The Electronic Newsletter of the Palm Beach County Library System

Contents:
1/ Introduction to Books & Bytes
2/ Checking Your Library Card Account
3/ Database of the Month – Biography Resource Center
4/ Holiday Closings
5/ A Quick Byte – Cut, Copy, and Paste
6/ In Next Month's Issue

1/ Introduction to Books & Bytes

Welcome to the December issue of Books & Bytes. This month we will explain how to check your library card account through our new web catalog. In addition, we will look at Biography Resource Center in our Electronic Databases. Finally, “A Quick Byte” which will feature a short tip to help make your computer use easier.

We hope you enjoy receiving Books & Bytes. Please let us know what you think of our publication by writing to: webmaster@pbclibrary.org

2/ Checking Your Library Card Account

The Palm Beach County Library System’s new web catalog provides easy access to your library card account information! Use our new catalog at the library, from home, or at the office to see what you have out, when it is due, and to renew your items.

To access your account information, start at the library home page (www.pbclibrary.org). From there, choose “Click Here to Search our Web Catalog and Check Your Account.” This will take you into our web catalog. Next, look at the blue, top-right corner of the screen for the words “My Account.” Click on those words and you will be on the right page to check your library card account.

In the “My Account” section, three options are given:

“Review My Account” allows you to view the items currently checked out on your card. To see the list, enter your library card number (without the space between the fourth and fifth numbers) and your PIN. The PIN will be the last four digits of your telephone number. Click on the button “Display User Information” to see a list of your items plus their due dates, along with any fine money owned for overdue or lost items.

“Renew My Materials” allows you to extend the loan period for most items. Again, enter your library card number and PIN, followed by a click on “List Charged Items.” From here, you can select specific items to renew by clicking on their check boxes. To complete the renewals, click on the “Renew Selected Items” button. Please be aware that you are only allowed to renew an item once and only if another person has not placed a request for that item.

“Change User PIN” allows you to change the secret number used to protect your library card account. To change the number, enter your library card number and current PIN. Then type your new PIN in the labeled fields. Your new PIN should be at least 4 numbers long, and no more than 8 numbers long. Use numbers only - no letters, special characters, or punctuation. If you have forgotten your current PIN, you will need to visit a library branch to have a staff member change it for you.

Our new web catalog gives you more control over your library card account. We hope you will enjoy this increased service. Check it out for yourself at:
http://www.pbclibrary.org

3/ Database of the Month – Biography Resource Center

Are you trying to locate the birth date of a famous author? Do you need biographical information on a national politician? Are you trying to track down articles on a well-known scientist? All this can be located in the Biography Resource Center. This database can be found at:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/edb/patronlinks.asp

The Biography Center database contains biographical information on almost 275,000 individuals both living and dead. The search can be made by typing in a person's name, personal facts (date of birth or death, ethnicity, etc.) or by a combination of known facts. The results yield full-text articles and over 21,000 images as well as more than 15,000 carefully researched web links to follow for more information. This dynamic database is regularly updated in order to keep information current.

If you are wondering when you would ever need to use this database, think about the time you watched an old movie and wanted to know more about the life of one of the actors. Or perhaps you heard a poet or a rock star interviewed on the radio and became curious as to what inspired him/her to write a certain work? Your answers can be found in this vast database.

Best of all, this information can be accessed from home. Locate information on a host of famous and infamous people in the Biography Resource Center of our Electronic Databases.
http://www.pbclibrary.org/edb/patronlinks.asp

4/ Holiday Closing

All Palm Beach County Library System locations will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24. All locations will be closed on Thursday, December 25 and Friday, December 26, in observance of the holidays. No materials will be due on these days. All libraries will reopen on Saturday, December 27.

All Palm Beach County Library System locations will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31. All locations will be closed on Thursday, January 1 for New Year’s Day. All locations will reopen on Friday, January 2.

5/ A Quick Byte – Cut, Copy, and Paste

Whether you are editing a document or moving text off a web page into your word processor, there are three useful commands to master – cut, copy, and paste. To cut or copy, the text must be highlighted using the mouse. You may then press Ctrl-X to cut or Ctrl-C to copy. Cut will remove the text from its original location. Copy will leave the original text intact. Next, place the cursor on the spot that you wish to move the text to on the document. Paste is used following either cut or copy to place the text into its new location. Press Ctrl-V to paste the text into place. The cut, copy, and paste commands are also accessible through the “edit” drop-down menu in the top left corner of most software programs.

6/ Next Month in Books & Bytes

We will provide a guide to searching for items in our new web catalog. We will also look at the Opposing Viewpoints database.