Library Dedicates Exhibit
“Not Afraid to Go: Acton’s Part in the Birth and Preservation of Our Nation” a new permanent exhibit at the Memorial Library, was dedicated on Patriots Day, April 19, 2008. The exhibit starts with the establishment of colonial militias and covers the Revolution, War of 1812, Baltimore Riot and Civil War. It includes sections on the Acton home front during the Civil War; the founding, flourishing and decline of the local Grand Army of the Republic post; and the gift of Memorial Library to the town in honor of the Civil War veterans and dead. The exhibit showcases numerous artifacts owned by the library and many replicas from the Acton Historical Society’s extensive collection. The exhibit was funded by a Community Preservation Act grant, the Friends of the Acton Libraries, the Acton Memorial Library Foundations Matching Donations Fund, the Acton Rotary Club, the Acton Lions Club and the library’s Lois Parker Fund. “Not Afraid to Go” is available for viewing during library hours, which are Monday through Thursday 9 to 9, Friday and Saturday 9 to 5, and Sunday 2 to 5. There is no charge to view the exhibit.
READ Red Sox! Click here for a list of Red Sox items in the Acton Memorial Library.
Auto Repair Information Available
Acton Memorial Library patrons now have access to “Auto Repair Reference Center” an online database of auto repair information. The database contains information on most domestic and imported vehicles, from 1945 to the present. Content includes printable wiring diagrams, step-by step instructions with drawings, technical services bulletins and recalls, time and labor estimates, and a complete guide, in text, video and audio, to today’s automobile technology. Auto Repair Reference Center is produced by Ebsco Industries in partnership with Point 5 Technologies, Inc. The database includes information supplied by Point 5 Technologies Inc. under license from Nichols Publishing, the former publisher of Chilton Information, and information from Delphi Integrated Service Solutions. The database is available from library computers and to home users who are Acton residents. To access this and dozens of other subscription databases, visit the library's Subscription Databases page.
Database Update - Reuters Investment Reports Available
Reuters Research on Demand, a collection of research reports from investment banks, brokers, independent research providers and Reuters itself, is now available to Minuteman library patrons. To access the reports click on “Subscription Databases” in the menu at left and then on “General Business File”. After you are logged in, click on “Advanced Search” (in the left hand column). Then click on “search by Ticker Symbol” (at the bottom of the page). Enter a company's ticker symbol into the pop-up box (ticker symbols can be looked up on the web at http://www.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/lookup.asp). Investment reports from a variety of sources will display in chronological order. Click on a report for the full text, which will range from a one page snapshot to dozens of pages of detailed financial analysis. General BusinessFile ASAP is just one of dozens of high quality subscription databases available free to Acton Memorial Library patrons. For the full list, visit the library's Subscription Databases page.
Upgrades to the Minuteman Catalog
On October 31 the Minuteman Catalog was upgraded to include several exciting user-friendly enhancements. Searchers will notice a new, cleaner look with reorganized menus, more white space and less clutter. Highlights of the upgrade include:
• Search results with color book jackets, summaries and book reviews.
• The ability to pay fines with a credit card directly and securely from your online library account.
• The ability to request a title from the search results page.
• The ability to save a list of titles and request a group of titles at once.
• The ability to bookmark a title using a Google Bookmarks account or another free web bookmarking service.
• Spell check of search terms.
• The ability to rate a title with a star system and share ratings among Minuteman patrons.
• Keyword search results presented in relevancy order.
For more information on these new features please call the Reference Desk at 978-264-9641, Option 3, or visit the web at: http://www.mln.lib.ma.us/catalog/new2007/newopac.htm
Four New Computer Workshops
Four new introductory computer workshops are now being offered at the Library.
• Basic Computer Skills introduces Windows and Microsoft Word.
• Email Basics shows participants how to sign up for a free email account and how to send and receive messages and attachments.
• Searching the Internet covers the use of directories and search engines. It will also show participants how to search the Library's online subscription databases for full-text articles, test preparation, genealogy and more.
• Using the Minuteman Library Network Catalog includes searching, placing reserves and home access to the library catalog.
The workshops are for novices and are intended to give participants the skills and confidence to operate on their own at a beginner level. These hour-long, one-session workshops will be held on Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. and Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. on a rotating basis. Each workshop will be given at least twice a month. Call (978-264-9641, option 3) or come by the Reference desk to check the schedule and register: The schedule can also be checked online on the library's “ Events Calendar .”
Online Test Preparation Materials Available
The Acton Memorial Library is now offering patrons access to the LearningExpress Library , a comprehensive online service for improving academic and employment skills.
Included are interactive practice tests for more than 300 academic and licensing exams such as the ACT, SAT, GED, GRE, GMAT, ASVAB, Citizenship, Real Estate, EMT, and Civil Service exams. Study guides in e-book format are also included.
In addition to the practice tests, there are online courses to improve skills in writing, grammar, reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, and mathematics, as well as employment skills including resume writing and employment interviewing.
The library's subscription also includes an interactive training program for learning basic computer skills with a focus on Microsoft Office programs: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Outlook, and Internet Explorer.
The service is available to any one visiting the library from library computers, and to Acton residents with valid library cards from wireless notebooks or home computers. LearningExpress Library is just one of dozens of high quality subscription databases available free to Acton Memorial Library patrons. For the full list, visit the library's Subscription Databases page.
“Encyclopedia Judaica” Available
The second edition of Encyclopedia Judaica is now available in the Memorial Library's reference collection. This 22-volume set is an authoritative, interdisciplinary and comprehensive examination of all aspects of Jewish life, history and culture. The encyclopedia is the recipient of the 2007 Dartmouth Medal, presented by the Reference and User Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, for current reference works of outstanding quality and significance. This monumental reference work was purchased with funds provided to the library by the Acton Memorial Library Foundation, Inc. through the generosity of its donors.
Due date Reminder Notices Delivered via E-mail
In July patrons with e-mail addresses in their user accounts began to receive due date reminder notices by e-mail for items checked out on their accounts. This service was implemented after a survey revealed that 90% of the respondents wanted to receive such reminders. Anyone with an e-mail address in their account record will now automatically receive reminders 2 days before items are due. If you prefer that these reminders do NOT appear in your e-mail you can set up your mail program to filter out messages with the subject line “Library reminder”. Instructions for doing so in many popular mail programs are posted at: http://www.mln.lib.ma.us/catalog . Filtering out the subject "Library Reminder" will affect only due date reminders—you will continue to receive Hold Pickup Notices, Overdue Notices and Bills via e-mail. To add, delete, or change an e-mail address log into your account at https://library.minlib.net/patroninfo and select “Modify Personal Information”.
NEW! College Courses on Audio CD
The library has purchased a number of titles in the “Modern Scholar” and “Great Courses” audio series. Modern Scholar (from Recorded Books), and Great Courses (from the Teaching Company) are recorded college-level courses presented in lecture-style format by respected professors and scholars from around the country. The Modern Scholar titles each include fourteen lectures on seven audio CDs, complete in one package. The Great Courses range from 12 to 96 half hour lectures, often packaged in multiple parts. The courses include subjects from a range of disciplines, including science, literature, philosophy, religion, history, and art and music appreciation. For a list of the library's holdings, please click HERE.
Going on Vacation? Stop your requests from being filled while you're away
You now have the option of suspending or “freezing” holds for selected items you are waiting for. When you Freeze a hold, you continue to move up on the waiting list but your request will not be filled until you remove the Freeze. The option to Freeze Holds is useful if you are going on vacation and don't want requests filled while you are away, or if you are simply too busy to use all of the items you have requested right away. To Freeze holds: 1) Log in to “ My Account ” 2) Place a mark in the check box that appears in the right in the column headed "FREEZE" (this box only appears if your Hold is eligible to be suspended) 3) Click on UPDATE LIST. When you come back from vacation, reverse the process by unchecking the box in the FREEZE column and click UPDATE LIST.
Database with 14 Million Businesses Can Be Searched From Home
Acton residents now have home access to the ReferenceUSA business database, a source of information on 14 million U.S. businesses. Searchers can find businesses by 28 different criteria, including number of employees, sales volume, type of business, geographic location, and names of key executives. Records for individual companies include a comprehensive business profile and links to business news articles, public filings, current stock quotes and company web sites. The content of this database has expanded considerably since the library first subscribed several years ago. If you have used it in the past but not recently, now is the time to take another look, (which you can now do from the convenience of your home!). ReferenceUSA is just one of dozens of high quality subscription databases available free to Acton Memorial Library patrons. For the full list, visit the library's Subscription Databases page.
New Web-Based Genealogy Tools
The Acton Memorial Library now subscribes to NewEnglandAncestors.org, a collection of online databases from the New England Historic Genealogical Society. The NewEnglandAncestors site includes access to hundreds of databases, including: Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910; The New England Historical and Genealogical Register , 1847-1999; The Search for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in The Boston Pilot 1831-1920; The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633; Index to the Probate Records of Middlesex County, Massachusetts ; and Massachusetts Soldiers in the Colonial Wars. NewEnglandAncestors is only available to in-library users from library computers. The library also maintains subscriptions to Ancestry Library Edition (in-library only) and HeritageQuest Online (remote access available to Acton residents). These are just a few of the dozens of high quality subscription databases available free to Acton Memorial Library patrons. For the full list, visit the library's Subscription Databases page.
Long Range Plan Available
Thanks to everyone who participated in creating the Acton Memorial Library's Long Range Plan, which is now available on the Board of Trustees page.
Downloadable Audiobooks Available
Downloadable audiobooks for your computer or portable digital audio device are now available through the Downloadable Audiobooks link under COLLECTIONS on the left hand navigation bar.
