The Atrium

We get questions from time to time about Calc. Mostly what its purpose is and how to use it.

Calc is a spreadsheet program like Excel, Lotus 1-2-3 or Quattro. You can use Calc to calculate, graph, analyze and store information like personal investments, budgeting, or invoices.

A good tutorial to get you started using Calc can be found at http://www.tutorialsforopenoffice.org/tutorial/First_Time_User_Calc.html. This tutorial clamis that if you follow the steps in it, you will have learned the basic tasks to get you started creating your own spreadsheet. It will teach you how to enter data and perfom basic spreadsheet math to automatically do your calculations for you.

For help with any of the OpenOffice.org programs, you can find tutorials, templates, and much more useful information at http://documentation.openoffice.org/

Posted by Kolene at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I picked up this book mostly because of the funny title and cover, but soon became hooked on the true story of Franz Wisner. Franz had everything--a house in Newport Beach, a successful political career, and a beautiful wedding planned on the California coast. Suddenly, wham! Franz gets an inexplicable demotion at work and unceremoniously shuffled to a tiny office. Franz's fiancee jilts him just days before the wedding, leaving him to pick up the pieces (and cancel the caterer). Stuck with nonrefundable tickets, Franz invites his brother Kurt to join him on his "honeymoon" in Costa Rica, where they enjoy plenty of complimentary champagne (intended for the honeymooners of course) and endure some curious stares. The honeymoon stretches from one week to two years, with the brothers traveling to more than 60 countries. Besides offering some frank and humorous travel advice, Franz shares a touching story of heartbreak and recovery, the journey to becoming best friends with his brother, and discovering how little in life can be planned. Read it now, I hear there is a movie version in the works.

Posted by Lori at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Recently the U.S. Government created a special gateway web page for college students and and their families. Through students.gov, you can link to government (and selected non-government) web sites to help you: choose the right college, apply online for financial aid and scholarships, learn about careers that interest you, tap into government research databases, even get a passport. And don't forget about our library's extensive collection of books on college preparation, financial aid and our special career section at the Main Library.

Posted by Lori at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, did you ever wonder what teens are really doing when not under the supervision of parents, coaches, bosses, or teachers? Four New York City girls decided their freshman year of high school to pass around a notebook where they could catch up on each others lives. They documented these happenings for about two years. What is in it may surprise even the most open minded of us. The girls are all intelligent (they attended NYC's Stuyvesant High School in which they had to be accepted out of thousands of applicants), often very articulate, self aware, and socially aware. They are also young, middle to upper middle class, and living in the largest city in the United States. It is amazing the access to drugs and alcohol they have. By the end of them writing in this notebook, they have learned they have grown up, grown closer, and realized they do not need the drugs and/or the alcohol to have a good time. At times, it is very scary reading because of the realness of them and their situations.

Posted by Mary at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saw an article in this Sunday's Grand Rapids Press from David Debruyn of the Chaffee Planetarium at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids. According to the story the Milky Way Galaxy can be seen this week with the naked eye! No opitcal help with binoculars or telescope is necessary to go out and gaze upon our home galaxy. This mainly has to do with the fact that the moon is near new phase and therefore not flooding the sky with it's light. If the astronomy bug hits you and you want to see the galaxy bring one of these books along!

• The Backyard astronomer's guide by Terence Dickinson
• The National Audubon Society field guide to the night sky by Mark R. Chartrand,
• Astronomy : a visual guide by Mark A Garlick

Posted by Martin at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was at the reference desk the other day and a patron came up looking for maps of some inland lakes of Michigan. We looked through some books we had here at the library, but the one he was looking for wasn't in any of them. We then tried the Michigan DNR website and found this site with depth charts for most of the inland lakes in the state. He left happy and my colleague said I should put it up on the blog.

Posted by Martin at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, the Grand Rapids Public Library had 930, 401 patron visits and circulated 1,523,566 items. This marks a 5.67% increase in visits and a 6.69% increase in circulation from the previous year.

"The substantial growth in both our patrons and the amount of material they checked out demonstrates that the Grand Rapids Public Library continues to be a vital community resource," stated Marcia Warner, Library Director. "The fact that nearly one million people walked through our doors last year indicates that GRPL is the hub of the community-a place where people go for information, education and entertainment."

Circulation in the seven branches increased 13.08%, with the greatest increase seen at the Ottawa Hills, Seymour and West Leonard branches. The branches served 466,019 patrons in the past year. The Main Library saw a 2.57% increase in circulated material and served 464,382 people.

"We are continually striving to meet the needs of the residents of Grand Rapids. Whether it is having a copy of a bestseller on the shelf, providing computers and wi-fi in each location, having knowledgeable, friendly staff available to answer questions, or providing engaging programming, the Grand Rapids Public Library provides a variety of quality services to its patrons," said Warner.

The Grand Rapids Public Library has eight locations throughout Grand Rapids that house over 2.2 million items for patron use. The Grand Rapids Public Library connects people to the transforming power of knowledge.

Posted by Kristen at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In times of war and strife who do we typically hear from? Generals, politicians,news reporters, and pundits. Whose voice is usually lost? The people whose lives are directly affected by the hostilities.

To help gain some perspective on what it means to live in the Middle East during these perilous times read these first person accounts and memoirs of daily life in these troubled lands.

• Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
• The First Evidence : A Memoir Of Life In Iraq Under Saddam Hussein by Juman Kubba
• In The Rose Garden Of The Martyrs : A Memoir Of Iran by Christopher DeBellaique
• Remembering Childhood in the Middle East edited by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea
• A bed of Red Roses by Nelofer Pazira
• Strangers in the House by Raja Shehadeh
• Children Of Israel, Children Of Palestine : Our Own True Stories edited by Laurel Holliday

Posted by John at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ah, it's summertime and the living is easy, except for those pesky mosquitoes! Unfortunately, West Nile Virus is back in the news. Kent County's first West Nile bird death was confirmed recently, so if you've just been ignoring those mosquito bites it's time to become informed about how to prevent the virus.

A wealth of information on the West Nile Virus can be found through various web sites linked through the Michigan Electronic Library.

Get Michigan's latest West Nile Virus statistics or report a dead bird at the Kent County Health Department web site where you can also read the county's action plan and recommendations to deal with this potentially serious illness.

And for some informational summer reading why not settle down with Epidemic!: The World of Infectious Disease or Mosquito: A Natural History of Our Most Persistent and Deadly Foe.

Posted by Jane at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Do you, or someone you know, need help in paying for prescription medications? If so, catch the "Help is Here" Bus which will be in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, July 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Main Grand Rapids Public Library. Trained specialists will be available to help people who do not have prescription drug coverage identify available assistance programs.

The bus is sponsored by Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a national organization which brings together various public and private patient assistance programs, including programs offered by pharmaceutical companies, for those who are eligible, based on age or income, to contact for help in paying for prescription drugs.

You may not be aware of this but Michigan residents with no prescription drug coverage are eligible for the MiRx Prescription Savings Program. Another online resource for finding assistance programs is available through Needymeds, while programs geared for older adults can be researched at BenefitsCheckUp, of the National Council on Aging.

New books such as Drugs for Less by Michael Cecil and Prescription Drugs for Half Price or Less by Stephen Hyde also provide information on finding help with the cost of prescription drugs.

Posted by Jane at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I hate to admit it, but I am technology-challenged. I don't know how to program a new number into my cell phone, or download music to my iPod or get the pictures off my digital camera. If I still had a VCR, trust me, that clock would be blinking.

What I like about the GRPL website, is how easy they make using technology. I want to listen to an eAudiobook on my computer. All I need to do is click a couple buttons and I'm listening to the latest bestseller while I'm cleaning my house. But when I recently discovered that the Library had podcasts online, I was concerned. Just the word "podcast" conjures up some alien spaceship with a lot of advanced technology, probably used for nefarious purposes. But a friend of mine assured me that by listening to a podcast, I would not be summoning the mother ship.

It turns out that the word podcasting started as a way to describe broadcasting audio on an iPod. My friend said that she loved the podcasts she had found on the GRPL website, especially the children's storytimes. She and her children go to their branch library and check out the books that there are podcasts for. Then she downloads the podcasts and has her children follow along with the book -- a great rainy day activity.

I decided to give it a try. There was a podcast of a program that I had wanted to attend at the Library but had missed. A couple of clicks later, I was listening to my first podcast. It was so easy and convenient. I would recommend checking it out.

Hey GRPL -- how about a podcast of how to program my cell phone?

Posted by Kristen at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While listening to the radio today I heard this story about the decline in attendance at our National Parks. This reminded me of another interview I had heard sometime ago with the author Richard Louv. The interview was about his book Last child in the woods : saving our children from nature-deficit disorder. The premise of both the book and the story is that due to increased technology our population at large is losing its connection to nature.

Posted by Martin at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With childhood obesity on the rise, is it right or should it be expected of schools to provide healthier lunch menu items and healthier vending machine items? Many laws in various states are enforcing such things. Instead of offering soda in vending machines, they are replacing it with milk and juice. Lunches are being made more nutrionally balanced. Classroom snacks are being cut out, cut down, or more healthy. Physical activity is also being encouraged moving recess before lunch. Since children spend so much time at school, should schools have this type of control over what children eat and how they exercise as a way to combat childhood obesity?

Want to know more? Try these items,

• Fed up! : winning the war against childhood obesity
• Our overweight children : what parents, schools, and communities can do to control the fatness epidemic

Posted by Martin at 09:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There is lots at the branches - books, programs, CD's, DVD's, magazines, lots more, and air conditioning! Do you live within walking distance? Everything is free if you live in Grand Rapids. Check it out!

Everybody at the Seymour Branch Library!

Meowing at the Van Belkum Branch at Creston

Posted by Martin at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Do you always seem to find yourself at the library during peak hours? Are you tired of standing in line just to check out one or two items? Then it's time you learned how to use our self-checkout stations!

At the Main Library, there are two self-checkout stations across from the Circulation Desk, and one in the Youth Services department on the 2nd floor of the Keeler wing. Yankee Clipper and Seymour branches have self-checkout machines, and West Leonard's will be installed by the end of the week.

Any item can be checked out on one of these stations. That means you can not only checkout books, but also CDs, DVDs, Books on Tape, and anything else we carry.

Does the idea of checking out your own library materials frighten you? It really is a piece of cake!!! Continue reading to find out how to use it!

When you approach a self-checkout machine, you will see this screen:

Place you library card on the scanner bed and wait until you see the next screen:

After you remove your card, you will see:

Place your book on the scanner bed like this:

After the barcode is read, you will see:

Remove the item and place your next item on the scanner bed, or press the # key to complete your checkout.

After you press the # key, your receipt will print.

Smile and wave as you pass all the other patrons waiting in line on your way out the door.

Posted by Kolene at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"Its Deja Vu all over again"

Do those immortal words of Yogi Berra ring true when you are reading about the recent North Korean missile tests, they sure do for me. The Cuban Missile Crisis that took place in October of 1962 during the Kennedy administration had all the earmarks of the current North Korean political situation. So use your library to stay informed. Knowledge is our best weapon.

Posted by Martin at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A colleague just sent me an announcement about a scrapbooking convention here in Grand Rapids. It is called the Great American Scrapbook Convention and will be held July 28th and 29th.

If you are thinking of going to this event you might want to look at these titles before you go.

• 501 great scrapbook page ideas : a gallery of themes and inspiriation from A to Z edited by Kerry Arquette and Lydia Rueger
• Mastering scrapbook page design : design secrets made simple by Michele Gerbrandt
• The encyclopedia of scrapbooking
• Designer scrapbooks with Brenda Walton

Posted by Martin at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For those teens heading off to college, it always seems like an exciting time. It can also be very stressful. Parents don't see much of their kids because, it has been shown, these kids spend as much time with their high school friends as a way of holding fast to those frienships. When college then starts, teens also find out how stressful it can be. Large campuses, strange roommates, bad food can often times lead to what has become known as the "dump call" to parents, the people they can turn to for anything. But don't fear. Advice to parents for this call is to not overreact but be responsive. There are several ways in which parents and these now college students can keep in touch, such as through email and of course the telephone. So, as exciting as college can be, know that it can be stress inducing as well.

Want to know more? Try these books

The Launching Years: Strategies for Parenting from Senior Year to College
Life by Laura Scribner Kastner

It's ok if you're clueless : and 23 more tips for the college bound by
Terry McMillan

Posted by Martin at 01:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have you ever wondered what is in the basement of the library? Could it be like yours, with a kid's play area, boxes of old clothes waiting to go to Goodwill, or an exercise bike that you swore you were going to use everyday? Where do the worn out Barbie dolls go (probably on eBay these days), the issues of National Geographic you have been saving 'just in case,' or the holiday decorations? Well, here at the library, our basement does hold some holiday decorations (sorry, no Barbies), but the bulk of the space is used for books, appropriately titled "Storage Books."

But what kinds of books, you might ask? Remember the fiction title that was hot years ago, even won an award, but it hasn't been read since 1996? How about the latest bestseller that we bought 20 copies of? Librarians just hate to throw things away, so when a book is deemed past its prime, down to the basement it goes. Extra copies of hot titles too. So, if you are looking up something in the catalog and it says 'Grand Rapids Main Storage,' please ask a friendly face at one of our service desks and we will be more than happy to dash down into the bowels of the building and retrieve a hidden treasure for you.

Posted by Martin at 05:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I was looking at NPR yesterday and noticed this article. Just for the title alone it is worth mentioning. But, if you are like me and looking for the next title to read this might be for you. Of all the titles mentioned in the article I have read one called Please Don't Come Back From the Moon by Dean Bakopoulos. It was a Michigan Notable Book for this year, and personally I thought it was a great read!

Posted by Martin at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have you signed up for the GRPL summer reading program? You still can. Get reading and writing so you can finish your reading goal. Have you read any good books? Our reading discussion group is reading E.B. White's Trumpet of the Swan. It's fun to imagine what it would be like to be a swan in the wilderness raising cygnets (baby swans). Turn in your reading log or teen reading raffle ticket(s) to any GRPL library on or before August 5, to get your free t-shirt and coupons.

Brian shows off his Grand Rapids Public Library Summer Reading Program t-shirt (he also liked the ice cream coupon)!

Posted by Martin at 01:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you have children 5 and under and they like singing songs, reading picture books, and participating in play activities, consider bringing them to the library!

The Main Library at 111 Library Street NE has storytimes every Monday, July 10 through August 7 at 11 a.m.

The Yankee Clipper Branch at 2025 Leonard NE has their storytimes every Thursday, July 6 through July 27 at 11:00 a.m.

The July 3rd storytime band gets started.

Matthew has finished finding the red, white, and blue shapes on the flannel board.

Posted by Martin at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wondering what your neighbors are reading? The following titles are the top ten titles on hold for GRPL patrons as of July 1st! Happy Reading!

Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
Two little girls in blue by Mary Higgins CLark
At risk by Patricia Cornwell
Beach Road by James Patterson
Marley & me : life and love with the world's worst dog by John Grogan
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
The Husband by Dean Koontz
Dead Watch by John Sandford
Susannah's garden by Debbie Macomber
Coming Out by Danielle Steel

Posted by Martin at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We get alot of questions about what types of files OpenOffice can open, particularly Writer.

So what file formats does Writer support? The types are too long to list! You can see for yourself by choosing File >> Open from the Writer menu. Look in the "Files of type" box to see the full list. There sure are a lot!

Ok, so what file formats can't be opened with Writer? The most common problem format we have is with MSWorks files ( .wks ). This is because MSWorks files have a proprietary format which is being kept secret by Microsoft. If you work with MSWorks at home, you can get around this by saving WKS files as RTF (Rich Text File). Those will open with Writer on our public PCs.

When you create and save a document using our PCs, the default save format is Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP (or .doc ). This means that you will be able to open your document with any other program that can read .doc files and makes it the most universal.

For more information on OpenOffice file formats, visit the Writer: user-faq at http://user-faq.openoffice.org/faq/ar01s05.html.

Posted by Kolene at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)