ESL Classes At Your Library!

If you or someone you know is in need of help learning English, the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is a great place to direct them! Many of our library branches offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and those that don't may know of other local organizations that can offer help in this area. Below are a few of the current classes and their locations that are being offered by the library system, but be sure and call your local branch to see if they might also be able to guide patrons in need of this service to a useful resource. 

For patrons who have access to computers with Internet access, the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System also offers library card holders free access to the database MangoLanguages. Mango contains online, audio-visual, self-paced language learning courses in a variety of languages (even Pirate! argh...,) including English for Spanish Speakers. To access this database, simply follow the steps listed below and get started! 

1. Go to www.afpls.org
2. Click on the link to A-Z Databases on the right hand side of the page under Books, Research & Databases. 
3. Click the GALILEO icon
    and enter the password when prompted.
4. Click the link to Databases A-Z
5. Type Mango into the database search box, hit search, and select Mango Languages when the results pop up.
6. Enter your library card number and start searching!

English as a Second Language (ESL) Conversation Class

Mondays, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Join Terry for lower intermediate level ESL classes. No textbook or registration is necessary. All are welcome. Class follows the schedule of Fulton County Schools.

Alpharetta Branch, a part of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

238 Canton Street Alpharetta 30009

For information call 770.740.2425

ESL – Conversational English Class

Mondays, 6:00 p.m.

Teachers: David Chesnut/Laura Powell/Literacy Volunteers of Metro Atlanta.

Sandy Springs Branch, a part of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

395 Mt. Vernon Highway, Atlanta 30328

For information call 404.303.6130

Free ESL Classes

Tuesdays, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Conversational English for all levels. No registration is required.

Roswell Branch, a part of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

115 Norcross Street, Roswell 30075

For information call 770.640.3075

Free ESL Classes

Thursdays, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Intermediate and advanced. No registration is required.

Roswell Branch, a part of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

115 Norcross Street, Roswell 30075

For information call 770.640.3075

Basic ESL

Saturdays, 1:00 p.m.

Teacher: Francine Cadden.

Sandy Springs Branch, a part of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

395 Mt. Vernon Highway, Atlanta 30328

For information call 404.303.6130

Database Of The Month: Biography In Context!

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System provides patrons with access to a wealth of online resources. Our selection of databases can help you prepare for major exams, learn a new skill or hobby, find the perfect literary quote or even help you get your Georgia Driver's License! But if what you're looking for is information about an individual, whether for personal interest or school research, don't rely on Google or Wikipedia! Take out your AFPLS library card, head to the nearest computer with Internet access and pull up Biography In Context!

Biography in Context offers authoritative reference content alongside magazine and journal articles, primary sources, videos, audio podcasts, and images. Covering a vast array of people from historically significant figures to present-day newsmakers, it’s continuously updated to ensure that students have access to the very latest information.

Scope and Depth

The challenges, motivations, successes, and failures of history’s notables can educate and inspire students. Biography In Context is built on a foundation of more than 700,000 biographies designed to draw students into new perspectives on familiar topics.

Authoritative Content 

More than 170 eBook titles from Gale and its publishing partners include:

• Contemporary Black Biography
• Contemporary Musicians
• Encyclopedia of World Biography                      
• Newsmakers
• Writer’s Directory

News and Multimedia

• Biography in Context bring students face-to-face with their subjects via video, audio clips and images of yesterday's and today’s most studied figures
• Daily newspapers and newswires, including The New York Times, USA Today, Daily Mail (London), and Globe and Mail (Canada) keep students up to date
• Web-like functionality meets the needs of today’s students and allows them to quickly become comfortable with the product

                                                                    ~ From Gale in Context Website. 

This resource is free to all library card holders and can be accessed through our website. Simply follow the steps below and get started!

1. Go to www.afpls.org
2. Click on the link to A-Z Databases on the right hand side of the page under Books, Research & Databases. 
3. Click on the icon for Biography in Context, 
    OR do a key word search from the search box on the bottom right-hand side of this page.
4. Hit PROCEED on the following screen.
5. Start searching!

Database Of The Month: OverDrive!

If you are a fan of eBooks and eAudiobooks (especially when they're free!) then you probably have already taken advantage of the downloadable collection the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System has through OverDrive. This fantastic resource has just gone through a few updates that make checking out and reading eBooks even easier, especially if you are using this database to read fun picture books with younger children! We hope all of our users will enjoy these new enhancements, including direct Tech Support from OverDrive Frontline Support. 

OverDrive is excited to announce that a new version of OverDrive Read, the browser-based eBook reading experience, is coming on October 15, 2014. Earlier this year, OverDrive introduced support for fixed layout eBooks using EPUB3 and HTML5 technology, which allows books never before available in eBook format to be enjoyed digitally. The fixed layout nature honors the book's original layout, image display, and fonts which are required for titles like The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, and Humans of New York. This update means that never-available-before eBooks like these are now available to your library or school! Textbooks, children's classics, cookbooks, travel guides, and more can now be enjoyed on any web-enabled device using OverDrive Read. To find fixed layout eBooks in OverDrive Marketplace, simply choose "Fixed layout" from the special features drop-down menu under Advanced Search.

The enhanced OverDrive Read reading experience that is currently used for fixed layout eBooks will soon be extended to all eBooks. The interface eliminates distraction from the page layout because the newly-designed menu is now behind the eBook pages rather than to the right of the book. The new OverDrive Read also offers a two-page display on large screens for a true reading experience, and a single-page view on smaller screens (unless otherwise required by the publisher). This update retains all of the great features users are currently enjoying in OverDrive Read, such as the ability to read offline, bookmarks, notes, search, and custom readability options. And, best of all, OverDrive Read is available with just one-click in any major modern web browser, and doesn't require any software installation or device registration. In order to adopt this new technology required to support fixed layout eBooks, OverDrive Read will no longer work in older versions of Internet Explorer (i.e., any IE version less than version 10) beginning October 15. Less than 0.2% of OverDrive Read usage is from a version of IE less than 10, so the few users impacted by this change will simply need to upgrade to a newer version of IE or switch to the most current versions of Chrome, Firefox, Android, Safari, or the standard browsers on devices like Kindle and Nook.

Back To School With NoveList!

GALILEO users now have access to NoveList Plus and NoveList K-8 Plus, but what has been added?

NoveList has been the premier readers advisory tool for fiction. This database has tools to help users and librarians match fiction titles and authors to readers’ interests, and to help educators integrate fiction into the curriculum. Now users will find additional tools and content covering nonfiction titles and audiobooks. 

The nonfiction included in NoveList Plus is meant to appeal to readers reading for pleasure and includes biographies, narrative nonfiction, real-life adventure, true crime, and other creative nonfiction; not included are text books and how-to books.

New features in NoveList Plus and NoveList Plus K-8

·     Recommended reading lists on such topics as Adventure Travel, Growing Up Around the World, Animals in Our Lives, Historical Scandals, Scientific Discoveries, Women in Sports, and more! 

      You can also use the  Dewey Number Browse to find recommended titles by Dewey number or the Advanced Search features for audio and nonficton search refinement. 

·

Other features still available

• ·         Author, title, and series read-alikes
• ·         Lexile level assignments
• ·         Robust awards and notable books lists
• ·         Book discussion guides
• ·         Picture book extenders
• ·         Common Core resources

This resource is free to all library card holders and can be accessed through our website. Simply follow the steps below and get started!

1. Go to www.afpls.org
2. Click on the link to A-Z Databases on the right hand side of the page under Books, Research & Databases. 
3. Click on the link to GALILEO and enter the password. (If you don't know the current password, find it by following these instructions!)
4. Click on Databases A-Z and type in NoveList Plus.
5. Start searching and get reading!

Database Of The Month: Bookflix!

Don't let your child's reading skills get rusty during the summer break! Regular trips to check out books at your local branch of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System are a great way to keep kids engaged with reading during the season, and don't forget to sign up for the Summer Reading Program while you're there. But why not switch things up a bit by using online books and videos from Bookflix to keep them inspired and entertained! 

Bookflix has paired award-winning fiction with engaging nonfiction to help students become fluent, confident, and independent readers. The pairing of fiction and nonfiction has been shown to be an effective way to develop critical reading and comprehension skills. Fiction, with its narrative "story" structure, is often more accessible for beginning readers. It can be used to introduce a topic and provide a bridge to the informational text. This engaging resource for children in grades pre-K through 3 will help early readers develop and practice essential reading skills and introduce them to a world of knowledge and exploration.

Pairing fiction and nonfiction texts enhances readers' comprehension of a particular topic, exposes them to a wider range of vocabulary, and builds background knowledge—and therefore interest. With several topics to choose from such as Animals and Nature, Earth and Sky, Music and Rhyme and more, you are sure to find several title pairings that your child will enjoy and learn from. And they will enjoy watching some of their favorite stories come to life in the animated videos!

This resource is free to all library card holders and can be accessed through our website. Simply follow the steps below and get started!

1. Go to www.afpls.org
2. Click on the link to A-Z Databases on the right hand side of the page under Books, Research & Databases. 
3. Click on the icon for Bookflix
4. Enter the GALILEO password. (If you don't know the current password, find it by following these instructions!)
5. Have fun reading and watching videos with your kids!

Database Workshop On ReferenceUSA

Are you thinking about starting your own business? Not sure where to get started or how to gather the necessary information? The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is here to help you start the process and work towards your goal! Join us for the workshop described below and learn how to use ReferenceUSA, a premier online business database that all AFPLS patrons have free access to through our collection of A-Z Databases.

Title: Small Business Development Workshop

Where: Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, Central Library, 4^th floor, Multipurpose Room

When:  Wednesday, April 24^th, 10am – 11:15

 

Description:  Even the big leagues take time each spring to get loose before they step up to the plate — here’s your chance to stretch your mental muscles and fine tune your research skills with ReferenceUSA, a business online database for target marketing and much more.

The session will cover the fundamentals in Search Essentials, advancing the runners with Uncovering the Hidden Job Market  and  Start! Manage! Grow! Your Business  then swing for the fences with  Mapping & Data Visualization  and  ReferenceUSA Consumer Data.

This session is free to the public, however, requires registration by calling 404-730-1971.

Muslim Journeys Theme: Connected Histories

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System was one of the libraries chosen to receive the Muslim Journeys bookshelf in 2013. The bookshelf is a collection of fascinating books and DVDs about the Muslim world's history and culture. We’ll profile some in our blog over the next few months.

 

Centuries before the dawn of supersonic transport, the internet, and multinational corporations, the world already was an amazingly interconnected place. Modern-day national boundaries did not exist. Lines between cultures that seem so solid today were blurry. Many of the books in the Muslim Journeys bookshelf provide a tantalizing view as to just how interconnected the medieval world was in spite of the slowness and danger associated with travel.

When Asia Was the World: Traveling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks Who Created the “Riches of the East”. Read about how Islam related to the religions and cultures of India, China, Iran, and modern-day Afghanistan.  

The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain.  Learn about a uniquely diverse culture in the Andalusian Middle Ages in Spain.

The House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance. Discover how the scientific method began in Muslim lands.

In an Antique Land. Learn what it meant to be free or enslaved in the Muslim world in the days before European colonialism.

Leo Africanus. A swashbuckling historical novel about real-life Hasan al-Wazzan, born in Andalusia on the eve of the Spanish Reconquest.

For more information, visit this site for annotations and other resources provided by the grantor. You can also access the Oxford Islamic Studies Database through our list of A-Z Databases.

Discover Oxford Islamic Studies Online Database

Ever wonder about Muslim history and culture, the Islamic world, and the Muslim faith, but didn't know where to find reliable information? Try the database Oxford Islamic Studies Online, now accessible from the A-Z Databases list. Atlanta-Fulton Public Library patrons have access to this database for one year as part of the Muslim Journeys grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association.

Use the basic or advanced search options, or just browse individual regions, time periods, and biographies. You can find such varied information as:

  - A description of how British colonial rule unwittingly aided the growth of Islam in the Gambia in the 19th century.

 
- The Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech of Yemeni Arab Spring activist Tawokkol Karman.
 
- A map of the Silk Road showing major stops all the way from the Syrian coast to the Shaanxi province in China.
 
- All the occurrences of the word "jihad" in the Qur'an.
 
- A quote from Nobel physicist Abdus Salam: "There truly is no [disparity] between Islam and modern science.”
 
- Find out how one of the world's most independent news sources - al-Jazeera - came to broadcast from an area where most governments either own or strictly control the media.
 
- A bibliography of materials by and about Malcolm X.
 
Also included are time lines depicting major events in the Islamic lands side-by-side with world events, an English-language Qur'an verse looker-upper, and a date converter. We invite all of our patrons to explore this database and expand their knowledge of the Islamic world!

Career Resources At Your Library

If you or someone you know is currently seeking employment, help starting a small business, or simply trying to update and polish an old resume then the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is a great place to start! We have a variety of resources available both online and in print in all of our branches. Our Job Resources link from our homepage offers links to AFPLS databases, such as Career Transitions, and also to state resources like the Georgia Career Information Center and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are also links to resume building websites in this section, as well as a link to our eCampus Resources that include this type of information.

In the Entrepreneur section you will find links to things like the Georgia Secretary of State's Office and the Small Business Administration. You will also find links to funding and grant organizations, tutorials on business ownership and marketing, as well as articles and advice for the first-time business owner.

Company information can also be found on this page by using the links to some of our business databases located in our A-Z Database List, such as Reference USA, BusinessWise (in-library use only) and Standard and Poor's NetAdvantage. Browse through Georgia specific company resources as well as general business information. You can also find information on facing foreclosure, bankruptcy, and finding financial assistance in Georgia.

And, as always, you can check the library's catalog for books, audiobooks and DVDs on the subject of career preparation and business start-up. We hope all of these free resources will help our patrons better themselves, our city, and our state!