Consumer Reports : Using researchIT CT for Results!

A Short Story
The East Hampton Public Library is a former subscriber to Consumer Reports. The library dropped its subscription when the Connecticut State Library added it to its list of statewide researchIT CT services (formerly iCONN); i.e., no sense incurring a duplicate expense.

Moving Forward
Though accessing Consumer Reports data takes a few more steps than it used to, there is still a wealth of essential and free consumer-friendly information at the ready and at your finger tips. Here's a how-to if you are using a PC:

Step 1 : Login to EBSCOHost

Click and you will be asked to enter your library barcode number. Your card number is 14 digits long and should be entered without spaces between the digits. After entering your card number, click the login button.

Once you are logged in, you'll see a list of databases from which you may choose.

Step 2 : Choose MasterFILE Premiere

Scroll down through the list of available databases and check the box for MasterFILE Premiere. Press the enter key and you're ready to search and find information from Consumer Reports.


Step 3 : Use the Drop-down Menu to Limit Your Search

Use the 'Journal name' selection in the drop-down menu and enter (not case sensitive) consumer reports in the uppermost search box.

In the second-level box, after the AND, enter the general product you are shopping for and for which you are seeking product reviews.

Give us a call at 860-267-6621 if you need help with a PC query. Tablet and phone advice coming soon...

Alzheimer's Disease : World Alzheimer's Month : September 2016 : Remember Me

Remember Me
According to Alzheimer's Disease International, there are more than 47 million people worldwide living with dementia. Alzheimer's Disease is the most common cause of dementia.

In the U.S., more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's. Whether you or a family member are Generation X (1965-1984), a Boomer (born 1945-1964), a Silent (born 1923-1944), or a Greatest (1910-1925), your family has likely been touched by this devastating disease which cannot yet be prevented or cured.

Links to Useful Resources
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Alzheimer's Association, Connecticut Chapter
MedLine Plus : Alzheimer's Disease, Financial Planning
National Institutes of Health : National Institute on Aging
My Place CT : Long-Term Care Services and Supports
National Council on Aging : Benefits Checkup
Alzheimer's Association : MedicAlert + Safe Return
CT State Department of Aging
researchIT CT : Free online resources as a service of the CT State Library
Town of East Hampton CT : Senior Center, Municipal Agent for the Elderly

Walk to End Alzheimer's
On date of this post, there are four walks scheduled in Connecticut. Plug in your zip code to find September/October walk dates/locations and consider a walk for a cure.

Books & Reading for Adults
A short list of guides and memoirs for individuals or families:

What If It's Not Alzheimer's? A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia edited by Gary & Lisa Radin

The Theft of Memory : Losing My Father One Day at a Time by Jonathan Kozol

The 36-Hour Day, 5th Edition : A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, Related Dementias, and Memory Loss by Nancy L. Mace, Peter V. Rabins

The End of Memory :  A Natural History of Aging & Alzheimer's by Jay Ingram

Sum It Up by Pat Summitt (1952-2016)

A Dignified Life: The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care: A Guide for Care Partners, Revised Edition by Virginia Bell, David Troxel

Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together (September 2016) by Deborah Shouse

Slow Dancing with a Stranger : Lost & Found in the Age of Alzheimer's by Meryl Comer

For Younger Readers

A family member's condition can effect everyone in the family. A short list of titles for young readers:

Really and Truly by Emile Rivard

The Memory Wall (September 2016) by Lev A.C. Rosen (September 2016)

Forget Me Not by Nancy Van Laan

My New Granny by Elisabeth Steinkellner

Pop by Gordon Korman

Library Card Power : Online Learning with Lynda.com

Learn Something New
Use your East Hampton Public Library card as a key to open the door to a high quality online learning resource.

Lynda.com offers over 3,000 interactive video courses taught by experts. Learn a new skill for work or just for fun. Lessons are for all skill levels and include a wide variety of topic areas including business skills and software, web design and development, music, photo and video editing, and 3D design and animation.

How to Use Lynda.com
Use your library card to access Lynda.com at the East Hampton Public Library or at home through an Internet browser. If you don't remember you pin number, give us a call @ 860-267-6621.

When you log in the first time, you will be required to set up a Lynda.com account. This account will keep track of your course progress. For help, check out this tutorial: How to use Lynda.com or, search for a course of interest and get started.

The library version of Lynda.com provides access to all the same courses provided to company and individual subscribers, and all are free to East Hampton Public Library CT resident cardholders.

OneClick Digital: New Combined App

One App to Rule Them All
If you're a fan of electronic content, RBDigital has made our OneClick service easier to use. The new OneClickdigital app offers you the ability to view all of your digital content in one place. Search, checkout, place holds, listen and read, all from the app. Additionally, an Adobe ID is no longer required to access eBook content. To all of this, we say hooray!

e-Books
If you had been using the original OneClickdigital eReader app for e-Books, you will need to install and use the new combined app. There is messaging to indicate the shut-off date within the existing eReader app, as well as links to the new app in the app store(s).

e-Audio
If you are using the original OneClickdigital app for e-audio, you should have already received the required update for the new, combined app, and will not need to delete anything or make any additional modifications.

Instructional Video
Here's a brief instructional video on how to use the new combined app. We hope you enjoy these latest improvements. Start reading and listening today!


New OneClickdigital Combined App from RBdigital from Recorded Books on Vimeo.

National Car Care Month

Squeaky Wheels?
Your car has a way of telling you when there might be a problem. We're certainly not mechanics but some preliminary car care questions may be answered with help from your local library, using your trusty East Hampton Public Library card.

Use your library card to find out about a car care problem you may have or if you are automobile-handy, to determine whether you can fix it yourself or need to visit your car care center.

CHILTONLIBRARY
Your local library card has access to the same information used by professional shops -- including labor times -- all a few online clicks away when you connect to ChiltonLibrary. Enter your library card barcode number to get started.

1. Enter the year, make and model of your vehicle.
2. Navigate to the labor estimating tool.
3. Click select, then use "Search Operations" to enter a query or use "Standard Operations" to access pull-down menus by topic.

The "Standard Operations" click will look like this:

So maybe you can do it yourself; or maybe this is job is best left to the pros. Either way, ChiltonLibrary is good tool to help you understand a problem, confirm estimates, and make informed car care decisions. The better informed we are as consumers, the better service we can expect.

Happy Car Care Month and hope your vehicle is working well and taking you where you want to be, East Hampton Public Library included...

eAudios and eBooks from OneClickdigital

News from the Front Desk...
Our OneClickdigital eAudio service receives a hefty workout each month. Seems as though you do like listening to high quality unabridged titles. New titles are added monthly.

If you are a regular service user, you may have noticed the addition of eBook content and the mixing in of the book symbol (e-read) with the headphone symbol (e-listen). Our start-up collection of OneClickdigital eBooks included classic reads and many ever-present summer reading list titles.

We have since moved to incrementally add popular titles, series books, gentle reads, contemporary romances, books for kids, best-sellers that seem likely to stand the test of time, and great reads you may have missed along the way. New titles are added monthly, including titles from major publishing houses.

Our overall e-read and e-listen collections include titles added by iCONN.org, our statewide information resource provider.

How to Use OneClickdigital

Step 1: Go to OneClickdigital and please do check out the user tutorial to get started.
Step 2: Login (if you have an existing account) or use your East Hampton Public Library card to Create a OneClickdigital Account
Step 3: Find and eAudio or eBook to download.
Step 4: Transfer to your device and start reading or listening.

Coming In March: A Companion e-Book Solution Service
In addition to OneClickdigital, we'll be launching our local 3M Cloud Library in March, including a start-up collection of 150 e-books. The start-up collection will feature many popular and regarded titles from major publishing houses, including most requested in print or e-book formats; no duplication with OneClickdigital. News to follow for all e-book lovers with an East Hampton library card...

East Hampton (Connecticut) News: Digital Version

Say Hello to the East Hampton News Online
The East Hampton News was once a mighty print newspaper serving East Hampton, Connecticut. The paper was what we would today describe as a hyperlocal news outlet. The library and the Chatham Historical Society hold collections of the original newspapers and as you might expect, the paper copies have deteriorated and require careful handling.

An Essential Thank You to the Connecticut State Library
The library and the Connecticut State Library's (CSL) Preservation Office opened discussions about the potential to digitize the East Hampton News in summer 2013. The CSL held duplicate negatives of the East Hampton News on film: issues in 1887-1888 and issues from July 1, 1932 through Dec. 31, 1952.

With best preservation practice, technical, and logistical advice from Preservation Librarian Jane Cullinane and Gail Hurley from the iCONN office, the CSL allowed the library to borrow the duplicate negatives. Our digitization vendor, Advantage Preservation, has since then digitized the film and created a searchable database.

Using Our Database
Click here for free online access. Take advantage of the Help Button for best advice on how to craft a useful search that yields best results. If you need help, email the library or give us a call.

Special thanks to the Chatham Historical Society for supporting the project.

Love Indie Films?

Say Hello to IndieFlix!
The East Hampton Public Library launched IndieFlix today.

What's IndieFlix? This online streaming movie service offers you free access to award-winning shorts, feature films, and documentaries. You can choose from a range of titles, including films from major festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca, and more.

Why IndieFlix? The service allows us to offer films you might not otherwise have easy access to and which we might not otherwise be able to buy in physical format. The service complements our DVD and Blu-ray collections.

What You Need to Use IndieFlix
Watch movies on any Internet-enabled computer, smartphone, or tablet with a web browser. Also available on Roku, xBox game console, and Apple TV via Apple devices. You'll also need your trusty East Hampton Public Library card. Use your card and the "Create New Account" click in the upper right hand corner.

Finding the Right Film for You
Once you have established your free account, you can browse films, "Channel surf", or use a variety of "Mood Filters" including genre, film length, or rating. Rating classes are All Ages, 13+, and 17+.

Parent Alert! Since IndieFlix films are not rated by the MPAA, you will be asked to acknowledge the following warning "Be advised that films on IndieFlix have not been rated by the MPAA and may contain offensive language, scenes of violence, and sexual situations." As always, choose for yourself or for your child, just as you would for video content in our DVD and Blu-ray collections.

The Latest Summer Game?

Image courtesy of Flickr User
woodleywonderworks

Learning a Second Language
Summer can be a great time to kick back and take on a personal enrichment project at a more leisurely pace.

If learning a second language is on your to-do list -- or if introducing your kids to a new language sounds like fun -- use your East Hampton Public Library card to sign up for a free Transparent Language Online service account. This web-based language-learning program offers more than 80 languages, including English as a second language for a variety of non-native English speakers.

Want to Learn While You Travel or Commute?
Once your create your free account, you may also use the Go Mobile tab with your Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, or Android powered device and use the three steps to download and run the app.

Websites
Live Mocha
Connect to a large online language learning community.
Open Culture
Free lessons in 40 languages.
Google Translate
Use it to translate sentences or to translate entire web sites.

So have fun this summer and perhaps dabble in the prospect of ¡El que habla dos lenguas vale por dos! The person who speaks two languages is worth two!

Preparing for the Big Tests

Familiarity and Success: Over the Summer and in to the Fall
If you're a high school student interested in maximizing your performance on a standardized test -- especially given so many for-fee or free options available -- consider adding ePrep to your overall test preparation toolkit.

What's ePrep?
ePrep is test-prep service offered by the library, free to library card holders. The service offers training programs for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, PLAN, and middle and upper level SSAT exams.

How Does ePrep Work?
Try interactive lessons accompanied by videos in which experts explain the best secrets and approach to choosing the right answer to common test questions. ePrep doesn’t tell you which bubble to fill in with your trusty number 2; it explains why a certain answer is correct and helps you learn from your mistakes. You’ll also use practice tests and quizzes under timed conditions to make sure you’re on the right track.

We'll here add a video explanation of how ePrep works.

How Do I Sign Up to Use ePrep?
First up, you'll need an East Hampton Public Library card. Stop by the library to obtain a new card or renew your oldie. With card in hand, you may use the ePrep service 24-7, on your time, and at your own pace. Click here to sign up for the service and explore the bubbles over the summer and in to the fall...

Consumers Matter

Cart Full of Resources
Shopping smarter and getting the best bang for the buck are always on the top of any consumer's agenda. We offer a quick list of resources which may help support your goals.

Consumer Reports : Use your East Hampton Public Library card to access product reviews and ratings on cars, appliances, electronics and more. Print copies of Consumer Reports magazine are also available for three years; issues circulate for 14 days.

Car Buying Guides : If you are in the market for a new or used car, compare and contrast Kelley Blue Book -- Edmunds Car Buying Guide -- N.A.D.A. Guides (National Automobile Dealers Association).

Connecticut's research Engine
Information about a variety of consumer-oriented topics, free with any CT library card, including yours.

"Everything Consumer" : Find a wide range of ratings on consumer products and services via Consumer World.

Going Green? : Try Chasing Green, run with a goal to share topical news about green lifestyle choices.

Free Credit Reports : The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months.

More Consumer Guidance : State, Federal, and Then Some
Department of Consumer Protection (CT) or Smart Consumer (CT)
Better Business Bureau (CT)
U.S. Consumer Gateway or the Federal Trade Commission
Federal "Do Not Call" Registry
Looks Too Good To Be True
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Safe Shopping (American Bar Association)
Federal Recalls
Charity Navigator

Don't Be Afraid to Just Call Me!

Reserve Notifications Just Got a Little Easier...
If you are currently receiving email notifications to pickup items you've reserved for checkout, you may also receive these notices on your cell phone. All you need to do is update your patron record and append your cell phone number to your email address.  Here's how you can opt in to the service:

Login in to your local library account. Your user name is your library barcode number, printed on the back of your card; the password is yours. If you don't know or remember your password, give us a call. We'd also encourage you to reset your password with some frequency as a hedge against losing your card.

Click on My Account
Verify your email account name then insert a comma, your cell phone number@ your provider's messaging address. Example? emailname@email.com,8605551111@provider.xxx

A Number of Cell Providers and Their Formats
Next time you stop by the library, pick up a quick list of providers and the format you'll need to use to accept a cell phone message.

Ridin' In Your Car

Vroom... Vroom...
If you are an antique car aficionado or car lover in general, you may be pleased to know the library has a subscription to Automobile Quarterly, aptly subtitled The Connoisseur's Magazine of Motoring  - Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow.

East Hampton's own Belltown Antique Car Club funds the subscription.  Meet with like-minded car club fans first Wednesday of the month in the library's Community Room.

Books and Reading

On the cars in books front, we offer quick picks for cool-on-wheels reading:

Engines of Change : A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars by Paul Ingrassia
An entertaining social history of the fifteen cars : from the Model-T, to the sporty or speedy, and on to mini-vans, utilities, and hybrids.

Blood and Smoke : The Unsolved Mystery of the First Indie 500 by Charles Leerhsen
Explore the early days of Indie and we mean early. The first Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909.

Car : The Definitive History of the Automobile edited by Kathryn Hennessy
From DK, enjoy an "international view of the automobile through time."

Online Service

For DIY car repair and maintenance, there is no more trusted name than Chilton's Manuals. Now with ChiltonLibrary.com, you can access wiring diagrams, diagnostic codes, and maintenance tables for thousands of cars and trucks -- 24/7. Use your East Hampton Public Library card barcode number to log in.

Our Shoes Were Made For Walking

And That's Just What We'll Do...
On any day and in conventional time, you are likely to see East Hampton's walkers. Some stroll; others power walk. Some walk with their children and/or favorite pooch; others may walk for a more solitary experience. Some you'll meet on the larger Village Center's sidewalk system; others on more rural roads and trails.

If you're walking, or thinking about it, we offer a quick list of titles that may provide can-do inspiration. Armchair travel and other reads to ponder round out the list.

Chiwalking : The Five Mindful Steps for Lifelong Health and Energy by Danny Dreyer and Katherine Dreyer

Dog Walks Man : A Six-Legged Odyssey by John Zeaman

The Connecticut Walk Book East from the CT Park & Forest Association

Healing Walks for Hard Times : Quiet Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Get Your Life Back by Carolyn Scott Kortge

Walk a Hound Lose a Pound : How You and Your Dog Can Lose Weight, Stay Fit, and Have Fun Together by Phil Zeltzman and Rebecca A. Johnson

Walk Off Weight by Michele Stanten

Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins

Wanderlust : a History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit

The Lost Art of Walking : the History, Science, Philosophy and Literature of Pedestrianism by Geoff Nicholson 

The Walker's Companion by Elizabeth Ferber

Videos
Walking for Weight Loss
Walk Away the Pounds : Super Fat Burning with Leslie Sansone
Leslie Sansone's Walk and Jog
Leslie Sansone Walk at Home

Audio Companions
Nothing like a soothing voice and a good read to help you pass the time on the walkway. The library offers downloadable audio books and audio books on CD and MP3 disc. Enjoy your stroll ... animated cutie courtesy of Animateit.net.

Explore the U.S.A. : A to Z

Your State Report
If you are a grammar school kiddo learning about our glorious country, stop by the library and check out series books about America's states. These plus other print resources are sure to be helpful as you explore the history, life, and times of the fabulous 50.

When you explore online, use your local library card to visit AtoZ the USA, a go-to database filled with cool, credible, and creatively presented information.

The database offers students need-to-know information about U.S. states and territories but adults will also enjoy the information about places to visit, history, recipes, museums, statistics, photos, maps, postcards, and much more.

You may access the database at the library or from any Internet PC. For external access, go to the AtoZ homepage, enter your library card number in the box labeled "library card", and start exploring.

I Listen to Audio Books

OneClickdigital : The "i's" Have It
If you are an audio book and i-device fan, please do download a free app and use it to deliver e-audio book content to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch!

Listening On the Go
To download e-audio books, you'll need to login to OneClickdigital (if you already have an account) or use your local library card's barcode number to create an account. All titles are PC and Mac compatible.  If you are using a mobile i-device; grab the app from the iTunes store.

Testing... Testing... Freading!

A New Look at eBooks

The East Hampton Public Library is now testing Freading -- an eBook service brought to the EHPL via Library Ideas, LLC.  The good news is unlike other available library eBook services, this one allows simultaneous users to use/read the same title, which means no waiting in line.

What's Included?
With Freading, you'll find eBooks from many publishers : independent, smaller,  but in all ways regarded.  Find stellar fiction and non-fiction titles, many of which you may have missed along way.

What You'll Need to Use the Service
To use our eBook service, you will first need a valid local library card : current (not expired) and with no fines over 10 bucks. Second, and in most cases, you will need an Adobe Digital Editions Account, easy and free to acquire.  Third, Freading is compatible with any of the following devices:

• Any computer
• Amazon Kindle Fire (other Kindle models are not currently compatible)
• Barnes & Noble Nook
• Apple iPad or iPhone
• Android tablets and smart phones
• Kobo e-reader
• Sony reader

Starting to Read with Freading

Click here to start; click login and enter your EHPL library barcode and pin.

Every Monday morning, you'll be given 5 download tokens. Each e-book download uses between 1 and 4 tokens, depending on demand for the book. Unused tokens rollover to the next week but your total token count resets to 5 every four weeks.

Freading e-books check out for 2 weeks, at which point they can be renewed for another two weeks. Renewal of a popular title uses 1 download token; older titles renew without a token.

Titanic Tales

100th Anniversary :
RMS Titanic 1912-2012
We all know the story. On April 10, 1912, the Titanic sailed from Southhampton with 2,200 passengers and crew on board.  Four days later, the ship hit an iceberg.  Here's a quick list of latest reads on this infamous event, as lead in to the 100th anniversary of Titanic's sinking.

The Band that Played On : The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic by Steve Turner
The Titanic sank as the ship's band played tunes to calm passengers.  Turner explores the lives and legacies of the musicians who stayed.

Titanic Sinks! by Barry Denenberg
This YA book presents the true story of the building and launching of the Titanic, offers a "you are there" feeling, and details the recollections of actual survivors and their experiences in the lifeboats.

The Watch that Ends the Night : Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf
This YA novel recreates the 1912 sinking of the Titanic as observed by millionaire John Jacob Astor, a beautiful young Lebanese refugee finding first love, "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, Captain Smith, and others including the iceberg itself.

Iceberg Right Ahead! The Tragedy of the Titanic by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson
This well-written and researched title for kids includes stellar chapters about explorations of the sunken ship, as well as information about the Titanic in art, literature, and film.

We last blogged about the Titanic in 2009. Click here for still useful links.

Online Services
Use your East Hampton Public Library Card to access Encyclopedia Britannica.  What you'll  find is reputable information about the Titanic as well as links to reputable/related websites, media, and primary sources to supplement your readings.

Archaeology Matters

The Terra Cotta Army

Terra-cotta army. Photograph. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Library Edition.

Our community includes many local residents who travel widely for different reasons.  Late last year, one such resident traveled to China and visited the Qin Tomb, an ancient archaeological site well more than 2000 years old. The site contains an army of over 8,000 life-size terra-cotta soldiers; digging and restoration of the site continues to this day.

Next time you visit the library, scan the display shelves behind our circulation desk and play I Spy.  Between the fun figures, children's book character favorites, and pop-culture icons, find a well-done replica of a terra-cotta general, a gift to library by our world-travelling patron. Thank you, Pam!

To Learn More
The Qin Dynasty Terra-Cotta Army of Dreams by Lin Zhang
The Emperor's Silent Army : Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China by Jane O'Connor
The Terra Cotta Army : China's First Emperor and the Birth of a Nation by John Man
China's Terracotta Warriors, PBS Home Video

Also learn more about the Qin Tomb by using Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition with your East Hampton Public Library card; find a variety of multi-media material in your search.

On Display : Beginning Next Week

Watch for the roll-out of our bulletin board display (left), all about the terra-cotta warriors with artwork by library staff member, Phil Carr. 

  

Health Insurance and You

Consumer Report Cards
Our State's Insurance Department recently released the October 2011 edition of Consumer Report Card on Health Insurance Carriers in Connecticut. This annual publication provides "a comparison of all Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and the fifteen insurers with the highest premium volume in Connecticut".

The report may be helpful in choosing an insurance plan or comparing overall customer satisfaction across plans.  The report does not include information regarding Medicare, Medicaid and other entitlement programs.

Click here to download a copy of the 2011 report, listed first under the "Publications" heading.

From Consumer Reports Online
You may also use your library card to access Consumer Reports and review health insurance plans ranked by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).  Click here and go to the Consumer Reports access page; type your East Hampton Public Library barcode in the library barcode box to enter the site.

Books & Reading
Here's a quick title list about healthcare topics or the ongoing health care debate:
Long-term Care: How to Plan and Pay for It by J.L. Matthews
Social Security, Medicare and Government Pensions by J.L. Matthews
Why Our Health Matters by Andrew Weil
Deadly Spin by Wendell Potter
Clinical Trials: What Patients and Healthy Volunteers Need to Know by Lorna Speid
Complete Idiot's Guide to Social Security and Medicare by Lita Epstein
Treat Me, Not my Age by Mark Lachs
Sick: the Untold Story of America's Health Care Crisis and the People Who Pay the Price by Jonathan Cohn