How's the Weather in the Library?

Working thermostats!

What a mild Winter we have had! Even inside the Library! The repairs to the library's HVAC systems continue. Thank goodness we have had mild (more or less) days, as we had no air flow during December while the work was ongoing in the attic.

Ductwork was repaired and cabling was installed - as well as actual working thermostats! For years, the 27 - yes twenty-seven! - thermostats in the building were useless. Our only control for cool air was turning the chiller on and off. The heat could be somewhat controlled by adjusting the boiler water temperature. This was assuming the chiller or boiler were working - not a safe assumption much of the time.

We are awaing the installation of the new energy efficient boiler and the repairs to the chiller (the compressor and fans). All repairs should be completed by the end of March!

So, to celebrate, we are planning a big party! National Library Week is April 8-14, so look for updates for when our big "Come see our new Thermostats!" Open House is scheduled (probably during that week)!

Grant Sign in front of Library

Many of you wondered why we went so many years without repairing the system. It was because this was a very costly project, and the funds were simply not available. The total cost of the project was $206,634. Fortunately for us, the President and Congress passed the Stimulus Bill (officially the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act or ARRA) with monies allocated for energy efficiency projects. Thanks to Southwest Mississippi Planning and Adams County, we applied for and received a stimulus grant for $162,700. We still needed more to complete the project, so we asked, and Adams County and the City of Natchez each contributed an additional $18,000. The Library made up the difference of about $8000.

Then, on to the next project..... Anyone who has driven, walked, jogged, or passed by the library can attest that the building is in need of major painting! The shutters need to be repaired, and there is some exterior work needing to be accomplished.

And, even though the City of Natchez owns the library building, I made a deal. If the City would put up the funds (to match what the County agreed to pay) to get the repairs to the HVAC system complete, we would raise the funds to get the building painted and repaired. The City came out on the better end of that deal!

A friend of mine (a library director in another county) held a VERY successful fundraiser, which I plan to copy. It involves a party and wine - and should fit right in here in Natchez! Look for news to come on these plans.

In the meantime, rest assured that you don't have to call ahead to find out whether you need to dress in your snowsuit or your bikini in order to visit the library!

Tax Season is Here - But So Is Your Library

It's tax time again, but your Library is here to help you. It may not be much fun to file your taxes, but your Library will make it as easy as possible.

The most valuable tax service available at your Library is the tax preparation provided absolutely free by the well trained volunteers from AARP. They'll be here every Wednesday from 9 am to 5 pm, from February 1 through April 11. People are served on a first come first served basis. It's very popular, so you might have to wait a while. However, thanks to a grant from Entergy, there will be coffee and cookies available - and you can always browse the Library while you're waiting.

Looking for FORMS? We have the Mississippi tax forms, instruction booklets, and mailing envelopes - as well as a few Federal forms - conveniently located at the information desk just inside the front door. Come in and help yourself. Federal tax forms and instructions are no longer mailed out by the government, but they can be downloaded and printed from the internet by following this link, which is also on our web site, either at the Library or at home. Also thanks to the grant from Entergy, all tax related printing charges will be discounted. The grant also allows us to set up a special computer just for patrons printing forms or filing taxes.

Everyone can use FREE File and let the IRS do the hard work for you.  Brand name tax software is available free from several participating software companies if your income is under $57,000 - and some companies also include free filing of state tax returns. Everyone is eligible to use Free File Fillable Forms, which are online versions of the paper forms designed for people comfortable preparing their own tax returns.

Today is Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day. Created in 1975, EITC helps offset the impact of Social Security taxes and provides an incentive for work. It is the federal government's largest benefit program for low income workers. You could be eligible to get more money back from the IRS - as much as $5,751. If you earned less than $49,078 from wages, self-employment, or farming last year, you may qualify for EITC. EITC is a financial boost for working people in a recovering economy. You may be among the millions who will qualify for the first time because your financial, marital, or parental status changed during the recession. So click on the widget below to see if you qualify.

DVDs @ Your Library

Among the many items that may be checked out at your Library, DVDs have proven to be among the most popular. We began adding donated DVDs about a year and a half ago, but last year we received a grant to build our collection.* Where possible, we have acquired Blue-ray versions, but most are regular DVDs.

In creating our collection, we started from the ground up. We first obtained some of the most popular titles from the video format, such as the Roots television series and the Ken Burns The Civil War series. Next, we added movies that were filmed in Natchez and the surrounding area, like Horse Soldiers, Huckleberry Finn, and Cross Roads. We also acquired the complete set of the popular local Angels on the Bluff performance series, filmed in our own historic City Cemetery. From there, we started building a classic movie section, including titles such as North by Northwest, The Thin Man, and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

For children, we have math and science shows, such as The Magic School Bus. Fire safety and "stranger danger" DVDs are popular. Of course, we couldn't leave out the Disney animated classics, like Snow White, Bambi, Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, and Fantasia.

Among the educational selections is the Visions of Europe travel series, including Italy, France, Austria, and Greece. This series provides stunningly beautiful aerial photography shot from helicopters with terrific musical backgrounds. Another standout is the Blue Planet series with spectacular nature scenes.

Of course, we do have a general assortment of family entertainment movies and always welcome suggestions for future purchases, as funds allow.

We continue to gratefully accept donations of DVDs in good condition, so look through your collection to see if you have any you would like to share.

Stop in and see our growing collection of DVDs which we have tailored for our Natchez patrons. DVDs and VHS tapes can only be checked out by adults. They check out for two days, with a limit of two per card.

*Grant funding for the DVD collection was provided as a competitive Focused Development Grant under the Federal Library Services and Technology Act administered by the Mississippi Library Commission for the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

EITC Awareness Day and Tax Forms @ Your Library

The Armstrong Library is celebrating Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day on January 28, 2011, with a grant provided through Entergy. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) may be available to anyone who earned $48,362 or less from wages, self-employment, or farming in 2010. You could be eligible for a special tax credit this year and not know it. As a result, you may overlook claiming the EITC, which can put anywhere from $2 to more than $5,600 into your pockets.

People move into and out of EITC eligibility based on changes in their earnings, their parental status or their marital status. Many people will qualify for the first time this year due to economic changes in their incomes. We encourage people to see if they qualify. Eligible workers can get their EITC only if they file federal income tax returns – even if they are not otherwise required to file – and specifically claim the credit.

Taxpayers can get information and forms at the Armstrong Library from Friday, January 28 through Monday, April 18. Tax day is Monday, April 18 (this year only), in observance of Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia on April 15.

With the grant from Entergy, the Library will be of even more help to those needing tax forms and who wish to e-file. Grant funds will provide a computer dedicated to downloading tax forms and e-filing. People may come to the Library and download tax forms at a reduced price of 10¢ (ten cents) per printed page. The State of Mississippi, as a cost savings factor, is no longer mailing tax forms to individuals; therefore, the Department of Revenue has partnered with public libraries. All State tax forms are available at the Armstrong Library. People who wish to e-file may use the grant-provided computer to complete their tax filing. But, please don’t ask Library Staff for advice! We are not tax experts! Library staff can provide assistance in locating online forms, only!

The Armstrong Library also partners with the AARP in their Tax Aide program. Participation in this program is available on Wednesdays, from 9-4, beginning February 2 and ending on April 13. Persons assisted through the AARP Tax Aide program are served on a first come, first served, basis. Information on what is needed to participate in the Tax Aide program is available on Wednesdays only, during this time.

Come see what your Library can do for you!

• Tax information and forms, available @ Your Library
• A specific computer for downloading tax forms and for e-filing, available @ Your Library
• AARP Tax Aide program, available @ Your Library

Natchez Teens Have a New Hangout!

Calling all Natchez Teens ages 13 to 18.

Do we have a place for you!

The new Teen Zone is awesome. We want to provide a really fun, safe place for teens to hang out, meet new friends, and learn new things - while being around positive role models who want them to succeed.

The new room will be painted in bright, eye catching colors. We have soft, comfortable chairs, a new colorful carpet, stackable chairs for events, and stools for quiet conversation or for reading your favorite books. A 46 inch tv, a Wii console with games, a popcorn machine, and a Kareoke machine will be used for special programming throughout the year. A large storage locker is filled with board games and craft supplies that can be accessed anytime by asking a librarian for assistance. Check out the new teen magazines: Teen Vogue, GamePro, Spin, Mad Magazine, something for everyone! There will also be two new computers with internet access that will be exclusively for the teens. NO ADULTS ALLOWED!!

Come check it out! Join us Thursday, October 28 at 3:30 pm for our Open House. Bring your parents, invite your teachers and school librarians -  this may be their one and only chance to step into the Teen Zone and see what the Armstrong Library has to offer. And be sure to bring all your friends.

The Teen Zone was made possible by funding under the Federal Library Services & Technology Act administered by the Mississippi Library Commission. Matching funds were provided by the Friends of the Library. At a time when libraries are struggling with cuts in funding, it would seem we always find a way to provide services to the public.

Click to see photo gallery of Teen Room Renovations.

Borrow Practically Any Book You Want FREE

Books Just Fly to You!

Have you ever gone to your Library looking for a certain book and found we don't have it? Do you belong to a book club and need extra copies of a title for your group? What about looking for that old favorite book that you haven't read in years? Thanks to the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service offered at your Library, your chances of getting the book you want is greatly increased.

How do you get a book through ILL? The easiest way is to come in your Library and ask. But if you want to know if something is available or if you have other questions, then email our Reference Librarian - or you can always call your Library at 601.445.8862.

How does it work? The Reference Librarian takes your request and begins her search through other public libraries within the state of Mississippi. If the book cannot be found there, then she will go to what is called the World Cat, which offers more search options and generally searches academic libraries and public libraries from all over the country. Chances are very good that she'll find your book.

And now it's a free service! We used to charge $2 to partially cover postage. Thanks to a grant received through the Mississippi Library Commission we can now offer the service free of charge!

You can go to our website to read our ILL policies, but here are a few important points:

• You must have no fines on your library record.
• We cannot borrow NEW books published within 6 months of the time of the request. Just like the us, most libraries prefer to save their new books for their own patrons.
• We cannot get college text books and most genealogy materials.
• Generally the loan period for ILL's is thirty days but not always, lending periods are up to the lending library.

So the next time you can't find the book you're looking for, stop in at your Library and let us help you.

We Feel Like We Won the Lottery

WOW! What a week! We found out that we have been awarded FIVE grants totaling $156,000. We are always applying for grants since we operate on a very tight budget, especially during these hard economic times. This week, we really lucked out.

HVAC Repairs - $136,000. If you use the Library, you know all the problems we have had with our antiquated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC). We knew there was federal stimulus money available for energy conservation, administered through the Mississippi Development Authority. The City of Natchez owns our building, but it could not apply for this particular grant because they had already applied (and received) one. Fortunately, Adams County agreed to apply for the grant on our behalf. We haven't even been officially notified yet, so we don’t know when the work will begin or how long it will take, but we will keep you updated. We are just thrilled to know we will soon be able to offer a comfortable environment to our patrons - not to mention our staff, computers, and books. (See the article in the Natchez Democrat.)

New Teen Room - $11,000. We are soon going to have the best Teen Room imaginable that may become the most popular place in town for local teenagers. Since more and more reference materials are becoming available online, we decided that we no longer need a room dedicated to reference materials. So that room will be transformed into the Teen Room, with new paint and cool furnishings. Books and other materials appropriate to teenagers will be shelved there, of course. There will also a TV that can be used to play WII games or watch movies, a computer, a craft area, and other enticements. For teens in our community, the Library will soon be equal to Fun! We hope for a grand opening in October.

Breaking News - $3,000  Right now the library subscribes to several print newspapers. Some popular out of town newspapers are either unavailable or arrive late. Most newspapers are also available online in a format that looks just like a regular newspaper. We are purchasing two special touch screen computers for the Dr Clifford Tillman Memorial Reading Room that will be for newspapers only. It may take some getting used to, but staff will be available to help and there are added benefits, such as accessing older issues and searching for certain topics. We will continue to subscribe to all print newspapers except the New York Times, which arrives a week late by mail and is costly. We will also be able to provide the Baton Rouge Advocate online, which was not available for delivery in our area.

New DVDs - $3,000  Video cassettes are outmoded now, so we have started ordering movies on DVD/Blue Ray. But it is expensive to build up a collection, and this grant will help us to get a jump start.

Time and Print Management Software - $3,000 We installed this software in the Armstrong Library, and it allows us to efficiently manage use and printing on our public computers. This grant will allow us to also provide this software to our branch libraries in Wilkinson County.

The last four grants are funded through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and administered by the Mississippi Library Commission.

More to Come  We are currently seeking proposals to complete the exterior repairs and painting our building so desperately needs. So soon your Library will look pretty again!