Southeast Steuben County Library

300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza

Corning, NY 14830

(607) 936-3713

 

Read the latest Library news in

The CIRCULATOR

 

 

 

 

Centennial Park Fountain, Corning, NY

 The Hornby Museum & Hornby Historical Society

Campbell Central School

Lindley Community Church

The Conhocton River in Coopers Plains

The Caton Grange

The Depot Museum, Village of Painted Post, Town of Erwin

Visit the Library Home Page                     Read the latest Library news in The Circulator


Vacation & Holiday Notices (Aug. 24, 2006)

The Circulator will publish next on Tuesday afternoon/evening,
September 5, 2006.

The Southeast Steuben County Library will be closed on Labor Day,
Monday, September 4.

Enjoy the holiday!


August 24, 2006

Autumn offerings: New Classes

In addition to our Adult and Training classes, the Southeast Steuben County Library now offers classes in digital photo-editing and Web Page Creation for Beginners.

Web Page Creation for Beginners, Oct. 11 & 18, is an introduction to Web page creation using NVU, a free, open-source Web-editing program. If you are thinking about creating your own web page or website and are not sure you want to invest in expensive software, this new two-session class is tailored to your needs. (Click on the underlined link in this paragraph to learn more about NVU.) Computer literacy and familiarity with word processing are prerequisites.

Digital Photofinishing I & II, Nov. 8 & 15, is for PC users who know how to use a digital camera but want to learn how to make better images and prints after the snapshots are taken. The classes should be of interest to anyone who wants an overview of how digital photo-processing is done. General computer literacy is the only class prerequisite. Apple (Mac) systems will not be covered, but Mac users may benefit.

Digital Photo Editing for Young Adults, Oct. 25, will demonstrate the basics of photo editing across various software platforms including GIMP, a free open-source photo editor. (To learn more about GIMP, click on the underlined link.)

Here is the schedule:

 

Web Page Creation for Beginners

October 11 & 18

4 pm to 5:30

Laura Beer Community Room

Class size limited

 

Digital Photo Editing for Young Adults

October 25

4 pm to 6

Conference Room

Class size limited

 

Digital Photofinishing I & II

November 8 & 15

4 pm to 5:30

Laura Beer Community Room

Class size limited

 

These classes will be held at the Southeast Steuben County Library and are free of charge. Visit the Reference Desk to sign up or call (607) 936-3713 ext. 502.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 23, 2006

Fall classes for adults listed

The Library has added new classes to its Adult and Training Programs this Fall.

Computer classes start September 11 and run through December 11.

This fall we have added a six-session series on Microsoft Word. These classes will meet each Wednesday beginning September 6, from 10 am to 11:30. They will run through November 8. The series covers basic skills. There is a $2.50 charge for each MS Word class to cover the cost of materials. The materials charge applies to MS Word classes only. Other classes are free.

We have also added a series on How to Use StarCat (the Library catalog) and the NOVEL databases through which you can find magazine and newspaper articles, health, business and literary information from your home or at the Library. These classes meet Mondays from 7 pm to 8.

Schedule:

Computer Classes

(Mondays, 3 pm – 5)

 

September 11 - Computer Fundamentals

September 25 – Windows 101

October 9 – Internet Fundamentals

October 23 – Email

November 13 – Searching the Internet

November 27 – Advanced Internet Skills

December 11 – Finding and Evaluating Health Information

 

StarCat and NOVEL Training

(Mondays, 7 pm – 8)


October 2

November 6

Dec 4


Microsoft Word Training

(Wednesdays 10 am – 11:30)


October 4 - Lesson 1: Getting Started With Word

October 18 - Lesson 2: Editing a Document

November 8 - Lesson 3: Formatting Text

November 22 - Lesson 4: Changing the Layout of a Document

December 6 - Lesson 5: Using Editing and Proofing Tools

December 20 - Lesson 6: Working with Graphics

 

Call the Reference Department at (607) 936-3713 ext. 502 for more information. Read The Circulator tomorrow for details about other class offerings.

Comments & Questions email: hoganm@stls.org


August 22, 2006

Documenting local history:

Old local photos wanted

The Southside Neighborhood Association wants to locate old photos of people, places, culture and events in the Library service area, particularly in the "greater Corning area." Partners in the project are the Corning-Painted Post Area School District and the Corning-Painted Post Historical Society.

Bring your old photos to East High according to the schedule, below.

The Neighborhood Association wants to locate photos of public figures, places, events, structures, parks, and "anything that should be saved from the greater Corning area" that has not been documented or previously seen by the public. International Baccalaureate Program students from East High will do the scanning, cataloging and CD burning. Copied photos will be stored on CDs at the Benjamin Patterson Inn and other local locations for use by the general public.

East High students will be available to copy photographs from 1 pm to 4 on:

Tuesday, August 29
Saturday, September 16
Saturday, September 30
Saturday, October 21
Saturday, October 28
Saturday, November 4.

The Southside Neighborhood Association and participating students will present a program about the project on Wednesday, October 25 at 7:30 pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Corning, First St. entrance. Refreshments will be served.

For additional information, call 962-6745.

*****

The Southeast Steuben County Library maintains a Local History Room with hundreds of photos. Ask at the Reference Desk to learn more about our collection, or click here.

To view a slideshow (and read about) old photos of the War Memorial Library, click here.

To see photos of fire and firefighters in our past, click here.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 21, 2006

Digital libraries:

G. Mason U. digitizes history

In modern times, historians have embraced new media including documentary film-making & photography, recorded oral histories and more. Now, thanks to the efforts of the Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University, the public has access to a large collection of digital and digitized historical materials.

According to CHNM, since 1994 it "has used digital media and computer technology to democratize history - to incorporate multiple voices, reach diverse audiences, and encourage popular participation in presenting and preserving the past." Today, its resources are impressive.

Its publicly accessible special projects include:

- a September 11 Digital Archive Collection;

- History Matters, a website designed for high school and college teachers & students that serves as a gateway to Web resources;

- The History News Network, a web-based magazine featuring articles by historians that attempts to place current events in historical perspective;

and 13 others.

Site resources include:

History Departments Around the World, a searchable database linking roughly 1,200 academic history departments internationally;

Essays on History & New Media, a collection devoted to the theoretical and practical aspects of "taking history into a digital format";

Episodes, a series of famous episodes in world history, including images, movie clips, and sound;

and five others.

CHNM also features a historian's "toolbox," a set of downloadable and web-based software of interest to historians wishing to take full advantage of the new technology. Tools include a "web scrapbook," a "survey builder," a "timeline builder" and a "poll builder." Site registration is required for use of these tools.

The CHNM website is well organized and easy to navigate. Its resources cover a lot of ground, and whether you are a historian, history buff or just curious, time at the CHNM website is well-spent.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 18, 2006

New books: We've got the List

The Southeast Steuben County Library owns the current top 10 New York Times bestselling fiction books. These books are in demand, so you may not find them on our shelves anytime soon. You may place a HOLD on one or more of these books from any internet-enabled computer with your Library card and PIN. We will notify you when your book is ready to pick up. Here is the list:

Judge & Jury, by James Patterson and Andrew Gross. (Little, Brown) An aspiring actress and an F.B.I. agent join forces against a powerful mobster.

Angels Fall, by Nora Roberts. (Putnam) When a chef from Boston, now living in Wyoming, witnesses a murder, the locals won't believe her.

The Messenger, by Daniel Silva. (Putnam) Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and occasional spy for the Israeli secret service, uncovers an Al Qaeda plot against the Vatican.

The Ruins, by Scott Smith. (Knopf) Two young American couples on vacation in the Yucatan confront a horrible menace.

Phantom, by Terry Goodkind. (Tor) The 11th volume of the Sword of Truth fantasy series.

Twelve Sharp, by Janet Evanovich. (St. Martin's) The bounty hunter Stephanie Plum must find a killer and rescue a kidnapped child.

Water For Elephants, by Sara Gruen (Algonquin) A young man and an elephant save a Depression-era circus.

Can't Wait To Get To Heaven, by Fannie Flagg. (Random House) A return to Elmwood Springs, Mo., the setting of Flagg's novel, Standing in the Rainbow.

Pegasus Descending, by James Lee Burke. (Simon & Schuster) In the 15th Dave Robicheaux novel, the Louisiana detective pursues interrelated cases that lead back to the killing of his best friend 25 years earlier.

Dead Wrong, by J. A. Jance. (Morrow) While awaiting the birth of her second child, Sheriff Joanna Brady must find out who savagely beat one of her officers as well as solve a murder with curious links.

Series books for children

The Library also owns the top 10 New York Times bestselling children's series books. They are:

Harry Potter, by J. K. Rowling. (Levine/Scholastic, hardcover and softcover.) A boy wizard hones his skills and battles evil at Hogwarts. (Ages 10 and up)

Ologies, by Dugald A. Steer. Various illustrators. (Candlewick, hardcover only.) Collected wisdom about dragons, wizards and other phantasms. (Ages 9 to 12)

Junie B., First Grader, by Barbara Park. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. (Stepping Stone/Random House, hardcover and soft cover.) It's a whole new school year for Junie B. Jones. (Ages 4 to 8)

Magic Tree House, by Mary Pope Osborne. Illustrated by Sal Murdocca. (Stepping Stone/Random House, hardcover and paperback.) Children travel to the past in a spinning tree house. (Ages 6 to 9)

The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares. (Delacorte, hardcover and paperback.) Four friends share magical pants. (Ages 12 and up)

A Series Of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket. (HarperCollins, hardcover only.) The adventures of the Baudelaire siblings. (Ages 10 and up)

Pendragon, by D. J. MacHale. (Aladdin, hardcover and paperback.) A teenage boy travels through time and space. (Ages 10 and up)

Book Of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau. (Random House, hardcover and paperback.) In a Post-apocalyptic future, children try to save the world. (Ages 10 to 13)

Olivia, written and illustrated by Ian Falconer. (Atheneum, hardcover only.) The antic adventures of a precocious pig. (Ages 3 to 7)

Charlie Bone, by Jenny Nimmo. (Orchard/Scholastic, hardcover and paperback.) A king's descendants learn magic at Bloor's Academy. (Ages 9 to 12)

To place your HOLD, visit the Library Home Page at this link. Then, click on the CATALOG link at the top. You may place a HOLD with any STLS library card.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 16, 2006

India in focus here, Thursday

The Southern Tier India Cultural Association, organizer of this coming Saturday's "Unity in Diversity" celebration of Indian culture at Centerway Square, will present a panel discussion highlighting some of India's contributions to global culture, health and technology on Thursday, August 17 from 6 pm to 8 in the Laura Beer Community Room here at the Southeast Steuben County Library. Thursday's event is entitled, "Incredible India - A Panel Discussion."

The panel will be moderated by Anil Kharkar. Speakers will be:

Madapusi K. Badrinarayan, Division Vice President, Science and Technology, Corning Inc. Topic: India - a Resource for Technology Globalization.

Pramod Deshmukh, Physician, board member, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, PA. Topic: Holistic Approach to Health.

Durga Bor, Cultural Events Coordinator; South Asia Program; Cornell University. Topic: Classical Dance - Then and Now

Retha Cazel, Yoga Instructor; Corning, NY. Topic: Yoga, Simply Speaking

The panel discussion is free and open to the public. Speakers will make presentations during the first portion of the event, followed by a break for Indian refreshments (provided). Panelists will then respond to questions from the audience.

The Cultural Association will follow Thursday's discussion, with a Unity in Diversity Celebration of Indian Culture on Saturday, August 19 from 10:30 am to 4 pm at Centerway Square, Market Street, Corning, NY. There will be live entertainment, dancing, food, games and "activities for old and young." Everyone is invited.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 15, 2006

World facts, courtesy the CIA

Not everything about the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is secret. For example, every photo and artifact in the CIA Museum has been declassified, according to the agency, which was established in 1947. Unfortunately, the CIA Museum is located at the Agency Headquarters Building in McLean, Virginia, and there are no public tours. You can view some of its exhibits online.

One of the CIA's main products is the President's Daily Briefing. This finished version of current intelligence is not available to the public. However, the CIA does make available some of what it considers basic intelligence about the nations of the world through the unclassified edition of its World Factbook.

Similar to a gazetteer, the World Factbook is a compendium of country profiles, maps, political and economic briefs, plus a short discussion of "Transnational Issues" for each nation including international disputes and other cross-border issues (such as immigration).

The World Factbook includes seven appendices: Abbreviations (particularly useful if you are trying to decipher a U.N. document, or a policy paper on international relations), International Organizations and Groups (ditto), Selected International Environmental Agreements, Country Data Codes (such as country codes for Web URLs), Hydrographic Data Codes, Geographic Names, and Weights & Measures.

There are also "Rank Order Pages" which, for example, list countries in ascending or descending order by, say, birthrate or aggregate population.

A history of the World Factbook may be found at this link.

The World Factbook is particularly useful in its online version, because it is updated regularly; perhaps not as frequently as the President's Daily Briefing.

PDF versions of the World Factbook are available from the CIA for download at this link.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 14, 2006

Shop for a Cause Day, 9/16

The Southeast Steuben County Library and Macy's Department Store in the Arnot Mall invite you to "Shop for a Cause" to support the Library and local charities on Saturday, September 16, 2006. Take advantage of deep discounts at Macy's that day for those with "Shop for a Cause" shopping passes, while helping the Library and other worthy organizations.

Here's how it works: Visit the Library Circulation Desk today and purchase a "Shop for a Cause" shopping pass for $5. You will receive a coupon for $10 off any one purchase at Macy's on September 16, an opportunity to register to win a $500 Macy's Shopping Spree, 20% off fashion and accessory items and 10% off furniture and home store items. The pass is good for savings at Macy's throughout the day.

The Library retains all proceeds from selling passes and will also receive a share of the money raised by in-store ticket sales. The money we raise through our participation in "Shop for a Cause Day" at Macy's will help fund library programs.

Let us repeat, buy a $5 "Shop for a Cause" pass at the Library and get $10 off any one purchase at Macy's on September 16, plus store discounts, while contributing to the Library at the same time.

Shopping passes are available at the Circulation Desk.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


    

August 10, 2006

Ahoy! Pirate Party was a blast

This year's "Books: A Treasure" Summer Reading Program broke all previous Library records for number of books read by participating children during vacation, announced Pauline Emery, Director of Children's Services to the large crowd gathered in the Laura Beer Community Room earlier today for the end-of-season Pirate Party.

The final tally isn't in yet, because many participants added to their totals today. As of yesterday, 359 "Bookaneers" read 3,159 books! Each participant received a book-to-keep from the Friends of the Library, SSC, sponsor of the Southeast Steuben County Library Summer Reading Program. Participants also took home a treasure map created at our Pirate Party crafts station, free balloons handed out by the Old Country Buffet Bee, who attended the party in costume (see above), and whatever buried treasure they found during our gala treasure hunt.

It was a grand sendoff to the 2006 season of special events and activities designed to promote year-round good reading habits. Above, Emery is joined by Children's Specialist Bobbie Vence (Miss Bobbie, left), while cutting the celebration cake.

Children's Outreach Specialist Sue McConnell and many of our dedicated summer volunteers and Teen Friends worked tirelessly throughout the season to make the Summer Reading Program come alive. Brandi Borden, at left,  carefully updates "Bookaneer" reading records and hands out books as prizes during the party.

 

Below, Mad Hatter troupe storyteller Joan Overman reads a pirate story to partygoers.

Don't forget to attend our special free matinee movie, Hook, at 2 pm on Wednesday August 16! See the "Coming Events" calendar for details.

Our "Books: A Treasure" Summer Reading Program 2006 was made possible by the Friends of the Library, SSC. Without our Friends, we couldn't do it!

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 9, 2006

About us:

How to use The Circulator

Thank you for visiting The Circulator, an online, interactive publication of the Southeast Steuben County Library since November 1, 2005. As of this writing, The Circulator has grown to include more than 160 articles, 200 images, six video clips, an audio file and nearly 2,000 hyperlinks to external and internal resources. Everything underlined in The Circulator is a hyperlink. Just click and you will be transported to the resource indicated by the underlined word, title or phrase.

The Circulator reports on Library programs, events, services and people. We call attention to reference resources both "in-house" and online, highlight online resources of general literary and cultural interest, and report on cultural events and public service organizations of regional interest.

The main page

The Circulator's main page may be accessed from any internet-enabled computer at www.theCirculator.org. We use this URL because it has few characters and is easy to remember. Our website is hosted by the Southern Tier Library System (STLS). When you paste "www.theCirculator.org" into your browser and hit "enter" you are redirected instantly to our space on the STLS server, http://ssclibrary.org/blog/ssclblog.htm. There is no need to remember this long URL. Just remember "theCirculator.org" or bookmark our main page for easy access.

From our main page, you can go everywhere else.

The left-hand column of our main page is topped with an image of the Southeast Steuben County Library, followed by our address and contact information. Below, there are resource windows (boxes with hyperlinks), and images of the Library and places of interest in the Library service area. Click on the topmost resource window to visit the Library's Home Page on its main website.

The middle column features the top stories in The Circulator, with the most recent article on top. As new articles are added (usually four or five times weekly), older articles descend and after some time are removed from the main page. If an article you wish to read has "disappeared" from the main page, you can always find it in our Archives (see below). Beneath each dated article is a "Comments & Questions" hyperlink. Use this link to email us with your feedback. We'd like to hear from you! If you use a Web-based email service, copy the email address found beside the underlined link. Your feedback will get to us just the same.

The right-hand column starts with a resource window of interest to those who prefer to read text with larger print. Click on this window to access our LARGE PRINT EDITION. Our LARGE PRINT EDITION is unabridged, only the text size changes.

Directly below, you will see an orange button labeled "RSS" (Really Simple Syndication). RSS is a way to subscribe to our headline news service. To learn more about RSS and how to use it, click on the "Click here" link next to the orange button. If you know how to use RSS, then subscribe according to your browser or feed-reader instructions using the orange button. If you don't have a feed reader or RSS-equipped browser and you click on the orange button, the most recent 15 headlines and introductory text will appear in a new browser window. The Circulator's RSS feed is popular. It was accessed more than 7,300 times from January 1, 2006 through July 31, 2006.

Our "Spotlight" feature box, below the RSS button, highlights something we think is important. The feature changes irregularly, depending on content and circumstances.

Below the "Spotlight" is our "Coming Events" calendar. Check this for upcoming library events and special programs.

Below "Coming Events" you will find indexed links to The Circulator Archives. Articles are indexed by date and by topic. Use the index calendars to access articles by date for the current and previous month. Dates in bold are hyperlinks to the archived article for that date.

For earlier articles, click on the month-labeled hyperlinks below the calendars on our main page. For 2005 articles, click on that link.

Next, you will find headlines from our recent articles in reverse date order. Click on the link to access the article of your choice.

Finally, our "Articles by Category" index allows you to access past articles according to your area of interest. Click on one of these links to access all the articles to date written in the subject area of your choice. You will land on a page with the headlines in your category grouped together. Click again to access an individual article.

Simple figures

Thank you again for visiting The Circulator. You are not alone. The resources of The Circulator, including its individual image files and RSS feeds, have been accessed more than 163,000 times from January - July 2006, according to statistics compiled by WebTrends for STLS. By another statistical method that records individual site visits, The Circulator was visited 11,672 times from January - July 2006.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 8, 2006

Hook & Hoot, free summer films

The Southeast Steuben County Library will present two free family movie matinees in August. Rounding out our "Books: A Treasure" Summer Reading Program pirate theme, the Children's Department will show Hook, starring Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman on Wednesday, August 16 at 2 pm in the Laura Beer Community Room. The 1991 film, a continuation of the Peter Pan story, is rated PG.

The following week, on Wednesday, August 23 at 2 pm, we will show Hoot, the story of a transplanted Montana youth who fights to save an endangered species in his new state, Florida. This 2006 movie is adapted from the Carl Hiaasen young-adult novel and is rated PG.

Both movies are free. Children under age 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Please join us!

Pirate Party!

Those who have signed up for our Summer Reading Program are invited to the end-of-season Pirate Party this Thursday, August 10 at 1 pm in the Nasser Civic Center skating rink. Summer readers, please join us for "high seas" adventure, games, prizes, food, fun... even buried treasure!

The "Books: A Treasure" Summer Reading Program 2006 is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, SSC. Without our Friends, we couldn't do it!

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 7, 2006

Dance under the stars, for PRC

Wine, dine and dance under the stars at the area's premier riverfront setting - the Riverfront Café at Corning Incorporated Headquarters - on Friday, August 25, 2006. Join in the "Starry Starry Night" celebration and Silent Auction in support of the Nonnie Hood Parent Resource Center (PRC), a place for early childhood development and parent education located above the Library, here in Nasser Civic Center Plaza.

Since opening in 1986, first in Painted Post on Charles Street (at the current Corning-Painted Post Area School District headquarters) and later at Frank Pierce School in Coopers Plains, finally moving to its current location in 2001, the PRC has provided a free Drop-In Center for parents of young children. Click here to learn more.

According to the PRC, its Drop-In Center averages more than 1,400 visitations per month.

The Nonnie Hood Parent Resource Center, Inc., a licensed 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is primarily funded through various local and regional grants. Corning Incorporated Dependent Care Fund, the United Way of the Southern Tier, the TI-GER Foundation and many individual donors support the PRC.

You can help by enjoying a night under the stars, August 25, with fine dining, dancing, a silent auction, a cash bar and music by the Duvid Smering Quartet ("swinging" jazz, big band standards). Cocktails start at 7 pm; dinner at 7:30.

Advance tickets are $55 per person or $100 for couples. $60 per person at the door. Call (607) 936-3837 for tickets and additional information. Reserve your place before August 21.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 4, 2006

Video clip: Click here!

Doc Possum makes new friends

Singer, songwriter David Cavallaro had kids dancing in the aisles - more accurately, dancing on the floor of the Local 1000 Union Hall - yesterday in the final performance in our Summer Reading Program 2006 special events series.

Better known as "Doc Possum," Cavallaro and friends have been entertaining children and families for years with pleasing melodies, high spirits and wholesome lyrics. To see our video clip of the August 3, 2006 performance, click here (WMV). To view Doc's own high-test music videos, click here.

If you or your children have signed up for our "Books: A Treasure" Summer Reading Program 2006, you are invited to our end-of-season Pirate Party on Thursday, August 10 from 1 pm to 2 at the Southeast Steuben County Library.

Join us for "high seas" adventure, games, prizes, food, fun... even buried treasure! It promises to be just the thing to cure summer doldrums. (Damian, at left, and Owen surely agree!)

Click here for a map and driving directions to the Southeast Steuben County Library. Or, for bus routes and schedules, click here.

The Summer Reading Program 2006 encourages children to read throughout the year, not just when school is in session. It is made possible by the Friends of the Library, SSC.

Without our Friends, we couldn't do it!

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 3, 2006

Arts briefs:

Free Shakespeare; Arts grants

You don't need to travel 260 miles to Central Park in NYC to see "Shakespeare in the Park" this summer.

The Endicott Performing Arts Center (EPAC) will present Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy, Twelfth Night, at the George W. Johnson Park in Endicott on Thursday, August 19 through Sunday, August 13 at 7:30 pm each evening. The play is directed by Adam Holley and is EPAC’s third “Shakespeare in the Park” presentation.

The play, funded in part by the New York State Council on the Arts, is free to the public. It will be presented, rain or shine, under a tent. Call (607) 785-8903 for additional information.

.....

Applications and guidelines for The ARTS of the Southern Finger Lakes 2007 Artist Crossroads Regrant Program are now available for artists living in Steuben, Chemung and Schuyler counties. Call (607) 962-5871 ext. 226, visit www.earts.org or email TheARTS@stny.rr.com to request an application.

This grants program, part of the New York State Council on the Arts  (NYSCA) Decentralization Regrant Program 2007, provides funding for artists who wish to create new work in public spaces reflecting the surrounding community. The artwork may be inspired by a particular aspect of the surrounding geography, by under-represented or under-served communities, and by local or regional history. The application deadline is October 2, 2006.

Also, nonprofit organizations may be eligible for NYSCA Decentralization Regrant funds. The purpose of this program is to make the arts accessible to residents through community based arts programming initiated by nonprofit organizations and individual artists. More information on this program is available at www.nysca.org, and at www.earts.org.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 2, 2006

Kilgour extended our reach

Most Southeast Steuben County Library users are aware of STARCat, the Southern Tier Automated Regional Catalog. Not only does STARCat serve as our online catalog, a portable "card" catalog without the cards, it unifies most of the library catalogs in the Southern Tier Library System (STLS). At the touch of a button, from your internet-enabled computer at home or here at the Library, our patrons can search for books and other resources in 48 STLS libraries. Cooperative agreements between STLS member libraries effectively expand our "collection" to more than 1,186,000 items.

To access STARCat, visit the Library home page and click on the "Catalog" link. Then, using your library card and PIN, place a "Hold" on the resource of your choice. If the item you select is in the collection of another STLS library, or in use, we will notify you when it is ready to pick up here.

1.186 million items is a lot of books, audio books, CDs and other materials, but sometimes our patrons need resources not found in our extended collection. Thanks to the efforts of Librarian and Educator Frederick G. Kilgour (1914 - 2006), founder of OCLC, the Online Computer Library Center, library users throughout the nation and beyond can find the books and resources they need quickly and without hassle.

Kilgour died Monday at age 92, but his legacy - including WorldCat - lives on and continues to grow, facilitating millions of interlibrary loans, domestic and international.

To find books and resources not found in STARCat, visit the Library home page and locate the "Online Resources" heading. Click on "OCLC First Search." Enter your library card number and click on the WorldCat link. Once in WorldCat, you can search this database of library collections of the world for the resource you need.

When you find the item, make note of the pertinent information, including the title and author. Then, call us at (607) 936-3713 or visit us in person. Our Circulation staff or Reference staff will complete an Interlibrary Loan Request for you. Once your item arrives, we will notify you.

If you have trouble finding what you need, seek assistance at the Circulation Desk or Reference Desk. We will be glad to help.

Once your book is in hand, take a moment to reflect that Frederick Kilgour helped put it there.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


August 1, 2006

Excessive heat resources:

CDC has everything except AC

In New York's Southern Tier, high temperatures this afternoon are expected to approach 100 degrees F. That, coupled with dewpoint readings in the very sticky mid 70s, means it will be especially uncomfortable for people outdoors or in places with no air conditioning. Similar conditions are anticipated tomorrow.

By 2 pm in Corning, the temperature outside was 90 F., several degrees below what was predicted by the National Weather Service for this time of day. With the humidity, the heat index had reached 99 F.

It is a good time to draw attention to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web resources page for Extreme Heat conditions. CDC resources include tips on coping with excessive heat, an Extreme Heat Prevention Guide, a resource link entitled "Heat Stress in the Elderly," and a set of links of interest to health professionals and researchers.

The CDC is an excellent source for tips on coping with heat. History also has its lessons.

Case in point: The twelfth President of the United States, Zachary Taylor, fell mortally ill after making several appearances outdoors on a hot July 4, 1850 and then consuming cherries and cold milk (by some accounts it was a bowl of iced cherries). There is still some controversy about the cause of his death. An autopsy performed in 1991 found no evidence of poisoning.

Taylor, by all accounts, was not in good physical condition prior to his death. Nevertheless, it is prudent to add this to the CDC's tips on coping with extreme heat: Do not consume iced cherries and cold milk after running around in the heat.

Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org


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