Overdue Books

Books, dvds, etc. that are appearing as overdue while the library is closed for the move will not accrue fines.

Due to our move, all material that is currently checked out will have a due date of April 30th.

Thank you for your patience as we settle into our new building!

The Library Staff

We're On the Move - Back to 725 Hopmeadow !

Because of the move back to our renovated building, we will need to discontinue getting materials from other libraries for a while.

We will no longer take Inter Library Loans (ILL’s) after March 5.


Alternatives:

• You may use your library card at any public library.


• When we open in the renovated building in mid-April we will be happy to Request for you again.
  

New Databases at the Library

Gale Biography Resource Center
The Gale Biography Resource Center covers 340,ooo+ people from around the world and throughout history. It contains full-text magazine articles, select websites, research guides, and features on historical and contemporary individuals currently in the news.

Gale Biography and Genealogy Master Index
The index contains over 15 million citations on nearly 5 million people, that includes name, birth, and death years. Over 600,000 citations are added to the database yearly.

Prepme.com and ExpressLearningLibrary.com
Two great new databases to help you study for those upcoming exams, SAT, GRE, or GED, just to name a few. Watch for them coming "Live" on our website soon at www.simsburylibrary.info/testdatabases.html

Library Director Planning Ahead

Expansion and renovation work at the Simsbury Public Library isn't expected to be finished until March, but the search is underway for volunteers to help with the eventual move back into the building.

Library Director Susan Bullock put out the call last week during an update on the project to selectmen. Ideas for celebrating the library's grand reopening, tentatively set for sometime in early June, are also being sought by the Friends of the Simsbury Public Library. "So if you have ideas for some fun and wonderful ways to celebrate this momentous occasion, please let the friends of the library know," Bullock said.

The $6.1 million project, which began in March, is about 40 percent complete, according to Bullock. It is on time and under budget, she said. Plans call for adding 19,600 square feet to the 23,000 square foot building. In addition to providing much needed display space and areas for reading and studying, the addition will feature "flexible" space that can be adapted for various uses. The expanded building also will have a conference room, 150-person meeting room and a technology center, Bullock said Wednesday. The children's department will more than double in size and will have distinct areas geared to children of different ages, she said.

The friends group has launched a capital campaign to raise money for furnishings and equipment, but their fundraising goal could not be determined Wednesday. In May 2006, residents authorized the town to borrow $4.6 million for the project and to use $1 million from reserves. A $500,000 state grant also was obtained, and the friends have pledged to match that.

The contractor expects to have the building completely enclosed by the end of November, Bullock said. The copper roof is being replaced, and proceeds from the sale of the old copper will go to the town, she said.The move back into to the building is expected to take about two weeks, during which books and other materials will be taken from the temporary facility and three other storage locations. Bullock said she had no worries about finding volunteers. "I'm confident this town can provide us with volunteers because you have done it again and again, and thank you for that," she said.

Anyone interested in helping with the move or with the grand opening is asked to contact friends President Sarah Hart at hart.d@comcast.net.

(Reprint from the Hartford Courant, October 4, 2007)

Libraries Video Future

Great news—the video future of libraries has arrived! Recorded Books is launching MyLibraryDV, a new downloadable video service for public libraries, nationwide. We want to thank you for taking part in this exciting new service. There are currently over 250 programs available with over 150 more to be added by the end of the month. You will find popular videos like:

America’s Test Kitchen

America’s Test Kitchen is the most watched cooking show on Public Television and is hosted by the editorial staff of Cooks Illustrated. Host and Editor-in-Chief Chris Kimball, together with chefs Julia Collin and Bridget Lancaster, give viewers fully tested, foolproof recipes that are fun to cook at home.

Rick Steves’ Europe

Rick Steves advocates smart independent travel. As host, writer and producer of the popular public television series Rick Steves’ Europe, and best-selling author of 30 European travel books, he encourages Americans to delve deep into Europe and become “temporary locals.” His readers and viewers not only discover major cities, but also cozy villages away from tourist-trampled routes. He helps American travelers connect much more intimately and authentically with Europe—and Europeans—for a fraction of what mainstream tourists pay.

Antiques Roadshow

A breakout hit with antiques lovers and general viewers alike, Antiques Roadshow is a fascinating blend of expert appraisals and compelling drama. In each episode of this four-time Emmy Award™-nominated program, the Roadshow crew travels to different cities and meets people with a wide variety of collectibles. Whether uncovering hidden treasures or exposing pricey fakes, Roadshow experts provide intriguing antiques lore while delighting fans of PBS’s most-watched program.

Welcome to the world’s first video-on-demand service aimed at public libraries.
Through MyLibraryDV, Recorded Books delivers the downloadable video future to your library. This all-inclusive service turns your website into a high-demand repeat destination for your patrons by offering unique programming such as movies, cooking shows and popular do-it-yourself programs.

Up and Coming on MyLibraryDV

Film Movement’s award-winning, first-run films allow viewers to screen independent and foreign films from such top film festivals as Sundance, Cannes and Toronto. The selections are presented by leading voices in film, including Christian Gaines of American Film Institute, Nicole Guillemet of the Sundance Film Festival, and Nate Kohn of Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival. MyLibraryDV will feature 20 of the best films offered by Film Movement including the following:



Agata e la tempesta
Nominated for 8 David di Donatello Awards at the Italian Academy Awards; Winner of 5 awards at the Israeli Film Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress




Witnesses
Winner, Peace Film Award, Berlin International Film Festival; Winner, Audience Award,Karlovy Vary International Film Festival





Campfire

Winner of 5 awards at the Israeli Film Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Supporting Actress Winner, Fipresci Prize, Chicago International Film FestivalWinner, Don Quixote Award, Berlin International Film FestivalWinner, Audience Award, Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema

New Lecture Series Available on CD at the Library

The Simsbury Library has recently purchased titles in a new lecture series entitled "The Great Lecture Library". It is an opportunity to excite your mind while listening to lectures given by world renowed lecturers.

The lectures are provided by the Chautauqua Institution and the Great Lecture Library. Internationally known as a center for education, the arts, religion and the sciences, the Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York was founded on the belief that everyone "has a right to be all that he can be - to know all that he can know". The Great Lecture Library is comprised of lectures and sermons that have taken place there. The greatest thinkers, politicians, artists and composers of our time have come to Chautauqua to cultivate their gifts.

The lectures are located near the audiobook area of the library and may be borrowed for 3 weeks. If the lecture you want is charged out, place a hold on it at the circulation desk, it's that easy!

Library Offers New Web-based Reference Service

The Simsbury Library is pleased to announce that we are now offering InfoAnyTime.

InfoAnyTime is a real-time, web-based reference service that provides live librarians to assist the public in finding information.

Sessions are conducted via online chat. Anyone with a web browser can access the service - there is no special software required. Users of the service click on the InfoAnyTime link on the library's web site, enter their name and email address (optional), and wait a few moments for a librarian to come online.

Professional, highly-trained librarians conduct reference interviews via online chat, and provide answers and further resources in the form of web sites and online database citations. These online resources appear directly on the user's screen, next to the chat session window. The user
may interact both with the web sites provided and with the librarian until his/her question has been answered satisfactorily.

Visit us at www.simsburylibrary.info to use InfoAnyTime.