SOME ONLINE OPTIONS FOR STUDYING FOR GED TESTS AND ENTRANCE EXAMS

OK, so you need access to sample questions for GED preparation or college assessements and all the "good" books at the Petawawa Public Library are already checked out.  Or perhaps you just can’t make it in to the library to see what we have in the way of study guides.  Give these online options a try:

INDEPENDENT LEARNING CENTRE (website)

By taking and passing the General Educational Development (GED) Test in Ontario, you will earn your Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate.  The Independent Learning Centre  (ILC) website provides complete information on registering and preparing for the GED test.  It also provides access to sample questions.  Scroll to Hints and Sample Questions and select Language Arts – Reading, Language Arts – Writing, Mathematics, Science or Social Studies.

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE TEST CENTRE (part of the Algonquin College website)

Some college programs require applicants to prove a certain level of proficiency in basic academic skills.  The Test Centre section of the Algonquin College website provides information on the types of assessments necessary for gaining admittance and includes some sample test questions for English and Math. 

E-BOOKS ON EBSCOHOST (Petawawa Public Library Online Database)

Just because we don’t have a book on our shelves doesn’t mean you can’t read it.  Many books are now available electronically!  eBooks on EBSCOhost (formerly known as NetLibrary) is a service that allows you to read an eBook on your computer at home.   A recent search of the eBooks on EBSCOhost database revealed 2 useful titles:

Curvebreakers. McGraw-Hill's LSAT. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2005. eBook Collection. EBSCO. Web. 18 Aug. 2011.  Click here.

Hasik, James, Stacey Rudnick, and Ryan Hackney. McGraw-Hill's GMAT : Graduate Management Admission Test. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009. eBook Collection. EBSCO. Web. 18 Aug. 2011.  Click here.

Just log into eBooks on EBSCOhost using your library card number and then create a folder in order to read the eBook on your computer.

PETAWAWA PUBLIC LIBRARY CATALOGUE (for those who really like the idea of a “real” book and don’t mind waiting for books to be returned or replaced)

Try one of the following searches in our Online Catalogue:

Subject Search:  “General educational development tests—Study.”
Subject Search:  “High school equivalency examinations Study guides.”
Words or Phrase Search:  “Study guides.”

Then use your library card number and PIN to place a hold one of the books at the library and we’ll let you know when it’s available!  (Don’t have a PIN?  Ask us for one the next time you visit the library.)

Remember, "the sooner the better" when it comes to test prep.  Hopefully these resources will help you get off to a good start.  Good luck with your studies! 

What's New Part 4 - Exciting Children’s Programming

There’s always something interesting going on for children at the Petawawa Public Library! Alyson Young is the Children’s and Young Adult Programmer at the Petawawa Public Library. (Could she HAVE a better last name for the job?) Miss Alyson, as she is known to her Storytime friends, works tirelessly to develop fun and creative activities for kids of all ages.

Just recently, her March Break Week of the Extreme programs proved to be “extremely” successful as kids explored extreme weather, extreme design, and extremely gross creations, and dropped in for a fun Storytime and an exciting Movie afternoon.



But wait, there’s more …

Back by popular demand is the Fancy Nancy Tea Party on Friday May 6. A new twist this time: It will be open to girls AND boys 3-7 years old. Registration begins April 6.

Register now for the Easter Craft Day taking place on Saturday April 16 from 1-2pm. Don’t delay. Space is limited.

On Saturday May 7, drop in between 12 and 2pm to make a special craft for Mother’s Day.

Paws to Readtm is another successful ongoing program here at the library. Register for 15 minute sessions where children develop confidence in their reading ability by practicing with a certified therapy dog. Kids love it! Join us on Thursday April 8 for a Meet and Greet from 11am – 1pm to get to know the Paws to Readtm dogs.

During the month of May, Alyson will be offering a Drop in Storytime with a Spring theme on alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 am. The exact dates will be posted on our calendar in April. Meanwhile, the Saturday Drop in Storytime at 1pm continues until June 18!

As summer approaches, we are gearing up for the TD Summer Reading Program. The theme this year is Splash! Celebrate Summer! This program is planned and presented by a Summer Student under the supervision of Children’s Librarian Janet Coulas. Registration will take place in June. Watch our website, calendar, Facebook and Twitter for the exact dates.

(Heads up for job-hunting University & College students: The Summer student position will be posted in the library and on our website as soon as the funding is approved!)

If you have questions about any of our Children’s and Young Adult Programming, contact Alyson at 613-687-2227 ext. 29 (email: ayoung@bellnet.ca) or Janet at 613-687-2227 ext. 22 (email: jcoulas@bellnet.ca).

For more information about activities in the Children’s Department and to view the current Children’s Department Newsletter, visit the Kids Programming Page of our website.

HINT: “Like” us on Facebook and you’ll get news about library programming delivered straight to your news feed.

What's New Part 3 - NEW Online Resources

A young student uses our Online Databases for  research

If you need quick access to information for your research or personal interest projects, look no further than the Petawawa Public Library. In addition to our always growing collection of books, we have added new health, hobby and kid’s educational e-resources to our list of Online Databases.

Find them on our website at petawawapubliclibrary.ca. Go to the Collections tab and select Online Databases from the drop-down menu. Use them at the library on one of our Public Internet Computers, or on your own laptop. From home, just have your library card handy and enter your 14-digit library card number if prompted.

Try them out now by clicking on the captions below each icon!  (You'll need your library card number to log in to some of them).


Consumer Health Complete

Everyday consumer health care information. Search and browse medical encyclopedias, popular reference books, and magazine articles, as well as fact sheets & pamphlets.

Nursing & Allied Health

For nursing students, physician’s assistant students, and researchers in allied health fields who are looking for answers related to the specialized care, treatment and management of all sorts of patients.

Sante en francais

Santé en français fournit des rapports faciles à lire avec des renseignements scientifiquement fondés dans le domaine de la santé. Ces rapports couvrant diverses maladies, conditions et traitements sont vérifiés par des médecins et reflètent les données les plus récentes.

Chilton Library

The most authoritative automotive repair information available to car owners. Thousands of year, make and model combinations covering the most popular vehicles of the past 30 years, plus additional coverage of specialty models.




Home Improvement

More than 180 home-improvement focused titles covering such topics as architectural techniques, tool and material selection, zoning requirements, and much more.




Agriculture Collection

Focus on agriculture and its related fields: from practical aspects of farming to cutting edge scientific research in horticulture.



Grzimek's Animal Life

Learn all about Amphibians, Reptiles and Birds, Fish, Insects, Mammals and Simple Aquatic Life, including information on evolution, habitat, behavior, range and more. For levels K-12.



PebbleGo

Links to PebbleGo Animals and PebbleGo Earth & Space designed for grades K-3. Includes articles, games and videos!

These online resources are brought to you by the Southern Ontario Library Service and Ontario Library Service - North. The support of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture is gratefully acknowledged.

What's New Part 2 - eBooks through OverDrive

Imagine being able to browse, sign out and read library books whenever you want, all without leaving the comfort of your own home. For a growing number of people, access to library books is really becoming this easy. If you have a Petawawa Public Library card, you can now borrow eBooks powered through OverDrive. These eBooks can be downloaded to compatible devices such as Sony, Nook and Kobo eReaders (plus others) as well as iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Android mobile devices!

The Basics …

Before you borrow OverDrive eBooks the first time, make sure you have your library card and PIN handy. (Visit the library to get your PIN if you don’t have one yet). You will also need to set aside time to download the free Adobe Digital Editions software to your computer in order to transfer titles to your eReader or take the time to install the free OverDrive Media Console app for your mobile device (iPad, Blackberry etc.).

NEW ...

OverDrive has just added a customized help feature on its main page. Just click on “My Help” on the left side of the OverDrive Download Centre page (under the Search box). Here, you will find easy to follow step-by-step instructions for downloading eBooks (and Audiobooks too) specific to your device.

Good to know …

If you are invited to “Place a hold” that means the title is not currently available. You will be notified by email when the book is available. It is also important to know that you are permitted to have only 5 books at once, including eBooks and Audiobooks.

We share the collection with other libraries in Ontario. To avoid the disappointment of picking titles showing as “unavailable”, click on “Advanced Search” (under the “Quick Search” box).  This opens another page where you can check the box at the bottom that says “Only show titles with copies available”.

When you wish to download an eBook, you will need to sign in by selecting the Petawawa Public Library first, and then entering your 14 digit library card number and PIN. You can also change the borrowing period from 7 to 14 days if you wish.

More help and information is available in a question and answer format here: Help - Policies and Procedures - Borrowing Help.

We hope you enjoy your eReading experience with OverDrive. Let us know if have any questions or great tips to share. Remember, this is all new to us too!

(OverDrive ebooks are brought to you by the Southern Ontario Library Service and Ontario Library Service - North. The support of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture is gratefully acknowledged).

Our next blog post will cover some our newest online resources.

What's New Part 1 - Becoming involved

The year 2011 has brought some new opportunities to the Petawawa Public Library: 

• opportunities to become more involved
• opportunities to try out eBooks
• opportunities to explore some great new online resources
• opportunities to participate in more awesome children’s programming
• and of course, opportunities to read new and exciting books

A new Petawawa Public Library Board has been formed and will soon have its first meeting. Currently, there are 5 members. The Council Representatives are Theresa Sabourin and James Carmody and the trustees are Betty Almon-Felhaber, Ed Chow, and Cathy Higgins. As it stands, this is the minimum number of members required and there is still a call out for more volunteers. If you have an interest your library, one free Wednesday evening per month and a desire to serve your community, pick up an application at the Municipal Offices at 1111 Victoria Street. Library CEO Carol Goldsmith will be happy to answer questions as well. Contact her at 613-687-2227 ext. 21 or cgoldsmith@bellnet.ca.

Adult Volunteer Coordinator, Maggie Jacques is now looking for help with book repair to extend the life of our book collection, and document scanning for our Digital Heritage Collection Community Digitization Project. Contact her at 613-687-2227 ext.25 or mjacques@bellnet.ca.

Children’s Librarian, Janet Coulas would like to start up a new TAB program (a Teen Advisory Board) to find out what activities and services teens would like to see at the library. There are also lots of new children who need high school students to help them with their reading in the ever popular Reading Buddies program. Added bonus: Teens can earn Community Service Hours for school for both of these opportunities! Contact Janet at 613-687-2227 ext. 22 or jcoulas@bellnet.ca.

So, if you are looking for new and interesting ways to become more involved in your community, check out your library!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series to find out the latest news on our access to downloadable eBooks!

(The Emerald Necklace in the above image was created by Hans Collmorgen and honours long-term volunteers at the Petawawa Public Library).

Celebrate Public Library Week at the Petawawa Public Library (October 18 to 23, 2010).

In keeping with the theme, Opening Doors to the Future : Your Library -- Your World, we welcome you to visit and participate in the activities we have planned for Ontario Public Library Week.

On Monday morning, at 10:00 am, Mayor Bob Sweet will open the library to officially kick off the week. There will be treats too! So don’t miss out.

Throughout the week, enter our WHY I LOVE MY LIBRARY DRAW. Let us know what you think of us and what else you’d like to see and you could be eligible for a prize! There will be adult, teen and children’s categories.

Children can also create a special WHY I LOVE MY LIBRARY BOOKMARK. The Children’s Department will collect the bookmarks and draw a winner whose creation will be reproduced and distributed at the library. How cool is that?

We have also invited each of the Candidates running for Town Council to stop by the library to interact with patrons during Public Library Week. The schedule will be posted on our home page, and will be updated if changes are made. Make the most of this chance to have a face to face meeting with the people you will be choosing to influence the future of Petawawa and the library.

Got fines? During Public Library Week only, we will forgive fines you have accumulated in exchange for non-perishable food items or craft supply items (from a list compiled by the Children’s Department) as follows:
1 item = 25 cent fine for a book-type material
1 item = 50 cent fine for a CD or CD-ROM type material
1 item = $1.00 for a movie
(Basically a single fine for any 1 library item will be forgiven in exchange for a single donation).

We want to know your favourite book or author. Record your choice on our fancy heart-shaped sticky notes and we’ll create a display featuring the book or author with the most votes. We can’t wait to see what you’ll pick.

On Wednesday from 10:30 – 4:00 and Thursday from 4:00 – 7:30 explore the library’s online resources using our training computers in the main hallway. Test drive the Auto Repair Reference Centre. Find a new book or author with NoveList. Peek through the portals to the past using Ancestry Library Edition and our Digital Heritage Collection. Best of all, once you see what’s available, you can use most of them in the comfort of your own home!

Don’t forget to participate in our staff version of Guess Who? We’ve supplied clues about our “wild and crazy” pasts and you get to match the description to the library staff member. You just might be surprised.

It’s your library. Check it out!

Volunteer Opportunities for Teens at the Petawawa Public Library

Don’t wait until the last minute to start work on your community service credit for high school graduation. 40 hours of volunteering might not seem like a lot now, but trying to squeeze them all in during the last weeks of Grade 12 will really make it seem like a chore. Why not get a head start and consider the Petawawa Public Library as one of your community service options?

Who can volunteer?
As long as you’re attending high school this September, you’re eligible to apply as a student volunteer.

What would I be asked to do?
There are lots of areas where we need help. Whether you enjoy working with others, or independently, there’s a job for you at the library. Some examples:

Reading Buddies is a program where you will be paired up with a younger child to help him or her practice reading skills. This requires a commitment of 1 hour per week on a night that works for both you and the child’s family.

General Library Volunteers sort and return books to their rightful places on the shelves. Keeping things organized makes it easier for others to find what they’re looking for. We really rely on volunteers who can come in on a regular basis to help with this.

Library Programs, which take place from time to time, use volunteers for setting up, supervising activities (especially for children’s programs) and other duties according to the requirements of the event.

Internet/Computer Workshops use the expertise of tech savvy teens to help teach basic computer skills to small groups at the library using our training computers. Spend 1.5 hours per week helping others become connected by showing them how to safely use email, surf the Internet, get onto Facebook and more!

Teen Advisory Board members get to give their input on library issues to help us build programs and collections that speak to teens. By committing to two hours once a month, you can help improve the library and get community service credit. It’s a win-win situation!

Where do I sign up?
You will need to pick up a Student Volunteer Application at the library, or print out the PDF version, and just fill it out. If you’re under 18, you will also need a parent’s or legal guardian’s signature as well as a witness’ signature. Then just drop it off at the front desk. The Children’s Librarian will contact you to set up a brief interview so she can get to know you and discuss your volunteer duties.

Who do I contact for more information?
Janet Coulas, the Children’s Librarian will be happy to answer your questions about volunteering at the library. Reach her at 613-687-2227 ext. 22 (leave a message if she doesn’t answer and she’ll get back to you), or dash off an email to her at jcoulas@bellnet.ca.

Ready to start working on those volunteer hours now? Want to find out more about what the library has to offer teens? It’s your library. Check it out!