Job Resources Online from the Michigan eLibrary

In these times of economic hardship, people are losing jobs and spending countless amounts of time looking for new ones. There are many online resources available to help in finding a job in a fast and efficient manner. The Michigan eLibrary Business and Jobs Gateway -- a project of the Library of Michigan -- is especially helpful in guiding job seekers. It covers a variety of different fields, and helps in preparation for a job with sample resumes, cover pages, etc.

Foreclosure Information Available from Michigan eLibrary

Looking for foreclosure information?

Check out the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) Michigan Personal Finance Resources page.

This page has information on dealing with mortgage foreclosure and debt counseling, and includes links to resources from the the Royal Oak Public Library, the United Way's Michigan Foreclosure site, and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority's Save the Dream Campaign.

Next week, MeL will be adding information from the Commerce Township Community Library's Foreclosure Prevention Packets Workshop.

The Michigan eLibrary is a service of the Library of Michigan.

Check Out MeL Jobs and Careers for Tips on Finding a Job

Unemployed? Take a look at Michigan eLibrary (MeL) Jobs and Careers site.

Created and funded by the Library of Michigan, MeL Jobs and Careers includes links to web sites on how to write cover letter and resumes, employee satisfaction rankings, internships, and job postings. MeL also includes information on starting a business, finding financial aid for school and job training, exploring career preferences, and learning about new occupations.

If you are unemployed, it is worth a look.

November 4 is Election Day: Be an Informed Voter!

Election Day is tomorrow and the media has been flooded with political campaign ads that can leave some voters overwhelmed and confused.

I wanted to remind you of a great source of information that helped me with my voting decisions and, I hope, can help you with yours: the Michigan eLibrary Election Information page.

I was able to read the full text of Proposal 1 and Proposal 2 for myself instead of relying on ads to tell me what they were about. I was also able to view the entire list of candidates that are going to appear on the 2008 ballot. Many of the names had a link to their website. If you do not recognize a name or know where a candidate stands on an issue, you can click on his or her name and read all about him or her.

To access this information, go to the Library's home page at www.libcoop.net/troy. Click on "Election 2008: Be An Informed Voter." Then click on the link that says "Michigan eLibrary Election Information." This will take you to a page where you can read all about State-wide proposals and find a link to the "2008 Official Michigan Candidate Listing."

See you at the polls!

New Database Features at TPL

While attending the Michigan Library Association Annual Conference in Kalamazoo last week, I went to a session that showcased new updates in databases to which the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) subscribes. These databases are provided to the Troy Library free-of-charge, courtesy of the State Library of Michigan. Here are the highlights:

• Kids's Infobits, this youth database now has the ability to read the text of an article to you. This can be helpful for people with dyslexia, or people who use English as a second language. You can play the audio at your computer while looking at the article, or can download it to your computer as an MP3 file to be listened to later.
  
• MeL Michigana has added more content. This database houses several digital collections relating to Michigan history, including the Civil War Diaries Collection from Western Michigan University, the Archives of Michigan Image Collection, and the Virtual Motor City image collection from Wayne State University.
• Business & Company Resource Center now has enhanced investment reports compiled daily by Reuters Research on Demand.
• LearningExpress Library has added a U.S. Citizenship practice test dealing with history and civics. LearningExpress still continues to offer practice exams for the ACT, SAT, ASVAB, and various civil service exams, as well as practice tests for various school subjects. LearningExpress Library also contains a large library of eBooks to help in test preparation.

To access any of these databases, go to the Troy Public Library homepage and click on "Information On-Demand". Have your Troy Library card number handy.

Visit the Michigan eLibrary for One-Stop Information on the 2008 Election

Unless you have been asleep for the past 18 months – or have not turned on a radio or television, or surfed the internet or read a newspaper – you probably know that those of us in the United States are in the middle of a presidential election year.

To help get ready for Election Day – this year Tuesday, November 4 – the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) web site is featuring all the links you need to prepare yourself for casting an informed vote. MeL has links to an explanation of the voting process; information on where to vote and how to apply for an absentee ballot; how to find campaign finance statements; and resources on all the ballot issues and all the parties fielding candidates this year, complete with candidates’ biographical data, speeches, and positions on major issues. MeL also lists sites from non-partisan organizations providing election information.

For this one-stop election resource, go to the MeL website, and scroll down to the bottom of the page to the MeL News section.

And while you are there, check out the other free resources offered by MeL -- a service of the Library of Michigan.