Lifelong Learning is Easy through RPL!

by Kristen Thomas  Rowan Public Library

Lifelong learning is something that is easy to say but hard to do. I know that I have promised myself that I would finally sit down and start seriously learning French more times than I want to admit to. But finding resources to continue learning does not have to be hard -- all you need is the motivation to try something new, a library card, and the internet!

Through the Rowan Public Library eBranch, we have several resources to help you find something new to learn. Through NC LIVE you can access Mango Languages, a free language learning resource that offers 70 different languages to learn. Everything from Ancient Greek and Latin to more modern languages like Spanish and French is offered, as well as English language learning for those looking to improve their skills. You can even learn Pirate to embrace your inner scallywag!

Mango has a Learning Pathway, designed to guide you through from the very basics of the language to more advanced topics. It is divided into units, which are further divided into chapters. Each unit has a broad theme and each chapter focuses on a specific topic. The lessons focus on both reading and speaking abilities, covering all bases of language learning! And since it’s completely self taught, you can move at your own pace and can always return to previous lessons if you feel you need a refresher.  

But perhaps you’re not looking to learn a new language, but want to know more the computer applications you use everyday? In today’s world, knowing how to use a computer is essential in any profession and taking a course or two can help you become more comfortable with It can also give you an edge when looking for a new career. Thankfully through the Gale Courses, available with your library card, you have access to a plethora of courses to help you become an expert. They have courses on all the different programs of Microsoft Office Suite, including Word and Excel, as well courses on other popular programs like Adobe Photoshop.  With courses ranging from beginner to advanced, you will definitely find a course that is right for your current level.

            Most Gale Courses have several start dates throughout the year, usually one a month, and last several weeks. You can see the course syllabus before you register to make sure that it's what you are looking for. Student reviews are also there! Each course is taught by an experienced instructor who will be there to help guide you through the lessons each week. When you have completed the course, you will receive an award of completion to showcase your accomplishment. Of course, there are far more courses offered than the ones the highlighted here, so make sure to go and see for yourself what you can learn!

            Learning something new does not have to end when you finish school and it does not have to be hard to find. If there’s something you want to learn, there’s a good chance you can find it through our eBranch. And, as always, if you want to know more you can always contact Rowan Public Library and we would be happy to help!

Library Work

 by Sydney Smith  Rowan Public Library 

          In the world of library work, I consider myself very lucky. I am a librarian in not only one, but two fantastic institutions in Rowan County: Rowan Public Library and the Rowan-Salisbury School System. My favorite part of both jobs is the same. I love getting members of the community connected with the resources they want and need. Our school’s library is well-stocked with books and materials for all ages of elementary students, but luckily, Rowan Public Library offers a great way to connect our students of all ages with even more digital resources.

            One of my favorite ways to connect my students to new reading and research materials is through Rowan Public Library’s Rowan One Card program. The program expands students’ opportunities to explore new reading materials and resources online with their personal or school-issued devices. All students need to access the thousands of free eBooks, articles, and more through Rowan Public Library’s eBranch resources is their district ID (or lunch) number.

If you ask RSSS students if they know their lunch numbers, they can likely recite them at the snap of a finger. After all, students’ lunch numbers don’t only work in the cafeteria--the numbers are a staple in their school days, connecting them to the school library, iPad and Macbook apps, and web programs. By incorporating the IDs as a method of accessing their resources, Rowan Public Library simplified the process of getting more students connected to more materials.

            To access these electronic resources, students can visit Rowan Public Library’s website and login by using their district IDs as the username and the last four digits of the ID as the password. Once the students are logged in, they are able to explore all the online databases of eBooks, scholarly research articles, study guides, and more.

Some resources available through this login include access to the NC Kids Digital Library and the NC Digital Library, which allows patrons to check out a digital copies of books without the fear of late return fines. On such electronic databases, the book is removed from the user’s account automatically on the due date, so the user doesn’t have to remember when to return any borrowed eBooks. Students can also use NCLive to access research materials such as scholarly articles and eBooks. TumbleBooks is also available for our storybook-loving students who love added interactive features such as read-alongs and animation to enhance the text of the stories.

            As an elementary school librarian, I encourage my young students to become independent library patrons. I want to see students become comfortable using libraries because they are supportive community spaces for learning and literacy. By offering easy access to lots of eBranch materials online, Rowan Public Library expands our students’ chances to grow as lifelong readers and researchers. Our students already have the devices from schools in their hands, and now, thanks to Rowan Public Library, we can use those devices in yet another way to broaden horizons even further beyond the walls of our schools’ buildings.

           

           

           

Free Online Magazines Available through NC Digital Library

By Edward Hirst  Rowan Public Library

Digital ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and video available anytime, anywhere

Rowan Public Library is proud to offer a wide selection of popular digital magazines from NC Digital Library. With a Rowan Public Library card number and PIN, Rowan residents can borrow from the digital collection for free anytime, anywhere. To begin reading, download the Libby app by visiting https://ncdigital.overdrive.com/ncdigital-rowan/content.

Rowan Public Library has the following popular magazine titles available: OK! Magazine, HGTV Magazine, Star, Food Network Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Reader's Digest, O, The Oprah Magazine, Newsweek, Woman's Day, National Enquirer, Popular Science, Yoga Journal, Popular Mechanics, Simple and Delicious, The Atlantic, PC World, TV Guide Magazine, Outside, Car and Driver, Marie Claire, Macworld, Lonely Planet Traveler, Elle, Motor Trend, Field & Stream, Bloomberg Businessweek, Seventeen and New York Magazine in addition to other magazine titles.

In addition to magazines Rowan Public Library’s collection of includes thousands eaudiobooks, ebooks and streaming video in collections such as best-sellers, children’s, business, romance and something for readers of all ages.

Users may browse the library’s digital collection, instantly borrow titles and start reading, listening or watching for free. This service is compatible with all major computers and devices, including iPhone®, iPad®, Android™, Windows® phones and tablets, and Kindle®.  All titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period eliminating late fees. Users can borrow up to five titles and have six items on hold at any one time. To acquire a card visit any branch of Rowan Public Library or sign up for a digital services only card at https://www.rowancountync.gov/702/Online-Card

Rowan-Salisbury School System students can use their student id to access NC Digital Library titles.

Join US for the Great American Read!

By Paulette Stiles Rowan Public Library

     If you are anything like me, a book has at one time or another been your Best Friend Forever (BFF).  One of the most dismal winters of my life was made much more colorful and bearable by reading a bedraggled copy of Don Quixote while I rode the city bus home to a lonely apartment.  In contrast to remembering that time as cold, miserable and downtrodden, I disappeared instead into the timeless world of Miguel de Cervantes’ medieval Spain, remembering  the smell of horses,  the sight of windmills, the summer heat as I followed the trials and tribulations of the humorous characters in the errant knight’s pursuit of his beloved Dulcinea.

     If you have been by your local library this summer, you may have noticed a colorful display of classic novels conveniently displayed to entice you away from your iPads, smart phones, and social media.  Reading harkens back to a time peaceful enough to enjoy a quiet read.  Across the country, libraries and communities are being encouraged to take a quiet moment to reflect on the stories that captured our imaginations, stole our hearts, or impacted our lives.  For fun, I enjoy looking at the list of a hundred books to see how many I have read, and make a promise to myself to read the ones I have missed.  

    Luckily, The Great American Read will be going on through October 23, 2018 so I have several more months to change up the number of books on the list I have read (a paltry 27, if you must know).  PBS will be hosting an eight part companion series examining such themes as “Who Am I?”, “Heroes”, “Villains and Monsters”, and “What We Do for Love” gleaned from the books on the list.  The series will air every Tuesday evening 8 pm/7 pm Central from September 11 to October 23 on your local PBS station.  PBS and your library invite Americans to come together and enjoy our shared heritage through reading. 

     Reading has health benefits too.  People who read are 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.  According to studies, reading six minutes a day reduces stress by up to 68%, and reading 30 minutes burns 50% more calories than watching TV.   Now that’s a good friend.  Plus, you can vote for your favorite book and watch the finale, October 23rd to find out which book won the hearts and minds of Americans everywhere.

     Care to share your BFF story?  Rowan Public Library will be filming testimonials from readers talking about their favorite books at the Rowan Public Library, East Branch, 110 Broad Street in Rockwell on Tuesday, September 25, 4:30 – 6:30 pm.  Testimonials will be submitted to PBS Charlotte and could be selected for feature on their social media, and possibly included in the national PBS specials airing this fall.

     Find out more by visiting your host Meredith Vieira at the PBS website: http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/home/ or visit your local Rowan County Library and let us help you find your new BFF.

     

    

    

Fall into Fiction

by Abigail Hardison  Rowan Public Library

Autumn is a great season for reading. It’s cooling off enough to sit outside and enjoy the afternoon breeze, and as night creeps up earlier and earlier the demands of yard work wane and kids are back in school. It’s too early in the season to start worrying about the holidays, so embrace some time for yourself and dive into a great story. This fall we’ve got some fascinating books arriving, and they are already on order in our system, so on your mark, get set, and get your holds placed now! Don’t be the last among your friends to read these and be left out of the conversation.

First up we’ve got Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird, an amazing tale based on the true story of Cathay Williams. Cathay was born in 1844 in Missouri to a free black man and a slave woman, which made Cathay a slave also. During the civil war she was pressed into service for the Union Army in a support role, but by 1866 she had enlisted in the United States Regular Army as “William Cathay”, and became a Buffalo Soldier. This fascinating true story illustrates the indomitable spirit of a woman who was determined to be the master of her own fate; refusing to live a life of servitude due to her race and gender.

Another tale that takes us out west is the next installment in Craig Johnson’s Longmire series, Depth of Winter. The Longmire series has become very popular thanks to the TV series, and author Johnson has written thirteen full-length novels about the Wyoming sheriff. In this thrilling nail-biter, released September 4^th, Longmire’s daughter is kidnapped by drug cartel thugs and, receiving no assistance elsewhere, he must travel to Mexico alone to rescue her. Please place a pillow next to your chair in case you fall off the edge of your seat reading this one. Safety first!

Our last showcased title is one of 2018’s must-read books: Stuart Turton’s The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. This fascinating who-done-it is a blend of Agatha Christie, Downton Abbey, and the movie Groundhog Day. The main character attends a luxurious country house party, but must relive the same day over and over from the perspective of different houseguest until he discovers a killer. This dark and twisty tale is sure to give you some of your first goosebumps of the season.

These are just a few of the new titles arriving this fall, so come by and see what story entices you to chill out, curl up, and dive in. We’ve got everything from romance, mysteries, westerns, thrillers, science fiction and everything in between. If you can’t swing by, you can visit us at rowanpubliclibrary.org or call and reserve a title today! If ebooks are your thing, you can borrow them free through the NC Digital Library using your electronic device. Just let us know if we can assist! We are here to help.