Collinsville Memorial Public Library Center Website

Read all about the Collinsville Memorial Public Library Center, a member of the Mississippi Valley Public Library District at http://www.collinsvillelibrary.org

IM, West Law, Online book and more...

In the last couple of days I have adjusted our website to include a number of new things that I hope you will explore.

On the Home page in the left selection column you will notice 2 new additions -

** The 'Teen Time' button is a new area of our Web that talks to the young adults with homework help, activities at the library, and various other things that would interest the younger set.

** Just under that is a new 'IM' address for your questions whether in general on the library, reference, or whatever. For those of you hooked up with an IM address, you can talk to me realtime when the button indicates that I am online. My name is LibrarianBarb. At the moment I am only signed on to AOL but I am looking into GoogleTalk and a couple of others. Will keep you updated... Please talk to me if you see me online. I love this way of reaching out and talking to someone! Above it 'Ask the Librarian' is my email if you would like to correspond that way.

** In the body of the Home page is the links to all of the Tax Form sites you that will need plus the link for the IL Circuit Breaker Forms.

** On the Online Database & Reference page a new database has joined the ranks. 'West's online legal research service provides instant access to statutes, cases, news, business information, public records, forms, and much more. This database available in the library only (no home access). ' This is an important addition for those of you interested in the law. Cases and public records are joined by the Illinois State Statutes and more. The database can only be viewed on the Library computers so you will need to stop by and explore its advantage for you.

Don't want you to miss a really cute book online called "Why libraries matter". The programmer did a really cute job of animation and the message (of course!) is very good.
http://www.tumblebooks.com/librariesmatter.swf
I wish there was a way that I could get this to everyone in the community. You can watch it online, download to your computer or send it to a friend all for free. Take a minute and watch it.

Tip of the Week - http://lii.org/pub/topic/olympics Get ready for Torino with our Olympic Games collection, which we started in 2004 and just keeps growing. Explore facts, events, competitions, trivia, history, and much more.

Some helpful links...

** The U.S. Congress Votes Database -This database features "every vote in the United States Congress since the 102nd Congress (1991)." Browse votes by member, or by topics such as party, state, region, "boomer status," gender, missed votes, and astrological sign; and for specific types of votes, such as impeachments, nominations, and treaties. Offers an RSS feed of recent Congressional votes. From washingtonpost.com. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/

** Our Bodies, Ourselves: Companion Website - This website companion to "Our Bodies, Ourselves"--a book about women's health and sexuality--is rich with information about body image, healthy diet and lifestyle, relationships and sexuality, sexual health, reproductive choices, pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, medical conditions, and other topics. Includes articles, book excerpts, news briefs, and website and book recommendations. From the Boston Women's Health Book Collective.URL: http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/

** Stardust: NASA's Comet Sample Return Mission- Extensive information about Stardust, "the first U.S. space mission dedicated solely to the exploration of a comet, and the first robotic mission designed to return extraterrestrial material from outside the orbit of the Moon." Features background and educational material, news about the return capsule (which landed in Utah in January 2006), photos and drawings, animations and videos, interviews, and related information. From the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology.URL: http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/

Blum House looking good and ready for your party

The Blum House, which was given to the Library Board by the Collinsville Building and Loan in 1997, is located adjacent to the Collinsville Memorial Public Library Center. Since the Library took ownership of the home of the Blum Family, the owners of the Blum Cowbell Factory which was closed in the 1950s, tens of thousands of dollars have been put into the house to make it a pleasant place for the public to use by adding a lift for people who have difficulty climbing stairs, a new restroom on the first level and new decoration on the first level.
Now the focus is on the outside of the house. Windows, siding, gutters, outside stairs, railings, front porch and the roof are all having their share of attention. The workmen are busy bringing the outside to a beautiful appearance on our Main Street.
The House is a perfect place to hold a party, a shower, a wedding or any social or organizational function that you would like. The Blum House Book Club meets there on the last Wednesday of every month and every weekend is a bustle of activity of one sort or another.
Gary Clark, the Blum House manager, would love to help you pick a date and help set up an event for you at the House. Visit this web page for phone numbers http://www.collinsvillelibrary.org/blumhouse.htm .

It's the New Year - It's Tax Time!

Tax time and it's time to scramble to get all of your papers filled out.

VITA (a volunteer organization that helps needy individual with tax returns)
will be here at the Collinsville Library Center at 408 West Main Street
on February 25th, March 4th, 11th, 18th and 28th, and April 1st
from 9:00am- 5:00pm

Call VITA at 314-612-4619 to set up an appointment for one of those days.

You must have an appointment.

Tax Forms for personal preparation can be found on the web at the following addresses:

Federal Forms
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html

Illinois Forms
http://www.revenue.state.il.us/

Missouri Forms
http://www.dor.mo.gov/tax/

All other States' Forms
http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/link/forms.html