Tag Archives: database

Certification Exams? No Sweat!

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July is a traditional month for those seeking  certification in their chosen fields to submit to licensing examinations. ( What we older folks used to call your “state boards”)  My daughter is seeking certification as a Veterinary Technician and wants to practice for her state test. We decided to see if the library has a database with practice tests and discovered that Learning Express Library has dozens of practice tests for a multitude of careers and fields. We clicked on the left side of the homepage on Occupation Practice Tests.

The Vet Tech practice tests were grouped in the Nursing and Allied Health section, Licensure and Certification Test Preparation. There were also state licensing practice tests for Physical Therapists, Dental and Medical Assistants, Pharmacy Techs, Surgical Techs and many more.  There are also practice tests for teaching certification as well as for Real Estate licensing. If you or someone you know is prepping for any state certification tests, Learning Express Library can give you that added advantage!

 

Chronicling America

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Many visitors to the Clermont County Public Library already know about the genealogy resources that we offer, in print and digital formats. We have a variety of materials specific to the history of Ohio and Clermont County. We also provide online access to databases, such as Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, World Vital Records, and more.

I recently found out about another great online resource, Chronicling America, The National Digital Newspaper Program in Ohio. This website is a partnership of the Ohio Historical Society, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Library of Congress. Through an NEH grant, the Ohio Historical Society is digitizing Ohio’s microfilmed newspapers, published between 1836 and 1922. The current focus of the project is on the Civil War era, between the years of 1845 and 1894.

In addition to being used for genealogy, Chronicling America is also searchable by topic. Students writing reports can find a variety of topics, including the building and sinking of the Titanic, the Wright Brothers, prohibition, the Civil War, and World War I. This is a great way to find out what was being reported about these events, while they were happening. You may also find pictures to use in student displays.

I found this site fun to search, and enjoyed seeing how things were reported and advertised. I hope you get a chance to use this great resource!

The Power of Observation

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Since the last lesson I took in my Private Investigator class was developing observation skills, I decided to put mine to use! I picked a busy public place that had a building and parking as my test area. I decided to sit in my car and pretend to read a book while wearing sunglasses.

For a while, I just watched people park their cars and walk to and from the building. To keep myself from sleeping, I tried to guess if the person would 1) quickly start the car 2) check their mobile device or c) put on lipstick. Most people checked their phones or fiddled with the radio. It is always interesting to watch people park their cars; some hastily turn into a spot while slowly pull in, then out, then in and still never seem to get parked between the two lines. Ah, better luck next time, right?!

Eventually one subject caught my eye because she exhibited fidgety behavior, pacing back and forth by the doors. Occasionally, she would stop to look at a flyer, but I could tell her attention and focus were elsewhere. While she never noticed me, I could not stop looking at her, trying to figure out what was making her jumpy. Others who passed her did not take a second glance.

Eventually, she connected with the people who must have been preoccupying her thoughts, their interaction was brief and then she walked to her truck and left the parking lot.

This exercise made me realize that I catch myself unnecessarily worrying about what others think as I’m piling items in my grocery cart or working out at the gym. Unless there is someone practicing their private investigation skills, no one is probably as concerned about me as I am myself.

As previously noted in my Universal Class course, being a private investigator requires patience and persistence. If I had to spend the afternoon sitting in my car, waiting to observe my subject, I might become the fidgety one. Upcoming lessons include Internet searching, public records and background checks, so if those topics pique your interest, you might look forward to my next couple of posts.

As always, you can choose from hundreds of classes offered by Universal Class. It is free and easy to sign up – simply search for Universal Class on our database page and follow the instructions. If you need help, call us or stop by the library for a visit.

Mango Language Database

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Make the most of your travels abroad this summer by learning a few conversational phrases before you go by using CCPL’s database – Mango Languages.

Mango is an online language learning system that teaches real conversation skills for practical communication.  Available on the library’s website,  Mango offers  49 language experiences including Spanish, Italian, and German and  15 English as a Second Language ( ESL) lessons with  different levels of fluency.  The basic level offers lessons for common  and practical phrases that can be learned over a few short hours.  The more advanced level offers more in-depth lessons in language and grammar skills.

Mango uses the Google translation engine to translate phrases or conversations from one language to another.

You can access  Mango Languages on Clermont County Public Library’s website by going to  www.clermontlibrary.org and click on Research and Homework then click on Databases,   All you need is a computer and a library card.

Type Mango Languages in the search box  or scroll down the list  to Mango Languages.

Click on Access Database.  In Mango you have the option to create an account in order to track your progress or you can click on the Start Learning  button.    Choose the language you wish to learn and click on basic or in-depth lessons and you are on your way.

Be sure to check out our other language materials at the library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Chat at the Amelia Library – Travel Resources May 11, 2012

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Join fellow travelers at the Amelia Library on Friday, May 11th at 10:30 a.m. as we chat about travel websites and the Mango language database.   The Mango Language database is available on the library website.  It is a database  where you can learn a few foreign phrases to use during your travels or learn a language in-depth for more extensive travel.

Clermont County library also has language learning materials on CD and phrase books and dictionaries that can be checked out.

During our chat we will explore some of the websites on the internet.

Most of the major travel guide companies have websites that are easy to access such as Fodors, Frommers, Lonely Planet and Tripadvisor.  Many include reviews and travel tips by other travelers.

The CDC  is a website maintained by the Centers for Disease Control  that will give you updates on needed vaccinations and travel alerts.

The State Department provides information about passports and the National Park Service has information on the National Parks.  The National Park Service has recently devoted a webpage to Civil War History for the 150 years anniversary.

If you are looking for alternative transportation Airlines, Buses, and Trains all have their own  website where you get information about making reservations and travel.  Travel Apps are also available for your mobile phone.

Don’t leave home uninformed. Join us at the Amelia Library as we explore travel resources on Friday, May 11th.

Boost Your Blooms

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The relatively mild winter we’re experiencing this year is making many of us turn our thoughts to Spring and what we hope to achieve in our lawns and gardens. Don’t overlook the resources found in Consumer Reports! The Lawn and Yard Guide, which can be found from our Databases and Website Subject Guides, is chock full of invaluable tips and tricks for buying and maintaining lawn mowers ( you know you have to sharpen those blades every year!) , string trimmers and gas grills.

But wait – there’s more! Consumer Reports has a clickable map which reveals the best type of grass seed for your area of the country. Thinking of adding some lighting to your walkways or patio? Consult the field guide to lighting design. There is even a Pest Patrol which discusses battling the bane of every gardener’s existence – moles and grubs.

You can access all this information from the comfort of your home – Consumer Reports can help you dream up the perfect landscape. Happy gardening!

 

 

 

Dear Fancy Camera…

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lesson 1

Dear Fancy Camera,

  • Fact: You are an amazing camera.
  • Fact: I occasionally take amazing pictures with you, my amazing camera.
  • Fact: I have no idea how this happens, I’m pretty sure it’s dumb luck.

When my family all pitched in and bought you a few years ago I had dreams of grandeur; all the amazing things we were going to do and see and record for the posterity of the world. Then, I got you out of the box, took a look at all the buttons, knobs and unintelligible abbreviation and promptly set you to ‘Auto: No Flash’. And, with few exceptions, that’s where you’ve stayed. I know you’re capable of so much more, but every time I try to learn I just get confused and bogged down with jargon I don’t understand.

When the opportunity to use you as part of a Universal Class project for the library came up, I was stoked. Every year we try to complete Project 365 together and ever year I fail horribly because you scare me just a little. I thought that, maybe, this was the year, maybe this is the kick in the pants I need to learn how to actual use you so that together we could be awesome! I signed us up for Digital Photography 101, and as you might have noticed, we’ve been awfully busy learning about photography and cameras.

lesson 1.2So far things have been going great. No prior photography experience was needed for the class so we started out in a place I was comfortable in (that’s code for I had no idea what was going on and they took care of me.) I learned all about digital camera history, metering and picking out a camera (that was easy, I picked you!) before completing our first assignment.

You clearly already knew about The Rule of Thirds because you come with that cool grid inside your viewfinder, but I was fascinated in how framing a shot can make such a difference. Basically, if I draw a great big Tic Tac Toe board across your screen and then focus the most interesting parts of the shot in the places where any of the lines cross, the shot will be more dynamic, interesting and generally awesome. I think the shots we turned in for our homework were a great example of how that works! We’ll start our second lesson this week, so make sure you clean out your filters and charge your battery because it’s going to be a pretty exciting adventure!

Love,

Laura

P.S. If you want to see the photos that we’ve taken so far check out our flickr collection here.

Spring Quote Challenge

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Who wrote the following quotes about spring?  Find the answers in the eBook links below!

1.    “It was a lover and his lass, / With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, / That o’er the green cornfield did pass, / In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, / When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding; / Sweet lovers love the spring. “
2.   ”Then came the lovely spring with a rush of blossoms and music, Flooding the earth with flowers, and the air with melodies vernal.”
3.   ”O! how this spring of love resembleth / The uncertain glory of an April day.”
4.   ”I have no doubt that certain learned men, now that the novelty of the hypotheses in this work has been widely reported—for it establishes that the Earth moves, and indeed that the Sun is motionless in the middle of the universe—are extremely shocked, …”
5.   ”Spring in the world!  And all things are made new!”
6.   ”In the spring a livelier iris changes on the burnished dove; / In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. “
7.   ”I’ll see you again, / Whenever spring breaks through again. “
8.   ”The year’s at the spring / And day’s at the morn; / Morning’s at seven; / The hill-side’s dew-pearled; / The lark’s on the wing; / The snail’s on the thorn: / God’s in his heaven— / All’s right with the world! “

 

The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations  edited by Elizabeth Knowles;

The Oxford Dictionary of Scientific Quotations  edited by W.F. Bynum and Roy Porter;

The Oxford Dictionary of American Quotations selected and annotated by Hugh Rawson and Margaret Miner;

The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Quotations by managing editor, Elizabeth Knowles;

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations by edited by Elizabeth Knowles;

or come visit us in the library and find the authors in one of the print books listed under the subject Quotations in our catalog.

Good luck!

A Wee Bit of Irish Authors

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dracula james joyce gulliver's travels

Irish authors, both classic and contemporary, born in Ireland or of Irish ancestry, fill library shelves with compelling literature.  Embrace a bit of the Irish with one of these well-known titles, or link to a list of titles by the author that are held at the library.  Connect to the Biography Reference Bank to find for more author information.

James Joyce:  Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Jonathan Swift: Gulliver’s Travels

Bram Stoker: Dracula

C. S. Lewis: Chronicles of Narnia

Bernard Shaw: Pygmalion (My Fair Lady)

W. B. Yeats: Irish Fairy and Folk Tales

Oscar Wilde: Picture of Dorian Gray

Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl

Frank McCourt: Angela’s Ashes

National Foreign Language Week

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National Foreign Language Week
March 7 – 13, 2011

NFLW was inaugurated in the Spring of 1957 by Alpha Mu Gamma with the purpose of making American students aware of the vital necessity of foreign language study. What languages do you speak or study?

If you’d like to learn a new language or brush up on some rusty language skills you already have, take a look at our free language database BYKI

Byki Online is a powerful language-learning system that uses flashcards to teach sets of words and phrases. There are more than 80 languages to choose from, including ESL options.

First time users must register and create an account. After doing so, users are able to access Byki Online from any computer with Internet access.