Availability of popular best sellers at local branch libraries is growing leaps and bounds. The Cedar Clinton, Selma and Sanger branches began offering New & Now titles in February.

One in five people in the U.S. lack the necessary Internet skills needed to find a job in today’s marketplace. Now the Library comes to the rescue with JobScout, a new online resource designed to get people back to work by teaching Internet skills and job-hunting techniques.

JobScout, launched on the Library website (www.fresnolibrary.org) on January 28, has users complete a series of online lessons to learn how to improve their digital literacy through hands-on involvement with the Internet. Anyone with a Fresno County Public Library card can log into JobScout.

New Public Information Officer

Connie Urquhart is the Library’s new Public Information Officer and Marketing Librarian. She takes over this job from Roberta Barton who held the post for 12 years. Roberta will now work on special projects for Library Administration as a Staff Analyst II. Connie is bubbling with all kinds of marketing ideas to get the message out about what the Library is doing. This will dovetail nicely with her also performing the role of PIO.

Grants Awarded

Quite apparently, volunteering at the Library has become very popular, at least if you look at the hours amassed.

During 2011, 908 volunteers compiled 57,563 hours working in the many assorted jobs, committees and bookstore sales available at the library. That is a 68 percent increase over the previous 12 month period in 2010, when 39,287 volunteer hours were recorded, making it the greatest number of hours reported since 1989.

Trying to figure out a perfect gift for someone with everything? We have several great gift ideas.

First, the Library’s Centennial Book makes the perfect coffee table addition for that hard to buy for person. It’s only $19.50.

Next, consider giving the gift of membership to Friends of the Library. It’s only $25 per person or $40 for an entire family, and supports our worthy cause.

Want to find the perfect gift for that helpful library staff member? For just $17, provide a Library polo shirt, or a Library T-shirt for only $8.50.

The Internal Revenue Service no longer provides printed tax forms to libraries. However, customers are welcome to use public computers at their local libraries to download and print tax forms. Free tax organization and preparation assistance will also be available at the Central Library in downtown Fresno from February 1 through mid-April. Assistance is provided by trained volunteers. For more information, contact your local branch library or go to www.fresnolibrary.org.

The Fresno County Public Library has joined 40 libraries statewide participating in the California Public Libraries Google Chromebook Pilot Project to expand Internet access at public libraries. The project was launched locally in October with Chromebooks available for two-hour checkout at the Fig Garden Regional Library.

And that would be….our own Nancy Kast, president of the Friends of the Library! Nancy received the award from the California Valley Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals at a luncheon on November 8th. Nancy has been on the board of the Friends since 2006 and she has been President for the last three years.