Monthly Archives: April 2010

A good place to begin to research a career is the Occupational Outlook Handbook, which is published regularly by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Handbook profiles hundreds of occupations and dozens of industries.
You will discover the different types of nurses, the nature of the work, education and training required, licensure and certification, job outlook, earnings, related occupations, and sources of additional information.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is available online and is also shelved on the Career and Job Information Table near the Information Services Desk. There you will find other sources to help you, such as The Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance, Exploring Health Care Careers, Exploring Tech Careers, and many other titles.
Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center is a great online database that will provide info on more than 3,000 jobs in over 90 industries. You will need your St. Charles library card number and PIN to access this database.
Check out the library’s Job Search & Careers Research Guide. There are also many books you may checkout about careers.
If you need assistance finding information, please ask us!

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What if your resume could find you a job? It can, if you join ResumeGPS.
ResumeGPS is a database of resumes that employers can search when they’re looking to hire. If yours is in there, an employer could find it and invite you to interview online.
How do you join ResumeGPS? It’s easy. Just log in, open your resume and click the ResumeGPS button, then check the “This is my GPS Resume” check box. That’s it! Two clicks, and employers can find your resume.

Just getting started? You can also create your resume, practice interviewing skills, and even create online portfolios and web resumes with Optimal Resume from St. Charles Public Library. You’ll need your St. Charles Public Library card and PIN number to access the site.
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Did you know that E-waste – electronic waste – comprises 5 percent of worldwide municipal solid waste? And this problem will continue to grow.
If you want to learn more about E-waste, here are several web sites that will provide helpful information:
The Environmental Protection Agency has a web page about “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” that covers many ways to produce less waste.
Check out the EPA’s link to info on donating or recycling old computers and other e products.
PC Magazine has an Electronics Recycling Superguide that provides info about recycling programs offered by many manufacturers.
Greenpeace publishes an annual Guide to Greener Electronics that ranks manufacturers of electronic products on their policies regarding recycling, toxic chemicals, and climate change.
To find a recycling center near you check out Earth911.
You can also find local information by using our local information database. Type in “recycling” in the search box.
Want more green? Look here. Want to save some green on Energy Star appliances this week? Look here.

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Will dialing *77 on your cell phone connect you to police? Do you know what Jell-o is really made of? Did President Obama complain that the troops were whiners?
The New York Times, which still proclaims that it publishes “All the News That’s Fit to Print”, ran a story about sites that provide fact checking and debunking of myths, rumors and inaccuracies which are rampant, especially on the Internet. The Mikkelson family that runs Snopes.com have come to the discouraging conclusion that people find rumors comforting, and want the facts to confirm their own world view. “When you’re looking at truth versus gossip, truth doesn’t stand a chance,” said Mr. Mikkelson. Read about these skeptics and arbiters here and bookmark one for use the next time you are tempted to forward an outrageous email or want to check out something that seems too good to be true or too outlandish to accept.
Don’t forget that your Library is a always a good place to get the facts! It’s National Library Week and we want you to know the truth – your library is a great deal, and that’s a fact.

Encyclopedia of the American Presidency (REF 973.099 GEN) is a new reference title that was recently added to our collection. Booklist (March 15, 2010) states that this book “is currently the most up-to-date encyclopedia on the presidency.”
Presidential trivia fans and serious researchers can peruse 700 alphabetical entries, photographs, tables, polls, etc. Appendix 1 highlights the sections of the Constitution dealing with presidential powers. Appendix 2 is a chronology of presidential elections. Appendix 3 includes various “rating the presidents” surveys.
If you need current, concise information about American presidents, this book is a good place to start.
We have many additional sources in the library, plus magazine and newspaper articles and online resources. If you need assistance finding information, please ask us.


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