Online Librarian
Carl

The Internet is the world's largest library. It's just that all the books are on the floor.
~ John Allen Paulos

What THIS IS:
This is to be a series of articles about various online resources. The focus will primarily be on free web sites and basic concepts and tools that accompany Internet reference and research.

Who I AM:
My name is Carl and I am a newly appointed reference librarian at the Reading Public Library main branch. I earned my undergraduate degree in Philosophy from the Pennsylvania State University and my Master of Science in Library Science from the Clarion University of Pennsylvania. My interests include computers and the Internet, art, and philosophy.

Who SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN THESE ARTICLES:
These articles are intended for beginner to intermediate online researchers, information professionals, and Internet users. These articles will be particularly useful for those Internet users who are unfamiliar with the breadth of online reference resources readily available online.

Bottom LINE:
In each Blog article I will be examining the best Internet sites for reference and information seeking. Along the way I will be discussing major concepts and ‘tricks of the trade’ for researching information online.

Any QUESTIONS?
Please feel free to make a comment by clicking on the comments link below or if you prefer to reach me by email.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The release date for the final Harry Potter book was just announced! It look like we'll find out Harry's fate on July 21.
Check back here to find out when you will be able to place a hold on one of our copies.

Fansites:
The Leaky Cauldron
Hogwarts Herald
MuggleNet

J.K.Rowling Official Site - I love this site - Very Myst-like with the graphics and the ambient sounds of cars and barking dogs

MSNBC - Find out the odds on Harry dying in the final book

Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation - Book Discussion

Reading Public Library presents...

The Greatest Generation

by Tom Brokaw

Thursday, March 8, 2007

7:00 - 8:00 P.M.

at The Manor at Market Square

803 Penn Street, Reading, PA

RSVP

The program is free, but registration is requested

To sign up, please call 610-655-6355 or stop by the Reference Desk of the Reading Public Library at 100 South Fifth Street, Reading, PA.

TAX TIME! Forms Available Feb 2

It's time to start thinking about income taxes again. Paper copies of tax forms and instructions will be available February 2, 2007: until then, you may visit the various federal, state, and local sights to get a head start.

Internal Revenue Service

Pennsylvania Department of Revenue

City of Reading Earned Income Tax Form (Loads a little more slowly - pdf files)

Berks County Earned Income Tax Forms (pdf files)

For assistance in filing out your federal income taxes you may visit the Local Taxpayer Assistance Center at 201 Penn Street or contact the office at 610.320.5154. Appointments are not necessary, but assistance is need-based. Assistance with state tax forms is not available.
For more information on assistance with filling out your state income taxes, contact the Pennsylvania Taxpayer Assistance office on 625 Cherry Street at 610.378.4401. This service is free for the state forms only.

The people at Kiplinger's, those trusted personal finance advisors and business forecastors, have some interesting (maybe not so much interesting, but pertinent and quite possibly valuable) links, calculators, and articles on their website.

Book Discussion - Murder Shoots the Bull

Reading Public Library presents...

Murder Shoots the Bull: A Southern Sisters Mystery

by Anne George

Thursday, February 15, 2007

6:30 - 7:30 P.M.

at City Espresso, 124 South Fifth Street, Reading, PA

RSVP

The program is free, but registration is requested

To sign up, please call 610-655-6355 or stop by the Reference Desk of the Reading Public Library at 100 South Fifth Street, Reading, PA.

Refreshments will be available for purchase from City Espresso

Wendy Crutcher of The Mystery Reader says this about the novel:

Murder Shoots the Bull is perhaps one of the most
amusing cozies I have read in a long time. Every chapter brought a smile to my
face or made me laugh out loud, largely due to the dynamic duo of Patricia Anne
and Mary Alice. George has their relationship down to a science, creating
sisters that are totally different from one another, yet their interaction and
exchanges have a distinctly authentic feel.

Read the Entire Review

The Southern Sisters Mysteries include:

Murder on a Girl's Night Out

Murder on a Bad Hair Day

Murder Runs in the Family

Murder Makes Waves

Murder Gets a Life

Murder Shoots the Bull

Murder Carries a Torch

Murder Boogies with Elvis

New Book Lists

New book lists are generated every month for the nonfiction, fiction and paperback fiction orders that we place. Presently, we have them available to peruse on the New Fiction and New Nonfiction shelves near the entryway at the main branch.
Beginning in January, I will be emailing the lists to anyone who is interested in this information. You may request to be placed on the mailing list by responding to this entry or by emailing me directly at jxbalas@reading.lib.pa.us.

Book Reviews

I have had some very positive reactions to the ASRP participants' comments that have been posted on the blog throughout this past summer. I always enjoy hearing what people have to say about the books that they read; it's my favorite part of coordinating our summer reading program. So I would like to hear more from you!
If you would like to share your thoughts, positive or negative, about the books that you are reading, I will start posting them here. You may submit them as a comment to this entry or email them to me directly at jxbalas@reading.lib.pa.us

Links to a Few Book Review Sites:

BIBLIOfemme - An Irish bookclub
BiblioReview.com - A gateway to online book reviews and author reviews
brothersjudd.com - (I like the categories and the grading system very much.)
Harriet Klausner - (I can't believe this woman read all these books! So jealous of her ability.)
See also Metacritic in the links column.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. Thanks in advance!