ALLIANCE LIBRARY SYSTEM ANNOUNCES SMART INVESTING @ YOUR LIBRARY IN BEARDSTOWN

Beardstown – Alliance Library System and Beardstown Houston Memorial Library will launch the “Smart investing @ your library®” program, to promote investor education in the Beardstown community. Beardstown Houston Memorial Library will be working with Alliance Library System to offer programs on investing targeted at baby boomers. Programs will be presented by Paul Santos, Director of Finance, Facilities and Human Resources at the Alliance Library System.

On Saturday, September 6, at 10:00 a.m. in the meeting room, Paul will present “Rules for Retirement” and he will talk about the traditional way people save and invest for retirement and how that is changing. The second session is “Planning Decade by Decade,” talking about what you should do throughout the years to be ready for retirement. This program will take place on Saturday, September 13 at 10:00 a.m. in the meeting room. The third program in the series is “Risk and Reward” where Paul will discuss asset allocation by stage: a different look at different types of investment, the risks involved, and the potential rewards. This program will be held on Saturday, September 20 at 10:00 a.m. in the meeting room.

Paul Santos graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting (1990) and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (1993). He is a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois. He has held accounting and finance positions with utilities and call centers. His experience includes investing grant funds for the Alliance Library System and analyzing, reviewing and recommending investments for 401(k) and pension plans of previous employers.

In January 2008, Alliance Library System was awarded a $100,000 grant funded by the American Library Association (ALA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation as part of the “Smart investing @ your library®” program. Alliance Library System was one of only 13 libraries nationwide to be selected for participation.

The grant will help to build the capacity of libraries in the Alliance Library System to provide effective, unbiased investor education to the community at large. With the funding, Alliance Library System will provide investing programs in communities around central Illinois, provide a Smart Investing van to spread the word at county fairs, health fairs, and library events, and to create an informational presence in the virtual world of Second Life. The Smart Investing van will make a stop at Beardstown Houston Memorial Library on Tuesday, August 26 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and at the Beardstown Fall Fun Festival on Saturday, September 27.

“We are so pleased to have been selected by the ALA and FINRA Investor Education Foundation for participation in this important investor education program,” said Kitty Pope, Executive Director of the Alliance Library System. “Through the grant, we are able to offer a number of new high-quality investor educations and services, enabling our libraries to become an even stronger resource for patrons looking to learn more about investment options and saving strategies.”

“Public libraries can serve as an important source of reliable information for millions of investors trying to make sense of challenging financial topics,” said FINRA Investor Education Foundation Chairman Mary Schapiro, who also serves as FINRA’s CEO. “Our Foundation is proud to partner with the ALA and to support the important investor education efforts at Alliance Library System.”

“Public libraries have always been a valuable source of information for the communities of central Illinois, and we are pleased to be able to help them expand their offerings in the area of investor education,” said ALA President Loriene Roy. “Whether choosing what type of savings plan makes most sense for a family, researching a potential stock investment or learning more about bank products, public libraries offer the needed resources to help its patrons make Smart investing decisions.”

“Smart investing @ your library®” is being administered jointly by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the ALA, and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation (formerly known as the NASD Investor Education Foundation). The program supports public libraries in their efforts to meet investor education and protection needs at the community level.

Established in 1876, the ALA is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Its mission is “to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” For more information, visit www.ala.org.

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that give underserved Americans the knowledge, skills and tools necessary for financial success throughout life. To date, the FINRA Foundation has approved $14.7 million in grants and an additional $10.2 million in direct investor education programming. For details about grant programs and other FINRA Foundation initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. Created in 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and NYSE Member Regulation, FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. FINRA touches virtually every aspect of the securities business — from registering and educating all industry participants to examining securities firms; writing and enforcing rules and the federal securities laws; informing and educating the investing public; providing trade reporting and other industry utilities, and administering the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and registered firms. For more information, please visit www.FINRA.org.

FREE beginner computer classes in English and French

Please join us!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Please call 217-323-4204 to sign up in advance. Seating is limited!

“The American Dream Starts @ your library” Grant

Beardstown – Beardstown Houston Memorial Library is one of 34 libraries nationwide that has received “The American Dream Starts @ your library” grant to help increase literacy services to adult English language learners. Each of the winning libraries will receive a one-time award of $5,000. The grants are funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and implemented by the American Library Association.

With grant funds, Beardstown Houston Memorial Library will provide basic computer courses for English language learners through bilingual library staff members. A series of three classes will teach participants how to use a computer, search the Internet effectively, create and use an email account, and do basic word processing. The bilingual classes will be held in Spanish/English and French/English starting in July. Additionally, updated computer materials will be purchased for the English and Spanish collections along with a core collection of French language materials.

Library Director Cate Parish recently stated her gratitude for the award. “We feel very fortunate to have been selected as a grant recipient. Our community continues to increase in its diversity and the library is striving to meet the needs of all segments of the population with improved services and materials. This grant will help propel us toward that goal.”

The funded libraries represent communities in 18 states – Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin - ranging from large urban areas to small, rural towns. Beardstown Houston Memorial Library was one of eight rural libraries in the country chosen to receive the grant. Each library demonstrated a need to provide literacy services to adult immigrants and a need to expand and/or add resources and services for adult English language learners. A complete list of the winning libraries is available at www.ala.org.

Public libraries have long been a cornerstone of the American dream, providing equal access to information. It is one of the first places to which many immigrants turn for help in learning to read, write and speak English.

“As a longtime supporter of literacy and education, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to fund the ‘American Dream’ grant initiative,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s CEO. “Public libraries are in a unique position to directly reach immigrants and help them assimilate into a new community. These grants will enable local libraries to provide the English language literacy services most needed in their area.”

The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) recently found that 11 million U.S. adults or approximately one in 20, most of whom are immigrants, have such limited English skills that they can’t read a newspaper, understand the directions for medication or help their children with schoolwork. “The American Dream Starts @ your library” grant was founded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the American Library Association to meet the growing demand for English language literacy services.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 65,000 members. Its mission is to promote the highest quality library and information services and public access to information. For more information visit www.ala.org.

About Dollar General

Dollar General is a leading discount retailer with more than 8,000 neighborhood stores. Dollar General stores provide convenience and value to customers by offering consumable basic items such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids and cleaning supplies, as well as basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at everyday low prices. The company has a longstanding tradition of supporting literacy and education. In 2007, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded more than $5.7 million in grants to 407 nonprofit organizations, helping more than 300,000 individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. To learn more about Dollar General, visit www.dollargeneral.com. Dollar General is a partner of the Campaign For America’s Libraries, a multi-year public education campaign sponsored by the American Library Association to speak loudly and clearly about the value of libraries and librarians in the 21^st Century.

Lots of new children's books!

Beardstown Houston Memorial Library has just added $1,053 worth of new children’s books to its shelves thanks to community donations and a grant. Director Cate Parish applied for The Libri Foundation grant to purchase new children’s books at the beginning of the year.

The children’s library was in desperate need of new materials, since more than two-thirds of the books on the shelf were over twenty years old. At the time the grant was written, circulation of children’s materials accounted for only 21 percent of the total number of books checked out.

The library has had 1,501 visits from children in the last two months and with the addition of the new books, Ms. Parish hopes to see more children checking out books.

It took a lot of hard work on the part of many people to get the new materials. The Libri Foundation requires that the participating library conduct a fundraiser to raise matching funds. The Libri Foundation then matches the funds 2-to-1.

Project Next Generation, a teen program at the library, took on part of the responsibility for fundraising by asking for donations outside of Wal-Mart in June. In addition, library staff distributed collection bottles to several community businesses. Between the two efforts, the library raised enough money to request the maximum number of books allowed through the grant.

The books arrived just a few weeks ago and staff members have worked diligently to prepare them for checkout. They are now on display in front of the main circulation desk and are ready to be checked out. Parents and children are encouraged to stop by and browse as many of the books are part of the Accelerated Reader program and have won awards for literary excellence.

Coming Soon: Patron ID Cards!

In the very near future, the library will be offering patron ID cards for you to present when you check out items. This means you will no longer have to tell us your name when you come to the desk. Instead, you will simply present your BHML card, we'll scan the barcode on the back of it, and then check out your books or videos. We hope this will eliminate some of your frustration if you have a name that's difficult to spell. Plus, it will speed up your check-out time!

You will be expected, however, to have your card with you every time you want to check something out. If you lose your card and need a replacement, there will be a fee. More detailed information will be available once we are ready to distribute the cards. Check the newspaper in the coming weeks.

We are very excited to offer this improved service to you and would like to thank the United Methodist Church for their support. Their donation to the library makes this service possible!

Diabetes Management Workshops Scheduled

On March 27th, the library will host two diabetes management workshops in conjunction with Culbertson Memorial Hospital. The first program will start at 10 AM and will be in English, while the second will be at 6 PM and will be presented in Spanish.
Childcare will be provided during the evening session. A doctor will be on hand at both sessions to answer any questions you may have.

The workshops are free and open to the public. No registration is required.

The library's March local business sponsors, Mulconrey's Apothecary and Cargill Meat Solutions, Inc. will help defray costs associated with the programs.

Beardstown Houston Memorial Library is also purchasing new diabetes-related materials. Those materials are made possible by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

Please call the library for more information.

We look forward to seeing you at the program!

Winter Newsletter

Our Winter 2007 newsletter is now available online! Check it out for the latest BHML news. Print copies will be available in the library and at various locations in town. Enjoy!

Join us for a Festival of Trees and Open House!

The Beardstown Houston Memorial Library is sponsoring a Festival of
Trees for the 2006 holiday season and civic organizations, businesses,
youth, school, church groups and individuals are invited to participate. The
theme for the festival will be "Hometown Holiday". No entry fee is being
charged, but donations to assist with program costs will be accepted.

The facility has space for 6 trees that are five feet tall, to be
displayed in the large windows on the west and north sides of the building.
Other entries cannot be taller than four feet and will be placed in the
library commons. Registration forms are available at the library and on the
library website www.beardstown.lib.il.us/library/.

Registrations must be received in the library by 7 p.m. on Monday, November 20. No phone registrations will be accepted. Trees must be decorated by Friday, December 1 and remain on display through the month of December unless other arrangements are made for early removal. Decorating activity may be conducted during library hours, but after-hours arrangements can be scheduled. Questions may be directed to the library staff at 323-4204.

The library is participating in Christmas in Beardstown on Saturday,
December 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. with an Open House for the Festival of Trees,
refreshments and children's holiday craft activity.

Look for new health materials soon!

As part of a $3,000 grant the library received recently, we will be able to purchase some new materials for the consumer healthcare section of our collection. This is VERY exciting for us! Our health materials tend to lean on the older side (to put it lightly) and the collection is thin in some vital areas. We will be purchasing materials to correspond with our workshops that are given in conjunction with Culbertson Memorial Hospital, but we'll be able to buy some books, DVDs, etc. in other areas as well.

What would YOU like to see the library buy?

Add your ideas to our growing wishlist:

*Autism
*Bi-polar disorder
*Diabetes
*Heart disease
*Weight loss/healthy eating
*Viruses and disease

We want your feedback so we can better serve you. What health topic have you tried to research, only to find out our books are out of date or we don't have any at all on the subject? What health condition do you think would be best explained through a video?

Start brainstorming and let us in on your thoughts by emailing us at beardlib@casscomm.com or adding a comment to the blog!

Funding for this grant was awarded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).