]]> Matthew Derpinghaus / Support Services Thu, 26 May 2016 09:39:24 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=1769&BlogID=112&BlogPostID=14584
Synopsis: “Shakespeare professor and prison volunteer Laura Bates thought she had seen it all. That is, until she decided to teach Shakespeare in a place the bard had never been before — supermax solitary confinement. In this unwelcoming place, surrounded by inmates known as the worst of the worst, is Larry Newton. A convicted murderer with several escape attempts under his belt and a brilliantly agile mind on his shoulders, Larry was trying to break out of prison at the same time Laura was fighting to get her program started behind bars.
Thus begins the most unlikely of friendships, one bonded by Shakespeare and lasting years—a friendship that, in the end, would save more than one life.”

For more information on OverDrive’s Big Library Read, visit their website.

Need help downloading OverDrive to your new device? Check out detailed instructions here.

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]]> Kathleen Kosiec / Library Services Fri, 13 Mar 2015 09:27:09 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=1769&BlogID=112&BlogPostID=14521
The WPLC was formed in 2001, and its main service is the Wisconsin Digital Library. This digital catalog is utilized by Marathon County Public Library and other Wisconsin public libraries to offer e-books and digital audio books to patrons.

This short survey will help WPLC develop its digital collections so it is as relevant as possible to library patrons.

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]]> Kathleen Kosiec / Library Services Tue, 03 Feb 2015 16:44:30 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=1769&BlogID=112&BlogPostID=14073 Looking for a new book to read on your Kindle or Nook for June? Check out Overdrive’s Big Library Read, which offers community-wide access to a new mystery during June 3-18, 2014. During this special event, all card holders can simply download  "A Pedigree to Die For, Melanie Travis Mystery Series, Book 1 " by Laurien Berenson from Overdrive. Since Overdrive is offering simultaneous use for this title during June 3-18, the title is available right away, with no waiting on hold for the next copy. The title expires at the end of the lending period for each user, not the end of the program.

Publisher’s description of "A Pedigree to Die For": "The apparent heart attack that killed kennel owner Max Turnbull has left seven pups in mourning, and his wife Peg suspecting foul play. But the only evidence is their missing prize pooch—a pedigreed poodle named Beau.

Enter Melanie Travis. With her young son happily ensconced in day damp, the thirty-something teacher and single mother is talked into investigating her uncle's death—unofficially, of course. Posing as a poodle breeder in search of the perfect stud, Melanie hounds Connecticut's elite canine competitions, and finds an ally in fellow breeder Sam Driver. But her affection cools when she's put on the scent of Sam's questionable past...and hot on the trail of a poodle-hating neighbor and one elusive murderer who isn't ready to come to heel.  For, as Melanie soon discovers, in a championship dog-eat-dog world, the instinct for survival, and winning, can prove fatal."

For more information on Overdrive’s Big Library Read, visit the Overdrive website.

For more information on Laurien Benson, visit her website.

Need help downloading Overdrive to your new device? Check out detailed instructions here.

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]]> Kathleen Kosiec / Library Services Mon, 02 Jun 2014 08:56:09 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=1769&BlogID=112&BlogPostID=14041
How to stream videos:
--From the Wisconsin Digital Library Catalog (Overdrive) home page, select “New Streaming Video” under the featured collections list at the top of the page.
-If you are using a web browser, once you have located a title that is available for streaming, simply click "Play" to start watching the video.
-If you are using the Overdrive app, tap the "Add to app' button to add streaming video to your in-app bookshelf.
-Streaming video works on most devices as long as you are using a browser with HTML5 support, like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer.

You can also download movies from the Overdrive catalog. The current digital collection features a diverse assortment of titles. You can borrow titles for 3, 5, and 7 days. Here are just some of the eclectic assortment of titles we found in the digital collection:

Dinotasia
Synopsis from Overdrive: "One of our favorite natural history subjects, the dinosaur, gets a makeover and then some in this fantastically ambitious and groundbreaking documentary that presents a series of vignettes about dinosaurs."

Angel and the Badman (starring John Wayne)
Synopsis: "Proving that good things can happen to bad people, Quaker girl Penelope Worth nurses the disreputable Quirt Evans back to health. Now he must choose between two worlds, the one he has always lived in and the kinder gentler place that Penelope calls home."

Dragon Age: Redemption  (starring Felicia Day) 
Synopsis: "Elvish assassin, gets a last chance at redemption when she is sent to capture a rogue Qunari mage who is intent on wreaking havoc in the world.”
 
Easy Sushi
Synopsis: "Want to learn how to make your own delicious sushi at home? Easy Sushi can show you how! Step-by-step video demonstrations by a professional sushi chef will take you through the entire sushi-making process, from preparation to serving. You'll quickly discover why sushi is so tasty...and healthy, too. From traditional Japanese classics to exciting modern favorites, these recipes are sure to please the whole family.”

How to browse for movies in the catalog:
-From the Wisconsin Digital Library Catalog (Overdrive) home page, select “all collections” under the featured collections list at the top of the page.
-In the drop down menu, select "music and video highlights."

]]> Kathleen Kosiec / Library Services Wed, 21 May 2014 07:52:05 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=1769&BlogID=112&BlogPostID=14000 The Heartbleed bug, the Internet Explorer security flaw, changes to Facebook’s privacy settings, credit card breaches at major retail stores; all are examples of privacy and security breaches headlining local and nationals news. Since our lives are so connected to the Internet, it sometimes can feel like we don’t have a lot of control over our digital lives, and especially our privacy.

Choose Privacy Week is an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that focuses on digital privacy rights. It’s an invitation for libraries and library users to have a conversation about individual privacy rights in a digital age. While privacy has always been an important part of library services, the Choose Privacy Week is a relatively new endeavor for ALA. 2014 is the fifth year of the campaign.

Choose Privacy Week is also a good time for a refresher on ways you can help keep your information safe, especially if you are using a public computer. It’s good practice to make sure you are completely signed out of your email, social network accounts, or any other services where you enter a password before you log off completely from a public computer. Additionally, when you are selecting a password, make sure you are selecting a complex enough password that is still memorable. One way to do this is to select characters and numbers that will form a memorable statement. For example, "ILmcpl@14" would stand for "I love Marathon County Public Library," using the number 14 as a memorable number and a variation of upper and lower class letters.

Many of us are active on social networks, and while we share our birthdays on Facebook, photos of vacations on Instagram, and check-in to a favorite restaurant on Foursquare, it’s important to remember that we also need to protect our privacy.

Here are some of ALA’s tips for protecting your privacy on social media:

Do you want to set your profile to public or private? You probably want potential employers to see your LinkedIn profile and generate hits on search engines, so a public profile is a good option. You might not want the rest of the world to see your Facebook updates, and generally many users make these profiles accessible only to friends and family.

Review privacy settings on social media. Review your favorite social networks for changes to privacy policies and procedures. Usuall,y these setting are links or tabs labeled Settings, Profile, or Privacy.

Remember, once you put something on the internet, it will remain on the internet. Some sites will archive photos or status updates you delete, so keep that in mind. Often celebrities will delete photos or tweets from Twitter they posted only to see them resurface as a screenshot on a blog.

Want some more information about the Heartbeed bug, the Internet Explorer security flaw, Privacy Week, or Marathon County Public Library’s privacy policies?

Heartbleed Bug

Internet Explorer Flaw (including information on the update to address the flaw)

Privacy Week

Marathon County Public Library’s privacy policies

]]> Kathleen Kosiec / Library Services Fri, 02 May 2014 08:54:52 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=1769&BlogID=112&BlogPostID=13659 BadgerLink is a state-funded collection of databases and online services offered to the public for free. Many of the resources on the Marathon County Public Library's Online Resources webpage are offered courtesy of BadgerLink.

Now, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction would like your feedback on how you use BadgerLink (if you use it), what you like about it, ways you would like to see it improved, etc. Please consider completing the survey linked below. It will take about five minutes.

Take the survey!

The survey will close on December 20, 2013. Thank you for completing this assessment of content to be considered for inclusion in BadgerLink.

The Department of Public Instruction is proud to assist Wisconsin libraries and schools by providing the BadgerLink collection of online resources (www.badgerlink.net). BadgerLink currently offers general reference materials including encyclopedias (in English and Spanish); current and historic newspapers from Wisconsin and other states; collections of magazines on subjects of general interest, business, health, education, science, history, and more; collections of materials related to subjects studied in K-12 education, including history, science, literature, health, and the environment; historic documents including census records used by genealogists; auto repair resources; test preparation materials for high school and college entrance examinations and civil service examinations; job search and business skill-building resources and computer skill building tools.

]]> Ben Krombholz / MCPL Support Services Tue, 03 Dec 2013 12:58:48 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=1769&BlogID=112&BlogPostID=13629

]]> Ben Krombholz / MCPL Support Services Mon, 18 Nov 2013 13:02:06 GMT