Information On The Affordable Care Act At Your Library

Many of us are now attempting to navigate new and unfamiliar territory within the Affordable Care Act. But did you know that the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System has many resources here to help you understand your options? Our government information librarians have put together links to all kinds of resources you may need as you start the process of selecting insurance for yourself and your family. To get started, visit our web site and follow the steps below.

From the home page, look under the Books & Materials tab and click on Government Information. From here, scroll down and click on Health - Insurance and Providers. Here you will find valuable resources and tools to answer your questions, provide you with the necessary provider information, and to help get you started in the Marketplace.

In addition to the below information about Insurance, you can also find a wealth of general health information through the library's website as well. Some other topics covered under our Government Information tab are listed below. We hope this helps all of our patrons make informed decisions about the health and safety of themselves and their families!

Health - General Health and Safety

Health - Home and Community Health - Medicines and Herbals Health - Sports Injuries, Exercise Health - Workplace and School

Health - Insurance and Providers

Use the HealthCare.gov portal to learn about changes brought about by passage of the 2010 Affordable Care Act and to access an online tool that helps find the best healthcare option for you. Also links to a tool to compare care in different facilities. Encuentre ayuda local. Federally-funded health centers. Pay what you can afford, based on your income. Fulton County residents can take advantage of the Board of Commissioners'Prescription Discount Drug Card. Cardholders can also save on pet prescriptions. Search a Georgia medical provider's license at the Composite State Board of Medical Examiners search page. Look for Facility Compliance Reports at the Georgia Office of Regulatory Services page. Make sure the facility performing your mammogram is certified. Seniors and their caregivers can find listings of services from the U.S. Administration on Aging's Eldercare Locator or the National Institute on Aging'sdirectory of organizations. Elders unsure of what benefits they are eligible to receive can use the National Council on Aging's Benefits Checkup. Medicare and You, the basic booklet on the Medicare program. Georgia's PeachCare for Kids program and Georgia Families program.

Cookbooks For Cooler Weather

Just as the official first day of Fall comes around every year, it seems that this post about fall cooking has become an annual event as well! As of September 22, Fall is here, and with that first breath of cooler air many of us start to crave those warm comfort foods that go hand-in-hand with the season. Soups, stews, chili and the like are all starting to sound pretty good now that it's no longer over 100 degrees every day! So why not get a head start on filling up your recipe box this fall by checking out some wonderful cookbooks from your local library branch? Here's a few suggestions, just to get your mouth watering:

The Big Book of Soups & Stews: 262 Recipes for Serious Comfort Food, by Maryana Vollstedt

Grandma Jo's Soup Kettle: 100 Hearty and Healthy Soups, Stews, Gumbos, and Chowders, by JoAnna M Lund

Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons, by Nava Atlas

The Ultimate Chili Cookbook: History, Geography, Fact, and Folklore of Chili, by W.C. Jameson

Soup, by Diane Rossen Worthington

Beyond Gumbo: Creole Fusion Food From the Atlantic Rim, by Jessica B. Harris

Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes, by Phyllis Pellman Good

As always, you can check the library's catalog for these and other titles to check out or place on hold. Happy cooking!

Check Out The Zoo Pass!

With fall and cooler temperatures fast approaching, and with the added excitement of two twin panda cubs born this summer at Zoo Atlanta, the coming months are a perfect time to check out the Zoo Pass from your local library! The Zoo Pass is actually a DVD that explores the history of Zoo Atlanta and highlights some of it's animal residents. Once you've watched the DVD simply return it to the branch it came from and get your receipt for admission to the zoo. Using the pass is simple and all you need is a valid library card to get started. Instructions for checking out and using the pass are below, so search the catalog to see if your branch has a pass available today!

Accessing the Zoo Pass

Adults with a valid library card may check out the Zoo Pass at any of the 33 branches of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System (excluding Auburn Avenue Research Library). One Zoo Pass will be available for checkout per branch.

The Zoo Pass is not available for self-checkout. Patrons should check out the Zoo Pass at the library front desk.

The Zoo Pass may be checked out only once per year, per card and household. The pass may not be renewed or reserved (sorry, can't place holds on this one!)

Return your Zoo Pass to the location of checkout, and you will receive your receipt for admission to the Zoo. The overdue fine will be $1.00 per day, maximum $10.00. The fee for a lost pass is $30.00.

Enjoying the Zoo Pass

Present your Zoo Pass receipt and your library card at the Zoo Atlanta front gate for admission.

The Zoo Pass is good for a family of four. The pass is valid for general admission only and may not be used for special events, including but not limited to Boo at the Zoo, Brew at the Zoo and Love in the Zoo.

We hope you enjoy your trip to Zoo Atlanta thanks to this wonderful partnership with Georgia Public Library Service!

2013 Hugo Award Winners Announced!

In the midst of all of the excitement that takes place here in Atlanta during DragonCon, where all things science fiction and fantasy, including comic books, gaming, literature, art, film and music convene, the prestigious Hugo Awards were announced. Named after Hugo Gernsback, a famous magazine editor who did much to bring science fiction to a wider audience, the Hugo Awards have been presenting awards of excellence in the genres of science fiction and fantasy literature since 1953. On Sunday, Septemeber 1, the 2013 list of winners in all categories was selected. All winners and their works are listed below, so take this list to the library catalog and lose yourself in other worlds! 

BEST NOVEL : Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas, John Scalzi (Tor)

BEST NOVELLA: The Emperor’s Soul, Brandon Sanderson (Tachyon Publications)

BEST NOVELETTE: The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for Sushi, Pat Cadigan (Edge of Infinity, Solaris)

BEST SHORT STORY: Mono no Aware, Ken Liu (The Future is Japanese, VIZ Media LLC)

BEST RELATED WORK: Writing Excuses Season Seven, Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler and Jordan Sanderson

BEST GRAPHIC STORY: Saga, Volume One, written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, LONG FORM: The Avengers, (Screenplay) & Directed by Joss Whedon (Marvel Studios, Disney, Paramount)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, SHORT FORM: Game of Thrones, Blackwater, Written by George R.R. Martin, Directed by Neil Marshall. Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (HBO)

BEST EDITOR, SHORT FORM: Stanley Schmidt

BEST EDITOR, LONG FORM: Patrick Nielsen Hayden

BEST PROFESSIONAL ARTIST: John Picacio

BEST SEMIPROZINE: Clarkesworld, edited by Neil Clarke, Jason Heller, Sean Wallace and Kate Baker

BEST FANZINE: SF Signal, edited by John DeNardo, JP Frantz, and Patrick Hester

BEST FANCAST: SF Squeecast, Elizabeth Bear, Paul Cornell, Seanan McGuire, Lynne M. Thomas, Catherynne M. Valente (Presenters) and David McHone-Chase (Technical Producer)

BEST FAN WRITER: Tansy Rayner Roberts

BEST FAN ARTIST: Galen Dara

JOHN W. CAMPBELL AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITER: Award for the best new professional science fiction or fantasy writer of 2011 or 2012, sponsored by Dell Magazines (not a Hugo Award).

Third Annual Walk/Run For Literacy!

Get Fit For Lit! What better way to support the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System as we work towards improving literacy around metro Atlanta? Why not sign up for the 3rd Annual 5K Walk/Run for Literacy, hosted by the Literacy Alliance of Metro Atlanta (LAMA)!

The Literacy Alliance of Metro Atlanta was formed in June 2010 in response to an identified community need: the nearly 900,000 adults in the community with low literacy skills (including both native and non-native speakers of English.) That is 28% of the metro area’s population. Low literacy is one of the root causes of poverty, un- and under-employment, homelessness, and poor health outcomes – all of which have vast implications in terms of the cost to society.

You can find more information about LAMA on their website or Facebook page, and more educational facts about literacy here.

If the statistics above come as a shock to you, then it's time to show your support for literacy initiatives! This event is scheduled for Saturday, September 14 at 8:00 a.m., and will take place in Grant Park at 840 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315. Did we mention it's a Peachtree Road Race qualifier? You can register on the FitForLit website, and when you do be sure to select the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System in the "Additional Information" section to ensure your registration fee goes towards supporting our fantastic GED program, which includes preparation classes and testing. Registration fees are $20 per adult (online and paper registration available), $10 per student and $60 per teams of four. 

And even if you aren't much of a runner (or walker for that matter!) the best part is you can still register and give your financial support without having to participate! Last year patrons and staff from the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System narrowly beat out the participants from the Dekalb County Public Library and we'd love to see that happen again! Help us reach our goal and help support the efforts of all of the organizations in our city that work to make a difference in people's lives every day. 

Volunteer At Your Library!

Have you ever thought about how you can give back to your local library? Maybe you need to earn some community service hours for school or work? Well, the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is always grateful for our wonderful volunteers and we encourage anyone who's interested to look into it! All volunteers are asked to fill out a Volunteer Application which can then be returned to any branch location. You can also contact our Volunteer Services Department by calling 404.730.1965 

There are many ways in which volunteers serve in the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System and we will do our best to give you an assignment that suits your interests and skills at the location of your choice. However, please be aware that not all opportunities are needed at all times and jobs vary by Library location. Listed below are just some of the many tasks performed by Library volunteers every day!

Auburn Avenue Research Library Volunteer
Auburn Avenue Research Library on African-American Culture and History
Volunteers at the library assist with behind-the-scenes clerical tasks and/or serve as docents/tour guides and hosts/hostesses for special events. See Volunteer Opportunities.

Children's Program Aide
Assist staff with preschool story hour by preparing craft materials and name tags, ushering and supervising children during programs. Assist with puppet shows, parenting workshops and other programs. Help with Summer Reading Program by registering children and distributing certificates.

Computer Lab Specialist
Skilled computer users are needed to assist the public by answering questions and assisting with computer basics, Internet access, word processing, spread sheets and other software programs in Library computer labs or to assist with computer classes.

Computer Lab Trainer/Workshop Presenter
Experienced trainers needed to conduct workshops on computer basics, software applications, resume writing, Internet use and other computer-related topics.

ESL (English as a Second Language) Coach
Volunteers conduct or assist with small classes for individuals learning to speak English. The Library provides training and resources for teachers and students.

Homework Help Assistance
Volunteers are needed in branches that have Homework Help Centers by helping students with their homework after school, including assisting students utilizing the computers for their assignments, and providing general supervision of the children. Another great group project. Adopt a branch now!

Job Search Coach
Help individuals learn to use library technology resources to develop their resume and use the Internet to search and apply for jobs online.

Library Clerical Aide
Help library staff with such tasks as preparing arts and crafts materials for library programs, checking books and other library materials for damage, making simple repairs, assisting with filing and/sorting library material.

Library User Survey Assistant
Take counts of library patrons and distribute surveys on library usage at the Central Library and at branches. Done several times a year. Different shifts available.

Literacy Tutor

Assist adults who are learning to read or are improving their reading skills. Volunteers are paired with learners and work one-on-one. The Library provides training and resources for tutors and learners. (more information)

Math Tutor

Volunteers with math skills needed to assist individuals with basic math such as adding, subtracting, multiplication, division, fractions and percentages.

Shape Up The Shelves!
Shape Up The Shelves group projects make it easy for volunteers to get involved with the Library. Days of service are designed with the busy person in mind. They are also a fun team builder for organizations. Teams search the shelves for lost items, shelve books, assist with processing materials and straighten stacks--important behind-the-scenes tasks that help get books and materials in the hands of patrons. With this blitz approach, groups of volunteers help the library accomplish, in a short time, tasks which otherwise might take months.

Spanish Language Teachers
Volunteers fluent in Spanish and familiar with teaching techniques are needed to present a workshop series on basic Spanish. (Volunteers fluent in other languages may also be needed to present workshops.)

Groundbreaking For New East Roswell Library!

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System will break ground on the new East Roswell Library Thursday, August 1 at 11:00 a.m. and we would love to see you there!

The new 15,000-square-foot library for East Roswell is part of Phase I of the LibraryBuilding Program that is currently underway. The library will be located at 2301 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell. 

Those attending the event are asked to park in the front parking lot of East Roswell Park, located at 9000 Fouts Road, Roswell, and a shuttle will take attendees from this location to the ceremony; there is no parking available at the site.
 

For more information or to R.S.V.P. please call 404-730-1972 or email  laura.wright@fultoncountyga.gov. We look forward to meeting and greeting the future patrons of the East Roswell Library!

 

KHAFRAEngineering Consultants, in association with Holzheimer Bolek MeehanArchitects, have contracted with Fulton County to provide design and engineering services for the new library. Ajax Building Corporation is contracted to provide construction management services on this project, andHeery/Russell is the program management team.

The grand opening of the East Roswell Library is expected in the 3^rd quarter of 2014.

 

In November 2008, Fulton County voters overwhelmingly passed the Library Bond Referendum. The plan will greatly enhance all of the county’s libraries and includes:

• 8 New Branch Libraries: Alpharetta, East Roswell, Milton, Northwest Atlanta, Palmetto, Southeast Atlanta, Stewart-Lakewood and Wolf Creek.

• Two expansion projects: Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History and the South Fulton Library.

Green building design and sustainability are priorities for these library building projects, and the Library System expects to achieve LEED Silver on all of the Phase I projects. Each library will reflect the culture and interests of its community. Please join us for this exciting event and be sure to check the progress of the Library Building Program on our website!