Monday, January 30, 2006

online catalog training


Do you want to help your kids finding books using online catalog and would like to know how to use the computer to search the catalog? Would you like to check out what's available at your local library from the comfort of your home? Help is on the way. Come and join us for the training session on using Luzerne County Library System Online Catalog called LUCAS @ your service. During this session you will learn how to search the collections of the Luzerne County Library System for a book, video or an audio using a computer. You will also learn how to conduct these searches from home or any remote location.

Where : Osterhout Free Library
71 S. Franklin Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
When: February 20, 2006
Time: 2:00 pm-3:30 pm

Give us a call to register @ 821-1959

Thursday, January 19, 2006

e-books available through Learning Express Library

New electronic versions of most popular 150 reference titles wiil be available through Learning Express Library. Each month Learning Express Library will add a few supplementary online resources in the form of eBooks. These resources will benefit those who want to improve their skills, or prepare for college admissions or career certification and licensing exams. The list of books available online is as follows:

501 Algebra Questions
501 Challenging Logic & Reasoning Questions
501 Geometry Questions
501 Grammar Questions
501 Math Word Problems
501 Reading Comprehension Questions
501 Synonym & Antonym Questions
501 Word Analogies
501 Writing Prompts
1001 Math Problems
1001 Vocabulary & Spelling Questions
Algebra Success in 20 Minutes a Day
ASVAB
ASVAB Core
ASVAB Success
Border Patrol
California Real Estate
Catholic High School Entrance Exam
CBEST
Civil Service Career Starter
Computer Technician Career Starter
Cosmetology Career Starter
EMT-Basic Exam
Firefighter Exam
Geometry Success in 20 Minutes a Day
Grammar Essentials
How to Study
Math Essentials
Nursing Assistant/Nurse Aide
Paramedic Exam
Police Officer Exam
Postal Worker Exam
Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day
PRAXIS I
Read Better, Remember More
Reading Comprehension Success in 20 Minutes a Day
Reasoning Skills Success in 20 Minutes a Day
Texas Real Estate Sales Exam
Treasury Enforcement Agent Exam
Vocabulary & Spelling Success in 20 Minutes a Day
Write Better Essays
Writing Skills Success in 20 Minutes a Day
In order to access these books go the Osterhout Free Library's web page, click on the Learning Express Icon, type your user name and a password and then click on e-Books.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Want to learn Spanish?

If you are interested in learning basic Spanish here are couple of websites you may want to visit.
For online video course checkout
Spanish - Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish. This online video course teaches speaking, listening, and comprehensive skills in Spanish.
Also visit
Pumarosa a web resource that provides 15 beginners and intermediate lessons. It includes Spanish-English practice for ESL for those learning English. English-Spanish practice for those learning Spanish.
These websites are also listed under Interesting Websites at the Reference /Information Services link from the Osterhout Free Library web page.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Rescheduled Franklin Street Sleuths Book Talk

The book talk of December 18th that was cancelled due to severe weather conditions has been rescheduled for January 26th at 6:30 p.m. The book talk will be held at the Osterhout Reading Room.

New Online Database

Recently we have added an online literature reference database called “Literature Resource Center” to our collection. It is the premier Internet resource for information on literary figures from all time periods writing in different genres such as fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, history, journalism, and more. Rich in biographical, bibliographical, and critical content, the Literature Resource Center includes over 5000 explications and overviews of prominent literary works; links to 5100 websites focusing on major authors and their works; over 6500 timeline events to help place literature in its historical and social context, 2300 author portraits; and a guide to writing a Modern Language Association-style research paper. It also works as an online index to Thomson Gale's literature products.

Literature Resource Center can be searched by author, title, keyword, and literary historical timeline. The advanced search feature of this database allows restricting searches to specific document type such as autobiographical essay, biographical essay, critical essay, and interview, etc as well as to individual databases such as Contemporary Authors, Contemporary Literary Criticism, and Full-Text Journals etc.

You can access this resource from the library as well as from any remote location. To access Literary Resource Center, from
any remote location, go to the Osterhout Free Library’s web page. Click on the Literary Resource Center and then enter the barcode on the back of your Luzerne County Library card. Due to the limit of one user at a time you may have to wait to access this database. If you need further assistance please call direct reference line @ 821-1959.