The Electronic Newsletter of the Palm Beach County Library System

1/ Introduction to Books & Bytes
2/ Adult Literacy Project
3/ Database of the Month – NoveList
4/ A Quick Byte – Changing the Mouse Pointer
5/ In Next Month's Issue

1/ Introduction to Books & Bytes

Welcome to the July issue of Books & Bytes. This month we will look at the Adult Literacy Project. In addition, we will look at NoveList in our Electronic Databases. Finally, “A Quick Byte” will feature a tip to assist you in your daily computer use.

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

2/ Adult Literacy Project

Approximately 23% of adult Floridians cannot read above the 5th grade level. They cannot read road signs, complete job applications, or read stories to their children. In Palm Beach County alone, over 70,000 adults share this problem. The Adult Literacy Project offers you an opportunity to become part of the solution to this problem.
http://www.pbclibrary.org/outreach-literacy.htm

We recruit and train volunteer reading tutors to work with English-speaking adults who read and write below a 5th grade level. No teaching experience is required. We offer free, ten-hour Laubach tutor training workshops and provide all necessary materials to help English-speaking adults learn to read and write. If you can spare three hours a week and make a nine-month commitment to a new learner, you will become part of the solution to the growing problem of illiteracy in Palm Beach County.

If you have a friend, neighbor, or co-worker who has difficulty with everyday reading and writing, help is available. We offer our students the opportunity to work on a one-to-one basis with a trained volunteer. The tutor provides basic skill development and encourages students to identify goals, while building confidence and self-esteem. Materials are supplied at no cost to the student and meeting sites include libraries, community schools, and churches. Student confidentiality is a priority.

Many of us take for granted our abilities to read and write. For those 70,000 Palm Beach County residents who cannot read, those abilities would be a wonderful gift - a gift that only you can give. A highly rewarding experience awaits you. For more information, call us at 649-5500 (West Palm Beach); 1-888-780-5151 (South County and Glades), or check us out on the Web at:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/outreach-literacy.htm

3/ Database of the Month – NoveList

Where can you turn to find comprehensive information on classic novels? Where can you look to find new authors to explore? Where can you go to gather material for your next book discussion group meeting? Why not use NoveList, a great literacy database found on our Electronic Databases page:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/edb/patronlinks.asp

NoveList is a fiction database that provides subject heading access, reviews, annotations, and much more for over 120,000 fiction titles. It also includes other content of interest to fiction readers, such as Author Read-alikes, Book Discussion Guides, BookTalks, and Feature Articles.

NoveList allows readers to use a favorite author or title as a template to locate other authors and titles of interest. By looking up a favorite book in NoveList, you can click the "Find Similar Books" button (at the top of the title record) and search for more titles like the one you enjoyed. NoveList also allows you to enter your own descriptive terms in Describe a Plot. Users can also browse book lists by category, genre, or theme at every reading level through Explore Fiction, and look for award-winning titles in Best Fiction. Many title records have direct links to Web sites with information about the author

Besides locating books to read, users can learn more about books and authors through Author Read-alikes, Feature Articles, Book Discussion Guides, and BookTalks. These features have been developed specifically with NoveList users in mind, offering support for librarians, teachers, and individual readers. The For Staff Only section provides additional support for readers' advisory. Hypertext links from title records allow the user to go directly to articles or guides that mention the title, as well as to the lists in Explore Fiction or Best Fiction where the titles appear.

So when it is time to search for the next book to read, or simply to dive deeper into understanding your current favorite novel, check out NoveList on our Electronic Databases page at:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/edb/patronlinks.asp

4/ A Quick Byte – Changing the Mouse Pointer

You may not be aware that it is possible to customize your humble mouse to better fit your needs. People who are left-handed or have trouble moving the mouse may benefit by altering the mouse settings. To change the settings on your mouse, go to the Start Menu and move up to Settings. From Settings, select the Control Panel. In the Control Panel, double-click on Mouse. From here, you can switch the functions of the left and right mouse buttons under the Buttons tab. If you are having trouble double-clicking, you may change the clicking speed under the Activities tab to a slower rate. Also, under Pointer Options you can alter the speed at which the mouse moves across the screen. You can even customize the look of the cursor! Take charge of your mouse by learning all your option under the mouse settings.

5/ Next Month in Books & Bytes

Next month we will look at the Bookmobile, Palm Beach County’s traveling library. We will also explore “What Do I Read Next?” in our Electronic Databases.