This Day In History: The Challenger Explodes on Liftoff

"The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them."--Ronald Reagan

Twenty-four years ago today, the space shuttle Challenger exploded on liftoff high over the Atlantic Ocean off of Cape Kennedy. All crew members on board, including teacher Christa McAuliffe, were killed in the accident. It was the first time American astronauts had been killed in flight, and it effectively shut down the space program for two years while its safety was investigated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The space program continues today in spite of and because of the sacrifices of the Challenger crew.

More Information:

Books About the Challenger Accident That Can Be Found in the Terrebonne Parish Library


President Reagan's Speech to the Nation Regarding the Challenger Accident


The Challenger Crew: Official NASA Biographies

VITA 2010

FREE TAX HELP FROM VOLUNTEERS

The Volunteer Income Tax Association will be at the Terrebonne Parish Main Library from Tuesday, February 2nd, through Tuesday, April 13th, to help you file your tax form at the following times:

Tuesdays: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

(NOTE: VITA will NOT be at the library on Saturday, April 10th or Tuesday, February 16th.)

This service is primarily for the elderly and low-income filers.

Those Wanting VITA Assistance Must Have:

- All W-2 and 1099 forms for 2009.

- Driver's license or other photo ID.

- Social Security cards for everyone in the household.

- Birth dates for everyone in the household.

- 1099-INT forms showing interest earned on bank accounts.

- The name, address and tax ID or Social Security number of child-care providers for child-care credits.

- 1099-G forms that show unemployment payments.

- SSA-1099 forms showing Social Security payments.

- Pay records from jury duty.

- W-2G forms for gambling or lottery winnings.

- Those who wish to have their tax refunds directly deposited into their checking accounts or payments to the IRS drawn directly from their accounts must bring a voided check that includes a routing number and bank-account number.

For more information about VITA, contact Jennifer Gaudet of Catholic Social Services at 985-876-0490.

Tax Forms 2009 Online...And At The Library

The IRS is kind enough to send out tax forms and instructions this time of year, guaranteeing that the merry highs of the holiday season are tempered somewhat by some sober reality.

You can pick up forms at any of our branches, or you can download and print PDFs of the forms from the IRS website. To make it easier, here is a link to the IRS Tax Form Index. Remember, "f" stands for "form", "i" stands for "instructions" and "p" stands for "publication."

And by the way, if you need any help from the IRS regarding ordering forms or filling your forms out, you can contact them by telephone at 1-800-829-1040.

Happy Birthday, Melvil Dewey!

1851-1931

158 years ago today (Dec. 10, 1851), the inventor of the Dewey Decimal System was born in Adams Center, NY.

Did you know?

>The Dewey Decimal System is proprietary, meaning that somebody--the Online Computer Library Center of Dublin, Ohio--OWNS it. And, yes, they will SUE you if you use it for profit-making purposes without their permission. No kidding.

>Before Dewey came up with and standardized his system, library collection organization varied widely from place to place...and even within the SAME place! Under "location," a catalog might say something like "Third Floor, Norton Hall, Shelf Nearest the Stairs, Shelf No. 118A." Some libraries even arranged books by size and color, regardless of content. Not very efficient.

>Dewey was obsessed with efficiency, and came up with a system that allowed library users to find a book within fields and subfields of knowledge relative to one another, rather than in relation to a fixed location or shelf number.

>The "decimal" part of the Dewey Decimal System allows the system to be infinitely expandable...there is always room for something else. For instance, the system was first formally codified in 1876, before, say, airplanes. But now we find airplanes in at 629.13 or thereabouts. 629, when it was thought up, was "Other Engineering," which is exactly what aerodynamics would have been considered in Dewey's day.

Now, none of this might sound like a really big deal, but it revolutionized library organization and made your life (and mine) a lot easier when visiting your local public library.

Get to know the Dewey Decimals System...and put it to use soon!

Pearl Harbor Day 2009

Today is the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor. That day, 2400 American servicemen died in one of the most infamous sneak attacks in all of military history.

Below are some links with some information about Pearl Harbor and American involvement in the Second World War.

The National Park Service's Pearl Harbor Attack Page

The USS Arizona Monument

The Library of Congress' Pearl Harbor Page

The National D-Day Museum's Lesson Plan "A Day of Infamy: Analyzing FDR’s Pearl Harbor Speech"

Radio Days: The Bombing of Pearl Harbor--Includes captivating, authentic radio bulletins from the Day of Infamy.

Historical Photos of the Attack, Archived by the U.S. Navy

World War Two Photos in the US Archives

When Fear Was Stronger Than Justice: Executive Order 9066

Chase Giving on Facebook

Attention Facebook users:

Please vote for the Friends of the Terrebonne Parish Public Library on the Chase Giving Facebook page. Type in "Friends of the Terrebonne Public Library" in the search box and then click “GO”.

When the page comes up, click on "Vote."

You have to become a Facebook user and a fan to vote, and you're allowed to vote 20 times!

All the money raised goes to the Friends, and then back to us at the library!

PS. Please pass this along to your Facebook friends. Post it on your page in your status update, and let everyone know!

National Write a Business Plan Month 2009

December is National Write a Business Plan Month and users of the Terrebonne Parish Library System are in luck!

Among our many amazing and useful databases is the Gale Small Business Resource Center which includes "Sample Business Plans" for various types of businesses.

Also, in our Gale Virtual Reference Library , we offer the Business Plans Handbook, which, in the appendix, has a blank business plan one can cut, paste, and fill in.

The quick links at the bottom of this page are searchable; just enter terms, click, and start using Gale!

Also, don't forget the many business plan books we have in the library's collection...click here to see what our online card catalog has to offer.





Remember: writing a business plan might be your first step to financial independence.

Louisiana Legal Resources

Louisiana Constitution of 1974--Searchable by article number, not keyword.

Louisiana Revised Statutes--Search Louisiana's legal code by citation and keyword.

Terrebonne Parish Code of Ordnances

Louisiana Administrative Code--Subject Index

Legal Public Notices--Legal and public notices from around the state of Louisiana.

Lawhelp.org--Louisiana's guide to free online legal help.


Louisiana Boards and Commissions Database

Thomson-Gale Legal Forms Database

Louisiana Advocacy Center--Free legal help for the elderly and disabled.

Louisiana State Bar Association Opinion Service--Registration required. The LSBA Opinion Service allows the public to obtain the latest opinions released from Louisiana appellate courts.

October is Workplace Politics Awareness Month

Every workplace has its share of political intrigue. For many of us, office politics seems a huge waste of time and damaging to productivity, but we end up unavoidably drawn in anyway. Below are some links for workers and managers trying to do a good job without being mired in rivalry, backbiting, gossip and the other cardinal sins of workplace management.

Articles

Workplace Politics Awareness Month

Tips For Surviving Workplace Politics

Dysfunctional Organizations, Dysfunctional Leadership

Functioning in a Dysfunctional Workplace

Handle Workplace Politics With Grace

Top 25 Signs of a Dysfunctional Workplace

Micromanagement: Learn How to Avoid It!

What to Do About Office Gossip

Gossip--A Form of Workplace Violence

What Constitutes a Hostile Work Environment?

Workplace Bullying Institute

What to do About Workplace Bullies

Links

Louisiana Commission on Human Rights

National Labor Relations Board

TEXT A LIBRARIAN! FREE SERVICE!

The Terrebonne Parish Library can now answer TEXT QUESTIONS.
(standard message rates apply)

Here’s how you do it:

Text us at 66746 and start your question with mytpl

Like this:

mytpl What time do you close on Sundays?

We'll get back to you as fast as possible.

Call 876-1733 with any questions.

Monster Movie Madness 2009

It's coming soon. The seventh annual Monster Movie Madness film series begins October 5th, 2009. This year's selections:

>October 5th--Devil Girl From Mars-See a giant robot with porch-light head! Don't miss it!

>October 12th--The Giant Claw-A ridiculous-looking giant bird eating ridiculous-looking model planes and just generally doing ridiculous-looking things while looking ridiculous.

>October 19th--King Dinosaur-BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

>October 26th--Plan 9 From Outer Space-Our traditional closing movie. So bad you can't believe it...or look away.

All movies will be shown at the MAIN LIBRARY at 151 Library Drive in Houma. MOVIES WILL BE SHOWN FROM 6PM--8:30PM.

If you came last year, you might have been disappointed because of equipment failures (we were still recovering from Gustav). But THIS year, we'll do all we can to assure that all goes off without a hitch.

Of course, we will have free drinks and popcorn at each movie, and the audience is encouraged (if not required) to make snarky comments pointing out the many, many flaws in each film.

Contact Darryl Eschete at 985-876-1733 ext. 202 for more information.

Meet Bud Johnson!

Bud Who?

Bud Johnson is the one-time sports information director at Louisiana State University and current director of LSU's Jack & Priscilla Andonie Museum.

He is the author of The Perfect Season: LSU's Magic Year , a book telling the story of the LSU football team's 1958 season, during which the LSU Tigers went undefeated all the way through.

Mr. Johnson will be at the MAIN LIBRARY this coming Saturday, September 5th from 1:30pm--5:00pm.

Copies of the book will be available and the author will be answering questions and signing copies!

For more information, call 985-876-1733, ext. 234.

September Project 2009: Spiritual Freedom

The Terrebonne Parish Library is taking part in the September Project this year with a series of displays celebrating the protected American right to freedom of religious expression.

On the first floor of the Main Library, you'll find the Introductory Display Table, the Buddhism Table and the Minority and Alternative Faiths Table. On the second floor, you'll find Christianity, Judaism, The Freedom to Not Believe, Islam and Hinduism. Each display features a placard informing you of how many practitioners of that particular faith are in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Each display also offers a selection of books and DVDs selected to give you a well-rounded and fair view of each faith.

We selected the faiths for the displays based on the numbers of practitioners, but we did our very best to be inclusive and fair.

For more information on the library's participation in The September Project, contact Darryl Eschete at (985) 876-1733, ext. 242 or send him an email.

Senator Ted Kennedy, 1932--2009

Ted Kennedy's Senate Webpage

Ted Kennedy's Campaign Page

Official Senate Biography

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Boston Globe: Ted Kennedy, A Life in Politics

Politico.org--Remembering Ted Kennedy

History Channel: Remembering Ted Kennedy

The Speech That Made Him Famous: Ted Kennedy Eulogizes His Assassinated Brother Robert in 1968

Databases+Librarians+You=Better Grades?

School has started and we wanted to go over how to get to our databases once again.

Go to this page:

Terrebonne Parish Library Databases

and check out the many useful databases we've got.

As an information professional I guarantee that, with a little practice, you or a student you know can use these databases to make finding high-quality information much, much easier. And that should make better grades easier, too.

We're especially proud to announce that we've got WORLD BOOK ONLINE up and running. That link is set to take you directly to the World book "Info Finder," and that should be a good start.

Also, be sure to check out the Louisiana State Library's Databases. Just enter your Knowledge Card (Library card) number in the blank.

And don't forget to ASK TESS! if you have a research or study question you just can't seem to answer.

The Terrebonne Parish Library's Reference Department takes its motto seriously: "Your Information is Our Mission."

Find a Loved One...Find a Business

The Terrebonne Parish Library subscribes to ReferenceUSA, a database that allows patrons to look up residences, businesses and doctors and health professionals throughout the United States.



Just enter your Knowledge Card (library card) number and select what kind of search you want to do: residential, business, new business (businesses licensed with the past 12 months), or health professionals/physicians.

If you have any questions, send email to Reference Librarian Darryl Eschete.

Beyond This Sky, Another World?

Some out-of-this-world neat stuff is coming up in the next week at the library.

A couple of reminders:

Thursday, August 20 at 6:30 pm at the MAIN LIBRARY--Mr. Cliff Fenton will give a lecture on "Human Life Out of This World: The Moon by 2020 and Mars in the Future." He'll discuss what it takes to support human life as we begin to discover further from out home planet.

Tuesday, August 25 at DUSK at the Main Library--Mr. Gene Dalton, local astronomer, will provide an evening of star gazing through telescopes until 9 p.m. (In case of bad weather or poor visibility, will be rescheduled for Wednesday the 26th or Thursday the 27th).

Old West Gunslingin' @ The Terrebonne Parish Library

If you come by the Main Branch, be sure to stop at the display cases in the lobby and on the second floor to take a look at the "Pan Handle Pete" collection, left with us by Emile Hebert.

Mr Hebert's collection includes memorabilia of the Old West, The "Hollywood West" and even models of the types of guns and rifles used by gunfighters and lawmen in the days of Billy the Kid and Doc Holliday.

Also on display are badges, whips, boots and hats as well as movie posters, pictures, lunchboxes and newspaper clippings.

Old West Links

Dakota State University's Old West Page--More resources than you can shake a Widowmaker at.

Stanford University: Exploring the West

The Library of Congress History of the Old West Collection

Legends of America: Old West Legends

Tracking Down Billy the Kid: Teacher's Lesson Plans (Library of Congress)

The American Old West Museum

"Hollywood West" Links

Old Time Radio Westerns--What was all the fuss about? Listen and see!

Stanford University: Hollywood Westerns

Images Journal's In Focus: The Western

New Map Database

The Terrebonne Parish Library now subscribes to a cool, new database.

A to Z Maps Online, a product of World Trade Press, is a huge database of maps from all around the world (all royalty-free), including weather maps, fishing maps (of our area), topographic maps and some historical maps and aerial photos of important cities. But there's even more than that.

A to Z Maps Online explains that it:

"...is the worlds largest subscription-based database of proprietary, royalty-free world, continent, country, and state maps. Included in the 4,000+ maps are: political maps, physical maps, outline maps, population maps, precipitation maps, climate maps, and other thematic maps. New maps are added to the collection every month."

To use this FREE service, just click on the above link (a link on the library's website should be up soon), and enter your library card number in the box on the upper right. Then, pick what kind of map you want to look at in the menu on the left. OR, just click on on one of the maps to the right! It's fun just to browse and see what's in there!

If you have any questions, e-mail the reference department and let us know.

The Giant Leap

Forty years ago today, Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the lunar surface, fulfilling President John Kennedy's inaugural promise that, before the 1960s were over, we would accomplish that very task.

The images and words have been replayed so many times in the ensuring four decades that we earthbound masses can easily forget what an enormous accomplishment this was, especially considering that, at the time, NASA had no computers more powerful than a Commodore 64.

To commemorate the Apollo 11 mission and the feats of its crew, we present the following list of links:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Apollo 11 40th Anniversary Page

The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Apollo 11 Page

We Choose the Moon

The History Channel: Moon Landing

Video: The Small Step


Discovery Channel: When We Left Earth

The Nixon Library's Moon Landing Page