training course of study.

To register, or for more information, please call Lori Brennan at 631-427-3700, extension 302.

New York State's Regents Advisory Council for Libraries (RAC) is asking New Yorkers to tell them what library services they will need in their local communities by 2020. Please respond by August 5; click on the image below to take the survey.

Our library is a designated polling place. Unless you receive a post card indicating a polling place change, vote at your regular polling place for the
SPECIAL ELECTION on MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2011.
Polls Open: 6:00am - 9:00pm

Nassau County residents will vote on a Public Referendum regarding the establishment of the Nassau County Hub Area development program.

Registered voters who anticipate being away on August 1 should apply for their absentee ballot as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT: The application must either be personally delivered to your county board of elections not later than the day before the election, or postmarked by a governmental postal service not later than the 7th day before election day. The ballot itself must either be personally delivered to the board of elections no later than the close of polls on election day, or postmarked by a governmental postal service not later than the day before the election and received no later than the 7th day after the election.

Applications for absentee ballots can be obtained in the library or by visiting the Nassau County Board of Elections, 240 Old Country Road, 5 Floor, Mineola, NY 11501. Applications are also available online at http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/download/voting/AbsenteeSmaller04252010.pdf.
For more information, please call the Board of Elections at 571-2411.

Long Island Talking Book Library (LITBL) is a free library service for individuals who cannot hold, handle or see well enough to use regular print books. LITBL is a subregional library of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), a division of the Library of Congress that produces books and magazines in braille and recorded media for people with visual or physical disabilities.

Downloading is the easiest and quickest way to obtain these National Library Service audio books. Using a blank digital cartridge or USB flash drive, LITBL patrons download books and play them on the digital talking book machine.

In the past, LITBL sent professionally recorded books and magazines as cassettes. Now the service has gone digital with a collection of digital books, which currently number about 25,000, including over 50 magazines. They are available for download via the BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) web site: https://nlsbard.loc.gov/.

The older cassette collection and the new digital cartridges can still be delivered by mail, but the new players support standard usb memory devices. Once a borrower has established service with LITBL, they may apply for a BARD account to begin downloading books that can be read from the special player lent to the eligible resident.

For information about talking books and magazines, Long Island residents should contact the Long Island Talking Book Library at the Suffolk Cooperative System.
627 North Sunrise Service Road, PO Box 9000, Bellport, NY 11713-9000; telephone: (631) 286-1600, toll-free: (866) 833-1122 (Nassau/Suffolk).
To find out more about braille materials they will be referred to the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, 40 West 20 Street, NY, NY, 10011-4211.

One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself is to always choose a secure password for your online accounts. Here are some tips offered as a public service by Mozilla: STRONG PASSWORDS PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT!
(Print the brochure for the details, or pickup a copy at the Reference Desk!)

GOOD PASSWORDS HAVE A SIMPLE SET OF PROPERTIES:
• They have both upper and lower case letters
• They have digits and/or punctuation characters as well as letters
• They are easy to remember, so they do not have to be written down
• They are at least seven or eight characters long, but the longer the better.
• They can be typed quickly, so someone else cannot easily look over your shoulder

The best way to fight internet fraud is to learn how to AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM. However, if you become a victim, there is help available. Click here for a list of official government web resources to help you report and learn about internet fraud.

Mark your calendar for 3 Sundays this summer to enjoy free concerts co-sponsored by the West Hempstead Community Support Association and Astoria Federal Savings.

Sunday, July 10 at 6:30 PM
"NORTH SHORE POPS CONCERT BAND"

Sunday, July 24 at 6:30 PM
"THE NEW YORK CONNECTION"

Sunday , August 7 at 6:30 PM
"THE USUAL SUSPECTS"

They'll be held at the Little League Baseball Field in ECHO PARK, 401 Nassau Blvd.
Call 516-733-0879 for more information.

Sorry, slight change in the dates for our Course 1 (evening) AARP Driving class, because of the county-wide Coliseum/Arena vote that will take place in our space on August 1.

AARP Class for 50+ ($12 with AARP card, $14 without card- check payable to AARP)

Course 1: Mondays, July 25 and August 8, 7 -10 pm
WH Registration: Monday, July 11
Non-WH Registration: Monday, July 18

Course 2: Tuesdays, August 16 and 23, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
WH Registration: Tuesday, August 2
Non-WH Registration: Tuesday, August 9

We anticipate crowds on the morning of July 5 when we begin signing up patrons for the upcoming Adult Programs announced in the Summer Newsletter.

We will try a new system to make it easier on everyone. A Reference Librarian will direct patrons to specific signup stations for the more popular programs. We ask your cooperation and patience with this new arrangement. We hope to get you in and out as quickly and efficiently as possible!

We know how you hate to throw out stuff that someone else might appreciate!

The C. W. Post Library Association would be grateful for your donations from now through the Spring of 2012 when they hold their annual Book Sale.

Books, records, tapes, dvds, books on tape, books on dvd, etc., can be dropped off at the CW Post Campus Library in Brookville (720 Northern Boulevard). They do not accept encyclopedias or text books or library books that have library markings and call numbers on them.

The donater should email Derek.Stadler@liu.edu or call 516-299-2892 to arrange a time when he will meet you at the loading bay. He is usually there Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. You will be given an acknowledgement letter for the donation, which may be used for income tax purposes.

Proceeds from the Post Library Associaton Book Sale are used for planning and developing cultural and educational activities for the campus in general and the library specifically.

The West Hempstead Public Library has no book sales scheduled in the near future and is not currently accepting donations, so please give Derek a call!

We all know how popular our Driver Safety Classes are so we have scheduled 2 AARP classes and 2 regular defensive driving classes this summer. Please note that there are separate registration dates for residents of West Hempstead only for the AARP classes.

AARP Class for 50+ ($12 with AARP card, $14 without card- check payable to AARP)

Course 1: Mondays, July 25 and August 8, 7 -10 pm
WH Registration: Monday, July 11
Non-WH Registration: Monday, July 18
Course 2: Tuesdays, August 16 and 23, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
WH Registration: Tuesday, August 2
Non-WH Registration: Tuesday, August 9

Defensive Driving for All Ages ($40 check, payable to Defensive Driving Course, Inc.)

Course 1: Mondays, June 13 and 20, 7 - 10 pm.
Registration: Ongoing

Course 2: Tuesdays, August 2 and 16, 7 - 10 pm
Registration: Tuesday, July 5

For other AARP classes in the area check the AARP Course locator or call 888-AARP-NOW (227-7669).

Library Budget --- Passed : 989 - 813
Library Trustee
--- Elected Owen Rumelt: 980 (vs. Thomas Mascia: 717)

School Budget --- Passed : 1071 - 893
School Board
--- Elected Walter Ejnes 1054
--- Elected Pamela Lotito 1140

Thanks for Voting!...

AccessMyLibrary uses GPS to find public libraries within a 10-mile radius of the your location, then gives you free, unlimited access to our library's authoritative Gale online resources-- without the need to input your library card information.

See the video, then download the app for free at the Adroid Market app store or the iTunes app store.

Sorry, the March 2011 AARP driver safety class filled up on DAY1 of the registration period. Be sure to plan ahead if you want to enroll in May!

Our next AARP Class will be: Thursdays, MAY 19 and 26 from 9:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

REGISTRATION: Begins for W.H. Residents at 9:00 a.m. on THURSDAY MAY 5.
Non-residents may register, space permitting, beginning on THURSDAY MAY 12.

On Friday, February 4, 2011, Americans nationwide will WEAR RED to show their support for women's heart disease awareness on National Wear Red Day®.

Each year, since moving to our new building, the staff at West Hempstead Public Library have participated in this effort by wearing red to encourage women to be more aware of the danger of heart disease. We invite you to join us! (See our photos: 2008, 2009, 2010)

On Feb. 4, 2011, along with our red apparel, we plan to celebrate healthy lifestyles by enjoying some of the 10 Foods in Red recommended by the American Heart Association!

Here are some more recipes for heart-healthy treats:

10 Healthy Red Recipes

For kids: Eat the Rainbow, starting with Red

webMD's Healthy Recipe Finder

Heart Healthy Recipes from the Mayo Clinic

American Heart Association Nutrition Center

Check our Facebook page, or look for our Tweets to see if we are closed because of snow or bad weather or any other emergency. If you are calling our number (516)481-6591, be sure to hit #1 for our HOURS to see if we are closing early, or opening late.

Please take care and stay safe!

New York participates in Federal/State e-file, which allows taxpayers to file their Federal and NY State returns electronically at the same time. It is available to you through tax professionals or by filing from your home computer.

Eligible New Yorkers may also qualify for Free File which offers no-fee tax preparation and e-filing if your adjusted gross income is $58,000 or less in 2010. You must use one of the approved Free File companies listed on the NY State Tax site. Each software company has different rules that you should carefully review before starting your return.

If you do not qualify for Traditional Free File, you may still use Free File Fillable Forms - There are no income limitations, but you must fill in the tax forms and file them online without tax software. These look like blank IRS forms that you select, self-prepare, and e-file to complete your 1040, 1040 A and 1040 EZ return.

For help, check the NY State E-file resource page which offers a list of approved software developers who will format and submit your information to NY State with varying fees.

For more information, and links to forms and publications check the IRS website and NY State Dept of Taxation website.

We are taking entries again for our 2010-11 Museum Lottery.

Here's your chance to win free tickets to the New York Hall of Science, New York City's very popular hands-on science and technology museum.

Remember, you must be a West Hempstead Public Library member in good standing, and you only need to enter once to be eligible for all 5 drawings, to be held in October, December, February, April and June.

News 12 is honoring Tom Haas, posthumously, as the "special person who has made a difference" for the month of October 2010.

News 12 Anchor Danielle Campbell will be coming to WHPL on Tuesday morning, September 21 to interview our Director, Regina Mascia, and members of the Haas family about the fountain recently installed on the Library's front lawn. The fountain was designed by Thomas Haas; the dream of his fountain was brought to the attention of the Friends of the West Hempstead Library in 2007 as Tom's Dream.

Tom's dream was finally realized this summer when the fountain was completed. The fountain was dedicated on Saturday, September 11, 2010. See our photos of the final installation and dedication!

Sad to say, as of September 2010, WHPL is NOT accepting book donations.

We are OUT OF STORAGE SPACE!

Unfortunately, we may be unable to hold a book sale in the next few months because of scheduling issues.

We plan to accept donations shortly before our next scheduled booksale (tentatively April 2011). Please hold onto your books until then or find another worthy cause. Here are some suggestions:
-- Salvation Army
-- Reading Tree Books for Charity
-- Prisoner's Reading Encouragement Project (PREP)
-- Other libraries, eg. NY Public Library

Your blood donation will help to save up to THREE lives.

To SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT call Ari Himber at 1-516-458-9647. Please tell your friends and download and Share this Flyer!

WALK-INS are also welcome:
THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2010 from 2:30 PM-8:30 PM in the West Hempstead Public Library Community Room on the lower level, 500 Hempstead Ave., West Hempstead, NY.

Thank you for caring and sharing this lifesaving gift!

For questions concerning medical eligibility call Long Island Blood Services at 1-800-688-0900.

The library will be closed for the Independence Day Weekend,
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2010.
Plan ahead... come in soon to pick up books, music and videos to get you through the long weekend!

Don't forget, we close at 5 pm on Friday.

Stay cool and safe and enjoy your holiday!

The Library Board has decided not to submit the proposed 2010-2011 budget for a revote. The amount of the 2010-2011 budget will remain the same as the current 2009-2010 budget.

According to Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature® , genre may be defined as "A distinctive type or category of literary composition, such as the epic, tragedy, comedy, novel, and short story."

Our question in April asked "Which type of novel do you read most often?" Most people chose one genre, but 17 (23%) chose multiple categories.

Here are the responses we got in rank order:

24 = Science Fiction / Fantasy
23 = Mystery
18 = Historical Fiction
18 = Romance
14 = Suspense
13 = Paranormal
13 = LARGE PRINT

A total of 71 respondents answered our survey on fiction preferences. 60% (43 of the 71) completed the survey in the children's room, however we don't know for sure how many were children, as opposed to parents, grandparents, or caretakers. 37% (26/71) answered the questions at the reference desk and 3% (2/71) responded online.

In our previous surveys, we purposely did not ask for identifying information, such as age or sex of our respondents, so as not to complicate the process or to make it seem intrusive. However, we realize that knowing more about the demographics of our audience would have helped us to make our analysis more meaningful.

We don't feel we can generalize much from the results, so expect more about the topic as we work to refine our questions. By doing these informal surveys, we hope to learn more about you. At the same time, we are learning a lot more about how to administer surveys.

You'll see that our next survey makes a distinction between adult and teen programs and programs for children. We welcome your suggestions about both the content and process of these surveys.

Our questions in March asked about your familiarity with the library's online content. We expected that people who rarely use their computers would not fill out the survey (exactly one respondent indicated no online content accessed), but we were somewhat surpised that our many computer and wireless users also failed to fill out the survey. Only 15 people answered our questions, and 4 of those responses were submitted online. We are listening. Our next survey will not deal with technology in any way.

Not surprisingly, 80% of our respondents have seen or used our library website. To help you remember, the address of our website www.whplibrary.org is printed on your library card. 66% have accessed the Online Catalog either directly from our website or from its own unique address www.alisweb.org. 40% of respondents have tried our Research Databases, either for homework or genealogy research, or just to catch up on newspaper or magazine articles from many national and international sources.

33% have checked our Events Calendar or Newsletter online, and 33% have read one or both of our Blogs. One of our blogs, "West Hempstead Wants to Know!" is dedicated to these surveys and the other, called "New & Noteworthy" is our general library blog covering the latest information from our reference librarians regarding books, events, new media, or resources on the Internet, in the library, or in our local community, that interest and delight us.

26% of our respondents have viewed our Facebook pages. We have established 3 pages to cater to the Children's Room, Teens and the general Adult population. Even if you aren't interested in registering and interacting with us as a Facebook fan, you can still view our status updates just by viewing our library webpages.

Only one person was familiar with our Flickr and Picasaweb pages, but if you've seen our website, you may have clicked on the albums on the Teen pages, or seen the Photo Archives which are hosted by Flickr. These free sites are great places for presenting, sharing, and storing memories. Check them out! You may want to try them for yourself.

The question was: Which of the following online content have you seen or used? (Mark all that apply.) Here are the results in rank order:
12 = Library Website
10 = Online Catalog
06 = Research Databases
05 = Event Calendar or Online Newsletter
05 = Either of our 2 Library Blogs
04 = Any of our 3 Facebook pages
01 = Our photos on Flickr or Picasaweb

Our April survey concerns your favorite type of FICTION.

But if you've lost your form or need help, our library serves as a Questionnaire Assistance Center. A census aide is here Tuesday-Friday from 12-4 pm to help. Check out the "Mail Participation rate" of our area, compared to the national rate.

Take 10 minutes to fill out your 2010 Census form and mail it back TODAY. We've been told that if 100% of households mailed back their forms, taxpayers would save $1.5 BILLION dollars!

It seems that product recalls are becoming routine, and even our most trusted companies may be involved in bad business practices or come under question due to safety alerts or scams. What can the wary consumer do?

Here are some government websites to help you sort through all the scary talk.

Recalls.Gov (www.recalls.gov)
A "one stop shop" for U.S. Government recalls, with links for consumer products, food, medicine, motor vehicles, and more.

U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov)
You can check Recalls and Product Safety News, by the month, by product type or company name and even subscribe to an RSS feed for categories such as Child Products (including Toys) or Household Products, etc.

Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov)
The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. Check these videos to learn about common scams and how to file a complaint.

New York State Consumer Protection Board (www.nysconsumer.gov)
The NY State site includes information on consumer debt, identity theft, home ownership and data security. There is also a kid's page and a kid's newsletter.

Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs (www.nassaucountyny.gov)
Find the Office of Consumer Affairs in the Agency Directory listings under the home page heading, "Departments," or by clicking on Agency Directory under the home page heading "Most Visited Pages." Call the main office in Mineola (516) 571-2600 or one of the other departmental numbers.

The library is sponsoring three separate Defensive Driving Courses which can remove up to 4 points from your license and reduce your automobile insurance by 10 percent for a period of three years. Each course participant must bring his/her driver's license and checkbook (no cash accepted) when registering and attend all parts of the course to receive credit. Classes are held on the lower level in the Community Room and begin promptly.

DRIVERS OF ALL AGES: Instructor Mr. William Feeley will teach a Defensive Driving Course on Mondays, June 14 and 21 from 7-10 p.m. A $40 check, payable to Defensive Driving Program, Inc. is due at registration which begins on Thursday, April 1.

AARP: Mr. Charles Hlavenka will teach two driving courses for those 50 and older.
Checks must be made payable to AARP. If a participant presents their AARP membership card, the fee is $12. Non-members of AARP or those without their AARP membership card will be charged $14.

• AARP Course 1: Tuesdays, May 4 and 11 from 9:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
  Registration for W.H. residents begins at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 20.
  Non-residents may register, space permitting, beginning on Tuesday, April 27.


• AARP Course 2: Thursdays, June 17 and 24 from 9:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
  Registration for W.H. residents begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 3.
  Non-residents may register, space permitting, beginning on Thursday, June 10.

Since the summer of 2005, Mary Eide has served at the West Hempstead Public Library as a Senior Connections Volunteer, offering information, advice, and referrals covering issues like Social Services, Medigap Insurance, and where to get a free flu shot.
Mary was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, grew up in Bay Ridge and worked as a foreign credit investigator as a young woman. After moving to Suffolk County, while raising a growing family, she found work in a doctor's office and stayed on for 25 years. She has also worked in the admitting office of Smithtown General and as a receptionist in a nursing home.
Mary got her training as a citizen community service aide in Suffolk County's Senior Connections program and served for ten years at the Middle Country Public Library. We were very fortunate when she moved to West Hempstead to be closer to her grandchildren, bringing her wealth of experience, knowledge, dedication, and compassion to share with us in our Senior Connections program, a confidential information and referral service sponsored by the Nassau Library System.
Mary has 7 children, 11 grandchildren ranging in age from 28 to 3 ½, and a one-year-old great-granddaughter. She enjoys volunteering and looks forward to chatting with you while providing this confidential service.
Mary is normally here in the library once a month on a Tuesday from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Please check our calendar for specific dates.

Thirty four patrons answered our question about their use of Social Media websites for our February 2010 survey. This was a much smaller set of responses compared to the 77 who answered our January survey, so it's apparent that there was some self-selection based on interest in or familiarity with the subject.

Question: How often do you use Social Media websites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube , Flickr, Shelfari, Kaboodle? Here are the results in rank order:

17 = Use at least one site as often as I can
12 = Use at least one site a few times a month
4 = Never heard of them or Never use them
3 = Try them out, but don't like them much

An overwhelming number of our respondents (80%) indicate that they use at least one site, "as often as I can" or "a few times a month". The most favorite social site is Facebook (18), followed by YouTube (10), with only a passing nod to Twitter (1), MySpace (1) and LinkedIn (1). One vote was cast for music sites, although no particular site was specified.

Interest in learning more about social media was directed mostly about Twitter (5) and Facebook (4). The West Hempstead Public Library has a presence on both Twitter and Facebook, but so far we have focused mainly on Facebook where we maintain Fan Sites for the Children's Room, the Teens, and the Main Library/Reference Desk. This is part of our effort to bring our products and services closer to our public and to interact with our patrons when and where they are most comfortable. Become a Fan, and let us know how we are doing!

Here are links to some other popular social media sites:
LinkedIn: a professional networking site used by jobseekers and human resource personnel. (example: search on "Bill Gates")
Shelfari: a social network for people who love books and sharing reviews about what they are reading and getting suggestions about what to read next. (example: Shelfari community). See also GoodReads.com, LibraryThing.com
Kaboodle: this social shopping site has been redesigned lately to allow online shoppers to search and discover products according to popularity among other shoppers in the Kaboodle community and consumers in general.
And finally, here's a guide to social media music sites.

We believe that Libraries are the quintessential "universities of the streets", a place where people of all ages can go for life-long learning, to further educate themselves and improve their prospects in life.

When parents want to introduce their children to the joy of reading, they go to the library. When seniors want to learn how to get online, they go to their library. When students want to figure out how to use databases for their research, they go to their school or academic library.

Help us protect NY's libraries and library systems. Please SIGN OUR PETITION. We need to remind the NYS Legislature that libraries are essential community services and ask them to reject the $2.4 million cut in Library Aid Governor David Paterson is proposing in the 2010-2011 Executive Budget.

PLEASE LET US KNOW. Answer our survey on SOCIAL MEDIA either online or in the library.

The February surveys are the little pink slips found at the Children's Reference Desk or at the Adult Reference desk in the main library.

We want to know more about you! Interact with us on our Facebook Fanpage.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT THE LIBRARY?
77 patrons answered our first survey of 2010. Multiple responses were allowed so some patrons voted for more than one service. Here are the results in rank order:

42 = Free DVD's, CD's, downloadable books
38 = Free Programs for all ages
34 = Free Internet access
28 = Free Museum passes
12 = Free On-Line Tutoring

Not surprisingly, our free media products (movies, music, recorded books) are most appreciated. Trailing by 4 votes are the free programs (trips, crafts, exercise, concerts) we offer to children, young adults, and adults. Another 4 points behind in popularity is the free Internet access we provide to young adults and adults in the main library and to children for homework assignments in the Children's Room.

A more selective group voted for the free Museum passes. Perhaps this is a service you have not checked out yet. Remember that we have Family Passes that you may borrow for a few days as well as the Museum Lottery we hold 5 times a year for tickets to the New York Hall of Science. Don't miss your chance for the next giveaway in February!

The least favorite service is the free on-line tutoring. We think we need to do a much better job of promoting this very valuable service. Not everyone will need to take advantage of it, but you should know that it's not just for kids. In addition to academic subjects for elementary through high school, the tutors help adults in the areas of Citizenship, Financial Literacy, GED, Helping Children with Homework, Job Openings, Job Resources, Resumes and Cover Letters. Be sure to check it out, on our library homepage.

Thanks for participating! Our February survey will be about social media.

The Library will be closed on Monday, January 18. Many Americans celebrate this day by joining with volunteers across the nation on the 2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service to make a real in difference in their community.

Find local opportunities through the Long Island Volunteer Center or through the Corporation for National and Community Service:

So far 55 patrons have participated in our first survey of 2010. Multiple responses are allowed so the results add up to more than 55.

The Question is: What do you like best about the library?
- Free Internet access = 23
- Free Museum passes = 21
- Free DVD's, CD's, downloadable books = 30
- Free Programs for all ages = 27
- Free On-Line Tutoring = 08

If you haven't completed a survey for us yet, there is still time to give us your opinion. It'll take less than a minute. There are forms at the Reference Desk and in the Children's Room, or do it here!

In today's economy, what's the one place you can go to get help with a resume (Career Library and Learning Express), learn new job skills (Career Cruising and Learning Express), connect to employers on the Internet, or find quiet study areas to prep for certification tests - all for free?

You can do all of that and more @ the West Hempstead Public Library. Our Communities Thrive @ your library. Call us for more information, 481-6591 or email the Reference Librarians: westhempsteadpl@yahoo.com.

We grieve the loss of Joseph Westler, President of the Friends of the West Hempstead Public Library. He passed away on Wednesday, January 6, 2010.

The photo on the left, with Joe and his wife, Rhoda, was taken at the Senior Fair held at the library in October, 2009.

You may have met Joe, when he worked here cheerfully and tirelessly at the Friends of the Library Book Sale in December 2009.

We will miss him.

Tax assistance will be available every Thursday, beginning Feb. 4 to April 15, from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. for West Hempstead residents only. *No tax assistance on Mar.11

We will be taking reservations in 1 hour blocks. Please call or visit the Reference Desk beginning Thursday, January 7th to schedule your appointment. Registration is ongoing until all spots are filled.

Please remember to bring all necessary paperwork (2008 tax return, W2 forms relating to your 2009 return, etc.)

We had to make date/time and program specific changes for a few events listed in the Printed version of our Newsletter for Winter 2010 that you received in the mail.

You will find that our Online version has all of the up-to-date changes. To recap, here is what changed:

(1) 2010 Tax Seminar on Wed. February 3, will begin at 7 p.m.
(2) 12 dollar fee for Jewelry Workshop on Wed. February 10 - Please write your check of $12 to "WHPL".
(3) Blood Drive originally scheduled for March 16 will be held instead on Tuesday March 30 4-8 p.m.

This very popular class begins on January 4 for 3 Mondays 7-8:30 pm in January. You may sign up NOW! Don't miss a minute of this creative, exhilarating exercise!

You'll have to wait until January 4 to register for the second class to be held for 3 Mondays beginning February 1.

The West Hempstead Public Library is a collection location for donations to Firstbook-Long Island.

This volunteer group collects new books for children and disperses them to local organizations like WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) so that youngsters get the opportunity to own a book.

The need is great! Organizations continue to request thousands of books each month. Please put a new book in the hands of an appreciative child. First Book - Long Island, founded in 2002, has distributed over 100,000 new books to children in need on Long Island.

Our collection box is located under the Programs Bulletin Board in the main library. You may donate NEW books until January 28, 2010.

Here are some important links to help you get your family through the flu season safely.

The Nassau County Health Department updates its website with local news on flu shot risks, priorities and locations. Check back frequently for changes, or call Seasonal Flu & H1N1 (Swine flu) Call Center, Monday - Friday, 9 am - 4 pm, 1-888-684-4271.

• Swine Flu Information


• Seasonal Flu Locator


• FLU SHOT HOTLINE 227-8967

Use our free Museum Pass to experience Garvies Point Museum's annual THANKSGIVING NATIVE AMERICAN FEAST. This celebration of northeastern Native American culture has been held the weekend before Thanksgiving for more than 25 years. It will take place, rain or shine, on Saturday and Sunday, November 21 & 22nd, 2009 from 10am to 4pm.

Hands-on activities during the weekend will be on-going. These will include pottery-making, primitive fire-building and on-site cooking (including their famous popcorn soup). Face painting with natural pigments, and use of the atlatl, a spear-throwing tool, will also be demonstrated.

Authentic Native American cuisine; artifacts and tool technology will be displayed. Movies celebrating Native American life will be shown. Activities are appropriate for all ages.

If you've never visited this Nassau County treasure, take this opportunity to view the museum's exhibition hall, which explores Long Island Native American culture and archeology, as well as New York State and Long Island geology.

The 3rd Annual Long Island Volunteer Fair takes place at Farmingdale State College on October 22nd, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm in Roosevelt Hall.

College & high school students, as well as the general public, are welcome to learn about the mission & volunteer/intern positions available at nonprofit agencies throughout Nassau & Suffolk counties.

Here's a chance to make a difference, gain skills and experiences, and meet new people. You may even discover new interests that will help you in the future. For more information about the Fair contact Judi Cestaro 631-420-2733 Judi.Cestaro@Farmingdale.edu

If you can't make it to the Volunteer Fair, but would like to explore opportunities in volunteering on Long Island, contact the Long Island Volunteer Center at (516) 564-5482 or email longislandvc@aol.com

Employees of the West Hempstead Public Library will be wearing PINK on Friday, October 16 to express our solidarity with the cancer survivors and volunteers taking part in the American Cancer Society's 2009 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraiser.

The Long Island event takes place on Sunday, October 18, 2009 at Jone Beach State Park. Registration and rolling start: 8:00am to 11:00am.

Making Strides events are noncompetitive walks ranging in distance from 3 to 5 miles. There is no registration fee and no minimum amount to raise in order to participate.

For more information about the event, or to get involved, check the website or call 1-800-ACS-2345.

It's new! We're looking for FANS! If you're on FACEBOOK connect to our page as a fan to get updates, photos, and to join in community discussions.

Check out our collection of "Banned Books" in the circular display case across from the Children's Room.

Did you know that every year, somewhere in the United States, people demand that books be removed from libraries or schools because of their content, according to American Library Association (ALA) records. Thanks to the efforts of librarians to maintain them in their collections, most of the books featured during Banned Book Week were the targets of attempted bannings, but ultimately were not banned.

Banned Book Week, observed during the last week of September each year since 1982, celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular.

See if any of your favorites are on the list of banned and challenged classics. Or check the convenient links to these frequently challenged books provided by Googlebooks

Get ready for FLU SEASON!

Student pharmacists from St. John's University will be here at West Hempstead Public Library's Community Room, on the lower level, from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday, September 26. They will answer your questions about immunizations in general, with a special focus on the flu shot and the H1N1 shot, which we are told will be available in mid-October.

Operation Immunization is a Patient Care Project of the The American Pharmacists Association’s Academy of Student Pharmacists.

Join us on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 for a great day of information, workshops and entertainment! From 10 am - 1 pm, in the Main Library, representatives from local community groups and agencies will be on hand with helpful information. Meanwhile, programs, workshops and entertainment will take place in the Community rooms on the Lower Level. No registration is required. Just come and join in the fun!

In Community Room 1, start the day from 9:30 - 10:30 am with Meditation, followed at 11:30 - 1 pm with an introduction to Social Networking. From 1:30 - 3 pm crafty folk may enjoy an Herbal Pillowcraft Workshop. Meanwhile in Community Room 2 from 11 am - 2:30 pm you might want to indulge in a Mary Kay Mini Makeover.
Then, from 3:30-5:00 pm we invite all ages to join our Intergenerational Gaming Fun, with an assortment of Nintendo Wii video games including bowling, tennis and golf. Board games will include Scrabble, Boggle, Blokus, Cranium and Wits and Wagers.

We'll end the day with a 7:30 pm concert featuring the Rockingham's in a musical tribute to the sixties. You don't want to miss this spectacular event, co-sponsored by the Nassau Library System Senior Connections program. Check the official flyer for all the details.

What if you could have fun, educate yourself, and help feed the hungry...? Would you try it?"

Here's your chance to play a game to fight World Hunger. For each answer you get right, sponsors of the website, Free Rice, donate 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.

The English vocabulary game on the homepage is designed to help you think, write, and speak more effectively. (And maybe score higher on tests like the SAT, GRE, LSAT and GMAT?) If your computer has speakers, you can even hear how the words are pronounced. But you don't have to stop there. If you click on the Subjects link, you can choose math, science, geography, art history, other languages and more.

Anyone can play this game, young or old. The computer will adjust to your skill level and keep it challenging. Give it a minute, and you may come back for more.

FreeRice began on October 7, 2007. Over 66 billion grains of rice have been donated as of August 9, 2009.

Here's a snippet from a wonderful concert we enjoyed on May 17, 20009 when the Long Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra performed for the West Hempstead Public Library community.

ChiriBiriBin at West Hempstead Public Library Concert from WH Librarian on Vimeo.

Christopher Petillo, attorney with the firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, will be here to help us explore ways to protect our assets as we age in these difficult economic times. He will talk to us in layman's language about the issues we will confront in the coming years, including the most practical ways to hold on to our homes while providing for our health care.

Call the Reference Desk at 481-6591 to register for this free program on Monday, July 27.

For your convenience, we have extracted the reading list pages from the 22 page file on the WH High School Website. (You will need Adobe Reader to open these links.)

Reading Lists by Grade
Regents Level Required Reading
Reading List for Honors and AP
Literature Review Sheets
Assignment for 10H
Assignment for 11H-11AP
Assignment for 11AP
Assignment for 12AP
Assignment for 12HC
Reading Selections

The Summer Reading carts for the WH Public High School and Middle School are set up near the entrance to the Children's Room on the main floor of the library. The books on the high school cart (Black Cart) are arranged in alphabetical order by author. They are not separated by grade.

Please note that you are allowed to check out ONLY ONE REQUIRED summer reading book at a time. Once the first summer reading book is returned you are then allowed to check out another.

Check the WHMS webpage for your Summer Reading Lists and Study Guides, which are posted by grade. (You will need Adobe Reader to open these links.)

This year, every middle school student is required to read three (3) books. Only ONE is ASSIGNED by Grade Level and the others are by the student's choice. At least one of the two books by student’s choice must be non-fiction. Additionally, each student must complete the appropriate fiction or non-fiction Study Guide for each book read.

The Summer Reading carts holding the Required Reading selections for the WH Public High School and Middle School are set up on the main floor of the library near the entrance to the Children's Room. The books on the middle school cart are separated by grade and are color-coded:
     GREEN dots=6th grade on Hatchet, by Gary Paulson
     BLUE dots=7th grade on Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers - (7th grade students) or Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko - (7th grade HONORS students)
     YELLOW dots=8th grade on Tunes for Bears to Dance To by Robert Cormier - (8th grade students) or Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton - (8th grade HONORS students)

This year, since the other two books are by student choice, you have great freedom to read whatever you want, but of course, with freedom comes responsibility. You will have to check the online catalog to locate your student choice books!

Remember that you can check the catalog from home and reserve books from any library in Nassau County through our inter-library loan system. If you need help, please ask a librarian.

If you are facing foreclosure, not knowing your options could be your biggest mistake. Time is of the utmost importance. Don't worry and wait. Certified counselors are available free of charge to meet with homeowners and review alternatives to foreclosure.

Jerry Coppola, Coordinator for the Foreclosure Prevention Program, a service provided by the ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL OF SUFFOLK, INC. (a HUD certified agency) will present this informative program at the library on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 7 p.m.

Call the Reference Desk at 481-6591 to register for this free program.

Library Budget --- Passed : 746 - 516
Library Trustee
--- Elected Ralph Reissman: 658

School Budget --- Passed : 914 - 438
School Board
--- Elected Rilling: 728 (vs. Schindler: 555)
--- Elected Mariano: 834

Thanks for Voting! We appreciate your support.

Earth Hour takes place 8:30PM local time Saturday 28 March 2009, wherever you live on planet earth. This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community.

Find out more at http://www.earthhour.org/ brought to you by WWF, the global conservation organization. Check this site for KIDS!

Some of your West Hempstead neighbors who care about the environment will be meeting in front of the West Hempstead Post Office at 8:30 pm to take an hour to stroll around the neighborhood. Wheelchairs and strollers are welcome. Email Joe Varon for more information.