The Electronic Newsletter of the Palm Beach County Library System

Contents:
1/ Introduction to Books & Bytes
2/ Volunteering @ your library
3/ Database of the Month – “Morningstar”
4/ A Quick Byte – The F10 Key
5/ In Next Month's Issue

1/ Introduction to Books & Bytes

Welcome to the March issue of Books & Bytes. This month we will highlight how easy it is to volunteer your time and talent at the library. In addition, we will learn how to locate great financial information in the “Morningstar” database. 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/ Volunteering @ your library

Do you have a few free hours a week? Do you want to give back to your community? Do you enjoy helping others? If so, you may want to become a library volunteer.

Adult and youth volunteers support and enhance library services in various positions. Book menders, shelvers, shelf readers, audiovisual repairers, clerical and telephone assistants, youth, reference and program assistants support the library on a daily basis. Tutors, docent/reader advisors, and special project assistants enhance the Library System and the community.

Adult and youth volunteer opportunities are available year-round. Additionally, the VolunTeen Program for ages 12-18, assists with the Summer Reading Program from June through August each year.

Volunteer applications are available at all Palm Beach County Library System locations. Please call the Volunteer Office at (561) 233-2600, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. for further information.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please pick up an application at any one of our fifteen library locations. A list of our locations can be found at:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/locations.htm

3/ Database of the Month – Morningstar

Are you looking for in-depth financial information on more than 20,000 stocks and funds? Do you want tools to help you evaluate and compare the growth potential of different stocks? Do you want professional investment advice without having to hire an expensive broker? You can get all this and more from Morningstar, available at home and in the library, by visiting our Electronic Databases page:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/edb/patronlinks.asp

Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in the United States and in major international markets. Most people are familiar with their print publications, however, more and more of their services are now being offered online. Morningstar is a source for insightful information on stocks, mutual funds, variable annuities, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, separate accounts, and 529 college savings plans.

Morningstar's data reports cover more than 20,000 securities. There are three different ways to use Morningstar: “Screeners,” “Reports,” and a “Portfolio X-Ray.” The database also includes a “Help & Education” section.

“Screeners” allow users to zero in on stocks and funds that will boost the value of your portfolio by screening more than 18,000 stocks and funds using dozens of criteria.

“Reports” allow users to profit from Morningstar analysts' independent opinions on 1,500 stocks and 2,000 funds.

“Portfolio X-Ray” allows you to view how a set of holdings can work together as a portfolio. Just enter the investments you are interested in, and a report that reveals the underlying details of your portfolio will be displayed

“Help & Education” is a one-stop shop for investment learning. Whether you are looking for direction when using the site, tips for choosing funds or stocks, or the definition of an investment term, you'll find it all here.

So to help make more informed investments with your money, why not use Morningstar on our Electronic Databases page at:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/edb/patronlinks.asp

4/ A Quick Byte – The F10 Key

Did you know you can use your computer without a mouse? Instead, you can select items on your screen using the keyboard. One such way to do this is to use the F10 key. This key can be used to activate the menu bar in many programs. For example, if you are using Internet Explorer, pressing the F10 will highlight the first menu choice, “File.” Then use the arrow keys to move around the menu, say to select the Print command, or to move right over to the Favorites menu. Pressing the Shift key while pressing F10 will bring up the shortcut menu. This is similar to right-clicking. So if you are afraid of the mouse, why not try the F10 key.

5/ Next Month in Books & Bytes

Next month we will show you where to find the answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) about your library card. We will also show you how to search InfoTrac in our Electronic Databases.

Books & Bytes is published on the third Monday of each month.

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Please direct any questions or comments about Books & Bytes to: webmaster@pbclibrary.org

You may contact us by regular mail at:
Webmaster, Palm Beach County Library System, 3650 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL, 33406