Library has plenty of books on legal advice for you

Library Notes

Lynn Denison

Fortunately legal matters are not a topic to which we frequently must give much thought.  However, when the occasion arises, it is helpful to know that you can turn to Rowan Public Library for some of the most helpful, up-to-date legal “how to” books available.  Although this column will focus on only a few of the newest books we have acquired, there are many more and some of these will be listed at the end of the column.

The publisher of these top-notch books is Nolo, which, according to its website, begin publishing legal books in 1971.  In forty years Nolo has evolved with the times, developing do-it-yourself products for the average consumer.  Consumers and small business owners can handle many legal matters themselves with Nolo’s do-it-yourself books.  All are written in plain English, with step-by-step instructions that help get the job done.  However, in each book there is a disclaimer that the text is not a substitute for personalized advice from a knowledgeable attorney.

It is difficult to find a law topic that these books do not cover.  For example, if you are thinking about planning your will, establishing a trust, deallng with estate and gift taxes, avoiding probate and executing powers of attorney and living wills we have books with the latest comprehensive and organized information in them.

The book Plan Your Estate by attorney Dennis Clifford encourages us all to do what we know we need to do and shows the step by step method of doing it.  It covers everything from the basics to sophisticated tax-savings strategies for people with estates ranging from the modest to the wealthy.  Some of the topics that are demystified are:  Probate avoidance, living wills, estate-tax saving trusts, funerals and burials, federal estate and gift taxes, charitable remainder trusts, and durable powers of attorney.  The 11^h edition is significantly revised to cover new federal estate tax laws and how they affect estate planning.  It also covers new gift tax rules.  As always, all laws and charts are updated.

Make Your Own Living Trust by attorney Dennis Clifford not only covers the new tax laws on this subject but allows you to download forms from the internet to help you with the project.  When you create a living trust you can arrange for your property to bypass lengthy probate proceedings and go directly to the people you have designated.  This book also contains the latest tax and legal information, including updated information about the federal estate law.

The Trustee’s Legal Companion:  A Step by Step Guide to Administering a Living Trust is written by attorneys Liza Hanks and Carol Elizs Zolla.  Being a trustee is an honor but it is also a huge task that can be stressful and confusing.  This book will show you exactly how to proceed In this difficult job.  As a very helpful addition, you are shown how to find free legal updates at Nolo.com.

A sampling of some of the other new Nolo books the library has just acquired include Divorce After 50, Nolo’s Quick LLC, Social Security Disability, Becoming a US Citizen, 8 Ways to Avoid Probate, Long Term Care:  How to Plan and Pay for It, Divorce and Money, Small Business Start Up Kit, and Form a Partnership.  Please come in to Rowan Public Library soon to discover our outstanding collection of legal help books.

Decluttering and Organizing - Paul Birkhead - Library Notes

LIBRARY NOTES:    DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING
PAUL BIRKHEAD – APRIL 14, 2013
     
      Do you have too much clutter in your life?  Do you find yourself quickening your pace and averting your eyes whenever you pass through that messy garage?  And let’s not even discuss those piles up in the attic that are out of sight and out of mind.  Rowan Public Library has many resources to help you shed some of your excess belongings and organize the ones you decide you can’t do without.
    Help, I’m Knee-Deep in Clutter! is a book by home organization professional Joyce I. Anderson.  Ms. Anderson gives tips on how to shed possessions by tackling some of the biggest clutter culprits in our homes and then moves on room by room.  Next, the author provides helpful daily and weekly checklists in order to keep the chaos from coming back. 
    It was interesting to me that when I started researching resources on decluttering, that several of them focused on some sort of magic number.  For instance, Throw Out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke shows the reader the physical and emotional reasons why people tend to hold onto things.  In the book Live More Want Less, Mary Carlomagno shares fifty-two ways to find order in your life.  That’s one idea a week for a whole year to help you become less attached to “stuff”.  Not to be outdone, Living With Less by Mary Lambert gives advice on how to downsize to just one hundred personal possessions.
    Once you’ve banished the clutter from your life, you’ll probably want some assistance on how to organize what’s left.  In my opinion, these were some of the most inspiring books I looked through.  The Clutter Clinic by Romaine Lowery is a small book but it had some really good ideas on home organization.  It also had some nice before and after photos that prove things can change for the better.  If you’re handy with tools, affordable and stylish home organization is literally at your fingertips with Storage and Shelving Solutions from the editors of the Family Handyman magazine and Home Storage Solutions from the editors of Wood magazine. 
    If you’re like me, the change of seasons is inspiring you to declutter your life and become better organized.  As with most weight loss and diet plans, decluttering possessions works better with a slow start and a realization that long-term success actually involves making a lifestyle change.  As you’ll discover, it’s not easy for most people to get rid of their possessions due to numerous psychological aspects.  Just keep in mind that Rowan Public Library has several resources that can coach you through it. 

Military Records - Gretchen Beilfuss Witt - Library Notes

Gretchen Beilfuss Witt

Library Notes

March 29, 2013

                                                            Military Records

Much of our public historical focus has recently been on the 150^th anniversary of the American Civil War.   One of our most heavily used collections in the library is the North Carolina Confederate Troops Compiled Service Records.   North Carolina had more participants in the Confederacy than any other Southern State.  These records on microfilm indicate a serviceman’s participation in the war effort, when they appeared at roll call or if they were absent, if they were prisoners of war or in hospital.  If you are lucky some of the records include letters of commendation, reports or other interesting documents or correspondence.   The History Room also has pension records for North Carolina soldiers of the Civil War.  These pensions were awarded to the soldier or his wife, if deceased, and in some cases to his parents if they had relied on him for there livelihood.  Pensions were given by the state of North Carolina, not the federal government, and were awarded at the county level.   These records are invaluable for genealogical research.

With the focus on the sesquicentennial, we forget that we are fast approaching the 100^th anniversary of the beginning of World War I [WWI], 1914.  Despite the fact that the Americans came late into the war, not declaring war until 1917, the United States citizens contributed greatly to this conflict.  Just recently, with the help of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, the History Room was able to acquire a similar set of military records pertaining to WWI.  These records were compiled by the WPA [Works Progress Administration] which actively saved many of our older records by re-writing  and preserving many local accounts of all types of activities.  The World War I Service Card Files were created as a response to acts of the Congress in 1919 and 1922 requesting the Adjutant General of the US provide individual states with a statement of service for the men and women from that state who served during WWI.  The cards for those personnel from North Carolina were provided to the Adjutant General of North Carolina on February 14, 1924.  The cards contain the records of officers, nurses and enlisted men from all three branches of service.  The records seem to have included everyone whether or not they were killed in action, died of wounds or disease or were living.  For example, Roscoe A. Page born in Salisbury enlisted on June 1, 1917 at 21 and 11/12 years of age.  He was sent overseas in September of 1918 and was honorably discharged in July of 1919 having suffered no wounds.  A neighbor from Guilford, Lt. John Paisley faired less well; he was killed in action in France June 21, 1918 and buried there.  These cards too are helpful in genealogical research often stating where the person was born, where they lived at the time of enlistment, parents or spouses, where they received military training, what engagements they were involved in during the war, their regiments and any awards.  The information is listed alphabetically by person rather than by individual towns or counties.  This new microfilm, a treasure trove of information, includes all service personnel in North Carolina. 

Along with these newly acquired records, the History Room also provides access to Ancestry.  Ancestry hosts a variety of records, including the Draft registration cards of WWI.  The draft registration does not indicate military service; however, 24 million or approximately 98% of all men under the age of 46 living in the United States actually registered.  The population of the US at the time was around 100 million people so using the WWI Draft registration database provides the names of nearly one quarter of the population whether they were new immigrates, naturalized or born here.   Together these databases can provide a unique picture of an ancestor and provide some interesting tidbits of U.S. History. 

Happy Hunting!