Library and Community News

Harry Potter & Sorcerer’s Stone Available Now with no Waitlists in OverDrive/Libby!

Harry Potter at HomeThroughout the month of April, our patrons have unlimited access to the ebook and audiobook editions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, courtesy of Pottermore & OverDrive. 

What's exciting about this promotion:

*  Now includes the audiobook edition

*  Includes over 20 languages (Great for language learners & multilingual families)

*  Includes accompanying activities at harrypotterathome.com

*  It's Harry Potter!
 

Hoopla Announces Bonus Borrows

From hoopla:

"In order to provide relief to libraries and to provide more content to patrons during this difficult time of sheltering at home, we are proud to announce the hoopla Bonus Borrows Collection with more than 1,100 top titles and hoopla favorites.
 

When a patron borrows these titles now through 4/30/20:

  • That circulation is FREE to Libraries.
  • Each patron will be debited ZERO borrows from their monthly hoopla borrows."

Don't have hoopla? Click here to get started. Find Bonus Borrows by viewing the categories for each format and selecting "Bonus Borrows." For example, here's how you'd see Audiobook Bonus Borrows:

Romance eBooks and Digital Audiobooks, Free Access from TumbleBooks

RomanceBookCloud offers a core collection of 1,800 titles contemporary, historical, time travel, paranormal or inspirational romance novels. Titles include award winners and best sellers.

 

AudioBookCloud is a collection of streaming audio books featuring over 1,200 titles, including dozens of genres and interest levels. The collection includes popular literature, classics, children’s and teen books, mystery, sci-fi, history, biography, and more!

TumbleBooks Offers Free Access to eBooks for Children and Teens

Tumblebooks LibraryTumbleBooks announced that it is making its family of online libraries available for free until at least August 31, 2020. Links to these databases are included below and also accessible from the Minuteman Library Networks databases webpage.

TumbleBookLibrary: Grades K-6. Includes unique animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, National Geographic videos, non-fiction books, playlists, as well as books in Spanish and French. Plus, the collection features Graphic Novels – a student favorite!

TumbleMath LogoTumbleMath: Grades K-6. TumbleMath combines animation, narration, and sound to create a compelling and enticing story book for students of all ages. The books are all accompanied by supplementary materials such as lesson plans, educational games, plus quizzes in order to test and track progress.

TeenBookCloud logoTeenBookCloud: Grades 7-12. This collection features graphic novels, enhanced e-books with full audio narration and highlighted text, classic literature, National Geographic videos, and more! The site supports a wide range of readers’ interests and levels. Orca Books and Saddleback books offer hundreds of High-Interest/Low-Level content. In addition, our new AP English section makes hundreds of curriculum books available to readers at the click of a button!

Today, April 1, is Census Day

What is the Census and why is it important?

The 2020 Census will provide a snapshot of our nation—who we are, where we live, and so much more.

The results of this once-a-decade count determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives. They are also used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.

Over the next decade, lawmakers, business owners, and many others will use 2020 Census data to make critical decisions. The results will show where communities need new schools, new clinics, new roads, and more services for families, older adults, and children.

The results will also inform how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding are allocated to more than 100 programs, including Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental health services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. 

What is Census Day?

April 1 is Census Day, a key reference date for the 2020 Census—not a deadline. We use this day to determine who is counted and where in the 2020 Census. When you respond, you'll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020, and include everyone who usually lives and sleeps in your home. You can respond before or after that date. We encourage you to respond as soon as you can.

Do they ask about my citizenship status?

There is no citizenship question on the 2020 Census.

Are my answers confidential?

Your personal information is kept confidential. The Census Bureau is bound by federal law to protect your information, and your data is used only for statistical purposes.

How do I submit my information?

To fill out the U.S. Census Questionnaire, click here.

Information above courtesy of U.S. Census website.

Scam Alert: The “Zoombomb” thumbnail Photo

Scam Alert: The “Zoombomb”

As its name implies, a Zoombomb is a situation in which a person "bombs" a zoom meeting. At best, it's annoying, with an unwanted participant disrupting a meeting. But some examples of Zoom bombing are far more sinister. Click here for an interesting Forbes article on Zoombombing, with some good tips.

Here are some tips:

  1. Always generate a random meeting ID for your meeting, rather than using your personal ID. Here's how.
  2. Use the Waiting Room feature to control who comes into the meeting.
  3. Mute loud participants by using the host control bar at the bottom of the screen, clicking on  "Manage Participants," and then muting the microphone and/or video by clicking their icons. See an example of this here.

If you're a Zoom host, or are interested in learning more, we encourage you to read more here.

Thanks to the Framingham Public Library Supervisor of Information and Technology Services for this article.

Scam Alert: COVID-19 Testing Scam from Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (MA SMP)

Massachusetts SMP Coronavirus Testing ScamThe Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (MA SMP) Program warns the public to be wary of anyone other than a treating physician who is offering you coronavirus testing. Be particularly suspicious of anyone offering COVID-19 testing in exchange for your Medicare number, money, or to gain access into your home. Be careful!


“Sadly, the scams around coronavirus testing are spreading almost as fast as the virus itself,” said Lucilia
Prates-Ramos, the statewide director of the MA SMP program. “Testing can only be ordered by a treating physician. We have heard about teams in white coats are going door-to-door offering virus testing. This is NOT a valid offer. What they are really interested in is robbing the elder or stealing their identify. We have heard reports of callers pretending to be a nurse offering test results once they get a credit card number. These kinds of calls are also not for real.”

Read the entire press relase from SMP here.

Our 3D Printer Has Been Drafted to Print Parts for N95 Masks

lulzmini 3d printerFramingham Public Library's 3D printer has been drafted!  Our little LulzBot Mini will be busy, while the library is closed, printing parts for N95 masks for First Responders and Medical Staff all over the Commonwealth. Thanks to Reference Sub and Woburn Technology Librarian, John Walsh for partnering with us.

Metrowest YMCA Providing Emergency Child Care Services for Essential Workers

EMERGENCY CHILD CARE SERVICES FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN OUR COMMUNITY OFFERED AT NO COST.

The MetroWest YMCA is providing Emergency Child Care for the children of health care workers, first responders and other essential needed personnel. Our thanks go to our caring and compassionate staff who are working to make this possible.

This drop-in care is designed to be a last resort for people who fill critical roles in our community and have exhausted all other options for care for their children so that they can work.

The free program will take place in our Framingham Branch located at 280-282 Old Connecticut Path and will serve children in our Early Learning Center as well as our Youth Development Zone serving children from 15 months - 5th grade from 7:00-6:00 weekdays with breakfast, lunch and snack being served by the Y daily.  This program is available on a first come, first serve basis with pre-registration strongly encouraged.