In This Issue:
convenience, and great service
Fall 2010 Workshop Series
From Executive Director Debra Lissak
Welcome to The Urbana Free Library, your one-stop shop for value, convenience, and great service
Value! At your library, you borrow everything for free: books, movies, music, audiobooks, and downloads. Programs are all free too, including regular children’s and music programs. There are free public computers and free wireless access throughout the library, free subscription databases, and free online tutoring for students. The library also has meeting rooms that provide free space for nonprofits holding public events.
Convenience! With your Urbana library card, you have 24/7 access to online databases from anywhere. If something you want to borrow is checked out, you can request a hold and we’ll notify you when your request arrives. Looking for events? Check our online calendar and sign up for email notification of programs and events. We’re open 70 hours per week, including Monday–Thursday evenings and weekends, with notary service available during all hours. You can make copies, use printers, fax, and purchase flash drives – all for a minimal fee. And just in case you settle into a cozy nook here, the onsite Latté Da! coffee shop offers tasty hot and iced beverages, snacks, and sandwiches.
Service! Our staff won’t follow you around as in a retail store, but personal assistance is available at every desk. We’re here to help you with equipment or technology problems. We recommend books, movies, and music you might enjoy and encourage your purchase suggestions. But we’re also happy to have you browse and make note of our great collection – all the popular titles, and some unusual titles as well. And those popular titles… we buy additional copies whenever the number of hold requests increase.
Now add the vibrant downtown to the mix! Your library itself is “one-stop,” but our location in the heart of downtown makes it even better. There are a variety of eating establishments to please any taste, music venues, not to mention grocery stores, natural food stores, and the absolute best farmer’s market (Saturday mornings). You’ll also find a wine store, art galleries, an art supply store, framing shops, yoga centers, a fitness center, a post office, auto mechanics, and an impressive array of other unique retail stores. You name it; it’s here in a very compact, very walkable, very pretty downtown.
The Urbana Free Library! Located in Urbana (an award-winning “Bicycle Friendly Community” and “Tree City USA”), on every major bus route (of the superb C-U Mass Transit District offering annual passes for only $60), and in downtown Urbana (where parking is free all evenings and weekends, and only $0.25 per hour weekdays).
Once Upon a Time, There Was a Librarian Named Barb…
After 22 years as Director of Children’s Services at The UFL, Barbara Lintner has retired. On July 8, the library hosted a reception in her honor so that friends and family could congratulate Barb and bid her a fond farewell.
During her tenure at the library, Barb presented hundreds of children’s programs that radiated with her everpresent enthusiasm for children’s literature. Prior to coming to The UFL in 1988, she was Head of Children’s Services and then Director for the Allerton Library in Monticello. Barb is a past recipient of the Davis Cup Award for outstanding children’s librarian in the state of Illinois. She has been chair of the Illinois Library Association’s “iRead Committee” and a member of the American Library Association’s Caldecott Award Selection Committee. For those who have enjoyed seeing Barb chat about children’s books on WCIA-TV’s Page Turners, fear not – she will continue to make monthly appearances.
Thank you, Barb, for sharing your love for children and for books with The Urbana Free Library!
In this month’s newsletter, our “welcome” addition for those new to the community, we’ll highlight just some of the services
you’ll find helpful at The Urbana Free Library.
Visit us soon!
Entertaining and Educational Programs for the Entire Family
This past fiscal year, The UFL presented over 700 programs and events for the community. If you missed a few, here’s a rundown of regularly scheduled programs and how you can stay informed about what’s happening at your library!
- In the fall and spring, the Champaign County Historical Archives offers workshops to assist you with your genealogical research. For information about fall 2010 workshops, see the back page of this newsletter.
- Check out the best in live local music at free concerts. Regular concerts include Cherry Jam, Prairie Breezes, and UFLive!
- From Babies’ Lap Time to Toddler Time, you can select a program just right for your child! There’s also our popular Preschool Tales for preschool children and preschool groups.
- For book lovers, join us for UFL Reads! Our book club for adults selects, reads, and discusses fiction and nonfiction books of local and popular interest.
- Many nonprofit groups use the Lewis Auditorium and the Satterthwaite Conference Room for meetings that are free and open to the public. What a great way to learn more about the eclectic interests of our community!
To learn more about dates and times of any of the above programs and other events, go to urbanafreelibrary.org and click on the calendar logo. You’ll find information about programs, concerts, special events, and community meetings…AND you can sign up to receive notification of events by email or RSS.
Online Articles and More: Reliable Sources for Articles, Information, and Leisure Reading
Did you know that your library subscribes to over 50 online resources to help provide you with reliable information? Here’s just a sample of what is available:
- Homework Help and Tests:
- Tutor.com - online tutors available 4:00-11:00 p.m. (also available in Spanish)
- Learning Express Library - practice tests for ACT, SAT, GED, TOEFL and more
- Genealogy and Local History:
- Heritage Quest - federal census records and more
- Footnote - over 46,000,000 historical documents and photos
- Job Hunting and Careers:
- Learning Express Library Job Search & Workplace Skills - job search, interviewing, and resumes
- Gale Virtual Reference Library - business section with small business guides
- Language:
- BYKI Online - learn 70+ languages using flashcards and interactive practice sessions
- World Book Online - encyclopedia with machine-translated text, 30 languages
To see a complete list of what is available, go to urbanafreelibrary.org and select “Online Articles & More.” Cardholders from The UFL have 24/7 access from home (or anywhere)! Don’t have an Urbana library card? Everyone may use all of the online resources on the public computers inside the library.
Public Computers and Internet Access
At your library, you’ll find free access to public computer workstations in all service areas. For those with personal laptop computers, the library provides free wireless access to the Internet throughout the building, on Cherry Alley, and on the Race Street porch.
- In the Flex-n-Gate Computer Center on the second floor, you’ll find computer workstations with Internet access, MS Office applications, and digital media software. You’ll also find dedicated workstations for adults, seniors, and multiperson use.
- For adults and caregivers with children, there are parent computer workstations in Children’s Services.
- If you require one-on-one instruction, technology volunteers are available in the Flex-n-Gate Computer Center. Call 367-4405 for scheduled hours.
- Computer workstations in the Champaign County Historical Archives have access to the Internet and online databases for genealogical and local history information. You’ll also find public scanners, including a slide/negative scanner.
- Children in grade 5 and under can head to Children’s Services to have fun using computer workstations chockfull of popular educational games and to use Internet workstations (those under the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult, age 14 or older).
- Need to check your email, but don’t have much time? Express Internet workstations (15-minute access) are located by the Latté Da! coffee shop and in the Flex-n- Gate Computer Center on the second floor.
To use a public computer workstation at the library, a current library card from a public library in the Lincoln Trail Libraries System is required. For those without library cards, a computer-use-only card can be issued at Circulation Services on the first floor.
Champaign County Historical Archives
Fall 2010 Workshop Series
Genealogy Software Showcase
Saturday, August 7 • 9:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m.
FREE workshop with expert demonstrations of genealogical software programs.
Introduction to Genealogy
Thursdays, August 26 - October 14 • 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Get started on your family history with genealogist Nicole Miller.
Finding Grandma’s Ancestors
Saturday, October 16 • 10:30 a.m. - Noon
Learn how to find the vital records of your ancestors in the “old country” with Steve Szabados.
Mining Census Records
Saturday, November 13 • 10:30 a.m. - Noon
Discover how to review information that can be found in U.S. Census records with Steve Szabados.
For a complete description of each workshop, and for applicable registration information and fees, visit urbanafreelibrary.org/archives/workshop.php
