Research Your Family

Research Your Family: From GovGab:
"Since my job involves locating and sharing government information, I sometimes get research assignments from my family; they send me questions about consolidating student loans, social security benefits, and consumer issues. Still I was surprised when my Grannie recently asked me to do some research about her paternal grandparents. I’m ready to jump at the opportunity to learn more about my ancestors, but where do I start?

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) seems to be the place to start my search. This agency has millions of federal records in their holdings, including:
• Census records
• Military records
• Immigration and naturalization records
• Land records

NARA maintains online, tutorials and resources for you to do preliminary research and learn what federal records they keep. Most of the actual records are not online, so I’m going to have to take a trip to the actual headquarters. In addition to the research facilities in Washington, DC there are regional research institutions in other cities across the country. I was relieved to know that they even offer genealogy workshops. As an African American, records for my family may be a little more challenging to find; thankfully, NARA created tips for the best records to use to find information for many ethnic heritages.

In addition to federal records, contact your state or county government to locate your family’s vital documents, such as birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates. You should also compile as much family information by browsing through family diaries, letters, scrapbooks, photos, and other keepsakes. You may also want to acquire copies of family wills and deeds to properties.

Have you ever researched your family’s genealogy- what tips can you share with us?

"

Video Book Reviews

The Washington Post book reviewer, Ron Charles, creates wonderful video reviews.  They are funny and edgy.  Take a look!

Scams

They're back... Online Scams that Impersonate the IRS

Alerts posted to protect taxpayers from phishing scams.


By: Scott Bailey, CISM
Director of Digital Forensics & Security
Rehmann Corporate Investigative Services



It has become a ritual that during and after each tax season, online identity theft, phishing schemes and other fraud scams involving impersonation of the IRS become more prevalent. Opening a suspicious email can trigger computer viruses, spyware and malware. We'd like to remind you to be aware of these scams and to use extra caution with your personal information and with your email accounts.

These scams may use the appropriate name, logo or other information to mimic the IRS or U.S. Department of the Treasury to mislead taxpayers into believing that the scam is legitimate, ultimately tricking you into providing your personal information. Scams involving the impersonation of the IRS usually take the form of e-mails, tweets or other online messages. Scammers may also use phones and faxes to reach intended victims. Some scammers even set up phony websites.

Generally, the IRS does not send unsolicited e-mails to taxpayers. Further, the IRS does not discuss tax account information with taxpayers via e-mail or use e-mail to solicit sensitive financial and personal information from taxpayers. Also, the IRS does not request financial account security information, such as PIN numbers or passwords, from taxpayers.

For more information on these scams, see Suspicious e-Mails and Identity Theft on the IRS website.

The official IRS website is: http://www.irs.gov/.

Help shut down scammers by reporting suspicious emails to the IRS. Send the suspect email to: phishing@irs.gov. For more information on identifying and reporting scams please review the IRS Privacy Policy web page.

Library Journal's Reader's Shelf

Future Shock: Reading in the New Year

Books recommended by editors at Library Journal

The Dream of Perpetual Motion By Palmer, Dexter 2010-03 - St. Martin's Press 9780312558154 Check Our Catalog In this wonderfully imagined debut novel, a greeting card writer must come to terms with the madness of a genius inventor and his quest to create the perpetual motion machine. …More

The Time Machine, the Invisible Man, the War of the Worlds By Wells, H. G. Introduction by Drabble, Margaret 2010-08 - Everyman's Library 9780307593849 Check Our Catalog Gathered together for the first time in one volume: three timeless novels from the founding father of science fiction. Here are three classic tales that, more than a century after their original publication, show no sign of losing their grip on readers' imaginations. …More

In the Garden of Iden By Baker, Kage 2005-12 - Tor Books 9780765314574 Check Our Catalog In the 24th century, the Company preserves works of arts and extinct forms of life. It recruits orphans from the past, renders them all but immortal, and trains them to serve the Company. Mendoza is sent to Elizabethan England to collect samples from the garden of Sir Walter Iden. Her quest is jeopardized by Nicholas Harpole, who stirs unfamiliar emotions within her about her future--with a man she will long outlive. …More

Naked in Death By Robb, J. D. 1996-06 - Berkley Publishing Group 9780425148297 Check Our Catalog As NYPD Lt. Eve Dallas races to find a serial killer, she becomes very involved with one of the suspects. Her overpowering feelings for a man she barely knows could jeopardize her investigation, her faith in herself--and her life. J.D. Robb is the pseudonym for bestselling author Nora Roberts. …More

The World Without Us By Weisman, Alan 2008-08 - Picador USA 9780312427900 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title "A penetrating, page-turning tour of a post-human Earth" In" The World Without Us, "Alan Weisman offers an utterly original approach to questions of humanity's impact on the planet: he asks us to envision our Earth, without us.In this far-reaching narrative, Weisman explains how our massive infrastructure would collapse and finally vanish without human presence; which everyday items may become immortalized as fossils; how copper pipes and wiring would be crushed into mere seams of reddish rock; why some of our earliest buildings might be the last architecture left; and how plastic, bronze sculpture, radio waves, and some man-made molecules may be our most lasting gifts to the universe."The World Without Us "reveals how, just days after humans disappear, floods in New York's subways would start eroding the city's foundations, and how, as the world's cities crumble, asphalt jungles would give way to real ones. It describes the distinct ways that organic and chemically treated farms would revert to wild, how billions more birds would flourish, and how cockroaches in unheated cities would perish without us. Drawing on the expertise of engineers, atmospheric scientists, art conservators, zoologists, oil refiners, marine biologists, astrophysicists, religious leaders from rabbis to the Dali Lama, and paleontologists---who describe a prehuman world inhabited by megafauna like giant sloths that stood taller than mammoths---Weisman illustrates what the planet might be like today, if not for us.From places already devoid of humans (a last fragment of primeval European forest; the Korean DMZ; Chernobyl), Weisman reveals Earth's tremendous capacity for self-healing. As he shows which humandevastations are indelible, and which examples of our highest art and culture would endure longest, Weisman's narrative ultimately drives toward a radical but persuasive solution that needn't depend on our demise. It is narrative nonfiction at its finest, and in posing an irresistible concept with both gravity and a highly readable touch, it looks deeply at our effects on the planet in a way that no other book has. "This is one of the grandest thought experiments of our time, a tremendous feat of imaginative reporting!"--Bill McKibben, author of "The End of Nature" and Deep" Economy: The Wealth of Communities and The Durable Future" "The imaginative power of "The World Without Us" is compulsive and nearly hypnotic--make sure you have time to be kidnapped into Alan Weisman's alternative world before you sit down with the book, because you won't soon return. This is a text that has a chance to change people, and so make a real difference for the planet."--Charles Wohlforth, author of "L.A. Times" Book Prize-winning "The Whale and the Supercomputer" "Alan Weisman offers us a sketch of where we stand as a species that is both illuminating and terrifying. His tone is conversational and his affection for both Earth and humanity transparent."--Barry Lopez, author of "Arctic Dreams" "An exacting account of the processes by which things fall apart. The scope is breathtaking...the clarity and lyricism of the writing itself left me with repeated gasps of recognition about the human condition. I believe it will be a classic."--Dennis Covington, author of National Book Award finalist "Salvation on Sand Mountain" "Fascinating, mordant, deeply intelligent, and beautifully written, "TheWorld Without Us" depicts the spectacle of humanity's impact on the planet Earth in tragically poignant terms that go far beyond the dry dictates of science. This is a very important book for a species playing games with its own destiny."--James Howard Kunstler, author of "The Long Emergency" …More

What Technology Wants By Kelly, Kevin 2010-10 - Viking Books 9780670022151 Check Our Catalog Kelly's provocative work introduces a brand-new view of technology and suggests that technology as a whole is not a jumble of wires and metal but a living, evolving organism that has its own unconscious needs and tendencies. …More

Online Small Business Training

Online Small Business Training: From GovGab:
"I think it takes an adventurous spirit and a willingness to take risks when it comes to starting your own business. I admire people who have been able to start a successful business. Have you been toying with the idea of starting your own business? Starting a business can be an exciting and challenging endeavor. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) reports that every year more than 10 million people consider starting a
business. Of them, only three million people take the plunge and start a business.


To ensure a successful entry into the world of small business, it requires a lot of planning and careful thinking. The SBA website is an excellent place to begin researching how to go about setting up, managing, and growing your
business. The SBA has a comprehensive Online Small BusinessTraining section that features podcasts, video interviews, tips, and online courses that can get you started.


The online courses cover things like: How to Start an Online Business, How to Write a Business Plan, Taking Your Business Global, and much more. The Contracting page offers a lot of information and courses on how to do business with the government and how to work with federal agencies. The courses are self-paced and take approximately 30 minutes to complete.


The other great thing the SBA offers is information on Local Counseling and Training. You can find a local SBA office in your area, as well as, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, Veteran’s Business Centers, and
more.


If you are considering starting your own business or if you already have a business that you are trying to grow, you don’t have to do it alone. The SBA wants to see you succeed. Have any of you tried SBA’s online courses? Were they helpful?
"

Upcoming Events at Hackley Public Library

We have lots of interesting and fun events planned for December-February!

Author Sherri Winston Saturday, February 19 2:00 pm Learn about Winston's latest book, "President of the Whole Fifth Grade." The story's heroine takes a cup-cake obsessed approach to winning the class election. Winston will tell how she wrote the book and share yummy cupcakes like those in the novel. North Shore Books will staff a book sale and autography session at the end of the program. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230.

	Habitat for Humanity February 22 6:00 pm Tuesday Laurie Roll from Habitat for Humanity will talk about the organization and what it does for the community. Free and open to the public. For more information call HPL at 231-722-7276.

	Morning Storytime Tuesday, February 22 11:00 am Storytelling, picturebooks, fingerplays, holiday tales, and special fun. Each session ends with a craft project. Signup required. Call 231-722-7276 x 230 to register.

	Black History Month Calendar Contest Awards Program Saturday, February 26 2:00 pm Honoring contest winners and their families. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230.

	Evening Storytime Monday, February 28 6:45 pm Storytelling, picturebooks, fingerplays, holiday tales, and special fun. Each session ends with a craft project. Signup required. Call 231-722-7276 x 230 to register.

	Friends of the Library Board Meeting Monday, February 28 4:00 - 5:00 pm. Meets at the Torrent House

	Morning Toddler Storytime Monday, February 28 11:00 am Toddlers and care givers attend Toddler Time together. The simple books and activities are just right for kids under 3. Signup is required. Call 231-722-7276 x 230 to register.

	Flower Garden Planning Tuesday, March 1 6:00 pm Join Advanced Master Gardener Joe Hill to learn how to plan your flower garden. Free and open to the public. For more information call HPL at 231-722-7276.

	Morning Storytime Tuesday, March 1 11:00 am Storytelling, picturebooks, fingerplays, holiday tales, and special fun. Each session ends with a craft project. Signup required. Call 231-722-7276 x 230 to register.

	Muskegon County Genealogical Society Tuesday, March 1 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Meets at the Torrent House

Tech Wednesday Wednesday, March 2 Tech Wednesdays 2:30 pm Each class will cover a specific topic and run from 30 – 60 minutes. No registration is required, just show up! All classes will start at 2:30 pm in the Julia Hackley Room. If you have your own laptop feel free to bring it along, otherwise these are watch and learn classes. Dec 8: Blogging user Blogger Dec 15: Email Basics Jan 12: Windows Media Player Jan 26: Publisher Feb 9: Powerpoint Mar 2: Chilton online

PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME AT HACKLEY LIBRARY

Children and parents come together for family meals and talk about books Thursday evenings at Hackley Library. The Prime Time Family Reading Time is held each week 5:30 PM Thursdays, through March 17. Prime Time is part of a nation-wide program funded through the Michigan Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Prime Time is aimed at families with children in grade 1 - 4.

Each week families read and hear stories together, then talk about the values and meaning they find in the tales. Door prizes, a family meal, storytelling, skits and surprises are part of the fun. Participants go home with a short popular books to read and discuss for next week. All activities are free.

Educator David Klemm, leads the relaxed, friendly discussions, where kids and parents both have plenty to say. Storyteller Laurajoy Veeneman brings the books to life in spirited tellings. Preschool siblings are welcome and attend special activities just for them.

Generous support from local businesses has made Prime Time possible. Donors include Fricano’s Pizza, Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake, Muskegon Athletic Club, Gordon Food Service, Plumb’s, Subway and Walmart.

Families can join the ongoing program by calling Hackley Library Youth Services. To sign up, or for more information call 722-7276, ext 230.

The free program gets children and parents talking together about favorite books. Parents will find

Each week they take home a short, popular book aimed at grades 1 - 4.

An exciting family literacy program is coming to Youth Services this winter. A team of four Muskegon educators and librarians attended a training workshop this summer. The Prime Time Family Reading Time will target families who don’t use the Library, yet. Parents and children will meet weekly for talk about books they’ve read together. The open-ended discussions let people see how books relate to their own family values. Prime Time is funded through the Michigan Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Children’s author Sherri Winston will meet young readers 2 PM Saturday, February 19 at Hackley Public Library. She’ll tell how she created the characters and situations in “President of the Whole Fifth Grade,” her latest book. An inspiring speaker, she’ll have her audience laughing at the ups and downs of writing, and, just maybe, planning to write funny stories themselves.

A Muskegon native, Winston is currently a columnist for the Orlando Sun-Sentinel. Her books for teens and tweens include The Kayla Chronicles and Acting: A Novel. Her work appears in the award-winning Face Relations: 11 Stories about Seeing Beyond Color.

When Winston tells how to create characters she’s sure to mention the influence of her own childhood. She attended Muskegon Heights schools and admits wanting to be boss of everything, just like Brianna, star of her novel. In “President of the Whole Fifth Grade” Briana will stop at nothing - including bribing voters with cupcakes - to win the school election.

Inspired by the cupcake recipes that fill Winston’s novel, kids at Hackley Library will enjoy cupcakes too. The yummy refreshments are provided by the Friends of the Library. North Shore Books of North Muskegon will staff a book sale and autograph session at the end of the program.

For more information on the event call Hackley Library Youth Services at 722-7276 ext. 230.