New & Noteworthy @ WHPLibrary

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.