tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85251682375222532562012-02-20T10:01:14.900-05:00Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.comBlogger631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-39196630602874196802012-01-21T10:25:00.012-05:002012-01-21T12:08:50.249-05:00

Learning Express is a relatively newly available resource to residents of Maine through the public and university library system. This resource provides interactive tests and tutorials across a broad spectrum of educational, career, and skill-building pursuits. These tests and tutorials offer assistance designed for the young and the old, for the computer novice and the computer expert, for

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-3397955486086111732011-05-27T12:43:00.001-05:002011-05-27T13:45:32.847-05:00

Bangor Public Library has recently added to our collection two new fiction books written in Chinese.One of these books is Luo di / Ha Jin zhu, yi (English translation: A good fall by Ha Jin).Here is a permanent link to our catalog record of this book:http://ursus.maine.edu/record=b4894108~S53The second of these books is Jin yue / Ailisi Xibode (English translation: Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-27612044285091123062011-03-26T11:37:00.017-05:002011-03-30T17:48:59.793-05:00

NPR has been in the news quite a bit recently. Have you noticed? I am not here to rehash all the arguments about plans to cut NPR's funding or to lay out a detailed case for why I would oppose or approve of the cutting of NPR's funding.All I would say is that I think NPR's reach is much greater than skeptics would have you believe and that its audience is not as narrow as some would have you

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-84358302921516915052010-02-02T13:00:00.002-05:002010-02-02T13:52:34.347-05:00

William Hickling Prescott, a native of Salem, Massachusetts, grandson of Colonel William Prescott, commander of rebel forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill (the "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" battle), is a noted historian who lived from 1796 to 1859.Prescott suffered a rather unusual injury during his time as a student at Harvard around 1811 which threatened his future as a

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-10658193973507436672009-11-21T12:12:00.001-05:002009-11-21T14:21:09.443-05:00

Our fourth arguably-long-forgotten writer commemorated on the library's rotunda is Francis Parkman. Parkman was an American historian from Boston who lived from 1823 to 1893.One of Parkman's more widely-known works is The California and Oregon trail: being sketches of prairie and Rocky mountain life. This book, more commonly known as The California and Oregon Trail or The Oregon Trail, is an

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-22083553207671637402009-11-18T14:52:00.008-05:002009-11-18T15:05:00.012-05:00

Thanks to a generous contribution from the Friends of the Library, Bangor Public Library is pleased to offer the Byki language-learning system.Byki offers interactive language-learning activities in over 85 languages. The system functions in short online lessons taken at each individual's pace. These activities quiz a user in recognizing foreign languages by sight & sound, including giving the

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-88328150844689931252009-10-27T11:00:00.005-05:002009-10-27T15:31:58.513-05:00

John Gorham Palfrey is another writer featured on the Bangor Public Library rotunda whose name & publications may not hold the high stature each held in 1912 during the library's construction.Palfrey, an ordained Unitarian clergyman, editor, historian, & U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, lived from 1796 to 1881. Palfrey has an extensive list of accomplishments in each of these roles, but

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-64758823983202316392009-10-08T10:00:00.005-05:002009-10-08T10:00:00.568-05:00

John Fiske is another writer featured on the library's rotunda whose name seems to have diminished in recognition over the last century.Fiske, a philosopher & historian born Edmund Fiske Green in Hartford, Connecticut, lived from 1842 to 1901. As a child, he was already quite the scholar, noting in his adult writings that by age eight he had read about two hundred books, across a wide spectrum

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-77420473894750200252009-09-29T11:11:00.000-05:002009-09-29T09:39:24.528-05:00

The rotunda above the second floor lobby & just outside the Bangor Room & the Lecture Hall features the names of twelve writers. At the time of the building's construction circa 1912-13, each of these writers held enough public interest to be worthy of current (and presumably future) reverence. Several of these authors, Hawthorne, Longfellow, Emerson and Whittier, for example, remain easily

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-78363214006136397532009-05-19T11:16:00.010-05:002009-05-28T15:19:20.245-05:00

Last week, I was stopped at a traffic light on Exchange Street in Bangor on the way to work. Across the street stood Cornerstone Barber Shop, the place where I usually go for haircuts & where I always take my oldest son.Anyway, while stopped in traffic, I noticed the barber pole on the building. I had thought before that I knew or vaguely knew the origin of the stripes on the barber pole. It

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-14437587892475373452009-04-08T15:45:00.005-05:002009-04-08T15:45:00.356-05:00

The May/June 2009 issue of Writer's Digest, in addition to containing a cover story it bills as an "epic conversation on writing" with Stephen King & Jerry B. Jenkins, has a feature article about the 101 best websites for writers.The article lists a handful of recommended sites that may be of interest to you.http://sixsentences.blogspot.com: Writers from across the world have posted sharply honed

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-16016902702799615942009-02-26T15:14:00.019-05:002009-02-27T14:29:16.862-05:00

The good folks at the Maine State Library Reference Department have created a timely & detailed quick list of links to information about the economic stimulus package, more formally known as The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.To access this information, go to http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=LibStaffPicks&id=68480&v=Article.Or, you can individually view each of

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-90120771436752142902009-02-21T12:08:00.004-05:002009-02-25T13:20:04.068-05:00

LeapFishLeapFish is a new alternative to the Google, Yahoo!, & other search engines that has been getting quite a bit of press coverage & rightfully so. LeapFish has two quickly apparent advantages over current search engine models. One, LeapFish will automatically update the page as you type your search term. In other words, you will not need to press enter or click search for results to be

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-84739182681701053762008-11-04T11:21:00.008-05:002008-11-05T19:15:35.056-05:00

Time, a noted magazine of our time, has produced an entertaining and useful listing of its views of the best of the online world. These websites fall into categories Time describes as Advice & Facts, Info & Gossip, Handy Tools, Fun & Games, and Hobbies & Interests.Below are a few of the sites I've checked out & recommend.http://www.iliketotallyloveit.com/: According to the site's publisher,

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-90390212993482539862008-10-28T13:30:00.000-05:002008-10-28T13:30:00.606-05:00

A recent Bangor Daily News articles highlights the economic, cultural, & educational value of libraries. The article can be linked to here: http://bangordailynews.com/detail/90917.html.The most telling part of the article to me is the dollar value of the services at the library used by the author, Rosemary Herbert, during a recent visit to her library in Rockport. In that one visit to her

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-59911737214374802472008-10-01T09:28:00.000-05:002008-10-01T12:55:03.546-05:00

A few years back, I discovered a book called Attitude: The New Subversive Political Cartoonists, edited by Ted Rall. Rall is himself a rather noted political & social cartoonist, whose cartoons regularly appear in over 150 U.S. newspapers. He also is the author or editor of about a dozen books available on the URSUS & MaineCat catalogs, including two updated editions of Attitude.Attitude

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-90090638842793168062008-09-24T09:22:00.008-05:002008-09-24T10:58:30.911-05:00

In an effort to get children to sign up for his library's summer reading program, Mill Creek, Washington librarian Mickey Gallagher ate 18 worms (like the ones pictured here). I commend him on his devotion to his work but I have to wonder what he'll have to eat next year to get them to sign up? Many thanks to LISNews for seeing this one.Jim Riordan jriordan@bpl.lib.me.us

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-24676232466362810432008-09-04T14:38:00.004-05:002008-09-04T14:51:40.711-05:00

The Portland Press Herald published over last weekend the Literary Map of Maine. The map can be linked to by clicking here: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/literarymap/map.html#map. A printed version of the map is/was available in last Sunday's edition of the paper.The map offers an engaging look at dozens of authors in Maine's past as well as presents prominent books featuring Maine

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-71328559557090797842008-08-07T13:15:00.002-05:002008-08-07T13:15:11.590-05:00

ZamzarZamzar is an online file conversion site. I have turned to this very useful site several times over the past year in aiding patrons of the library. The site hasn't failed a file conversion yet that I've tried. And, it's free. One of the common reasons I've used Zamzar is for library patrons who bring in a disc with a WPS file on it. WPS files are documents created using Microsoft Works

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-50366854860693208002008-07-31T13:04:00.002-05:002008-07-31T13:58:17.956-05:00

For those of you who aren't total NPR geeks like me, last week there was a peace on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network on libraries in Maine. It included our very own Barbara McDade as well as Linda Lord the deputy state librarian. The gist of the piece is that while the declining economy is shrinking funding sources for libraries that same decline is increasing the public's need for libraries

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-27182102249948293592008-07-02T12:39:00.011-05:002008-12-09T21:53:59.298-05:00

Dailylit.comDailylit.com is a website which originates from the idea than many people today face greater demands in their time & quite often the most regular reading people do is on a computer screen.Dailylit.com's creators, thought, "A-ha! Why not allow people to sign-up for a service to receive small portions of books to their email addresses & have them incorporate the reading of books into

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-81878141550874232372008-06-30T14:07:00.008-05:002008-12-09T21:53:59.833-05:00

In the past few years there has been a rapid expansion in the number of internet enabled "smart phones." Like all libraries, Bangor Public does its best to keep up with the technology being used by its patrons. To that end, we have created a mobile version of our website designed to be viewed on devices like iphones or blackberries. Its called BPL Mobile and can be found at this link or on our

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-9201298829845925422008-06-11T10:57:00.017-05:002008-06-11T13:48:12.433-05:00

JSTOR Access After previously only be available to library card holders from within the Bangor Public Library, access to JSTOR is now available to card holders off-site. You can gain access by following a link on the library's Online Databases page at http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/reference/FindingJournalArticles.htm. By clicking on the bluish-green JSTOR link, you'll be prompted to enter in your last

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-83333160654059580472008-05-13T08:36:00.004-05:002008-05-13T10:20:57.398-05:00

Have you ever wondered where exactly in Maine Henry David Thoreau was when he was in "The Maine Woods"? Ever thought you might know where the fictional St. Cloud, Maine, in John Irving's "The Cider House Rules" is meant to be? Do you think you know what towns in Maine, real or imagined, have provided inspiration or the setting for the many works of Stephen King?The Maine Literary Map Project, a

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-88281464671381516212008-04-29T10:00:00.007-05:002008-12-09T21:54:00.047-05:00

Are you having a problem with your Ipod that the instruction manual does not explain how to remedy? Have you lost or just don't want to bother with searching for the manual for your TV? Can't figure out the complicated technical jargon in the manual for your new digital camera?Fortunately, in our world of ever-increasing gadgets & ever-increasing gadget-created frustration, there is a great one

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-49855772012962002712008-04-16T12:59:00.009-05:002008-12-09T21:54:00.220-05:00

April 5th Video Game TournamentThe video game tournament on April 5th proved to be a great success. Around 50 teens competed in either the Dance Dance Revolution or the Guitar Hero III tournament in what turned out to be an all-around fun day. In addition to the competitors, dozens more friends & family members saw the rather mind-boggling skills displayed by the players in each game. The

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-60516774301415131302008-04-03T10:43:00.006-05:002008-12-09T21:54:00.599-05:00

The Bangor Public Library web site has gotten a new look so when you have a chance check it out http://www.bpl.lib.me.us We haven't changed the content so you'll still be able to find things where they were. However, Jan has created a really fabulous banner and new buttons. She also put the IM Reference widget on the home page and we've already started getting more questions. So if you are in

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-28594791043835103352008-03-28T10:39:00.002-05:002008-03-28T11:39:25.431-05:00

Yes its that time of year again. TheBookseller.com has announced the winner of its annual Oddest Book Title Prize. Some of you may remember last years winner The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification which the Bangor Public Library owns: 779.092.M7603s. So drum roll please!The Winners For the 2008 Oddest Book Title Prize Are:First Place: If You Want

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-32661663473769028182008-03-24T16:44:00.007-05:002008-12-09T21:54:00.886-05:00

I keep seeing this article showing up on several library listservs and blogs so I thought I'd pass it on. It's NPR piece from March 20 on reader oriented social networking. These are web sites that let you track the books you read, share titles with others, and find out what they are reading. I didn't particularly like the opening line "Bookish people may not be known for their social skills..."

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-9821816965880907982008-03-14T13:40:00.001-05:002008-03-14T13:42:11.898-05:00

Calling All Gamers!Do you love videogames? Do you like competing against your friends & peers? Do you think your gaming skills are good enough to beat out others for prizes & fame?The Bangor Public Library is happy to announce its first ever game tournament for teens & their families on April 5th in the Lecture Hall, beginning at 10AM. You will get a chance to pit your skills against all

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-68040485174633845342008-03-11T14:06:00.010-05:002008-12-09T21:54:01.749-05:00

Many of you are probably aware of the databases available on Minerva, a statewide virtual library. However, the Bangor Public Library has a couple databases that are only available to Bangor Public Library card holders. These are Gale Reference Center Gold and The Biography Resource Center. They can be reached by going to http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/bang45018 If you are accessing the

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-40805607704805962902008-03-05T09:25:00.009-05:002008-03-05T10:04:29.434-05:00

I am a big fan of the open source movement. For those not already familiar with this it is basically the idea of giving free access to computer software and the source code behind it for constructing new applications. For a more complete definition check out The Open Source Initiative. My reasons for supporting it go beyond getting free software though. As a librarian I support any movement that

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-15688988427059900552008-02-27T16:06:00.006-05:002008-12-09T21:54:02.042-05:00

I was reading the Waterboro Public Library's h20boro lib blog (http://www.waterborolibrary.org/blog.htm) and they had a post about a new database from the The Maine State Library. It is called Famous Mainers and Famous People With Maine Connections. On the main page there is an alphabetical list of individuals with some Maine connection, their dates and a category they fit into. For example James

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-75272774707257363792008-02-22T09:44:00.005-05:002008-12-09T21:54:02.342-05:00

I just saw an article in the latest edition of Searcher Magazine (the "magazine for database professionals" yes I know I'm a geek :) evaluating automobile repair websites.Here's the Citation:McDermott, Irene E. "Baby You Can Drive My Car (If You Can Get It Started) Auto Repair on the Web" Searcher 16(2) February 2008 pgs 8-12.This is a topic near if not dear to my heart. A few months ago I bought

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-76417760109205916432008-02-07T16:27:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:03.005-05:00

What is Cyberbullying?A growing concern as more & more of our communications occur online is cyberbullying. Teens & younger children are particularly suspectible to this type of online intimidation. Cyberbullying is, according to the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use, "sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the Internet or other digital communication devices." Cyber

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-80952844338371742912008-01-15T15:40:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:03.702-05:00

Without getting too personally politically, let's just say that I am pro-voting. So, what follows isn't my harangue on why I'm voting for whom or why this other candidate would equal unequivocal doom for the United States. Instead, what lies beneath are means of locating more about the political or otherwise background of the current Presidential candidates.Want to know how the current

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-36116163937445027582007-12-19T15:30:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:05.002-05:00

The holiday season usually offers many of us more leisure time than we typically have. Also, given the icy weather we've been having, perhaps you are spending a little more time at home.If you find yourself bored over the holidays or got lucky enough to get a new computer for Christmas that you want to use, here are a few suggestions for some online fun.ArtIf you are an art fan, give the

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-2474843978303431472007-12-18T14:29:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:05.437-05:00

That's right we are rapidly approaching January '08 and our annual community read. The selection for Penobscot Reads 2008 is Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair the first book in the Thursday Next Series. Take a look at the PR08's website where you will find a calender of events, games, links to Fforde's website, and links to all the libraries participating in this years Penobscot Reads. Some of the

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-50211810383198752772007-12-12T16:46:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:05.838-05:00

Our blogroll (a list of featured web sites) is devoted to other Maine Library blogs. This will let you see what's happening at libraries all over the state. You can find it in the sidebar under the archive. If you are a Maine Library and have a blog you would like to see listed let me know and I'll add you.Jim Riordan jriordan@bpl.lib.me.us

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-20355903534221701262007-12-06T09:33:00.001-05:002008-12-09T21:54:06.288-05:00

We've just added an URSUS search window directly to our site. You can now search the catalog from any of the Bangor Public Library's web pages. It is preset to search the whole URSUS catalog (The University of Maine System, Maine State and Bangor Public) so if you want to narrow it to just the Bangor Public Library click on the URSUS icon and it will take you to the main URSUS page. Once there

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-44061446571690000142007-12-05T14:44:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:08.579-05:00

As many of you are aware the Bangor Public Library provides Instant Messaging (IM) Reference through Yahoo, AOL, MSN and Google. There are many advantages to this. For example if you are at your computer working on a paper and can't remember how to cite a magazine article you can have a response usually in less than a minute. One of the down sides though is that not everyone subscribes to one of

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-54065847900096121992007-11-27T14:53:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:08.936-05:00

After posting a few weeks ago about email scams, I have been reminded by others what one of the primary objectives of the email scams is: identity theft.Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft InformationThe Federal Trade Commission (FTC) claims on its website that an estimated 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year. Identity theft can take many forms. Some of the primary uses

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-3544990999436506262007-11-15T15:41:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:10.929-05:00

In keeping with the times & in an effort to reach users of these particular sites, MySpace & a Facebook pages has been created for the Bangor Public Library.Neither of these sites, for the moment, contain any information not currently already listed on or accessed from the library's website (http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/) or on this blog. Each is primarily intended, again, for the moment, as a means

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-43683602114197725902007-11-15T14:36:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:11.339-05:00

You know who you are! You stay up to all hours devouring DiscWorld books like there was no tomorrow. Well the British Sky One television station is currently filming an adaptation of the first DiscWorld book The Colour of Magic. The book traces the adventures of Twoflower, and his faithful "luggage" as he becomes the DiscWorld's first tourist. Rincewind, the incompetent wizard, acts as an

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-5883655135608065232007-11-09T12:55:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:12.118-05:00

This Wednesday Community Health and Counseling Services (CHCS) donated its records from 1883 to 1966 to the Bangor Public Library. CHCS was originally founded in 1883 as Associated Charities, a coalition of churches and volunteer organizations. In 1922 it changed its name to the Bangor Welfare Society. The collection includes a broad range of materials including meeting minutes, committee reports

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-30712180046885695502007-11-02T16:40:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:12.685-05:00

As many of you know the Reference Department at the Bangor Public Library has put together book lists of different genres of fiction. There are horror book lists, historical fiction book lists, World War II Spy novel book lists, etc. We have for years made copies of these lists and handed them out on request. Now we have started putting those lists on our website. If you go to the reference page

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-40684275128031399552007-10-31T14:48:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:12.916-05:00

I saw this in the newest edition of American Libraries Direct on-line & felt it could be of use to many of you.The following link provides examples of visual clues on potential scams directed to your email: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,138310-page,1-c,cybercrime/article.html.I'm sure many of you can already identify many scams before ever opening a suspect email message. Maybe you have even

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-15792872847787407052007-10-30T12:31:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:13.190-05:00

Yes we are rapidly approaching the first Tuesday of the first full week of November - Election Day. One of the keys of a representative democracy is an informed electorate. Libraries have been part of that process since the founding of the republic. With that in mind I wanted to show you some of the resources and websites available to the person who wishes to go to polls on November 6 well

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-50350181479879196932007-10-22T13:08:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:15.155-05:00

As you are all probably well aware the government produces a lot of paper. And because the Bangor Public Library is part of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) we get some of that paper. They send us reports, studies, brochures, CDs, DVDs, microfiche, and a lot more.The FDLP was created in 1813 to keep the public informed by distributing documents from all three branches of government

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-28222950379214929062007-10-18T17:11:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:15.276-05:00

Hello AllI am back from four days at the annual New England Library Association (NELA) conference in Sturbridge MA. Ever wonder what librarians do for professional development? Well probably not but here's a chance to find out. The NELA conference brings together librarians from all over the region to attend educational programs, hear speakers, talk together, and general improve ourselves to

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-2498533220143923532007-10-02T12:35:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:17.848-05:00

Because I see folks getting frustrated with bad photocopies of Internet pages, email messages, and photos on a daily basis, I decided to put together a brief illustrated tutorial on how to avoid certain types of printing errors.E-mail PrintoutsOne of the more common printing annoyances are printouts from e-mail providers such as Yahoo! which cut off the end of sentences. Here is an illustrated

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-81321903949060834752007-10-01T14:27:00.001-05:002008-12-09T21:54:18.168-05:00

Last month the New York Times gave the public free access to part of its newspaper archive. The Times maintains two online archives of their articles, which for several years was available for purchase. The first is for articles from 1851 to 1980 and the second archive are articles from 1980 to the present. Today Times articles in the public domain, 1851 to 1922 are available for free in pdf

Jim Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10268311123553720678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-60696001668169091682007-09-12T18:21:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:20.416-05:00

How To Locate a Consumer Reports ArticleConsumer Reports (CR) is one of the more popular journals Bangor Public Library owns in print. CR is used to locate comparisons of products across a spectrum of variables, from price to durability, to extra features & service plan options. So, if you're looking, for example, for the right refrigerator for you, CR is among your best bets for the information

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-83129971819813911602007-08-30T10:35:00.000-05:002007-08-31T11:27:16.865-05:00

PC Magazine, the "independent guide to technology" (as its website claims) recently announced the Top 100 Undiscovered Websites. These sites are described by the experts at PC as "the top new or under-the-radar sites of 2007. You may not know many of the sites on this list, but you should." To access these sites (as well as PC's Top 100 Classic Websites), click here.While I do not have time to

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-63379669916419125782007-08-29T17:13:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:23.229-05:00

How to Find an Article or Review about a Short Story or Novel using Literature Resource CenterNeed to find a journal article about a short story or a novel for a homework assignment or just for fun? You can find one of these articles rather easily on Marvel!, Maine's Virtual Library. Just follow this short and illustrated guide below. 1)Access Marvel! on the Bangor Public Library website or

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-56996198652500129442007-08-07T15:23:00.000-05:002007-08-10T14:04:33.977-05:00

ZohoSome of you may already have known this, but web-based versions of Microsoft Office applications such as Word & Excel are available on-line. Zoho Writer actually is a tremendously more worthwhile version of what Word is. I'm not sure that I'll ever even use Word again. It looks like Zoho can give Bill Gates a run for his money. In fact, I predict Mr. Gates will be broke within three years.Um

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-19500231888212797462007-07-19T14:03:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:23.819-05:00

ComicsIf you're a comic book fan, an art fan, or just someone looking for something to do, check out this website: http://www.coverbrowser.com/.The site provides cover images to hundreds of comics, from 1950s era Dick Tracy to present day collections of manga. My personal favorites are for the comic called Mystery in Space that ran from 1951 to 1966. These covers reveal a fixation on Mars,

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-91951945895876277512007-07-06T14:03:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:25.119-05:00

In the comments to the recent LibQual survey, some library patrons voiced a frustration with the noise level at the library. Many people come to the library for quiet research or reading, finding instead that they are sitting nearby to someone engaging in a loud cell phone conversation or a group of people who don’t know the meaning of “inside voices.” People who get upset with the noise level

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-89420534712050695772007-07-03T15:09:00.000-05:002007-07-06T13:31:22.036-05:00

A few people have asked why the blog is set up using Blogger, a Google operated blog publishing service. Further, people have wondered they will not be able to leave comments because they do not have Google accounts. Below, I have addressed a few of these concerns.This blog is using Blogger for publication for a number of reasons. For one, Blogger is -- one of the greatest of all things --

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-9772803389897355182007-06-15T12:44:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:27.354-05:00

Here are but a few of the fiction books recently added to the Bangor Public Library's collection.Click on each book's image to link to the URSUS catalog record for each book. Once in a record, you can check the book's availability, put a request on a book (so long as it is not checked out), and click "More About the Item" to see a summary or a book review.

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-83416593242705144502007-06-11T14:53:00.000-05:002008-12-09T21:54:29.875-05:00

Click on the image of the book for the URSUS catalog record for the book. From here, you can check the book's availability, place a request for the book, and/or get a review or book summary by clicking "More About the Item".

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-60254869299530191092007-05-16T13:34:00.000-05:002007-05-16T13:35:41.347-05:00

The Blog offers a big thumbs up to everyone who participated in the recent library survey Libqual. Over 900 surveys were completed and close to 600 comments were submitted. Your comments are particularly helpful to us at the library, as the comments shed light on ways we are successfully and less successfully meeting your expectations of us.In an effort to continue the dialogue with you over

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525168237522253256.post-39311552561072521842007-04-03T10:50:00.000-05:002007-04-03T11:14:06.302-05:00

Welcome to the Bangor Public Library Blog!We are excited to begin using the blog format to communicate with the Bangor community about library events, new books, reference tips, and more.Check back here regularly for library updates.

Patrick Laynenoreply@blogger.com1