May 2011 Archives

Available online and in hard copy in English, Spanish and Japanese on our Reference Desks, is Greenwich Library's Community Survey.  The survey, part of the library's strategic planning process, is to help us figure out how to provide services and resources that meet your needs.  We want to know if there's more we can provide in addition to the services we currently offer.  Are your needs being satisfactorily met by us?  Now's your chance to let us know.  Click here to find the survey.

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Following 2008's The Goliath Bone and 2010's The Big Bang, Max Allan Collins has completed  another unfinished manuscript from the late Mickey Spillane, Kiss Her Goodbye, starring Spillane's classic private eye hero Mike Hammer.  Set in the mid 1970s, Kiss opens with a tired, heavily medicated Hammer living in Florida, recovering from wounds both physical (he was badly hurt while dealing with the local Godfather's insane killer son) and personal (he's broken up with his secretary/true love Velda) after a case ended badly a year before.  

   

 

 

Dragon Naturally Speaking is the voice recognition software that assists persons with disabilities.  Users are able to dictate and have their speech transcribed as written text, have a document synthesized as an audio stream, or issue commands that are recognized as such by the program. Users can also type up to 100 words per minute due to voice recognition/speech/text-to-speech technology.  It's also reasonably priced.  For more infomation, including video tutorials and updates on their software products,  click here to go to the Dragon Voice Recognition site.   

Microsoft's website has a great page on how to use Word 2002 and 2003  to create cover letters, resumes and letters of acceptance which you can find by clicking here.  Templates for these documents are covered as well as tips on which ones are appropriate in your job search.  And if you want to impress a potential employer with knowledge of Word 2010, as well as using it in your search, click here and here.  Good luck!

(BTW This site offers an online tutorial of Word 2002 & 2003.  And here's one on the 2010 version.)

 

If you're using Microsoft Excel 2002, 2003 or 2007, and you want to convert text to speech but don't know how, Microsoft has provided this handy web page.  It'll show you how to access the the proper toolbar (called, not surprisingly, "The Customize Quick Access Toolbar") and what options to follow when you want to use speech commands to keep track of your Excel spreadsheet or workbook (see excerpt below):

 

Click here for similar shortcuts on Excel 2010. 

 

Daryl J. Lucas explains why job seekers need to learn and use Microsoft Excel.  Among other things, job seekers using Excel can make lists of companies, contacts, recruiters and meetings that can assist them in keeping track of their search for work.  Details can be found at the Computer Companion site by clicking here. And if you're either looking for work or already employed and you'd like to learn how to use Excel, here's an online tutorial.   

The Disabled Children's Relief Fund enables children with disabilities access to getting wheelchairs, eyeglasses, walkers, medical equipment and health insurance, among other things.  They also offer grants for assistance in getting this equipment.  If you'd like to find out more about the fund and how/what to donate, click here.