The Hour Session Policy

The Hour Session Policy in the main computer lab

Since first starting work here, I have heard a few complaints about the Hour session policy. Especially since the computers are set to delete every change made to them after each session. No one likes to lose their work and that would be understandable, if there was not a flashing yellow button warning them when the computer was nearing the end of its session. 

The hour sessions are set to make sure that no one person stays on the computers too long when there are others waiting. It is hardly fair that one person can sit in for hours and hours, never giving anyone else a chance to get on. Not everyone has a schedule suited for coming early in the morning or late at night during the quiet hours to ensure themselves access to an open computer.

However, the most complaints come from the fact that the computer is cleared off after each session ends meaning anything that was being worked on directly on the computer is deleted. First, one should always save work to multiple places for safety reasons, because of situations just like these. Computers are imperfect so always have a backup. Second, if you do not know the computer policies and workings, please ask. There is always someone at the desk who can explain, plus multiple signs up around the computer room with explanations and warnings.

There are several options for alternative places to save work done in the library besides the computer. First off, there are flash-drives or USBs. These are probably the best option because they require no internet service to use. Then there are email services. With an account, most email services allow for document attachment, these can be saved as drafts or sent to yourself. Lastly, there are Internet drives; these are meant to perform similarly to flash drives except all the storage in online as soft storage. Another difference is most online drives allow the user to work straight with their own software instead of a separate program if they so choose and most of these programs automatically save as it is being edited or added to. This reduces the fear of losing work from not saving in time should anything go wrong.

Some popular online drives are Dropbox, Google drive, Drive HQ, Open drive and Conclusions.

~Treena

Heroic summerstime

CONSIDER THE KIDDOS: Look forward to a HEROIC SUMMERTIME!

The word ‘hero’ often brings to mind superheroes, like Batman, Superman, Ironman, all the ones from the fantastic comics.  Fantastic as their stories are, there are real things going on:  Batman wants to rid his city of crime; Superman has saved the world from an atomic bomb; Ironman has faced terrorists!  Many police officers, investigators, and military persons have done these very things, sometimes in ways that make a difference in one or many lives.

A hero can be a national leader, an explorer of the sea, a missionary, a musician, an athlete, an advocate for education, an artist.  A hero can also be the cashier at your grocery store, What about something closer to home?  Children look for heroes in their parents, aunts and uncles, the friend of an older sibling, a teacher.  These people may be heroes a few times over and they live and breathe among us.

We’ll be exploring and celebrating The Hero this summer in Martinsburg, North Berkeley, Musselman, and Hedgesville Public Libraries; join us, toddlers, kiddos, tweens, and teens.  Being a hero does not mean you need supernatural powers to fly through the sky, a load of money, or to be a genius.  Whatever you do every day, always strive to do better than you thought you could.  Be convicted to your cause!  Always remember to be kind.  Take a deep breath, know you are strong, and look in the mirror.  Ask yourself, “Who is a hero?”  You are my friend.

America's Great Hiking Trails by Karen Berger--Review

Book Review: America’s Great Hiking Trails, by Karen Berger; photography by Bart Smith

Celebrating the eleven National Scenic Trails in America, this volume takes the reader through forty-nine states and eight national parks. Literally tens of millions of tourists and hikers visit these trails each year, some of which wind through the country’s most scenic natural wonders and virtually every major ecosystem in America.  

Two of these trails are right in our own backyard:  the well-known Appalachian Trail and the lesser- known Potomac Heritage Trail.  I have hiked on parts of both of these trails, although I was not aware that I had been on the Potomac Heritage Trail until I looked at this book.  The Potomac Heritage Trail follows a combination of several multi-use paths including the Mount Vernon Trail, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath, and the Great Allegheny Passage.

The other nine trails mentioned in the book include the New England Trail, the Florida Trail, the Natchez Trace Trail, the North Country Trail, the Ice Age Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Arizona Trail, the Pacific Northwest Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail.

This beautifully illustrated book about America’s iconic recreational trails is currently located in the Reference Department at the Martinsburg Public Library.

Submitted by Keith Hammersla

Legos at the library

Founded in 1932, Legos have become one of the best loved toys of all time.  They have been named “toy of the century” twice in the past 80 years.  

Legos provide children (and adults) with the ability to think creatively, problem solve, and promote fine motor skills.

The Martinsburg-Berkeley County Libraries are offering programs to encourage these traits in children and adults.  We offer time for free play and Lego club which involves a guest speaker.  The library also offers books and DVDS about Legos which include some of the following titles:

·         The LEGO movie, DVD and Blu-Ray

·         The LEGO movie official handbook Ace Landers

·         LEGO Book Daniel Lipkowitz

        LEGO movie video game (Xbox 360)

·         Unofficial LEGO Builders guide Allan Bedford

·         LEGO Adventure Book  Megan Rothrock

·       

·        

We also have numerous picture books based on Lego characters, including Star Wars, Fire Fighters, Super Heroes, and more!!!!!

                 

Stop by any of our libraries and check it out!

-Molly Brady

Consider the Kiddos: Clouds and Popcorn--children's post 3 17 2015

CONSIDER THE KIDDOS: CLOUDS & POPCORN

A favorite and endearing author of children’s literature, Tomie de Paola writes and illustrates on topics as varied as stories of his childhood, ethnic folk tales, and simple non-fiction.  Two non-fiction books of his are about things a child notices and experiences on a regular basis: clouds and popcorn.   Find out a few interesting things!  Hilariously enough, both of these books are older than I am, but my friends, they are no less fascinating than if they were published today.

Now that Spring is on its way, you could take a few moments to lie down in the grass and notice the sky.  (Remember Spring can be wet; maybe just stand and look up!)  Sometimes the sky is blue; if there’s rain, you may not see any blue at all. What breaks up the blue or covers it all up?  The Cloud Book will tell you.  Kids commonly look up at these white things, often observing “It looks like a camel!” or “See that house cloud?!”  These “house clouds” may very well be cumulous clouds.  Planes racing across the sky leave marks from their exhaust called contrails; what a neat thing for a child to look up and see, especially when there are two or more planes criss-crossing in contrail games!  Learn all about the curious names of clouds – cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and combinations

describing their altitude and dispersion.  As a child, trying to wrap your tongue around scientific words like “cumulonimbus” can be an amusing challenge!   As clouds have much to do with rain, snow, and storms, you can also learn how clouds can tell about approaching changes in the weather.  Not one to leave out a good story, Mr de Paola also included age-old myths about clouds (because kids long ago looked at clouds, too!).  For a simple and neat experiment, follow this link to make your own cloud: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/cloud-book-teaching-plan  And – there’s more – join us this summer and make clouds here in the library, learn how to tell them apart, and predict the weather as part of our partnership with the GLOBE program!  https://www.globe.gov/

On to popcorn, a favorite snack of anyone, young and old!  Talk about old,

The Popcorn Book will tell you about popcorn through history.  As common as

popcorn is, apparently it was a special feature at the first Thanksgiving.  You’ll

also discover why popcorn earned its name – what makes this corn pop? 

Popcorn goes great with a movie, and Mr de Paola gives you two recipes to

give a whirl.  Bonus: you can also learn how to cook popcorn in the sand.

For a full list of Tomie’s books and more about him, visit his website at

http://www.tomie.com/main.html

As you continue to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, look for these books by Tomie de Paola to color your celebration!