With Staff Picks, we would like to offer recommendations from our staff to you. These picks will be from a variety of reading, listening or viewing tastes. You might find stuff you've checked out before, or you might be intrigued enough to find a new favorite.

Animal Stories: Encounters with Alaska's Wildlife by Bill Sherwonit

Nature writer Bill Sherwonit is an Alaska based author who has written extensively about this geographic wilderness and the experiences he has encountered while living there.

This book tells of captivating stories describing life in the wild with rare and seldom seen animals of the region. If you enjoy the enchantment of nature, wildlife and the Alaskan wilderness adventure, then this collection of essays is a journey you must take!

If this book interests you, feel free to request and check it out. We'll be back next Wednesday with a different Staff Pick.

In today's Tech Tip we are going to talk about how to scan a document and send it as an email from the Deridder branch of the Beauregard Parish Library. This service is provided by the large ColorQube device, and yes this service is completely free!

The first step is to insert your paper(s) either into the feeder on top of the machine, or for a single page you may also place it right on the glass as if making a copy. You will need to press the services button on the face of the machine and then press the email button on the touchscreen. Here you can select new recipient, enter an email address, press save and if that is all you'd like to do press the start button on the machine. That's all there is to it! Of course you can do other things such as add additional email addresses, change the subject line, etc.

Remember if you are having trouble feel free to ask an employee for help or how to use one of the additonal features. I hope this has been informative for you guys and we hope to see you at the library!

Mango Monday: English as a Second Language

For this installment of Mango Monday, we will discuss our offerings for English.

While English is the native language to most of the residents of Beauregard Parish, there are people who use English as a second language. We want to serve all our public, and that includes those who want to learn or improve their English. For that, we will discuss Mango and Pronunciator in this article.

Mango Languages:

• Offers ESL to speakers of 18 different languages
• Main focus is speaking and developing an apprpriate accent
• Has color grammar to help make things understandable
• Uses extensive but easy to understand cultural and grammar notes
• Is portable on a smart phone or tablet

Pronunciator:

• Offers ESL to speakers of 50 different languages
• Uses 4 aspects of language (speaking, reading, writing, listening
• Has different educational games to stimulate learning
• Is portable on a smart phone or tablet

We have many more materials for ESL learning both online and in the library. On Sunday, we will post an article about English as a Second Language courses available for free through Universal Class. Then next Monday we will be back with a edition of Mango Monday for a new language you can teach yourself with resources from your library.

For Story Time this week Ms Sandi has prepared a truly special Alphabet of Adventure with: S is for Space Ships

There are many space events, but the Dawn spacecraft will arrive at dwarf planet Ceres around March 6th. According to official information from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory:

Ceres is the largest body in the main asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter. It has an average diameter of 590 miles (950 kilometers), and is thought to contain a large amount of ice. Some scientists think it's possible that the surface conceals an ocean.

Dawn's arrival at Ceres will mark the first time a spacecraft has ever visited a dwarf planet.*

The featured Story Time titles for this week are:

• Space Vehicles by Anne Rockwell and David Brion
• Roaring Rockets by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker
• Martian Rock by Carol Diggory Shields

After the story, Ms Sandi has a fantastic Night Time Tube craft planned that will be S for Stellar!

PLACE AND TIME

DeRidder: Wednesday, [date] at 11:00 am in the Media Room, near the Teen Center.

For more Story Time content, please visit our TumbleBooks page. Interested readers and their families can find picture books, audiobooks and much more.

Gardening

With this week's edition of Sunday School with Universal Class we will help you get ready for spring planting with a few of the Gardening classes that are available through Universal Class for free to patrons who hold Beauregard Parish library cards.

Here are some sample courses you might consider taking, but there are many others are available. The descriptions are shortened, but there is more detail at Universal Class.

Introduction to Gardening

"Does spring weather make you wish to get your hands dirty in the garden? Is your neighbor's garden the envy of your eye? Have you always wanted to start a garden but just were not sure how to start? The easiest way make this decision is to take a class that will guide you step by easy step through the process of deciding what kind of garden you wish to start, where to place it, how to be certain that the soil is ready and good for growing, how to know what to plant and where to plant it."
[11 lessons]

Vegetable Gardening 101

"Vegetable Gardening is a course that is designed for beginners to gardening. If you're interested in learning how to set up, design, and cultivate a vegetable garden, you will find the tips and advice in this course to be a helpful way to get started and to keep your garden growing for years to come."
[13 lessons]

Tropical Gardens 101

"This course on tropical gardening is designed for beginner gardeners who are looking to start a tropical garden or to cultivate a garden they have inherited on their property. We start with the basics, such as choosing tropical plants and learning where tropical plants come from. We'll then learn how tropical plants work and what their special needs are.
Some of the more common tropical plants are reviewed, as well as information about watering, growing, protecting, pruning, and training these plants to thrive in your yard. Additionally, this course covers the basics of pest and disease control, and also discusses the ideas of organic gardening, planning an effective garden, and choosing the right garden type for your needs. You will find out how to garden effectively – even if you don't have a green thumb."
[12 lessons]

Landscaping 101

"The enjoyment of a beautiful landscape is one of the great pleasures of home ownership. However, actually realizing your landscaping visions can be stressful Frequently you have a bare dirt and poor grass yard or an all grass yard and you just don't know where to start. This online course can help. Landscaping 101 will not only teach you the basics of the science of landscaping, it will show you how to apply your own creativity to transform your yard into a work of art."
[10 lessons]

There are over 500 different courses available. If these are not to your interest, log in to Universal Class. You're bound to find something you like!

If you need a reminder of how Universal Class works, please click this introductory post.

Finding Louisiana State Tax Publications for 2014:

Over the past two weeks we have covered how to find Federal income tax forms for filing year 2014. This week we wanted to cover how to find Louisiana state tax publications because we have had some questions here at the library. The state of Louisiana no longer sends paper copies of the tax forms to our library as they may have done in the past, but you still have options when it comes to filing your own taxes. This week we will cover where to go to file taxes online and how to print tax forms from the Louisiana Department of Revenue website.

Where to go to file state taxes online: If you wish to file your state taxes online you can visit THIS WEBSITE. The state of Louisiana has tried to make this website very user friendly and has a great set of instructions to get you started.

How to print tax forms from the Department of Revenue website: If you want to physically print out your tax forms to fill out you should visit THIS WEBSITE. Here you have the option to print out any of the tax forms or instruction booklets that are currently available from the state.

With the cold weather we have had the last few days, think how nice it would be to relax in your cozy, warm chair with a sizzling romance novel from the library. Here are a few of our latest titles.

His Very Convenient Bride by Sophie Pembroke. Helena Morrison hopes that by marrying handsome tycoon Flynn Ashton she can unite their two families and redeem herself in her father’s eyes. It doesn’t hurt that she has also had a crush on him since childhood. After a perfect Tuscan honeymoon, it seems that their paper marriage is turning into something else as an unexpected heat flares between them. Could this marriage of convenience turn into a chance for true happiness?

Unleashed by Rachel Lacey. Cara Medlen rescues dogs. She has one rule: Don’t get attached. This has served her well with the many dogs she has fostered, but it is not working so well with her gorgeous neighbor. Matt Dumont is a private investigator who realizes that Cara is everything he wants in a woman. But the timing is all wrong. He is about to move away and just can’t start a relationship now. But as their attraction grows, they will have to make a decision whether to forget the consequences and get together, or forget each other and try to let go.

The Man to Be Reckoned With by Tara Pammi. Riya has always lived in the shadow of Nathaniel Ramirez, her adoptive father’s son. She is determined to put the past behind her and lures Nathaniel home with the promise of his family’s estate. Nathaniel is furious that he is forced to face his past, but can’t resist the bait. He also sees the attraction that Riya has for him burning in her eyes. He will use every trick he can to claim his heritage and win the beautiful woman.

With Staff Picks, we would like to offer recommendations from our staff to you. These picks will be from a variety of reading, listening or viewing tastes. You might find stuff you've checked out before, or you might be intrigued enough to find a new favorite. This is a new fantasy series with two books already published and another on the way.

Pax Arcana [series] by Elliott James

I stepped outside my regular reading type and found this funny yet cheesy series about a man named “Charming” who once was a Knight protecting the world as we know it from the knowledge of the other world. I found the series funny and filled with action. A little slow to start, but once the story picks up it hooks you in(if that’s what you like to read).

Charming [Book 1]

John Charming isn't your average Prince...

He comes from a line of Charmings -- an illustrious family of dragon slayers, witch-finders and killers dating back to before the fall of Rome. Trained by a modern day version of the Knights Templar, monster hunters who have updated their methods from chain mail and crossbows to Kevlar and shotguns, John Charming was one of the best--until a curse made him one of the abominations the Knights were sworn to hunt.

That was a lifetime ago. Now, John tends bar under an assumed name in rural Virginia and leads a peaceful, quiet life. That is, until a vampire and a blonde walked into his bar...

Daring [Book 2]

THE WEREWOLVES HAVE A NEW LEADER...AND HE CANNOT BE STOPPED.

Something is rotten in the state of Wisconsin.

Werewolf packs are being united and absorbed into an army of super soldiers by a mysterious figure who speaks like an angel and fights like a demon. And every Knight Templar -- keepers of the magical peace between mankind and magickind -- who tries to get close to this big bad wolf winds up dead. No knight can infiltrate a group whose members can smell a human from a mile away...no knight except one.

John Charming. Ex knight. Current werewolf. Hunted by the men who trained him, he now might be their only salvation. But animal instincts are rising up to claim John more powerfully than ever before, and he must decide if this new leader of wolves is a madman...or a messiah.

If this series interests you, feel free to request and check it out. We'll be back next Wednesday with a different Staff Pick.

Today let's talk about compatibility. Specifically between Microsoft Office products (which we do not use) and the Libreoffice products which we have on any lab machine at all branches of the library. Libreoffice has taken great pains to make it's software as compatible with Microsoft products as possible and they have done a very good job, however it is not perfect. For instance, tables created in a Word document may not display correctly in Libreoffice Writer and you will need to work with them a little bit to get them back to normal. This applies to all of our Libreoffice products.

Now having said that, you should notice most things are pretty similar. This was done on purpose to facilitate ease of use between the two products. This means you should be able to sit down a lab computer, and feel pretty familiar with a Libreoffice product in a short time. We do hope this is the case but, if not, you can always ask a friendly library staff member for help. We hope this will ease your mind about our computers somewhat and we also hope to see you in our lab!

Mango Monday: Cherokee

For this installment of Mango Monday, we will discuss a brand new language offered exclusively by Mango: Cherokee.

According to Mango's Cherokee page, "Cherokee is the language of North America's Cherokee people. It is one of the healthiest indigenous languages of North America with an extensive library of literature and a significant community of native speakers." It is further indicated that there are approximately "10,400 speakers speakers in Iroquoian communities in Oklahoma, North Carolina and Arkansas."

In the official blog of Mango Languages, the new Cherokee project is described as:

"In partnership with the Cherokee Nation and the Tulsa City-County Library, we’ve officially debuted our first-ever Native American course. A collaborative labor of love, the Cherokee course is now live and ready to be enjoyed by Mango users in libraries, schools, and homes across North America.

The importance of this course is underlined by the shudder-inducing reality that Cherokee is considered an endangered language, with about 16,000 native speakers worldwide. Compare that against the whopping 317,000 Cherokee citizens that make up the United States’ largest tribal nation and the urgency of this issue becomes immediately clear."*

The Cherokee conversations lesson will help you learn several things about the language. The first lesson begins with greetings and asking about the other person's well-being. The lessons do use the unique writing system, but don't let that scare you. The words and phrases are also rendered phonetically in English to maximize learning.

Cherokee is a vibrant and healthy spoken language with a history of literature dating back to the 1820s when Sequoya developed the first Cherokee syllabary. A syllabary has characters that represent a set of sounds instead of individual letters. Those we have studied Japanese will recognize the similarity in idea to the sets kana. The Cherokee language also uses tones, which are used most notably in various dialects of Chinese.

Supplementary Material:

The video below is from our Access Video on Demand collection. The segment is about the development of the written language by Sequoia, and the full length video is about the trail of tears. If you are at home, you may need to type your library card number to view the video.

Next Monday we will be back with a new language you can teach yourself with resources from your library. Don't forget to take advantage of Mango's mobile app for language learning on the go!

Personal Finance

With this week's edition of Sunday School with Universal Class we will help you get ready for tax season with a few of the Finance classes that are available through Universal Class for free to patrons who hold Beauregard Parish library cards.

Here are some sample courses you might consider taking, but there are many others are available. The descriptions are shortened, but there is more detail at Universal Class.

Personal Finance 101: How to Manage Your Money

"During this course, you'll learn the ins and outs of your individual financial journey in a fun and unique way--as a travel itinerary. You'll be provided with everything you need to understand your spending habits, chart your progress, grow your current savings and achieve your dreams. This course is broken up into three parts: Plan, Execute and Travel. No matter where you are in your journey, by end of this course, you'll have a clear map to where you want to go and helpful hints to guide you along the way."
[11 lessons]

Credit Report and Repair

"Credit governs everyone's lives. It is what allows people to buy a house, get a car, have a credit card and generally live a life they cannot really afford. Sadly, many people get into a debt spiral that soon goes out of control. They have trouble keeping their head above water, and soon they fall under as the weight of debt drags them down.
Thankfully, credit can be managed and all it takes is having the ability to change how one lives their life. By implementing the lessons explained in this course, an individual will be able to take their credit and repair it."
[15 lessons]

Investing 101: Stocks Bonds and Mutual Funds

"This course will help you demystify the stock market and start making money! Everyone yes, everyone is sure to find something suitable in the stock market to invest in. It doesn't matter if you are looking for a very safe investment to protect your nest egg or a risky investment with a huge potential to make a killing! Everyone finds themselves along that spectrum and will discover that the stock market has investments for people who want to protect their savings and for people who want to grow their savings."
[6 lessons]

Retirement Planning

"Retirement for many of us can already be a fact of life. For others, it is looming on the horizon and the closer we get the more uneasy we feel about that next step.
We will talk about how to prepare for retirement and what you will do with your time. There are many of us who really wanted to do something else with our lives. Once you retire from your "real" job, you may be very pleasantly surprised to realize that you can now finally pursue the life of your dreams."
[11 lessons]

There are over 500 different courses available. If these are not to your interest, log in to Universal Class. You're bound to find something you like!

If you need a reminder of how Universal Class works, please click this introductory post.

Today is International Mother Language Day! A annual celebration started by the United Nations to learn about and celebrate all of our distinct and different languages. In honor of that check out this video on how languages evolved among ancient humans!

Finding Federal Tax Publications for 2014 Continued:

This week’s Find It Friday will cover how to request that specific tax publications be mailed to you via U.S. Mail. There are two ways in which a person can request to have the tax forms mailed to their house.

1.Placing requests by phone: If you need to place a telephone order to have the forms delivered to you via U.S. Mail the number to call is: 1-800-829-3676. On the website it reminds consumers to know exactly which forms you need before calling this number, it will make the process easier for you. Note: Sometimes this phone line can get very busy and it will take a long time to get through; placing your request online can be a faster option. You can always come to the library if you don’t have internet access at home!

2. Placing requests online: You can place your requests online at this website. Once you get to this website you will enter the number of the tax form you are looking for into the gray box that says Search in it. From there you will check which tax forms you need and select the add to cart link. Once you have added the forms you need into the cart you can proceed to checkout and enter your mailing information.

This week we received some new books that might be helpful for parents dealing with the often difficult job of raising children.

Check out these new titles.

The “Perfect” Parent: 5 Tools for Using Your Inner Perfection to Connect with Your Kids by Roma Khetarpal. Parents today face extreme pressure to get everything “right.” This pursuit of perfection only adds worry about whether you’re doing a good enough job and whether your kids will turn out okay. In The “Perfect” Parent, Roma Khetarpal puts all of that agony to rest. She explains that the key to a fulfilling parenting experience is to stop chasing an ideal and instead use your inner perfection to nurture a strong, communicative connection with your children. (from back cover)

Yell Less Love More by Sheila McCraith. Author Sheila McCraith was embarrassed when she was seen yelling at her four sons. At that moment she realized that she needed to change. She promised her boys that she would go 365 straight days without yelling – and she eventually succeeded. She shares her personal stories and hard-learned lessons in this inspiring book.

Screen-Smart Parenting by Jodi Gold, MD. The author is a child psychiatrist and mother of three. She shows how technology has both incredible benefits and serious downsides for children. She uses scientific knowledge and everyday common sense to help parents foster their children’s healthy relationships with technology from birth to the teen years.

With Staff Picks, we would like to offer recommendations from our staff to you. These picks will be from a variety of reading, listening or viewing tastes. You might find stuff you've checked out before, or you might be intrigued enough to find a new favorite.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

A dystopian young adult fiction with zombies, vampires, cannibals, and a ton of suspense! It holds you at the edge of your seat with each chapter. The main character, Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for… again. The book isn't only a great read for young adults, but grown-ups like me too. It was so intense and exciting I finished it within the same day I started. Can't wait to get hold of Book #2! This is available as a book or playaway!

If this book interests you, feel free to request and check it out. We'll be back next Wednesday with a different Staff Pick.

Do you want to use the library to burn some of your favorite music (maybe downloaded from Freegal?) or that important data onto a disc? No problem! Just use the Brasero Disc Burner program available on any lab computer (and at any branch) of the library. To find it go to the top of your screen and click on Applications --> Sound and Video --> Brasero Disc Burner. From here you can follow the easy directions that will have you burning discs in no time at all. Forgot your CD at home? No problem, we sell them here at the library for 50 cents.

So come on down and burn a cd at the library. It's easy! And remember, if you need help just ask one of our friendly clerks.

Mango Monday: Mandarin Chinese

For this installment of Mango Monday in honor of Chinese New Year on February 19th, we will discuss our offerings for Mandarin.

The Mandarin blurb at Mango reads: "Ni hao! This means hello in Mandarin Chinese, and it is the magic phrase that opens the gateway to an enormous world of exotic sights and sounds. Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Mainland China, and is spoken by over 1.3 billion people around the world. Not only is it an incredibly important language on today’s global economic stage, it is an ancient language filled with beauty, history and cultural significance."

Mango is also set up to offer three different kinds of courses for Mandarin:

• Conversations
• Feng Sui
• Zodiac

You can have fun with the language with whatever interests you. Mango will give you on screen grammar and pronunciation tools to make even the hardest looking Mandarin easier.

In the first Zodiac lesson two people talk through a problem, and you'll learn all the phrases involved.

A: You don't look too well. What's wrong?
B: My mom said that my and my boyfriend's zodiac sign don't match.
A: Weren't you born in the year of the Pig? What's your boyfriend's zodiac sign?
B: He was born in the year of the Monkey. My mom says that Pig and Monkey won't stick to each other to the end. Our marriage won't last long.
A: It seems there is indeed such a saying. Do you believe this yourself?

If you are interested in Mandarin Chinese, there are many more conversations you can learn with Mango and Pronunciator. You can learn tourist conversation essentials, and you can expand you knowledge with the reading and audio content in Pronunciator.

Mandarin Chinese is available through both Mango Languages and Pronunciator. Each language product has different interfaces, and some will work better for you depending on what you want to get out of your language experience. Don't forget to take advantage of each product's mobile apps for language learning on the go!

Next Monday we will be back with a new language you can teach yourself with resources from your library.

For Story Time this week Ms Sandi is ready to take children on an Alphabet of Adventure with: S is for Spiders

For those who want to read the stories at home after Story Time is over, the titles are:

• Anansi and the Talking Melon by Eric A. Kimmel
• The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
• Eensy Weensy Spider by Peggy Dann

After the story, Ms Sandi has a fantastic craft planned that will be S for Super! It is a stand up spider.

PLACES AND TIMES

DeRidder: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 11:00 am in the Media Room, near the Teen Center.
South Beauregard (Ragley): Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 10:30.

For more Story Time content, please visit our TumbleBooks page. Interested readers and their families can find picture books, audiobooks and much more.

Cooking and Baking

With this week's edition of Sunday School with Universal Class we will highlight a few of the Cooking and Baking classes that you might take to have great treats before and after Lent.

Here are some sample courses you might consider taking, but there are many others available for this or other topics. Feel free to dig in and explore what Universal Class has to offer. The descriptions are shortened, but there is more detail at Universal Class.

Cooking and Baking 101

"The most important thing to take with you into the kitchen is a basic understanding of what to do and how to do it. This course is designed to give you just that. You will learn everything from what supplies you need for getting started to reading recipes and planning meals. You will be provided with a basic understanding of what it means to be in the kitchen and sources for additional information to foster a lifetime of culinary growth!"
[11 lessons]

Introduction to Cake Decorating

"Whether you're looking to start a cake decorating business or just make cakes for family and friends, Cake Decorating 101 will teach you all you need to know to turn out professionally decorated cakes. You'll develop techniques practiced by professional cake decorators such as applying buttercream icing, how to make a rose, level a cake, pour ganache and master a piping bag. From breath taking designs to whimsy, all the latest cake decorating trends are disclosed, with instructions and ideas about how to bake and decorate the darlings of the cake world, finger licking cupcakes."
[18 lessons]

How to Bake Pies

"The step-by-step instructions presented in this course are easy to follow and understand. Beginning with a brief history of the pie world, methods to prepare the pie crust- the base of the pie- are illustrated. The Pie crust recipe is followed by easy and delicious pie recipes that are categorized under Main dish pie, Sweet pie, Fruit pie, Holiday pie, Nut pie, Ice-cream pie, and Custard pie. This course will also include website resources that provide additional and exceptional varieties of pie recipe."
[13 lessons]

Kitchen Sanitation 101

"This online course will explain why and how bacteria transfers from one place to another, multiplies, and makes people sick. We'll also explain the best ways to prevent foodborne illness, including hand washing techniques, dishwashing practices, facility cleaning, best practices for storage, food handling, temperature monitoring, pest prevention, and managing relationships with the health department."
[13 lessons]

There are over 500 different courses available, and they are all free to Beauregard Parish Libary card holders. If these are not to your interest, log in to Universal Class. You're bound to find something you like!

If you need a reminder of how Universal Class works, please click this introductory post.

It's Valentine's Day everyone! The perfect day to show your special someone how much you care. In honor of this lovable holiday check out this short video dedicated to delivering flowers on Valentine's Day.

Tax Documents for 2014:

This Find It Friday will be a two part segment covering finding tax forms for 2014. As some patrons may have noticed the library does not have as many tax forms available this year as in the past; the IRS is no longer sending the same number of tax forms to us at the library. The only forms we have available this year for patrons to pick up for free, while supplies last are the 1040, 1040A, and the 1040EZ. We did not receive any instructional booklets this year for any of these forms. However, there have been questions about where these forms can be found. So, where can you find the additional forms that you need to complete your taxes? Here are a few options!

1. If you know the specific form number you can ask a library staff member and we can print them out for you. The charge is .10 per black and white page and .15 per color page.

2. The library does have one reference copy of Publication 17 available for patrons to view within the library. This copy is located in the Reference Room.

3. You can view the full instructional booklets online at This Website

4. Stay tuned next week for information on how to request that the IRS mail specific tax forms to your house.

If you are interested in the mysteries of space, we received some new items this week that you might want to check out.

Deep Space: Beyond the Solar System to the Edge of the Universe and the Beginning of Time by Govert Schilling. Readers will take a journey across the universe starting with our own solar system. Then continuing on, travel through the Milky Way and out to the far reaches of the cosmos. Filled with hundreds of stunning photographs and custom illustrations, as well as an atlas that maps the entire celestial sky, this book is sure to ignite the imagination.

Pearls of the Southern Skies: A Journey to Exotic Star Clusters, Nebulae and Galaxies by Auke Slotegraaf with photographs by Dieter Willasch. With names like Omega Centauri and the Tarantula Nebula, the exotic celestial objects of the southern sky are fascinating. These star clusters, nebulae and galaxies cannot be seen from North America, but are an incredible sight from the southern hemisphere. Amazing photographs allow readers to view these beautiful sights.

The Mars Underground, a film by Scott J. Gill. This documentary DVD tells the story of rocket scientist Robert Zubrin who believes that we can use present day technology to settle the planet Mars. The film uses animation to take viewers on a virtual tour of the Red Planet and shows how it can be “terraformed” into a place that will support human life.

With Staff Picks, we would like to offer recommendations from our staff to you. These picks will be from a variety of reading, listening or viewing tastes. You might find stuff you've checked out before, or you might be intrigued enough to find a new favorite.

Family of Lies by Mary Monroe

This is a stunning portrait of a family immersed in deceit. When a man goes outside his marriage and has a child that his wife does not know about, then years later she comes into the picture. Both women will scheme to get what they want, everyone they know will be choosing sides, taking chances, and gambling it all to come out on top. Let's see who wins his heart, his only child or the wife of many years.

Find this book in our catalog: here

If this book interests you, feel free to request and check it out. We'll be back next Wednesday with a different Staff Pick.

DeRidder branch will open late today as we finish installing our new doors. We anticipate opening at NOON. For your convenience, our outside book drop on the north side of the building is available if you need to return any items.

Our regularly scheduled Wednesday Story Time is cancelled for today. Story Time resumes the normal schedule with the Second Saturday in Singer on February 14 and Wednesday in DeRidder on February 18.

Our South Beauregard branch in Ragley will be open for its regularly scheduled hours from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Since the physical library is closed today, we encourage you to explore our website.

We invite you to delve into an awesome, often-overlooked section: the history page.

This page includes links concerning the history of Beauregard Parish and the surrounding area. You can discover information about famous (and infamous) local places and faces as well as contact information for organizations dedicated to the preservation of our local history.

Hopefully this and other tantalizing information tidbits available on our website will tide you over until we open tomorrow. Our rural branches will be on regular schedule and the Deridder branch of the library will open at 12:00. Happy reading!

The library will be closed today February 10th, 2015 for renovations to the front doors of the Deridder branch. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and remind you that NO items will be due today. Our branch locations will open at their scheduled times tomorrow and the Deridder branch will be reopening at noon. We hope to see you then at the new and improved Beauregard Parish Library!

Many people think of Valentines Day and Romance together, so for Mango Monday this week, we want to introduce you to Mango's Romance Collection.

Romance languages are the ones that developed not from what was spoken by the Romans: Latin. That in turn became Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian and a few other small languages. The total number of people who speak a Romance language as a native language estimated to be over 886 million.

One of the great things for an English speaker learning a Romance language is that we have already had experience with them through borrowed vocabulary and cultural adoptions of Spanish and French. Some things are done much differently than in English, which is a Germanic language, but it is not so strange as to be unrecognizable. English and the Romance languages are all part of the Indo-European language family.

With Mango's Romance Collection, you will be prepared to handle these potential situations:

Italian
Excuse me. Is this seat taken? Scusa, è occupato questo posto?
May I buy you a coffee? Ti posso offrire un caffè?

Spanish (Latin America)
It is nice to meet you. Es un gusto conocerte.
I would love it if you would let me accompany you. Me encantaría que me dejarás acompañarte.

Portuguese (Brazil)
Do you come here often? Você vem muito aqui?
Do you want a drink? Quer uma bebida?

French
I think I've seen you before. Jai l'impression de t'avoir déjà vu.
Oh, and what's your name? Oh, eh tu t'appelles comment?

Check out Mango Languages for more from the Romance Collection.

Arts and Crafts

With this week's edition of Sunday School with Universal Class we will highlight a few of the Arts and Crafts classes that you can do indoors to stay warm away from the cold winter weather.

Here are some sample courses you might consider taking, but there are many others available for this or other topics. The descriptions are shortened, but there is more detail at Universal Class.

Sewing 101

"Sewing your own garments is really not as difficult as it may sound. This course will take you through the very basic elements of fabric choice, how to decipher the pattern envelope and instructions inside, getting to know your sewing machine and how to begin expanding your wardrobe by sewing your own clothing, or clothing for your family."
[15 lessons]

Knitting 101

"This course is designed to teach beginners the basics of knitting but it is also useful to those knitters that might need a refresher class. Whether you have just a little or no knowledge of knitting – this course is for you. Eleven lessons provide history, discussion of the tools, how to read and understand patterns and color charts, and of course how to start knitting. This course will finish up with some simple knitting projects to practice and complete."
[11 lessons]

Scrapbooking 101

"More people every year are discovering the joy of scrapbooking to capture memories and create unique family and friend albums to keep and share. In this comprehensive course, the beginner scrapbooker will learn how to start his/her scrapbooking hobby without being overwhelmed. Everything from choosing the right supplies to get started to tips for journaling effectively is included in easy to follow lessons that reflect the wide variety of scrapbooking styles and themes popular today."
[17 lessons]

Couponing 101

"By using coupons found in magazines, circulars and through online sources, consumers have been known to save thousands of dollars on every day items, and in some cases, receive items for free. This course will give the ins and outs of couponing as well as tried and true ways of saving as much money as possible."
[8 lessons]

There are over 500 different courses available. If these are not to your interest, log in to Universal Class. You're bound to find something you like!

If you need a reminder of how Universal Class works, please click this introductory post.

Today is National Take Your Child to the Library Day! So go ahead and bring in the kids today and show them what your local library is all about! And to show that not every library is just about books, check out this video about the Living Library Project and how it is helping to break down stereotypes.

This week we will be discussing the Louisiana Legal Forms database. This is a great database available to BPL patrons who are looking for free and easily accessible legal forms. If you want to access this database the good news is that you are halfway there, just click on the Louisiana Legal Forms link on the left-hand side of our homepage. For your convenience this database can be accessed both from home and the library.

The legal forms homepage allows for three different searching methods. You can type directly into the search box, browse categories by alphabet, or view the most popular legal forms sections. The lsit of categories includes: Divorce, Bankruptcy, Landlord Tenant, Wills & Estates, Real Estate, Sample Letters, and Power of Attorney.

The search you choose to use will depend on how much information you already have about the forms you need. For example: If you know the exact title of the form you need the easiest thing will be type directly into the search box and select the Titles bubble before clicking search. Or, if you don’t have a name but know you need a form having to do with Bankruptcy you can select the Bankruptcy section and search through the most popular forms.

This database also gives a comprehensive list of legal definitions, which can help if you come across an unfamiliar word in one of the forms. From the homepage of the database you can click on definitions and view the words alphabetically.

For Story Time at our branches, Ms Sandi will take her show on the road to both Merryville and Singer! Our children will have an Alphabet of Adventure with: R is for Rabbits

Our Story Time books for this are:

• The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
• Gray Rabbit's Odd One Out by Alan Baker
• Hello, House! by Linda Hayward

After the story, Ms Sandi has a paper bag rabbit craft planned that will be R for Radical!

PLACES AND TIMES

MERRYVILLE: Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 10:30 am
SINGER: Saturday, February 14, 2015 at 10:30 am

For more Story Time content, please visit our TumbleBooks page. Interested readers and their families can find picture books, audiobooks and much more.

SCHEDULE NOTE: DeRidder branch will NOT have a Story Time on February 11, 2015 because the branch will open late.

With Staff Picks, we would like to offer recommendations from our staff to you. These picks will be from a variety of reading, listening or viewing tastes. You might find stuff you've checked out before, or you might be intrigued enough to find a new favorite.

Behind the gates of Gomorrah : a year with the criminally insane by Stephen B. Seager, MD

It is a true insider's account written by a psychiatrist that spent one year working at the nation's largest state run forensic/mental hospital in California, Gorman State Hospital, locally known as "Gomorrah". A place where the most hardened serial killers, mass murderers, and criminally insane convicts are housed, mostly in dorm like settings instead of cells, free to roam the halls. Severe acts of violence are encountered on an almost daily basis both against staff and other patients, and the book is a great insight to the brave men and women who deal with it daily and react to life threatening situations without hesitation.

The author's premise of "you can't be a hospital and a prison at the same time" is demonstrated with a story told in layman's terms and not the medical jargon that makes many of these type books hard to read. A good, hard to put down book that I highly recommend.

If this book interests you, feel free to request and check it out. We'll be back next Wednesday with a different Staff Pick.

We have an electrician working on our doors at the DeRidder branch this morning. Our branch will be noisier than normal, but it is a temporary inconvenience so we can give you a better library experience.

We also note that while the doors are being done, please use the temporary detour from the lobby through the Rotary Meeting Room to enter the rest of the library.

Today's Tech Tip has to do with sending emails from the printer in the Deridder branch of the library. We would like to recommend that if you are sending anything which you may need a reply to, please change the from email adress on the email, or at least add your own email as well. By doing this we hope to ensure that a potential reply will be sent to the right email address. In the past we have received replys to our library email address. This means you may not be seeing a potentially important reply email. If you need help doing this then please ask for assistance. We hope this will make your experience at the library that much better!

Board Meeting

The Library's Board of Control will meet in regular session at our DeRidder branch (205 S. Washington Ave.) on February 4, 2015 at 4:30pm. All regular session meetings of this board are open to the public.

An agenda for this meeting will be posted on the front door of the DeRidder branch no less than 24 hours before the meeting.

Mango Monday: Indonesian

For this installment of Mango Monday, we will discuss our offerings for Indonesian. This language may not be well known to many people in our area, but Indonesian is the official language of the 4th most populous country in the world. It is primarily spoken in the Indonesian archipelago by 23 million people as a native language and by 140 million more people as a second language.

Some phrases from the first Mango lesson that you might recognize:

• Hello: Halo
• How are you?: Apa kabar kamu?
• I am fine.: Kabar saya baik.
• What is your name?: Siapa nama kamu?
• My name is __.: Nama saya ___.

In some ways, Indonesian will be easy to learn for English speakers because it is more phonetic than our language. That means it is written how with a Latin script it is pronounced. It also has less of the common features of Indo-European languages that can be difficult for English language learners, such as cases or grammatical gender. Those can be difficult for English speakers learning a new language.

As with Dutch last week, Indonesian is available through both Mango Languages and Pronunciator. Each language product has different interfaces, and some will work better for you depending on what you want to get out of your language experience. Don't forget to take advantage of each product's mobile apps for language learning on the go!

Next Monday we will be back with a new language you can teach yourself with resources from your library.

Homeschooling

With this week's edition of Sunday School with Universal Class we will highlight a few of the classes that are available related to Homeschooling. While there are many academic and subject related classes in Universal Class, there is a specific section with more than 40 courses that will help homeschooling families improve their chances for academic success.

Here are some sample courses you might consider taking. The descriptions are shortened, but there is more detail at Universal Class.

How to Teach Reading

"Reading may be achieved through a variety of methods and techniques that best suit individual learners and students of all ages and levels. This reading basics course is designed to help students increase their reading speed as well as their ability to comprehend content, directions, and absorb materials for retention. - Understanding the difficulties that may face many students, as focused on helping students gain the most from their reading experiences, this reading basics course is designed to encourage students to excel in their reading adventures and endeavors."
[12 lessons]

Unit Studies 101

"This is a two-part class, the purpose of which is to provide you with the tools necessary to develop your own unit studies course for either homeschool or classroom purposes. - During this course, you will learn the purpose of a unit study, how to pick a suitable topic, how to find resources to support it, how to apply your chosen topic across subject areas, and how to research and plan a unit study. These are strategies you can use to build a unit study using any topic you like."
[11 lessons]

Math All-in-One: Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry Review

"This self-paced All-In-One Math Course reviews the basics of arithmetic, algebra and geometry. This compact course is an ideal "crash course" for anyone needing review or instruction in these math areas or anyone who wants to improve results on high school or college exams. If you want a jump start before starting college or just interested in learning how to solve math problems, this is the course for you."
[25+ lessons]

Typing and Keyboarding 101

"Today, knowing how to type fast is almost a necessity in the business world. More and more corporate-world employees are being asked to create reports, sales letters, business plans, blogs, web content, forecasts and more. Knowing how to type can save you hours of valuable work time, increasing your productivity.
This course, Typing and Keyboarding for Business Professionals, is entirely self-teaching. Each lesson is short, simple and easy to master, with easy-to-understand text and custom-designed typing drills."
[20 lessons]

There are over 500 different courses available. If these are not to your interest, log in to Universal Class. You're bound to find something you like!

If you need a reminder of how Universal Class works, please click this introductory post.