CheckItOut@WrightLibrary from Wright Memorial Public Library http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143 <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small">Welcome to the Reference Department Blog. Visit often for information on programs and events, featured research tools, book lists, and Web resources. We encourage you, our patrons, to <a href="http://engagedpatrons.org/ContactUs.cfm?SiteID=4725">give feedback and share</a> your own favorite resources and books. Join us in creating a unique resource for the Wright Library Community. Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Copyright 2013 Wright Memorial Public Library en-us Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:10:07 CDT Consumer Financial Information http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=12202 The holiday shopping season can put pressure on a family's budget and also expose any of us to fraud and scams.  Last year we suggested several Web sites with ideas and educational material for protecting ourselves during this busy time and all year.  This year we offer a couple more:  Consumer.gov and Consumerfinance.gov.

Both of these sites focus on how to protect your financial integrity.  They are concerned with money management, credit and debt, as well as protecting yourself from identity theft and other scams.  At Consumer.gov you will find information sheets on every day financial matters such as bank accounts,  budgets, and credit cards as well as advice on using credit and avoiding identity theft.  Consumerfinance.gov focuses more on financial products, such as mortgages and credit cards, so that consumers understand them and are not hurt by mismanaging them.

You might also want to check out the National Endowment for Financial Education.

]]> Reference Staff Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:42:49 GMT Top Cities Rated http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=11834 We do not want you to move, but if circumstances require it, the Library has the perfect resources for finding the right city.  America's Top-Rated Cities and Top-Rated Small Cities provide data, including demographics, education, housing, income, and transportation, on over 300 cities.  Compare and contrast cities using the tables of statistics and find out which ones excel in areas you feel are important.  There is also a comprehensive report for each city.

To get to the Top-Rated Small Cities from home, follow the link, enter your library card number (all 14 digits), then select the database from the option just below the top-banner on the page and above where the different statistical categories are listed.

]]> Reference Staff Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:04:00 GMT ConsumerReports.org http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=11605 Wright Library has recently acquired access to several new, exciting, and useful online resources for our patrons.  The most recent acquisition is full access to ConsumerReports.org.  This popular and authoritative source for consumer product reviews is now available from any Internet-connected computer with your Wright Library card number.  Just click on the image on the Library's homepage.

Chilton's Auto Repair
Legal Forms Library
Morningstar Investment Research Center
In Library Only
Other new resources include

Don't forget other favorite resources -


Antiques Reference
Ancestry Library Edition
In Library Only
Heritage Quest
Mango Languages
Learning Express
Job & Career Accelerator

All of the Library's online resources can be accessed from any Internet-connected computer (many from mobile devices) with your 14 digit library card number, except Ancestry and Morningstar Investment Research Center, which are limited to in Library use only.

Here is a list of Library resources listed alphabetically.


 

]]> Reference Staff Tue, 09 Oct 2012 14:29:34 GMT Fashion Frugalista http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=11711 Wright Library
presents

Fashion Frugalista:
Harnessing the Hidden Gems in Your Closet

with

Linda Lee Rahn

 Sunday, October 7, at 2:00 p.m.

Ms. Rahn will be teaching how to evict the monsters living in your closet, identify & utilize your hidden gems and how to look fabulous for less, NOT less fabulous!  Check out Linda Lee's Fall Fashion Updates on Living Dayton.

Advanced registration is required and limited to the first 65 people.  Contact Wright Library’s Reference Department at 294-7171 or by email to register..

]]> Reference Staff Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:40:40 GMT Car Repair Online http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=10651 Wright Library has added a new vehicle repair and maintenance database to our online resources.  ChiltonLibrary supplies a solution for the “do-it-yourselfer” that is easy to use no matter the skill level. Repair, maintenance, and specification tables provide critical data on thousands of domestic and imported models of cars, trucks, vans and SUVs from 1940 onward.

Users of ChiltonLibrary will benefit from the following:

  • Parts finder: Direct integration with eBay Motors helps users locate hard-to-find parts
  • Models: Repair, maintenance and specification tables provide critical data on thousands of domestic and imported models from 1940 onward. No other source contains more years, makes and models
  • Convenience: Provides 24/7 access anywhere with an internet connection
  • Simplicity: Detailed, step-by-step instructions reduce the need to use multiple sources of repair information designed for the "do-it-yourselfer" (DIYer)
  • In-depth information: Contains diagnostic trouble codes, descriptions, probable causes, step-by-step routines, specifications, and troubleshooting guide to ensure that even advanced DIYers have all the information they need to complete the repair
  • Multimedia Content: Exclusive videos and animated graphics help to explain system operations providing added clarity and comprehension
  • Photographs: Includes close-up photographs and illustrations, providing strong visual support
  • Diagrams: Vacuum and wiring diagrams help explain complex system operation during troubleshooting
  • Updating: Unlike printed books, the information on ChiltonLibrary.com is updated on a monthly basis, ensuring the most current and up-to-date information available

]]> Reference Staff Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:04:53 GMT Get Organized?Stay Organized http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=10565 Lori Firsdon, owner of Forte Organizers, will present “Get Organized…Stay Organized” at Wright Memorial Public Library on Sunday, March 4th from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.  Plan to join professional organizer, Lori Firsdon, for this fun and informative class.  You’ll learn how to take control of your paperwork, better manage your to-do list, organize any room in your home and get answers to your organizing questions.  Ms. Firsdon will share tips and techniques to help you become more efficient in your home and more productive in your life.  

Ms. Firsdon works with individuals and families at home, as well as business people at work and in group settings.  Raising five children and balancing a career while teaching others how to be organized has given her valuable insight on what organizational challenges most people face.

The program is free and will be held in the Library Meeting Room.  Advance registration is required and is limited to the first 65 people.  Contact the Reference Department at (937) 294-7171 or by email to register.

]]> Reference Staff Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:34:05 GMT Shopping, Shopping, Shopping http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=10094 Many of us will be shopping this coming weekend and throughout the ensuing holiday season.  Whether we enjoy it or dread it, we need to be aware of the potential for fraud and deception and educate ourselves acccordingly.

The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection's Consumer Information Web pages are a good place to start the education process.  Find tips in the Be a Smart Shopper guide.  If you're shopping online there are additional concerns. 

The Ohio Attorney General offers this article, "Protect yourself against Black Friday shopping scams" (no longer available), which although published in 2010 still has relevant information.  And if you're shopping for toys, USA Today provides a video to help you choose safe ones.

Hopefully, you will not encounter any problems, but if you do find out how to file a complaint.  Additional Consumer Guides and Protection are available for a wide variety of consumer topics.

]]> Reference Staff Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:08:48 GMT National Financial Literacy Month http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=8716 Did you know that April is National Financial Literacy Month? That’s right, there’s a whole month dedicated to promoting the importance of financial literacy and teaching Americans the basics of financial education.  There's even a presidential proclamation.

Personal finance education should begin at an early age and continue for a lifetime.  Wright Library provides many books and magazines in this area.  Below are listed some additional online resources.


In 2000, the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, a national coalition of financial education advocates, began promoting April as Financial Literacy for Youth Month. In March 2004, the U.S. Senate passed Resolution 316 which officially designated April as National Financial Literacy Month.

]]> Reference Staff Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:54:41 GMT