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