The Power of Programs

The power of Programs and what we bring to the table for the many tasks you need completed

What’s available when you log into our public PC’s. When you walk into the library and go to sit down at the public work station it’s good to know what’s available. I’m here to tell you we have many programs at the click of a button ready to assist you in getting your work done. Our Public PC’s have Windows XP loaded on them. Here is a list of programs that are available on our public PC’s.

Internet

Internet Explorer 7-Used for viewing content on the internet

Microsoft office 2007

Microsoft Word-Used for viewing, editing, and creating documents

Microsoft Excel-Create and format spreadsheets

Microsoft Power point-for creating dynamic presentations

Microsoft Publisher-create, personalize, and share publications

Readers/Maps

Adobe reader 8.0 -Viewing PDF file

Google earth -Looking at maps

Extras

Magnifier - Enlarging text
Picture manager -Viewing picture files
Screen size - Change the screen size to a higher or lower resolution
Volume control –for turning up, down, or muting the volume

Windows media player 11-Allows you to put in music CD’s to listen to. Headphones can be found at the workstation or you can bring your own in to use.

Tech liaisons are available to help with questions about these programs and the computer they are on.

Brian F – Tech Liaison, Marysville Library

Boy reads

Recently I read “Connecting Boys with Books 2: Closing the Reading Gap” by Michael Sullivan, and found it fascinating. Here is a summary of what it concluded:

Boys are more likely to be reluctant readers than girls, usually starting around middle school or before. In part, this is because of the way boys’ brains are structured, but also because many boys don’t see real men as readers. Boys use less of their brains than girls do when reading, so they need more stimulation to keep their interest.

So what can you as a parent do to help keep your boy interested in reading?

• Model reading. Especially if you are a grown male, you are a role model showing men as readers.
  
• Have books, magazines and other reading material around the house. Show by your actions that reading is important.
  
• Read to your boy. Yes, he knows how to read, but boys especially love to listen to the stories. Explore books that he likes, and make reading to him part of your daily ritual into his teens.
  
• Because boys’ brains need more stimulation than girls’ brains, believe your boy when he tells you he can do his homework better while listening to music.
  
• Boys need to tie what they read to the real world. So for instance if he’s reading a survival story, take him for a hike in the wilderness. Or if he’s reading a story set on the ocean, get him a model ship as a present.
  
• Boys have slightly different reading tastes than girls do. Unlike girls, they think books about relationships or character growth are boring. Instead, they go for books with lots of action. They go for books with humor, especially slapstick. They tend to read edgier books. And they read lots of non-fiction. Non-fiction is excellent reading for boys because they can tie it to real world experiences, and in general it provides more pictures, giving them the extra brain stimulation that they need.
  

For specific examples of books the boy in your life might like, come in and talk with us at the Information Desk!

-Kathy

Friends Book Shop Grand Opening

On April 13, the Friends of the Marysville Library opened their new Book Shop inside the library. The shop sells used books that have been donated by members of the community. All of the proceeds go to support programs and enhancements at the Marysville Library. For more information about the group, check out their web page and consider joining or making a contribution.

Also new to the library is the addition of some vending machines to the lobby area. The Friends Totem Cafe is a work under construction. In addition to the machines, the proceeds from which benefit the Friends of the Marysville Library, is the return of the totem pole created by the Quil Ceda Carvers. This totem pole was a featured piece of art inside the library for many years. In the future the lobby will have cafe tables and chairs and a sign designed by local teens.

What I believe: Everybody can be a reader

As a Children’s Librarian and lifelong enthusiastic reader, I am motivated by several fundamentals, based on actual research (ask me at the Information desk, and I’ll look it up for you):

· The ability to read fluently has multiple benefits that filter throughout a person’s life.
· The more a person reads, the better they will be; quantity trumps quality
· Every book it’s reader, every reader his/her book (S.R. Ranganathan)
· Listening to books counts as reading

What does this mean? It means I believe that everybody, no matter how reluctant a reader, has a book that will appeal to them: they just have to find it. If a child has a book that they are interested in, no matter the quality of writing or (to an extent) the level of writing, they will read it and consequently improve their reading ability. Even if a particular book doesn't touch me in any way, if it touches someone else, it is the perfect book for them at that moment. And if they are motivated to read because of interest, they will read more than if they are forced to read despite a lack of interest.

Listening to books, whether as an audiobook or having a parent read to their child has been demonstrated to grow the brain and various reading skills in the exact same way that reading the written word does, with the exception of spelling skills. Research has found that all reading has benefits, whether it is as in a book, part of a video game, on the internet, in a magazine, or even texting. Yes, really!

It is my job and challenge as a librarian to help people find the books they will be interested in, so that they will read (or listen) because they want to-and gain the benefits of reading while they are at it.

-Kathy