Waterloo Public Library Reference

RFID Project Nears Completion

2011-10-17T08:06:00.004-05:00

After nearly two years of planning and conversion the RFID project is nearing completion.

The old service window has been closed and will be replaced by an enclosure that will host two RFID selfchecks and an AMH (Automated Material Handler) that will checkin and sort materials.

To the right are bookshelves that will house items on reserve. The Welcome Desk will be removed and replaced by new book displays.

Technicians are scheduled to commence installation of the new security gates on October 24 with completion by the end of the week. We're all looking forward to a modern systems that's extremely reliable and easy to use!

c 2011 Waterloo Public Library

AtoZ Rocks!

2011-08-31T09:47:00.002-05:00

As I was reading a recent literary non-fiction title last night I came across the name of a fellow who had been married to Jerry Marks second wife, Mimi, back in the 1970s. I tried bringing him up on Google, but had far too many hits. So, I tried the WPL's AtoZ subscription--from home--and got a picture of the guy's house within seconds.

If you're trying to find addresses and phone numbers, your first stop should be AtoZ!

c 2011 Waterloo Public Library

Power is on, Waterloo PL is open

2011-08-31T07:45:00.002-05:00

Much of downtown Waterloo is without power this morning, but the WPL is lit up and will open as usual at 9:00 a.m.

Be careful when you come to see us as many traffic signals are still inoperable.

c 2011 Waterloo Public Library

Library Closed!

2011-08-30T17:15:00.001-05:00

The WPL closed at 5:00 p.m. today due to a power outage. Keep your fingers crossed for tomorrow morning.

c 2011 Waterloo Public Library

We're Back!

2011-08-30T15:32:00.002-05:00

Hello--

Professor Dargan tells me that you're looking at our blog and are disappointed by the lack of recent activity. We've moved on to other social networking venues such as Facebook (be sure to search for "Waterloo Public Library" on Facebook) and also have an interesting Virtual Reference service.

Try clicking the Virtual Reference link during business hours and ask the librarian on duty what the WPL has to offer to HCC students.

c 2011 Waterloo Public Library

2010-04-25T22:02:00.001-05:00

Color printing has been unavailable for several week. However, we're in the process of getting a new HP Color Laserjet purchased and installed.

We don't have a definite date, but I look for us to be printing in color by late May.

c 2010 Waterloo Public Library

ACE-SAP Clinic

2010-01-20T13:17:00.004-06:00

The ACE-SAP Free Clinic is available to serve the needs of persons who either do not have insurance or have inadequate coverage to meet their needs.

The clinic can provide professional health care, free cholesterol and blood sugar screening, medications, diabetic testing supplies, and some immunizations.

ACE-SAP accepts walk-ins for their medical clinic. However, please call 235 9358 to make an appointment. Visit their website, www.allencollege.edu for further details.

c 2010 Waterloo Public Library

H1N1 Clinic this Saturday!

2010-01-11T16:27:00.002-06:00

c 2010 Waterloo Public Library

2009-12-29T12:56:00.002-06:00

Yes, it's that time of year again. And, the Waterloo Public Library will once again provide paper versions of popular state and federal tax forms. You're welcome to visit our second floor and browse through the tax-form rack and to take what you need.

However, If you can't find the form you need, log on to one of our 30 public access computers, visit either the IRS or the Iowa Department of Revenue , find the form you need and print it for 5 cents a page!

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Free H1N1 Vaccinations!

2009-12-17T09:30:00.001-06:00

It’s Flu Season, Get Your H1N1 Vaccine…

FREE Clinic for all Black Hawk County Residents

ü Tama Hall at Hawkeye Community College

ü 1501 E. Orange Rd., Waterloo, 50704

ü Tuesday, December 22, 2009

ü 1:00pm to 7:00pm

ü Register online for an appointment www.bhchealthclinics.com

ü Walk ins first-come-first-served and subject to vaccine availability

ü Save time! Visit the Black Hawk County Health Department website for consent forms, vaccine information sheets and general flu information in English, Bosnian and Spanish. http://co.black-hawk.ia.us

ü Translators onsite to help you

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Printer Upgrade Monday!

2009-11-20T16:27:00.003-06:00

Good news! Library computer users will see a dramatic increase in printing speed sometime early next week when our new HP p4015x computer, purchased by the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library, comes on line.

The new printer is rated at 50+ monochrome pages per minute, much faster than the Kyocera, which will be retained for color prints. Patrons may choose to print in duplex, but the default is simplex (i.e., "single-sided). For now the price will stay at $00.05 per page.

Patrons will enjoy the speed and high quality; staff members will appreciate the 1,000 sheet paper capacity as well as the high-yield toner cartridges that should be good for more than 20,000 pages! Waits in line while harried librarians scurry around with toner cartridges will be much less common.

The bad news is that we'll have to reconfigure every public access computer to "see" the new printer. We'll then have to do some testing to make sure we've done our job correctly. This means that the public access computers will not be available Monday morning. We know that computer access means a lot to our patrons and we'll work as fast as we can to get them up and running again.

If you appreciate this great new service, consider expressing your thanks to the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library!

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

ID Required November 15, 2009!

2009-10-21T08:25:00.005-05:00

Beginning November 15, 2009, library patrons wishing to use Public Access Computers will be required to have library cards!

Starting November 15, 2009, the Waterloo Public Library will require all users of Public Access Computers (PACs) to have valid library cards or be able to prove, with photo identification, that they are not residents of Iowa. Residents of Iowa who are not from the Waterloo Public Library service area may be given Open Access cards. Patrons with sufficient proof that they are NOT Iowa residents may be given visitor passes.

Authentication Rules:

No visitor passes for Iowa residents!
Non-residents must show photo ID!
Library cards may be obtained at any service desk.
Lost cards may be replaced for $2.
Fines will not prevent PAC access.
Patrons with photo ID may have library card number looked up 1 time.
Patrons without library cards or sufficient ID may obtain access to the Express Computer for one 20 minute session each day.

To avoid delays or loss of PAC access, get your library card today!

Patrons with questions or concerns should contact any staff member or Technical Systems Administrator, Mike Dargan: dargan@wplwloo.lib.ia.us or 319 455 6722.

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Mac OS 10 X: Snow Leopard!

2009-10-18T12:26:00.006-05:00

Macintosh's OS 10, after seven years of service, no longer "new," has a new version: Mac OS X Snow Leopard. We'll be adding a few Mac OS titles over the next fiscal year. If there's one in particular that you want, let us know and we'll try to get it for you.

For that matter, book requests for any operating system, are always welcome! You may submit requests directly to the Adult Print Non-Fiction selector by using this form: print non-fiction.

For a list of non-fiction that's currently on-order (or maybe already delivered), follow this link: WPL FY10 Non-Fiction Orders

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Youth Services Librarian

2009-10-09T13:21:00.002-05:00

Shared Youth Services Librarian

The Cedar Falls and Waterloo Public Libraries are seeking a full-time Shared Youth Services Librarian. Position is salaried, and supervises the Youth Departments at both the Cedar Falls and Waterloo Public Libraries. Some evening and weekend work required. Salary range $47,301-70,252.

Qualifications include: understanding of child/adolescent development, strong knowledge of children’s literature and print/electronic reference sources appropriate for children, familiarity with children’s electronic media and general technology, strong written and oral communication skills, ability to plan and develop children’s programming relevant to two diverse communities; the ability to lead two departments with humor, integrity, fairness, and support a team-oriented constantly changing environment; possess a philosophy of youth services, and a management philosophy/model; possess grant writing skills, the courage to try new approaches, energy and creativity. Have knowledge of assessment and determining effective outreach venues. Spanish language preferred, but not required. ALA accredited Masters or comparable post-graduate degree required. Four years of increasingly responsible experience in a library setting, including two years of lead or supervisory experience. Position also requires the physical condition necessary for standing, sitting, or walking for prolonged periods of time; adequate speech, hearing, and eyesight required; may be required to lift moderately heavy objects. Post-offer, pre-employment physical and drug screen required.

For consideration, submit application (from Cedar Falls City Hall or www.cedarfalls.com/jobs ), resume, and cover letter with salary requirements to the City of Cedar Falls, Admin. Services-Youth Librarian, 220 Clay Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613. Deadline for application materials: October 23 at 4:30 p.m. EOE

Kenneth M Davenport Obituary

2009-10-07T21:42:00.001-05:00

Obituary: Kenneth (Ken) Marvin Davenport

WATERLOO -- Kenneth (Ken) Marvin Davenport, 66, of Waterloo, died at the University of Iowa Hospitals on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 after a long illness. His body was cremated by the Cremation Society of Eastern, Central and Western Iowa.

Kenneth Marvin Davenport was born February 18, 1943 in Harbor Beach, MI to Angus Marvin and Clarice Elaine (Dollman) Davenport. Ken graduated from high school in Tawas, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University where he earned a B. A. in Geography as well as a Master’s degree in Geography. He attended the University of Minnesota where he did postgraduate work in Library Science. He then attended Kent State University where he earned a Master of Library Science degree.

Ken married Diane Carter in 1966; they were later divorced. He later met Patricia Durfee; they married in 1996, but were together for many years before that.

Ken worked as a library consultant for the North East Iowa Service Area from 1991 until his recent passing; he worked with approximately 85 libraries, many of them smaller libraries located in small towns of Northeast Iowa. Ken became an expert on library governance as well as E-Rate, a federal program that helps schools and libraries get internet access. He was a tireless advocate for libraries in Iowa, and was a regular participant at local Legislative Forums, where his beard, suspenders, and dry sense of humor were all appreciated. He was a great story teller, and even when he became very ill, posted notes on his Facebook page about his most recent exciting ride by helicopter to Iowa City.

He was a long time member of the Iowa Library Association; he served on the Executive Board in the 1990s and was the long time Chair of the Credentials Committee for the annual conference. Ken was also a member of the Cedar Falls Supper Club.

His interests included reading, geography, Renaissance festivals, Celtic culture, fine food, and spending time on his computer, corresponding with friends, blogging, and getting into Web 2.0. Ken was on Facebook and Twitter, and used them not only to socialize but further his causes/passions.

Survived by: his mother, Clarice Davenport of Lansing, MI; brothers: Grant of Salsa, Alaska, Bruce (Rose Mary) of Lansing, MI; and sister, Patricia (Jack) Kirk of Preston, Maryland. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Ann (Frank) Carraro of Ottawa, Illinois; 16 nieces and nephews; and by many dear friends from the Iowa Library system.

Preceded in death by: his wife, Patricia (Pat) Ann (Durfee) Davenport on January 20, 2008 and his father, Marvin Davenport on May 24, 1983.

Ken’s body was cremated, but his spirit lives on. A celebration of his life is planned for Friday, October 16 at the Waverly Public Library. Friends wanting to contribute to a memorial fund are asked to do so in Ken’s name at small public libraries in their area.

Sympathy cards to Ken Davenport's family may be sent to his office, and will be shared with his family.

Ken Davenport

Northeast Iowa Library Service Area

415 Commercial Street

Waterloo, IA 50701

Condolences may be left at the Cremation Society Website,

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

TutorVista Renewed!

2009-09-02T09:32:00.004-05:00

Need help with your homework? Having trouble with chemistry? alegebra? physics? Want someone to talk you through your essay for Introduction to College Writing? If so, you're in luck: TutorVista has been renewed for another year!

Between the hours of 3 and 11:00 p.m., CDT, logon to TutorVista and get expert help from trained professionals! If you don't have home computer access, come to the Waterloo Public Library to use this great service. Or, if you have a home connection, use your WPL library card to take advantage of TutorVista.

Thanks to the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library for subsidizing TutorVista!

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Chat Any Place, Any Time, Any Computer

2009-08-10T20:52:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, a librarian asked me if we could install Yahoo Messenger on our Public Access Computers. As it turns out, he had had a few queries from patrons who wanted to use instant messaging clients to chat with their buddies.

I'm not unsympathetic to IM users--I've done over a thousand chat sessions myself since 2007. However, I maintain four computers (one at each library, one in my home office, and the laptop in my living room that I am using to compose this blog), and trying to synchronize settings and buddies on all those boxes, plus my new iPhone, is problematic. (Don't forget my motto: If you don't think too good, don't think too much!) Installing proprietary IM clients on our Public Access Computers is not imminent.

So, when I feel the need to use Instant Messaging, I go to www.meebo.com. Once I'm on Meebo, I log in with whatever identity I need, and there's my list of chat buddies. When I'm through with the session, I log out, and nothing is left behind. When I land on another computer, I log in with Meebo, and my settings automagically reappear.

So, the next time you're on a foreign computer, and want to use Instant Messaging, surf to Meebo, log in and start chatting.

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

MP3 Players @WPL

2009-07-15T22:15:00.009-05:00

Patrons are regularly plugging their MP3 players into Waterloo Public Library public access computers and attempting to download tunes or books for later enjoyment. It appears that many of our users are getting along just fine, but others run into troubles. A problem I encountered today, and its resolution, might be of interest to those who can't quite figure out how to get the latest Andy Williams or Petula Clark hit onto their player.

The patrons had repeatedly downloaded their files from Rhapsody, had their MP3 device plugged into a USB port, but couldn't figure out how to get the blasted songs onto the player! They requested assistance from the librarian who figured it might be a good way to stump me, or at least get me out of my chair for a few minutes.

As I surveyed the situation, I could see that they and the librarian had been doing several things right. They were on a Teen computer (Teen computers run with local administrator rights and have no security other than a utility that restores the original state of the hard drive on restart), had the device plugged in, and were clearly downloading files. But where were the files landing and how could they get them onto the MP3 player so that grandma, mom, and their teen princess could get on their way?

As usual, I was pretty much clueless about what to do. So, I used my normal strategy: see what works, what doesn't work, and poke around. I had them do another download from the Rhapsody site. So far as I could tell, Rhapsody didn't give them an option to "save as" which would determine the file location. Apparently, Rhapsody uses a default--but "what" default?!?

When their download was complete, I had them browse to My Computer, and saw that their MP3 player appeared as a device with an assigned drive letter, e:. I had them browse around (the mom was extremely patient, meanwhile, the teen princess wandered off to ignore some boys) the folders on the MP3 player, found some odd files and folders, but nothing downloaded from Rhapsody.

Next step: Browse around in My Documents, Microsoft's default (does that word ring a bell?) folder for files. We browsed to My Documents > My Music, saw a folder labeled "Rhapsody," browsed (when I say "browsed," think "click it!") it, and voila! We had found the location of the downloaded music.

But how do we get the music onto the MP3 player? We decided to act as if there were not DRM (Digital Rights Management) issues to vex us, copied the entire Rhapsody folder from My Documents > My Music to the E: drive (the MP3 player), and were stumped. How would we get the files to play. Mom waved over the teen princess, she took the wheel, and within about 30 seconds she was rockin' and rollin' (or whatever they call that darned noise that passes for music nowadays) and carefully ignoring her grandma, mom, and me (some things never change).

The moral of this story? If you're having trouble getting your music transferred to your MP3 player, try to persuade a librarian to put you on one of our Teen computers. When you download your music, watch to see if you are prompted to save to a particular location; if so, choose your MP3 player. If not, poke around in My Documents and My Documents > My Music for likely files. If you find them, copy them to the root of your device and then fork it over to someone under age 14 to get it running!

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Why won't my .odt or .ods file open?

2009-07-15T21:26:00.004-05:00

At about 2:oo this afternoon, a distraught young lady asked a librarian why her resume wouldn't open on a library Public Access Computer. When Tim noticed that the resume's file extension was .odt rather than the expected .doc of a Microsoft Word document, he brought the problem to my desk.

I immediately agreed with him that this resume had been created with a non-Microsoft word processor that uses XML to generate "Open Document Format" files. In this case, Open Office Writer which saves, by default, using the .0dt extension. My experience has been that Microsoft applications do not open their .odf counter parts.

However, this problem can be dealt with in at least two ways: Avoid the problem by always saving files created within the Open Office suite as .rtf (Rich Text Format) or by saving using the format denoted by the Microsoft counter part. For example, save files created by the OO Writer as .doc, by OO Calc as .xls (Microsoft Excel), and so on.

The other way to solve the problem is a bit more cumbersome and not always available: Install the current Open Office suite, open the problem file, and save it to the appropriate format. The library likes to help people in trouble, so we installed Open Office on a staff computer, opened the troubled job-seeker's resume, printed it, and off she went to her interview.

We're happy to have helped this woman in the pursuit of her job, but we'd much rather see her avoid the problem in the first place. If you're going to use Open Office, and it's a fine product, and you think you might want to open the files elsewhere, save a copy in the corresponding Microsoft format, or play it safe and save in Rich Text Format!

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Brickwork in Front of the Library

2009-06-29T07:50:00.003-05:00

Access to the Waterloo Public Library parking lot has been difficult over the past few days as workers install decorative brickwork crosswalks at the intersection of 3rd and Commercial Streets. The work has closed Commercial, but the good news is that Jefferson Street is finally open. Building the Riverfront Loop has been a long and difficult process. However, it's now coming together nicely and will be a great place for festivals.

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

MWD Sunday Carnival

2009-05-31T17:52:00.003-05:00

My Waterloo Days continues Sunday with a carnival on the plaza; 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. The plaza is a great festival venue and MWD 2009 might be the best ever!

(Doubleclick the slideshow to see full-screen.)

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

MWD Fireworks!

2009-05-29T23:21:00.003-05:00

The first My Waterloo Days festival on the plaza is a great success. Lots of food, music, people, and best of all fireworks!

Join us at the library courtyard, 9-3:00 p.m., for hot dogs and pop for a buck!

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Party on the Plaza!

2009-05-28T23:27:00.008-05:00

My Waterloo Days got off to a good start today with great weather and and a new venue, the River Loop Expo Plaza. I'm looking forward to the fireworks Friday night at 10:00 and hope to make it to the parade Saturday morning at 9:30.

Visit the festival's web site for a full schedule and description of events.

The library will be open Saturday; stop in if you need a break from the festivities.

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Join Us on Facebook!

2009-05-19T17:05:00.004-05:00

The Waterloo Public Library now has a Facebook "fans" page. If you're on Facebook, and are interested in what's happening at the WPL, become a fan. If you're not on Facebook, it's easy to join.

Once you're a WPL Facebook fan, you'll receive regular notices of what's happening in the Waterloo library world!

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Einstein Speaks

2009-05-06T21:15:00.004-05:00

Albert Einstein lived once more at the Waterloo Public Library this evening. Actor, writer, director, Duffy Hudson, who brought us Edgar Allan Poe last October, fascinated a crowd of 37 with his portrayal of the German genius who gave us E=MxC2.

During his 45 minute monologue, Einstein explained not only the concepts of space, time, and relativity, but also how he "imagined" complex mathematical concepts. After the show, Duffy doffed his wig and answered questions from the audience: for another 45 minutes!

It's obvious that Hudson enjoys acting as much as the audience enjoys watching and interacting with him afterwards. He'll probably come up with a new act next spring, and we'll probably have him back!

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

Duffy Hudson as Albert Einstein!

2009-04-17T11:44:00.004-05:00

Duffy Hudson, actor, director, and motivational speaker, brings his "Duffy Hudson as Albert Einstein," one-man-show to the Waterloo Public Library, Wednesday, May 6, at 7:00 p.m. Those of you who caught his "Edgar Allen Poe" show last spring know that we're in for a special treat!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Work on Downtown Exposition Site Advances

2009-03-29T14:41:00.004-05:00

Work continues on the Exposition port of the River Renaissance Project. Note the tarps protecting the newly poured concrete from cold weather.

c 2009 Waterloo Public Library

External Floppy Drive Available

2009-03-14T12:29:00.003-05:00

The Waterloo Public Library hasn't supported floppy drives for a couple of years now. Maintenance of the drives on our public access computers has become uneconomical and most people have moved on to other types of portable media. However, for those who still have floppy diskettes, if your computer's drive doesn't work, ask a librarian for help. We now keep an external floppy drive at the Reference Island and the librarian may be able to help you.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Recovery.Gov

2009-02-18T09:50:00.004-06:00

Information about the recently passed Economic Stimulus Bill may be found on line at www.recovery.gov. Stay tuned for details.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

External SD Card Reader

2009-02-01T12:28:00.005-06:00

Did you get a digital camera or digital video device for Christmas? If so, it's possible that it stores data on SD (Secure Digital) cards.

Until recently, WPL patrons with such devices had to download the data directly from their devices using a USB cable as our computers lacked SD card capability.

We now have an external "All-in-one Ultra" SD card reader at the desk. If you need to move data from an SD card to the computer, and wish to use a card reader, ask a librarian for assistance.

If you have questions or suggestions about the configuration or equipment of the Public Access Computers, please post them to this blog as comments, or send an email to me at dargan@wplwloo.lib.ia.us.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Free Income Tax Help!

2009-01-28T18:59:00.002-06:00

The UNI Vita Club offers free income tax help Mondays and Wednesdays, February 9-April 15, with the exclusion of spring break, March 16-20.

VITA, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, was established by the IRS to provide future tax professionals with experience while offering free tax preparation help to low-income people.

For more information, call the UNI Department of Accounting at 319 273 2394 or check out their website.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

On Line Tutoring

2009-01-23T07:50:00.005-06:00

The Waterloo Public Library Learning Center has yet another service for patrons: Online tutoring from TutorVista.com!

Library patrons with questions about Math, Science, and English, may receive one-to-one attention from experts in the particular field.

Assistance, directed primarily at grade levels 2-12, if available 360 days a year from 3:00-11:00 p.m.

Users will be asked to log on using their library card number. TutorVista will want to know the users grade-level and the topic for which advice is needed.

When you or your friends and family are need of schoolwork help, log on to the the Waterloo Public Library's TutorVista service and talk to an expert!

Thanks to the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library for subsidizing our TutorVista subscription!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Teen Advisory Meeting

2009-01-14T10:01:00.005-06:00

Calling all teens: Have a voice at your library. Attend the Teen Advisory Group Meeting, 5:00 p.m., Thursday, January 15, 2009 in the Teen area on the second floor.

Join Kristi the Teen Librarian for fun, pizza, and discussion of the future of teen services at the Waterloo Public Library. If you have questions, please call Kristi at 291 4496.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

IRS Tax Forms Online!

2009-01-11T11:52:00.003-06:00

The tax season is upon us and once again demand for forms and instruction booklets is high.

The Waterloo Public Library tries hard to keep commonly used tax materials on hand, but we're not a comprehensive repository. For unusual forms or instructions, please visit the Internal Revenue website: www.irs.gov.

The library has does not provide advice to tax filers, but does provide access to IRS services. Our 30+ public access computers may be used to file taxes on line. We can't guarantee complete data security, but we're confident that when you finish a session and restart your computer, your personally identifiable information is cleared from the computer.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

WiFi at the WPL

2009-01-04T13:43:00.009-06:00

Free high speed WiFi access is one of the Waterloo Public Library's many services to patron. The second floor has two Linksys 802.11a/b/g access points serving some 250-300 sessions each month.

Usually, if you start up your computer, wait a few seconds, then start your browser, you'll automatically attach to an access point. If you're unsuccessful the first time, wait a minute or two (yes, 60-120 seconds!) and try again. If you're still not connecting, use your computer's network utility to search for available networks.

The two access points will show up as "linksys" and "TrainingCenter" when you scan (your computer should have done this automatically) for available network services. If your computer finds reference01 and reference02, select the one with the strongest signal.

Once you're connected, wait a few seconds, then launch your browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or FireFox). If you've successfully attached to an access point, you should be prompted to login. Agree to our acceptable use policy, then either login with a user name and password, or click the "skip" button and off you go.

Once you're connected and browsing, you have 8 hours of 4mbs/256 access to the Internet. You may also download up to 2gb/day. Most of the commonly available ports are accessible, but if you have difficulty using a resource, give a detailed report to a librarian who will forward the problem to our technical staff.

While the AP signal is strongest on the second floor in the vincinity of either the stairwell or the Tranining Center, some computers are sensitive enough to connect and work well on the first floor; especially in the area west of the large type collection. At some point we'll be improving service on the first floor and will also upgrade to 802.11n service.

Meanwhile, enjoy the WiFi access, report any problems to staff members, understand that staff members have been asked to NOT configure patron WiFi devices, and try to be careful with your drop cords! If someone were to trip over a dangling cord they could be injured or your expensive computer might be damaged.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Color printing returns!

2009-01-03T15:02:00.003-06:00

Thanks to the team at ASI the our Kyocera Color printing is back online.

If you ever get a printout that's streaked, blurred, or is otherwise a poor result, please report the problem to a staff member. We expect only the best quality from our printers.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Color Printer Out-of-order

2008-12-22T14:54:00.003-06:00

The color printer has been performing erratically since last week. Monochrome prints still look good, but until our vendor, Advanced Systems of Iowa, acquires and installs repair parts, color prints may not turn out well.

Please contact a staff member if you have questions or need assistance with your printing.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Storm Closes Local Libraries

2008-12-18T16:52:00.003-06:00

The Waterloo and Cedar Falls Public Libraries will be closing this evening at 7:00 p.m. Meteorologists are forecasting sleet followed by intense snow fall later this evening.

No decision has been made on hours for tomorrow (Friday, 12/19/08). Tune in to local radio and/or television tomorrow morning for updates.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Teen Advisory Group Meeting

2008-12-11T16:36:00.003-06:00

Waterloo Public Library Teens will hold their Advisory Group Meeting Thursday, December 12, 2008. Teen Librarian, Kristi, promises fun, pizza, and friends will be in the second floor Teen area starting at 5:00 p.m.

For details, contact Kristi at anhaltkr@gmail.com or call 291-4476.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Winter Book Sale in Progress!

2008-12-05T07:48:00.003-06:00

The Friends of the Waterloo Public Library Book and Magazine Sale continues today and tomorrow, 9-3 each day.

It looks like we're in for a long, cold winter. Now's the time to stock up on recent fiction, mysteries, science fiction, and contemporary non-fiction for those long cold evenings when you can't be outside.

While you're at the sale, don't forget to fill out a membership form. For $15/year, Friends membership is the best deal in town!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

WPL Friends Winter Book Sale!

2008-11-30T12:22:00.003-06:00

The Winter Book and Magazine Sale of the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library begins later this week and runs through Saturday.

A "Friends Only" preview sale begins Thursday, December 4, at 6:30 p.m.; Friends of the Library get first crack at the inventory until 8:30 p.m. If you're not a friend, don't despair: Annual memberships are a mere $15 and may be purchased at the door.

The sale opens to the general public Friday morning, December 5, at 9:00 and runs through 3:00 that afternoon with the same hours on Saturday, December 6.

The sale will be held in the basement of the Waterloo Public Library, located at 415 Commercial Street, Waterloo, IA 50701.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Closed for Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T14:58:00.004-06:00

The Waterloo Public Library will close at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 26, and will reopen at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, November 29.

There will be no Learning Center activities on Wednesday.

Have a good Thanksgiving; we look forward to seeing you again on Saturday!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

More River Renaissance Activity

2008-11-09T11:55:00.002-06:00

Despite the snow, mud, and cold weather, drainage work on the River Renaissance project continues.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Riverfront Renaissance Work Continues

2008-10-28T20:12:00.003-05:00

Excavation of the old parking lot continues in early morning frost as workers rush to complete the area around the new agriculture exposition area, visible in the upper left hand corner of the picture. In the midst of the newly bricked exposition ground the Public Market can be seen. Note the many pallets of bricks on 3rd Street; apparently, more bricklaying is on the horizon. In the upper center of the photo is the recently vacated MidWestOne Bank building.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Edgar Allan Poe Wows Crowd!

2008-10-13T21:07:00.008-05:00

Edgar Allan Poe interpreter, Duffy Hudson, shown above with librarians Amy and Sue, entertained 51 guests with dramatic readings from Poe's works on a wet and gloomy downtown Waterloo evening; a perfect setting for enjoying the works of one of America's foremost literary figures.

Hudson, a writer, teacher, director, and Broadway actor, using only a wooden chair as a prop, kept us spell-bound as he performed The Raven, Annabell Lee, and the Tell-Tale Heart. After a spell-binding presentation--during which he stayed perfectly in character--Hudson took questions from the crowd and chatted about his life on the road.

What a great evening!

Support for Hudson's show was provided by the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library. Hudson expects to return to the area next spring when he will be launching a new show, based on the life of Albert Einstein!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

In the Shadow of the Raven

2008-10-09T08:34:00.005-05:00

Edgar Allan Poe comes to the the Waterloo Public Library October 13, 7:00 p.m. as his channeler Duffy Hudson, of film and Broadway fame, presents his one-man show. Share with us Hudson's fascination with Poe's life and work as he reads excerpts from Annabel Lee, The Raven, and The Tell Tale Heart.

I plan on being there with my wife and friends. I hope that you're able to join us for what promises to be a great evening!

This programming is brought to you courtesy of the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Banned Books Week!

2008-09-27T18:57:00.013-05:00

September 27-October 4 is the American Library Association's annual, Banned Books Week. Each year at this time, librarians celebrate their devotion to providing uncensored information to America's library patrons.

Despite strenuous efforts to prevent access to popular works by noted authors, it pleases me to write that the Waterloo Public Library contains each title on the ALA list of "Most Banned Books of 2007:"

And Tango makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

The Chocolate War, by Richard Cormier

Olive's Ocean, Kevin Henke

The Golden Compass, Phillip Pullman

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain

The Color Purple, by Alice Walker

TTYL, Lauren Myracle

I know why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

It's Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris

The Perks of being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky

The Waterloo Public Library is committed to providing its patrons with the materials that they wish to view or read. Check back in early fall of 2009 to see if we keep up the good work!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

WPL Closed Friday; Try Cedar Falls!

2008-09-22T21:32:00.005-05:00

View Larger Map

The Waterloo Public Library will be closed for in-service training Friday, September 26. If you need Internet access, or wish to take advantage of other library services, consider a visit to our sister library, in Cedar Falls.

The Cedar Falls Public Library has 20 public access computers as well as a wide selection of fiction, non-fiction, and audio-visual materials. Cedar Falls is an Open Access library that will extend borrowing privileges to residents of Waterloo as well as many other locales.

The CFPL is only 20 minutes away, has great parking, and will be open from 9:00-5:00 p.m. Or, if you can stand the wait, the Waterloo Public Library will reopen Saturday, September 27, at 9:00 a.m.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Fugitive File goes Online!

2008-09-14T18:06:00.005-05:00

Ever wonder about the Top Ten Floods in Waterloo's history? Or, whatever became of Josh Higgin's Park? Or, how do you submit a petition to the City of Waterloo?

Answers to these head scratchers and more can be found at the Waterloo Public Library's most recent contribution to the Internet: The Waterloo Public Library Wiki! The Wiki, a Hawaiian term for "fast," is rapidly being populated with entries from what we've previously called the Fugitive File, those odd bits of folklore and ephemera that are important to us locals, but not easily accessible via traditional reference sources.

As time goes on, WPL Reference librarians gradually transfer this information from bits of paper to electronic bits, the "new order of order."

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Friends Autumn Book Sale!

2008-09-02T21:44:00.003-05:00

The Friends of the Waterloo Public Library Used Book & Magazine Sale is nearly upon us. The event kicks off Thursday, September 4, with a "members only" pre-sale from 6:30-8:30 p.m. (For information on becoming a WPL Friend, visit their website.)

The doors reopen Friday & Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. and will close each day at 3:00 p.m. The Friends promise that nothing will cost more than a buck, and most items will cost far less.

The Friends' book sale area remains in our basement, which still shows the effects of last June's flooding. The carpetless floors look nasty, but the place is dry as a bone and has been professionally sanitized. With luck, the next sale will see a brand new tile floor.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Enhanced Flatbed Scanner

2008-08-24T17:41:00.004-05:00

Patrons of the Waterloo Public Library have had access to a flatbed scanner for about a year now. However, until recently, it hasn't worked very well. It was slow, tended to freeze, and was an altogether mediocre system.

The computer has been recently upgraded and the security has been reconfigured. The upgrade has greatly enhanced performance, and the security changes mean that downloads and thumb drive software are no longer problematic.

So, if you have an image to scan, or are having trouble downloading on one of the PACs, ask a librarian for a ticket on the Express Scanner.

As always, please submit comments or suggestions to the blog, to dargan@gmail.com, or any librarian.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

MyLibraryDV Subscription not Renewed

2008-08-24T16:27:00.005-05:00

The MyLibraryDV service, available on the Waterloo Public Library website since the fall of 2007, will be discontinued when the subscription runs out September 30. Usage, never high, peaked in March after a front page story in the Waterloo Courier. Usage continued to decline in April and recently has been negligible.

The library will continue to watch the downloadable video market, and may one day resubscribe. However, for for right now, our patrons want other products, and that's where we're going to put our acquisition resources.

As always, be sure to let us know of your desires for library materials and programming.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Teen Area Goes Online!

2008-08-13T12:32:00.001-05:00

The Waterloo Public Library Teen Area is about to get computers! Four Dell business grade computers--surplus from City Hall--have been installed around a pillar in the Teen Area. The machines have been upgraded, tested, and are nearly ready for use.

Each computer is equipped with Internet Explorer 7.0, Picasa2, and most of the Microsoft Office 2007 Pro Plus suite. Teen users will be able to send print jobs to the public access printer. After 10 minutes of inactivity a warning of impending shutdown will be displayed for a further two minutes. If no activity occurs, the computer will restart and reset; all changes (including data!) will be wiped. BE SURE TO SAVE YOUR WORK REGULARLY TO A THUMB DRIVE!

The computers will be controlled by one-time use tickets which will be handed out to Teens by Reference staff members. Initially, Teens will be allowed at least one hour a day on this set of computers. The limit of 2 patrons per computer will not apply to these machines.

We'll be having a staff meeting Thursday to discuss management of these machines and expect to go live with them soon afterwards. If this project is a success, we might be adding a few more later in the year. In the meantime, let us know if you have questions, comments or suggestions.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Legal Aid Online

2008-08-04T11:17:00.004-05:00

Patrons often approach the Reference Desk with questions about legal issues: How do I file for divorce? Change my name? Halt an eviction? Who can help me through the legal maze?

Librarians are careful to not give legal advice, but are eager to refer you to self-help resources. One of the best is the Iowa Legal Aid Website. Their site is full of answers to frequently asked questions, and it's even possible to do an online chat session with a real lawyer!

Remember: librarians are not allowed to dispense legal or tax advice. However, we can point you towards resources for either self-help or reasonably inexpensive professional help.
c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Join the WPL Friends!

2008-07-31T22:35:00.003-05:00

Everyone has heard of the WPL Friends' book sales, and you may even have purchased a magazine or cup of coffee from the Friend Shop. However, our Friends do much more than sell books.

Volunteer Friends help with youth summer programs, conduct library tours, deliver materials to the home bound as well as to nursing homes. They also read shelves, help with children programs and other special projects.

For details on how you can be a Friend of the Waterloo Public Library, visit their website, or call 291 4496 for details.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Homework Made Easy

2008-07-25T17:34:00.002-05:00

Working on that summer class term-paper? In a hurry to get your research done and done well? If so, you're in luck! The Waterloo Public Library Ebscohost subscription includes "Ebscohost Web."

This amazing product allows WPL patrons--in the building or from home using a library card--to simultaneously search articles in more than 21 databases with titles ranging from Master File Premier, to Academic Elite, to Vocational and Career Collection.

Once you've found your sources you may either print them to our high speed color laser, or save them to your thumb-drive. For more information on what Ebscohost at the WPL can do for you, stop by the reference island for a consultation with one of expert librarians.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

WPL Training Center Ribbon Cutting

2008-07-17T16:50:00.007-05:00

Waterloo Public Library Information Literacy Administrator, Kim Van Deest, cut the ribbon at this afternoon's Grand Opening of our new Training Center.

The Cedar Valley Ambassadors (the guys and gals in the blue suits) provided the ribbon, scissors, and about two dozen well-wishers.

Just prior to the ribbon cutting, Waterloo City council-person, Carolyn Cole, read a proclamation praising the new facility as well as all those involved in its conception and construction.

The Training Center, constructed with a grant from the Black Hawk County Gaming Commission and support from the City of Waterloo, seats 15 students and is equipped with a high resolution LCD projector controlled by a teacher station.

Classes are already scheduled for the new room; see the Waterloo Public Library website or call the library at 291 4480 for details.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Training Center Grand Opening

2008-07-16T22:20:00.005-05:00

Please join us July 17, 4:15 p.m., for the Grand Opening of the Waterloo Public Library's new Training Center.

The 15 seat computer classroom boasts high-end Dell Optilex computers with 17" flatscreen monitors. The workstations are equipped with Office 2007 Pro Plus running on Vista Business and are connected to our highspeed Internet pipe.

A $51,000 grant provided from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association gave us a start; funds from the City of Waterloo and the library's budget upgraded data, power, and HVAC services to modern standards.

Library personnel, with technical assistance from the State Library of Iowa completed the task of installation and configuration. The system is fast, secure, and very easy-to-use.

All that's left is for Mayor Hurley to cut the ribbon! We're ready to roll out classes on Word, Excel, Publisher, Picasa, Google Tools, Beginning Internet, Genealogy, and much more. Keep an eye on the library's website for class schedules.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

New WiFi AP

2008-07-14T10:46:00.005-05:00

Second floor WiFi users now have a second choice AP: "TrainingCenter." As you can see from the above screenshot of an XP Pro WiFi "network list," three different AP are revealed.

The first, "linksys," is the AP near the Reference Desk that has been PublicIP managed for several months. If you are one of the 107 registered users of linksys, you may log in normally.

However, we now have a second AP, "TrainingCenter," available. If you choose the TrainingCenter AP, you'll need to create another login or click the "skip" option.

Both APs are Linksys WAP54g devices. Neither is secure, both support 802.11b-g, and are set to allow duplex 10mbs of bandwidth. Available ports include 80 110 118 443 2304 3724 4445 4567 8009 8086 8087 8443 8900 9081 9090 9097 9100. We're not blocking filesharing applications.

The bottom AP, "dlink2," is a secure AP which you may ignore.

The additional WiFi AP will give us better coverage in the west end of the second floor. At some point, we'll be moving the linksys AP to a spot near the stairwell. This will improve coverage for the east end of the floor while relieving congestion at the Reference Desk.

Please direct comments, questions, and suggestions to this blog or to me, dargan@gmail.com.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

New Home for Foreign Language Collection

2008-07-10T08:10:00.003-05:00

The Foreign Language Collection has moved from its old corner on the first floor to a new space on the second.

The move will place the collection in a higher traffic area--on the way to the new Training Center door--and will open up a seating area on the first floor.

For more information about the foreign language holdings of the Waterloo Public Library, contact our diversity coordinator, Claudia Ramirez, at ramirez.claudias@gmail.com.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

CFPL Friends Sponsor Arena Football Trip

2008-07-03T18:43:00.004-05:00

What: Iowa Barnstormers vs the Quad City Steamwheelers arena football game.
Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines
When: Meet at the CFPL parking lot (524 Main Street, Cedar Falls, IA), 1:30 p.m. to sign waiver and get wristband. Bus leaves at 2:00 p.m. Tailgate party at 4:00 p.m. Game at 7:05. Return to CFPL about midnight, Saturday, July 12, 2008.
Cost: $20 per person, includes bus fare and ticket. Supper is on your own.
Registration: CFPL Service Desk
Details: Call 319 273 8643
Sponsored by Friends of the Cedar Falls Public Library

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

WPL Dance Party

2008-06-28T21:48:00.003-05:00

Teen Librarian Kristi Anhalt and Waterloo community leader Mike Robinson sponsored a Dance Party at the WPL Saturday night. Looks like they were having fun.

Couldn't get the DJ to play "Moon River" for me. Maybe next time.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

TinyURL

2008-06-27T23:37:00.009-05:00

Have you ever tried to email a long link to someone and had it fail because it's so long that the email program truncated it? If so, there's a handy tool down the page a bit that can solve your problem: TinyURL.com.

Here's an example: The Amazon URL to James Welch's book Fools Crow, is an astounding 130 characters: http://www.amazon.com/Fools-Crow-Contemporary-American-Fiction/dp/0140089373/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214627506&sr=8-1

However, paste that monster into the TinyURL.com box, and it comes out as a mere 25 characters: http://tinyurl.com/3qvgqm. (I can almost remember that one.)

If you have any questions about how or why you'd want to use TinyURL.com, ask one of our librarians for assistance.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Disaster Assistance

2008-06-23T19:02:00.001-05:00

The Federal Emergency Management Administration, FEMA, has placed Disaster Assistance fliers in the lobby of the Waterloo Public Library. Homeowners, renters, businesses, and private non-profit organizations by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning May 25, 2008 are urged to apply for assistance. Applications maybe done by phone, 1-800-621-3362 (tty 1800 462 7585) or online at www.fema.gov.

For Other Needs Assistance (ONA), including repairs, or replacement of personal property, repair or replacement of an essential vehicle, moving and storage expenses, disaster-related medical, dental, and funeral expenses, or miscellaneous expenses, call 1 866 434 4692, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CDT.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Still at it

2008-06-22T17:50:00.001-05:00

Now that the flood waters that only last week covered Jefferson Street and adjacent areas have receded, the construction of the exposition area of the Cedar Valley River Renaissance complex is again in full swing.

If the river continues falling, I expect that we'll soon see work on the dam improvements as well as the River Walk Loop. We're looking forward to an interesting construction season.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Training Center Nears Completion

2008-06-20T17:24:00.002-05:00

The past week or so has been dominated by news of the flood and its aftermath. Only ten days ago we had to tear down the network and evacuate it to other floors. Now, the network has been restored, we're fully operational, and work on the Training Center has resumed.

Today marked the installation of a Windows Vista Business image on all 15 workstations. After some testing, we'll be doing some test classes with staff.

If all goes well, we'll soon be offering patron classes and look forward to a Grand Opening July 17. Stay tuned for details!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Prime Time Rides!

2008-06-16T14:03:00.001-05:00

The Prime Time transportation dispatch center, a service of the Black Hawk Center for Independent Living, is working out of a study room located on the second floor of the Waterloo Public Library this week.

Despite having been flooded out of their usual location, 312 Jefferson Street, Waterloo, IA, 50701, Martha Paproski and Janie Hruska continue to serve their patrons from a make-shift office using cell phones.

Martha and Janie expect to be here for about a week, or until their operation finds a new location.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Aftermath of New Hartford Flood

2008-06-14T16:46:00.000-05:00

The recent flooding in New Hartford, IA devastated the Elizabeth Rasmussen Martin Memorial Library. Several feet of silt laden waters have destroyed most of the collection and rendered the rest unusable. It looks as if the interior will have to be gutted and rebuilt before services can resume.

Cherie and I drove through New Hartford this afternoon and the level of destruction is unprecedented. The floods of 1947, 1961, 1993, and 1999, while terrible, did not do near the damage of the recent disaster. The community will be hard pressed to recover--though I heard lots pumps running and people were working hard.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Not down for much longer!

2008-06-13T22:13:00.002-05:00

A crew of energetic librarians, geeks, and a director, spent most of the day getting the Waterloo Public Library ready for business-as-usual beginning at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, June 14. After a harrowing week of rain and floods, we're eager to get back to serving our patrons--nearly a quarter of a million a year--once more.

The basement is still uninhabitable, so we've moved the equipment necessary to support Technical Services (ordering, cataloging, processing, and withdrawing) to various other departments. A cleaning service is scheduled to tear up the carpets, prior to a general disinfection, starting tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. Once they've cleaned the server room we'll light up the city's web server. Now that the horse has left the barn, we'll probably find a safer place for this important communication tool.

We're fortunate to have a great bunch of librarians and other city employees. Sure, they get paid to take care of things, but their high morale, intelligence, and aggressiveness has turned what could have been a major disaster into a relatively minor incident. It's an honor to work with such a crew.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Downtown Waterloo and Library Flooding

2008-06-12T14:26:00.002-05:00

Downtown Waterloo was pretty well soaked and the WPL had to deal with several inches of basement flooding. Luckily, it's rainwater--no silt.

We're pumping water from the public elevator shaft and are constantly evaluating the situation. The basement is too wet for us to restore networking. Kim V and I will probably jury rig the equipment on upper floors--maybe as soon as tomorrow.

Stay tuned for updates.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Torrent Rages under 4th Street Bridge

2008-06-11T16:23:00.001-05:00

The last bridge linking the north and south sides of Waterloo, the 4th Steet Bridge, rumbled above the flooding Cedar River as it neared its record crest of 25.39' early Wednesday morning. That's more than three feet higher than the previous record.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Cedar River Nears Record

2008-06-11T15:46:00.002-05:00

Tuesday evening provided a surreal spectacle for Waterloo residents as the Cedar River, only a hundred yards from the Waterloo Public Library, neared a record crest. Two blocks down a railroad bridge washed away as city workers completed flood walls on other bridges.

As of 9:15 p.m. Tuesday evening, the Waterloo Public Library basement remained dry. However, rumor has it that the obvious street flooding was caused by failed storm sewer lines. Let's hope that the lift stations can keep up!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Historic Flood Closes WPL!

2008-06-10T15:31:00.006-05:00

Due to forecasts of a record high Cedar River crest of 26' this evening, and widespread street flooding this morning, Waterloo Mayor Tim Hurley has requested that downtown businesses close and leave the area in an "orderly manner. Therefore, the Waterloo Public Library closed early this afternoon until further notice.

The City Engineer has advised the library to move anything of value out of the basement. So, library personnel have relocated all networking devices and items of historical value to upper floors. If we're lucky, and stay dry, the library will be able to reopen or normal business about 4-6 hours after an all-clear. However, if the basement floods, we'll have to assess the damage and do what's necessary to reopen in a safe manner.

Check back Wednesday morning for an update.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Dirty Keyboards and Clean Hands

2008-06-09T22:18:00.005-05:00

We don't like to think about it, but public access computers are notoriously difficult to clean and keep clean. The Waterloo Public Library computers see as many as 8,000 sessions a month; that's 80,000 fingers and thumbs spreading germs and bacteria.

Tests show that even personal keyboards in office environments are typically infested with such nasty bugs as e coli and even staphylococcus aurea. Unfortunately, comprehensive cleaning of our 30 keyboards would require the removal and disinfection of some 3,030 key caps, each of which would be immediately reinfected by the next user with dirty fingers.

If you're concerned about possibility of infection, (we are unaware of any infections in the last decade of use) and wish to protect yourself, always wash your hands thoroughly after using a computer, and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose until your hands are clean.

If you wish to clean your keyboard before use, ask for a disinfectant wipe at the Reference Island. When you're done using the computer, help yourself to a squirt from our jug of hand sanitizer, also at the Reference Island. We can't promise you clean keyboards, but we can help you to keep your hands clean.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

My Waterloo Days 2008

2008-05-30T23:52:00.004-05:00

Downtown Waterloo has a lot going for it. The Waterloo Public Library, the smell of Wonder Bread baking cinnamon rolls on a Saturday morning, and best of all, great fireworks for My Waterloo Days!

Earlier this evening I sat in the middle of the 5th Street Bridge with about 5,000 friends and was entertained by the best pyrotechnics ever! If you didn't make it this year, be sure to join us in 2009!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Training Center Progress Report

2008-05-26T11:40:00.004-05:00

The BHCGA funded training center is progressing nicely. The blinds were installed Friday and library staff are now in the process of unpacking and installing the computers.

The two major remaining tasks are installation of the LCD projection screen and imaging of the 15 computers. Once everything is installed, we'll do some testing and will probably do some in-service classes with staff so we can smooth out any wrinkles.

As soon as we have a date for the ribbon cutting, we'll be posting here and on the library's website.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Are you ready for DTV?

2008-05-17T12:16:00.004-05:00

Federal law mandates the end of analog television broadcasting on February 17, 2009. The channels currently used for analog signals will be reassigned to police, fire, and emergency rescue communications. Digital signals will also allow broadcasters to offer programming with better picture and sound quality. We'll also see more channels from each broadcaster.

For subscription viewers (i.e., cable or dish antenna users), the day will pass unnoticed. However, for those of us who still get free signals via rooftop antennas, our TVs will go dark--unless we get ready ahead of time.

Free TV viewers can prepare in one of three ways:

Connect our analog TVs to digital-to-analog converter boxes.
Replace our analog TVs with digital TVs.
Subscribe to a paid TV service.

Upgrade coupons, worth $40 on the price of a digital-to-analog converter box, may be downloaded from http://www.dtv2009.gov/.

I installed a converter box on my mother's TV last weekend and it works great! The picture is superior and she now gets more channels. With a $40 coupon, the cost was negligible. There is no reason to discard your current analog TV.

If you have questions or concerns about the switch, visit the http://www.dtv2009.gov/ FAQ page, or visit with one of our librarians.

For a more in-depth discussion of the DTV tranistion, visit the library on August 27, September 10 and September 13 when engineers from KWWL will answer questions about the "big switch."

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Office 2007 Upgrade Looms!

2008-05-11T14:13:00.005-05:00

Change is coming to the the Waterloo Public Library PACS: Office 2007 will soon replace Office XP!

For several years, all WPL PACs have been loaded with the Office XP suite provided to us by the Gates Foundation. While this product has worked well since 2003, it's now time for an upgrade. Very soon you'll find that the Training center computers (21-29) will have Office 2007. We're hoping that by the end of the month PACs 1-20 and 30 will also be upgraded.

The Office 2007 interface takes a little to get used to, but we're confident that users will soon adapt. Library staff members will also like the fact that for the first time in 5 years, staff and patrons will be using the same office applications.

If you plan on creating documents at the library, then editing them elsewhere, take care to "Save as" in the same format as the next computer that you plan to use. Otherwise, you may get a nasty surprise when you find that Office XP and Office 2003 applications can't open documents prepared in Office 2007.

To be on the safe side, download and install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 formats. It's a free product that allows older Office Suites to edit the newer format.

If your computer has speakers or you have a pair of headphones, check out what the Locker Gnome, Chris Pirrillo, has to say about Office 2007.

Please contact a library staff member with any questions or concerns.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

QuickRes

2008-05-09T08:34:00.003-05:00

For several years our Public Access Computers have used 800x600 as the default display resolution. Recently, we've seen more websites that require 1024x768 for convenient viewing. Security on the system had made the resolution control inaccessible, so we had to stick with one or the other, and some of our users much prefer the larger display of 800x600.

We have addressed this problem by installing the QuickRes application on each of the Public Access Computers. If you look at the lower right hand corner of the screen, you'll see a tiny monitor icon. Right click the icon and a menu will popup. Left click the resolution that you prefer, the screen will go blank for a few seconds, then reappear with the new resolution.

Sometimes it's possible to change to a resolution that's unusable and that you can't back out of. If this happens to you, restart the computer and the resolution will reset to the default (original) resolution setting. You'll then have 2 minutes to log in before your reservation will be lost.

You should feel free to change the resolution on your own, but never hesitate to ask a library staff member for help.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

2008-05-02T19:59:00.002-05:00

The Waterloo Public Library celebrated its volunteers Friday evening with beverages, music, hors d'œuvres, and fellowship. Director Sheryl Groskurth poured wine, pop, and punch, while volunteer coordinator Sheri Melby managed the decorations and treats. The dynamic duo of Kim Chapman and Claudia Ramirez handled the door prizes and generally made things run smoothly.

We had a lot of fun on a dreary spring evening. Let's hope we can do it all over again next year!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

New Computers and LCD Projector

2008-04-28T08:20:00.005-05:00

The new computers, 15 Dell Optiplex 755s with 19" monitors, were delivered last week. And, I noticed this morning that we now have an LCD projector hanging from the ceiling. Soon, we'll have a screen for displays and shades for the windows.

The electricians are busy installing data ports and electrical outlets. Within a week or so we'll be able to start unpacking the computers. You may be shaking your head at the metal door; don't worry, it's a temporary solution. The permanent door is on back order and will probably be installed in another week or so.

We're all looking forward to seeing the Training Center completed, but it's too soon to predict the actual date.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Switch Room

2008-04-23T07:57:00.003-05:00

The electrical and data needs of the new Training Center have required an upgrade in WPL capacity. The improvements installed this week will eventually support other upgrades to second floor patron and staff services.

The picture above is of a patch panel installation in a former study room. All of the data cables for the Training Center will be terminated at the patch panel at the top of the "rack." A 26 port 10/100/1000 managed switch will be installed below. As you can see, we have plenty of room for growth.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Periodicals Seating Area Expansion

2008-04-20T21:00:00.005-05:00

Our crew of stack movers was at it again today: We've moved the periodical display shelving about 10' towards the north. This allows us to put three larger tables along the south wall adjacent to A/C outlets. The new location might make life a bit tougher for the vacuum cleaner crew, but much easier for our WiFi users whose batteries aren't quite what they used to be.

This move also allows us to move the tables a bit farther from the stairwell--noted for its tendency to channel noise up from the youth department--and use the periodicals shelves to further supress sound, while retaining the ability of Reference staff to see into the far corner of the building.

This is the second in a series of seating areas that we've planned. The first to be established is the Teen area, to the southwest of the Reference island. The third will be on the first floor, in the southeast corner near the courtyard windows. The fourth will be the northeast corner of the second floor currently occupied by the Reference workroom. At some point in the distant future, we'll have a fifth area in the northeast corner of the second floor near the 000s-100s.

Obviously, we're in dire need of more comfortable furniture. I've been threatening to cruise the Cedar Falls College Hill area semester end with my little brother's pickup, scavenging old couches and Barca Loungers. Stay tuned for further developments!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Adult AV on the Second Floor

2008-04-19T09:08:00.002-05:00

Waterloo Public Library Adult Audio Visual optical disk materials moved to the second floor last week. Library assistants Amy, Carolyn, Eugene, and Tim dismantled the display units, transported them to the area west of the PACs, reassembled, and reshelved. Believe me: that's much easier said than done!

Now that the AV materials are upstairs, the downstairs has more room for new book displays. We'll soon be shifting our "large type" collection to the area that formerly housed the AV materials. That shift will result in room for a seating area in the southwest corner of the first floor.

With the tall ceilings, large windows, and a view of the courtyard's greenery, we'll have a great place to sit and read. I'll be posting more on that project as it progresses.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Training Center gets Furniture

2008-04-14T15:32:00.003-05:00

Workers spent today unpacking and assembling furniture for the new BHCGA funded training center. Holes have been drilled through the floor for data and electricity. Dell will be shipping 15 755 Optiplex workstations later this week. The special dimmer ceiling lights have been installed and it looks like we're several weeks ahead of schedule.

We expect to be holding training sessions later this spring or early summer. Stay tuned for details.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Windows & Lights

2008-04-10T08:04:00.002-05:00

Work on the new BHCGA Training Center is progressing rapidly. Sheetrock is complete, the suspended ceiling frames are installed, the HVAC is has been updated. Now we're waiting for lights, furniture, data drops, and computers.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Training Center Takes Shape

2008-04-03T21:04:00.002-05:00

The new Waterloo Public Library Training Center, constructed with the aid of a grant from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association, is rapidly taking shape. The walls are plastered and painted, the plastic barriers are down. We're now we're waiting for the ceiling, lights, wiring, and furniture.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Recessed Monitor Test

2008-04-02T08:35:00.003-05:00

We've added another workstation to the Waterloo Public Library public access computer collection: We're testing the recessed monitor concept. Since the advent of public access computers at the WPL we've made it a point to place the monitors so that they can be seen by staff and other patrons. This approach has allowed us to see what everyone is up to and to stop inappropriate use. However, we're now wondering if it would be better to give everyone privacy by going to recessed monitors and thereby save on staff time and conflict. In other words, we're contemplating a change from the "tap on the shoulder" approach to public computer management to the "out of sight, out of mind" approach.

If you're assigned to the recessed monitor station, let us know how well you like it. Be sure to use the adjustable hood to deflect glare. I've tried it and found that it works quite well. If other like it, we may well go to all recessed monitors when we do our next upgrade.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Adult AV to Second Floor

2008-03-26T10:22:00.003-05:00

We're now well into the process of moving Adult AV (audio visual) materials from the first floor to the area on the second floor that formerly housed print reference materials. Thus far, we've moved our VHS tapes, books on tape, and books on CD. Very soon we'll be sending up the DVD collection.

Moving Adult AV to the second floor will relieve congestion in the first floor area allowing us more room for displays of new materials. As time goes on, I expect to see a seating area in the far southwest corner. With all the windows and tall ceilings, it'll be a nice place to read a book or maybe sip some coffee!

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

LAN Party

2008-03-14T09:46:00.002-05:00

The Hawkeye Community College Game Players Anonymous club and the Waterloo Public Library will join forces March 29 for a LAN Party! Participants will bring their own computers and/or consoles. The club and library will provide power, a switching hub, an LCD projector, and Internet access.

Participation is limited to gamers of high school age and older.

Pre-registration is required!

Visit the Waterloo Public Library Reference desk to sign up.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Training Center Progress

2008-03-12T08:32:00.003-05:00

Work on the new Training Center is progressing rapidly. We're thinking we'll be shopping for equipment by the end of March or early April. Electricians are also proceeding with an upgrade to second floor power and data services. It's possible that we'll be able to start teaching classes by late spring.

The Training Center is funded in part by a $51,000 grant from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association.

Stay tuned for further details.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

HVAC Work on Training Center

2008-03-07T11:07:00.004-06:00

The new WPL Training Center is quickly taking shape. Workers from Young Plumbing & Heating have removed the lights and ceiling tiles in preparation for installation of additional ventilation duct work. We'll be getting new lights and tiles, so the old one will be heading to storage.

The Training Center is drawing most of our attention at the moment, but we have other projects that we're about to implement. The empty shelves that used to house our print reference collection (now inter-filed), will soon be loaded with Adult AV materials from downstairs.

More on that later.

c 2007 Waterloo Public Library

Carpet Cut and Ceiling Tiles Removed

2008-03-02T10:19:00.002-06:00

Failor-Hurley workers cut carpet and removed ceiling tiles in preparation for the construction of the new Training Center. The Training Center, financed with money awarded by Black Hawk County Gaming Association, will provide 15 workstations equipped with the latest software and high speed Internet access.

We don't yet have a projected opening date, but late spring would be a good guess. Once the Training Center is complete, we expect to turn the current Learning Center into a video game room. Stay tuned for details!

c 2007 Waterloo Public Library

Training Center Construction about to Commence

2008-02-22T11:17:00.002-06:00

Workers will soon start the enclosure of the new Training Center, built with money provided by a grant from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association and the Isle of Capri Casino. Upon completion, the training center will have 15 Internet and MS/Office equipped computers, as well as a teaching station with projector.

Stay tuned for more pictures as the work proceeds.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

WiFi Upgrade puts WPL on Hotspot Map!

2008-02-10T15:21:00.000-06:00

The Waterloo Public Library's WiFi users will notice some changes starting today: They will be invited to either create a username or click the "skip" button. This is due to the overnight installation of a commercial version of the PublicIP WiFi management service.

The old system did little more than put WiFi users on the Internet while keeping them off of the library network. We were without bandwidth or port management. The system was vulnerable to misuse by spammers or innocent people who were unwittingly monopolizing our bandwidth.

The new system addresses all of those problems while giving us an excellent way to recover usage statistics. Currently, all users get 4 hours of access each day. Transfer limits are 1.5 mbs download, 128 kbs upload, for a total of 800 MB/day. There are no restrictions on social networking or file sharing sites, nor are there any proscribed file extensions.

If you're a WiFi user and you run into trouble, contact me at dargan@wplwloo.lib.ia.us and we'll see if it's possible to find a way to accomodate your needs.

c 2008 Waterloo Public Library

Governor Proposes 18% Cut in Library Services

2008-01-30T09:23:00.000-06:00

Governor Culver's FY 2009 budget includes an 18% cut in state funding for library services. Should this proposal stand, the following programs or agencies will see cuts: State Library, $135,000; Library Service Areas, $259,442; and Enrich Iowa $725,000.

Enrich Iowa, which directly funds Iowa's libraries, provided $16,921 to the Waterloo Public Library in FY2008. Should the governor's cuts stand, the WPL's Enrich Iowa allocation for FY2009 will be a mere $4,653: a reduction of $12,268!

Such a cut will have a significant impact on the services that the WPL will be able to provide to library patrons. If you would like to express your opinion on the validity of this proposed reduction in state aid to libraries, contact the governor via his online comments form.

Your state legislators must pass the final budget and could rescind this reduction. To express your opinion on the governor's proposed cuts, use the online at the Iowa Legislature's "Find your Legislator" site.

For details on how the cuts will affect Iowa's libraries across the board, visit Mike's Library Blog.

Thanks for your support of the Waterloo Public Library.

c 2007 Waterloo Public Library

New Windows Project Advances

2008-01-21T17:56:00.001-06:00

We may have gotten a day off for Martin Luther King's birthday, but not our intrepid windows installers. They braved steady light snow and single-digit temperatures as the continued to install new windows. The good news is that they've made it around the corner; the bad news is that they are blocking off most of what's left of the parking lot.

We won't have to be patient much longer as the end is clearly in sight. We're already enjoying the new windows on the third floor and expect the second to also be less drafty and more energy-efficient upon completion.

c 2007 Waterloo Public Library

Opinion Survery

2007-12-31T10:48:00.000-06:00

The Waterloo Public Library is interested in learning your feelings about our operating hours. Please take a few moments to visit our Survey Monkey to voice your opinion.

Thanks

c 2007 Waterloo Public Library

Sanborn Maps Move to State Library

2007-12-29T14:34:00.000-06:00

The Sanborn Maps product, a collection of maps dating back to the 19th Century, will no longer be available through the Waterloo Public Library. However, library patrons may continue to browse this amazing resource via the State Library of Iowa's Sanborn Maps subscription.

A State Library card, necessary to login to Sanborn Maps, can be acquired online in minutes for no charge.

The downside of getting Sanborn Maps through the State Library is having to get another card; the upside is that patrons may now use Sanborn Maps from home; the Waterloo Public Library subscription required users to be in the WPL building.

Another advantage to using the State Library's Sanborn Maps service is that cardholders will also have access to the State Library's collection of online resources. The titles range from newspapers, to EBSCOHost and from medical to legal. Several of the resources are open to any user, but many require a login using a State Library card.

Dropping the Waterloo Public Library Sanborn Maps subscription allows us to reallocate money to other products, our patrons will have access to a great product from home, and the State Library will have the opportunity to show off its wonderful services to Iowans.

c 2007 Waterloo Public Library

Download 2007 Tax Forms!

2007-12-26T19:46:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again. The Iowa Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service are sending out tons of our favorite forms. Usually, we'll have the paper versions you need. However, if we don't, simply follow the links from the Waterloo Public Library Reference blog directly to the appropriate agency's site.

From there, you may quickly download and inexpensively print the most current version of the form(s) you need.

Librarians won't give you tax advice, but we can help you to find the tax form that you're looking for.

c 2007 Waterloo Public Library

Waterloo Public Library Reference

RFID Project Nears Completion

AtoZ Rocks!

Power is on, Waterloo PL is open

Library Closed!

We're Back!

ACE-SAP Clinic

H1N1 Clinic this Saturday!

Free H1N1 Vaccinations!

Printer Upgrade Monday!

ID Required November 15, 2009!

Mac OS 10 X: Snow Leopard!

Youth Services Librarian

Kenneth M Davenport Obituary

TutorVista Renewed!

Chat Any Place, Any Time, Any Computer

MP3 Players @WPL

Why won't my *.odt or *.ods file open?

Brickwork in Front of the Library

MWD Sunday Carnival

MWD Fireworks!

Party on the Plaza!

Join Us on Facebook!

Einstein Speaks

Duffy Hudson as Albert Einstein!

Work on Downtown Exposition Site Advances

External Floppy Drive Available

Recovery.Gov

External SD Card Reader

Free Income Tax Help!

On Line Tutoring

Teen Advisory Meeting

IRS Tax Forms Online!

WiFi at the WPL

Color printing returns!

Color Printer Out-of-order

Storm Closes Local Libraries

Teen Advisory Group Meeting

Winter Book Sale in Progress!

WPL Friends Winter Book Sale!

Closed for Thanksgiving

More River Renaissance Activity

Riverfront Renaissance Work Continues

Edgar Allan Poe Wows Crowd!

In the Shadow of the Raven

Banned Books Week!

WPL Closed Friday; Try Cedar Falls!

Fugitive File goes Online!

Friends Autumn Book Sale!

Enhanced Flatbed Scanner

MyLibraryDV Subscription not Renewed

Teen Area Goes Online!

Legal Aid Online

Join the WPL Friends!

Homework Made Easy

WPL Training Center Ribbon Cutting

Training Center Grand Opening

New WiFi AP

New Home for Foreign Language Collection

CFPL Friends Sponsor Arena Football Trip

WPL Dance Party

TinyURL

Disaster Assistance

Still at it

Training Center Nears Completion

Prime Time Rides!

Aftermath of New Hartford Flood

Not down for much longer!

Downtown Waterloo and Library Flooding

Torrent Rages under 4th Street Bridge

Cedar River Nears Record

Historic Flood Closes WPL!

Dirty Keyboards and Clean Hands

My Waterloo Days 2008

Training Center Progress Report

Are you ready for DTV?

Office 2007 Upgrade Looms!

QuickRes

New Computers and LCD Projector

Switch Room

Why won't my .odt or .ods file open?