Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Literally Talented Teens Kick Off New Year

Literally Talented Teens kicked off 2011 with their first meeting in mid-January at Pocatello's Marshall Public Library.

Members of the creative writing group meet every other Thursday to share their original poetry and prose fiction and to discuss the unique joys and challenges of being a teen writer. The next meeting of this fun and supportive group is on January 27 at 4pm.

For more information on Literally Talented Teens, please drop in for one of their meetings or call Amy Campbell at the library at 232-1263 ext. 21.

Kids' Writing Group "Write On" Continues into 2011

Write On, the kids' creative writing group of Pocatello's Marshall Public Library, began their second year this January.

Young poets, novelists, journalists and scribes of all types attend the meetings to read their writing and discuss the writing process. If you're between the ages of 9 and 12 and like to write, please join us to share your creative work in a fun and friendly atmosphere.

Write On Meets every Monday at 4pm at the library. For more information on this great opportunity for kids to explore their creativity through writing, please come to one of the meetings or call Amy Campbell at the library at 232-1263 ext. 21.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Trouble with Harry Airs at Library

So what exactly is the trouble with Harry? Well, he's dead. And no one seems to mind that very much but they all think that they're responsible.

Join us on Saturday, January 15 at 2pm for this delightful comedic romp from master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock.

If you would like more information, please call Amy at 232-1263 ext. 21. This movie is free and open to the public. There will also be free popcorn!

Email Classes

The Marshall Public Library will begin offering free email classes in January. These classes are for people who already have some knowledge of the computer and who would like assistance in setting up an email account.

From job applications to shopping online to using customer service, more and more online interactions require that people have email addresses to access information. But setting up an email account can be a frustrating and time-consuming process. If you would like assistance with this, please register for one of the Friday classes at the library.

The classes are free and open to the public. Seating is very limited, however, so please register beforehand. You may register by calling the library at 232-1263 ext. 21 or by stopping by the Reference Desk on the second floor. Please contact John or Amy at the library for more information.

Amy Campbell, Reference Librarian

LearningExpress Library

One of the most potentially valuable resources available to library patrons is the LearningExpress Library which can be accessed online through www.lili.org. The Learning Express Library consists of links to a number of learning centers targeted to different users. Here is a list of the top level links:

1. Elementary School
2. Middle School
3. High School
4. College Preparation
5. College Students
6. Computer Skills
7. GED preparation
8. Job Search and Workplace Skills
9. Jobs and Careers
10. Skill Building for Adults
11. U.S. Citizenship
12. Resources para Hispanohablantes

A user can select a tutorial from among those available under each of these categories. For example, under the Computer Skills link are tutorials for Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and Access and for Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Users may access the courses over the Internet. They do not need to be at the library to make use of these services and they don't need passwords.

If you have any questions about using the LearningExpress Library, just ask one of the reference librarians.

John Bickelhaupt, Reference Librarian

GED Roundtable Discussion at the Library

Angela Davis from the Southeast Idaho Community Action Agency (SEICAA) and Margaret Jacobs from Idaho State University Adult Basic Education will lead a GED roundtable discussion at the library on January 18 at 7pm. This discussion is for people who are interested in earning or who are currently earning their GEDs and who want to learn more about the local resources available to them.

Angela and Margaret will answer all your questions and help you start toward your GED goals. For more information on this program, please call Amy at the library at 232-1263 ext. 21.

Amy Campbell, Reference Librarian

The Heart of the Library

Most people figure that books are the heart of the library, but the staff and board know that at the Marshall Public Library, the heart of the library can be found in the quiet, humble, caring woman known as Jolene Hottel. For 28 years, Jolene has been quietly and efficiently keeping the library together, making it shine, and helping on many more levels than her job description would suggest.

Working Monday through Saturday and probably far more than 40 hours every week, Jolene has worked behind the scenes to make the library a warm, clean, and inviting place to visit. For the staff, her sensible wisdom has brought peace to difficult situations and practical help in everyday matters.

Twenty-eight years ago, Jolene would never have imagined how quickly the decades would have flown by. During her time at the library she raised her family, saw staff members come and go, always kept the library clean and running smoothly. But now Jolene has retired. Her last day of work was on the last day of 2010. Like a bird on a branch turning its head back to look behind, Jolene can only glance behind and wonder where it all went. Well, the days and months and years of hard work to make the library sparkle may be behind her, but the loving influence Jolene had on everyone she came into contact with will endure. Happy retirement, Jolene, you'll always be the heart of the library to us!

Kathryn Poulter, Children's Librarian