Monday, December 31, 2007

Stamp Collector news

Linn's Stamp News and Scott Stamp Monthly are periodicals found in our 2nd floor Periodicals Pavilion. They are currently on display on top of the shelving for easy access. Come and take a look!

The newest copies are available for reading in the library but older issues can be checked out for a week and renewed for a week.

The library also has Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers 2008 and Standard Postage Stamps published by Scott for 2008 in the Reference section at 769.56 S42 on the 2nd floor of the library near the Information Desk.

The stamp on the left will be issued in 2008 according to Linn's Stamp News.

Santa Clara City in the 1890's

Some fragile issues of the Santa Clara Journal newspaper from December 1890 through December 1899 have been microfilmed and are now available in the Heritage Pavilion at the library. You can also find microfilm of most Santa Clara newspapers from 1901 through 1980.

History is brought to life when looking at the news of Santa Clara from more than 100 years ago. Of course, our genealogists will be looking for death notices and obituaries with information to unlock the mysteries of their relatives from that time.

The Foundation & Friends of the Santa City Library and proceeds from a past Santa Clara Historic Home Tour have made this valuable addition to our collection possible.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

USB Flash Drive - 10 Free Mini Apps

Do you carry a USB thumb drive with you at all times? You can get a lot of capacity for not much money, and keep your drive right on your keychain. These are great for backing up critical files, transferring files between computers, and more.

WEbWorker Dailylists 10 tiny little apps, perfect for adding to your thumb drive “office” or just for running quickly and efficiently from your hard drive.


Thursday, December 27, 2007

Catholic High School Entrance Exam - Test Preparation

Is your child taking a Catholic high school entrance examination in January? If your child would like to take practice exams to prepare, try our LearningExpress Library electronic resource.

Your son or daughter can take practice tests with a valid current Santa Clara City Library card from your home computer or from computers within the Library.


To take practice exams click on the Research Databases link on our home page. Then click on the LearningExpress Library link. After you login you will find the Catholic high school entrance exam practice tests under the Middle School Skills Improvement section.


You can also view the Catholic High Entrance Exam: COOP/HSPT test preparation book in PDF format. You will find it in the E-books section of LearningExpress Library. We also have test preparation books which can be checked out.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Year-End Giving

The Foundation & Friends of the Santa Clara City Library is pleased to announce that it has received over $10,000 in donations toward its goal of $15,000 during the 2007 holiday season. We're still hoping to reach our goal by the end of the year, so please consider making a tax-deductible donation by Monday, December 31.

These donations will be used to sponsor special events at the Library, to purchase new materials, and to fund several community outreach programs during 2008.

The easiest way to make a 2007 donation is to call (408) 615-2987, or to visit our website http://www.lovethelibrary.org/ and click on Donate. The check donation form at the bottom of the page can be printed and mailed to the address provided.

If you have any questions about the Foundation and Friends, or about making a contribution, please contact Maria Daane at (408) 615-2987.

Thank you for your support. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Maria Daane, Executive Director

Foundation & Friends of the Santa Clara City Library

mailto:mdaane@santaclaraca.gov

Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Gift of Literacy


“I believe that it does not matter what age you are, you can always learn to read and write. Especially for a person like me who is 59 years old and still learning to read and write. I don’t give up…Without the library program, I would not be where I am today. I have not reached yet where I want to be, but I am getting there.” This was written by an adult learner for Read Santa Clara’s new book of learner writings, In Our Own Words, Volume VII. The library’s adult literacy program trains volunteers to tutor English speaking adults who seek to improve their basic reading, writing and math skills to achieve their goals as family members, workers, community members and lifelong learners. To find out how you can help, please call (408)615-2956.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Looking for a Phone Number?

Are you searching for a phone number for a business or person in the United States? Try our ReferenceUSA database. It contains listings for 14 million U.S. businesses and 135 million U.S. households. You will find ReferenceUSA on the library's Research Databases Web page.

You can also search and find a company's headquarters address and phone number. Business listings include the company's top executives, estimated annual sales, number of employees, credit rating score, corporate family tree, and 800 toll-free phone number if available.

Next time you are looking for a phone number try ReferenceUSA.

For assistance in using ReferenceUSA call the Reference Desk staff at 408-615-2900.

100 Notable Books

Need some holiday gift ideas? Looking for a recently published book to read? The New York Times 100 notable books for 2007 is available to read online. The print edition of the Book Review is available to check out from the Periodicals Pavilion on the 2nd floor of the library.

Little Heathens, reviewed in July (click on the link to read the review), is written by a local author, Millie Armstrong. It tells the story of her hard luck but joyful childhood in 1930's rural Iowa. There are lots of recipes and remedies. I especially like the Applesauce Cake recipe. She will be at the library April 16, 2008, to talk about her book. If you would like to reserve a copy of her book to read or any book, please call the library(408) 615-2900 or look for it in the library's catalog.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Lyrical suspense set in Turkey

Meryem, a fifteen-year-old girl, lives in a rural village on the shores of Lake Van in Eastern Turkey. Her simple life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh , rapes her. Her cousin, who has recently returned from war, is assigned the duty of killing her for the shame she has brought on her village. Not knowing her future, she and her cousin leave the village and travel for days to Istanbul. All that she sees opens her eyes but she comes to realize that she may be killed. Read Bliss by Zulfu Livaneli to find out what happens.

Book reviews and more information about the book and other books and authors can be found in the NoveList electronic resource.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Be curious, Learn something new

Join us for free classes in 2008! New this year are Business Databases, covering Business and Company Resource Center and Reference USA, two valuable electronic resources available free at the library and remotely. Back by popular demand are Value Line Research Center, with outstanding investment research reports, Health Resources, Quilting Resources, with real quilts and a segment on becoming more adventurous with color, Email Basics and Ancestry Library Edition, for finding your ancestors.

Each month there will be an Internet Basics class and an Internet Search Strategies class. Basics is for beginners, but we do ask that you are familiar with using a mouse. Not ready to use a mouse? Ask a family member, a friend or a staff member at Santa Clara City Library to open Mousing Around, a mouse practice program for you to get started. Internet Basics is sometimes taught in Chinese. Internet Search Strategies will help you learn more ways to find information on the Internet.

Get a copy of the new schedule in the Technology Center or at a public service desk. If you are planning to attend, call (408) 615-2900 or sign up in the Technology Center or at the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor when you visit.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Need Help Preparing for a Test?



Are you preparing for the GED, SAT, or GMAT? Would you like to take practice tests to prepare? Try Learning Express Library. You can access Learning Express Library via the library's Web site either from home or within the library. It contains practice tests for many standardized tests. Once you complete a test you will be given an instant online score with detailed explanations of the answers.

Electronic versions of test preparation books are available via Learning Express Library. Look for them under the e-books subject area. The e-books are in Adobe PDF format.

In addition to practice tests you can also take skills improvement courses. If you want to improve your English or math skills, try one or more of these courses.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Heritage Homes

Santa Clara has several historic homes in the area known as “ Old Quad.” The Mission Library at the corner of Lexington and Main Streets was the first public library building in the City of Santa Clara, built in 1955. For those interested in preserving and restoring their historic homes, the Mission Library has a special collection of 143 titles, as part of the Heritage Homes collection. Issues of the Old House Journal are also available as part of the collection.

PEN Oakland National Literary Award

The Eighth Promise: An American Son's Tribute to His Toisanese Mother by William Poy Lee was chosen by PEN Oakland as its nonfiction winner for the 17th Annual National Literary Awards. PEN Oakland winners address the diversity and uniqueness of American culture and represent new voices of American literature. This is the story of a young man born in San Francisco and his mother's connections to her ancient homeland in Southeast China.

Hear a performance reading of the book, Saturday, December 8 at 2 p.m. at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Visit the author's website for more information on appearances.

Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Michigan, has chosen The Eighth Promise for their 2008 one city, one read program.

The Janus Windows: Art at the Central Park Library


Take a moment during your next visit to view the beautiful works of art on display throughout the Central Park Library. David Smith is one of seven artists whose art is enjoyed and valued by library members and staff. David’s work is comprised of 28 glass panels collectively titled The Janus Windows. The panels combine letterforms representing the written word with an overlay of numbers representing the digital transference of information. The sequence of 0s and 1s is the binary translation of the word “information.”

Portable art – Check out the library’s outstanding collection of large format art books located in the Quiet Study Pavilion.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Library URL Changes Today!

Please note: Santa Clara City Library web addresses will be changing on Dec 5, 2007:

New Library Catalog http://www.sccl.santaclaraca.gov/
New Library Homepage http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov/

Please adjust your bookmarks accordingly.

Library IT

Monday, December 3, 2007

Wrap up a toy that's safe

Is there a child on your holiday gift list? Will you be shopping online, or trudging with crowds in the malls and the warehouse stores? Youth Services urges you to keep toy safety in mind while you are making your list and checking it twice. December is "National Safe Toys and Gifts." Our December "On the Path to Good Health" exhibit gives some tips on toy safety.

Front page headlines during the past several months have brought toy safety to everyone's attention. Here are some websites that will help shoppers make sensible choices for the children on their holiday gift lists. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offers information on product recalls and safety issues. The American Academy of Pediatrics website gives some suggestions about toy recalls and age appropriate gifts for children at various developmental levels. The San Jose Mercury-News website has a holiday gift guide with tips on popular toys and gifts. Their archives contain information on recent toy recalls.

Want to know where to play Bingo?


The Community Information Network (CIN) is a library-produced database which will guide you to many resources available in the Santa Clara area, including where to play Bingo. Just put in the keyword Bingo and you will find your answer.

CIN is a free online directory and guide to local organizations and programs. There is information on local clubs, schools, sports, parks, health organizations, nonprofit organizations, municipal government and more. Recent additions to the database include the Cherokee Community of Silicon Valley, Girls for a Change, Bookshare, and the Eating Disorders Resource Center.

CIN is on the Library’s home page – look on the left side and click on Community/CIN.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Computer Class: Create 2008 Calendars


Have some pictures of a recent family trip? Or pictures from your new baby, kids sports, pets or hobbies? Would you like to start putting those pictures into beautiful calendars to give as gifts? Learn how to use these pictures to create calendars using Microsoft Powerpoint.

Come to this class and learn how to create CD Calendars to give as gifts to family or friends. Learn how to use Microsoft Powerpoint and calendar templates; insert, edit and format pictures; and, finally print and display your final work.

Friday December 7, 2007—9:30 to 11:00 am

Requirements:
Basic Computer skills, using mouse and keyboard.

What to bring:
Digital files of at least 12 pictures in jpeg format in a flash drive or CD.

Questions:
Call the Technology Center at (408) 615-2951 for more information or assistance with preparing your pictures.

Sign up for this FREE class in the Library Technology Center or by calling (408) 615-2951.