library tips to save you time
The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project has digitized over 11,000 pages of old Vermont newspapers, including the early years of Brattleboro’s Vermont Phoenix. Read all about it on the VDNP blog, or go right to the papers at Chronicling America, a project sponsored jointly by the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
More papers are coming, including a precious handful of issues of the Windham County Democrat, edited by noted feminist Clarina Howard Nichols.
Happy Holidays!
The new edition of Gale’s online reference book collection is looking spiffy. Find it on our website under Resources > Reference > Gale Virtual Reference Library. Have your library card handy if you’re searching from home. There are 100 or so titles that you can search all at once or individually.
News from the Vermont Department of Libraries and e-Vermont Community Broadband:
FREE 30 min Webinar:
Your Library Presents: Information 24/7
Find out how your library offers resources for job seeking & career exploration, lifelong learning, genealogy, and small business development. All available to you 24/7 from any computer with Internet access!
This webinar is easy to participate in wherever high speed Internet access is available.
Please log in 5 min. before the session begins and turn on your computer’s sound/speakers.
Tuesday November 8th, 12:00 – 12:30 pm or
Thursday November 10th , 6:00 – 6:30 pm or
Tuesday, November 15th, 12:00 – 12:30 pm
No registration required. Go to the webinar link at www.e4vt.org
Daily updates from Vermont Emergency Management: http://vem.vermont.gov/home/dailysitrep/
Active Weather alerts around state: http://www.vermont.gov/portal/alerts/
Road and Travel conditions – some complaints that it is not up to date:
http://www.511vt.com/
Windham Regional Road Status:
http://windhamregional.org/roadstatus
Crisis Landing: This map displays information about current crises for which the Google Crisis Response team has collected geographic information. http://crisislanding.appspot.com/?crisis=2011_flooding_vermont
VPR Irene Blog:
http://vprnews.wordpress.com/
Compiled by Marlboro College – Resources describing Vermont’s attempt to recover from the damaging flooding caused by Tropical Storm Irene on August 28, 2011. http://libraryguides.marlboro.edu/irene
Windham Status: one-stop switchboard for county information post-Irene
http://windhamstatus.wordpress.com/
Vermont Grassroots Help and Volunteer Site: http://vtresponse.wordpress.com/
Red Cross Resources for Vermont:
http://www.redcrossvtnhuv.org/index.asp?IDCapitulo=44W8UXGL8L
FEMA disaster relief: http://www.disasterassistance.gov/
CVPS Power Updates:
http://www.cvps.com/Jobs2.aspx
Green Mountain Power Updates:
http://greenmountainpower.com/stormcenter.html
Individual Town Information:
Newfane/Williamsville Facebook Bulletin
https://www.facebook.com/NewfaneBulletin
Town of Marlboro Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Marlboro/
Marlboro Message Board
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marlboro-Vermont-Message-Board/
Dover Town Website (contains information on Wilington):
http://www.doververmont.com/dover-news/wilmington-flood-info-updates
NOAA has posted this useful disaster supply kit list to prepare for hurricanes. Be careful on Sunday!
We upgraded our NoveList subscription to NoveList Plus! Check it out for reading suggestions for both fiction and nonfiction. There’s also a separate K-8 interface for kids. It’s a clever database that combines the wonderful ability of computers to remember everything and the wonderful ability of humans to describe things like writing style and tone: is it fast-paced and witty? Is it disturbing and gritty? Is it atmospheric and character-driven, with a strong sense of place…?
You will find NoveList Plus and NoveList K-8 by clicking Resources > Books & Authors on the Library’s website.
How did you do? (answers below)
I you are you studying for the Naturalization Test to become a U.S. citizen, or if are you a citizen who hesitated before answering any of those questions, the Library has free study guides to help you brush up on your knowledge of U.S. history & government. They are shelved in the Reference area and are free for the taking (one of each title per person, please). You will find guides to the naturalization process, test lessons, a pocket edition of the Constitution & Declaration of Independence, and a lovely illustrated compendium of important facts and documents called The Citizens’ Almanac.
Online, the Citizenship Resource Center has lots of useful material for prospective citizens and teachers, and WelcometoUSA.gov has practical links for new immigrants, including: find a job, learn English, get a Social Security Number, get a green card, and get a driver’s license.
Answers (from Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons for the Naturalization Test from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services):
E Pluribus Unum! And can you name a major U.S. holiday that happens in July…?
Happy summer! The sun is shining as I post the hundredth entry on the Ready Reference blog. But I know you don’t want to spend the day online: you want to get outside, even if it’s only for a stroll on your lunch hour. If you live in the Brattleboro area, check out the Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce Hiking & Biking Guide or the Retreat Trails map & podcast or the lovely pamphlet called Treasured Trees: A Walk Thru Brattleboro by the Brattleboro Tree Advisory Board. JMW
…and Hermit Thrushes, and Downy Woodpeckers, and Hooded Mergansers…
Vermont eBird is the hub for all bird-related data, a place for birders to record their observations for use by scientists and the birding community. eBird is a “vast and powerful database co-sponsored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon,” and the Vermont section is sponsored by an ecological hall of fame team that includes the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, North Branch Nature Center, Birds of Vermont Museum, Vermont Audubon, and VINS. Don’t miss the Resources list, which includes links to the BirdsEye phone app and eBird Rare Bird Google Gadget. Who knew? 
Enjoy the music!
JMW
