Free Tax Help from the AARP

Confused about your taxes? Having trouble filing? Help is here for you at your Library!

Volunteers from the American Association of Retired People who have received training from the IRS and the Idaho State Tax Commission staff this program. They are ready to assist you in the electronic filing of your Federal and state tax returns. And it’s absolutely free!

This program is focused on the low-income or elderly but is open to everyone. Starting on Monday, February 4, the volunteers will be here every Monday evening from 5-8:30pm and every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 3 pm. No appointments will be taken and it is first come, first served.

Bring the following (if necessary) with you:

Valid picture ID and social security cards or a document from SSA with your name and SSN

Social Security cards for dependents

Form W-2 from each employer

Form 1099-INT or 1099-DIV (to report interest and dividends)

SSA-1099 or RRB-1099 (to report social security and railroad retirement)

1099-R (to report pension income)

List of your medical, taxes, interest, contributions, and miscellaneous expenses (to itemize your deductions)

Copy of last year’s tax return

Child and disabled dependent care

Finally Home!

After 16 years away from Marshall Public Library, Becca Hyde has accepted the position of Early Childhood Librarian--and she couldn’t be happier! In the 80s and 90s, she worked in both Circulation and Children’s Services presenting storytimes, giving library tours, and many other librarian duties.

The years of her absence were quite full with raising her darling (most of the time) children, volunteering in schools, managing the Portneuf Valley Farmers Market with her husband, Joe, and recently being the choir accompanist for three choirs at Pocatello High School. However, there was always a dream and a hope of coming back to work at Marshall Public Library with the best team of devoted workers anywhere.

And so she is thrilled to be back and once again reading stories. The new Family Storytime, which is held every Tuesday evening at 6pm, is something Becca is excited to add to her storytime duties. She hopes that many families who cannot attend in the day will want to try it out, especially as it is for families with children of all ages. Becca is not alone in knowing that regardless of how crazy and sometimes disheartening life can be, if you have a good book to read then it’s a great day!

Library Wins Million Minute Challenge!

We at Marshall Public Library would like to thank our patrons for the great effort everyone put forth in the national Million Minute Family Challenge. In its 12th year, the Million Minute Family Challenge encouraged interaction and communication among family and friends by setting a national goal of playing games for a total of one million minutes from September 1 through Dececember 31.

As a group, our final tally was 113,488 minutes which ranked us in first place nationwide! Our library patrons should be proud of their accomplishment. The final tally nationwide was 1,060,940 minutes. Our in-house grand prize winner with a total of 11,260 minutes was Clockstoppers. They will receive a new board game to continue playing well into the new year. We also held the in-house raffle and the winners are: Team Three Star, Puzzlemania, The Boarding Party, and Suz10y Q10’S. Congratulations! Each winner needs to come in and pick up their new card game.

As a result of this competition, we have seen families join together laughing, having fun, and enjoying time with each other. Many people took this challenge to heart and played games together and communicated in positive ways throughout the community. We have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this challenge and look forward to participating again next year.

Caralee Workman, Circulation Librarian

Friends Purchase New Laptops

Thank you to the Friends of the Marshall Public Library for purchasing four new laptops and a new room for our library!

The Marshall Public Library has offered free computer classes for several years. Classes have always been taught at the public Internet stations,which meant that the teachers saw only the backs of their students’ heads and class was often interrupted by the buzz of daily library business.

This generous gift from the Friends means that teachers and students can now see each other’s faces in the privacy of an enclosed space, and it has transformed the dynamic of the classes with students asking more questions and understanding and responding better to instruction. This means that the connection between teacher and student that is vital for the best classroom experience is stronger than ever!

The ability to use computers to gather information is now a part of basic literacy. The Friends’ recognition and support of the library’s role in digital literacy will truly transform lives.

The Friends of the Marshall Public Library is a volunteer organization that raises money to support library resources and programs. If you are interested in becoming a Friend, please call Eliza Schmidt at 234-2102 or Tracy Van Dyke 241-9344.

Amy Campbell, Reference Librarian