Category: EBRPL Resource

This October, the Public Library Association (PLA) and public libraries nationwide (like EBRPL!) will celebrate National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). NCSAM was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure every American has the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online.

PLA is doing its part by highlighting cyber security material on DigitalLearn.org, a collection of self-directed, interactive online tutorials developed by the association to help users increase their digital literacy. At DigitalLearn.org, learners can take short, self-directed courses that help them recognize danger and stay safe online. These include:

• Accounts and Passwords. This course teaches the basics of creating online accounts, including creating secure passwords and keeping accounts secure.
• Online Scams. This course helps new computer users identify and recognize types of scams, how to avoid getting hurt, and how to report them.
• Internet Privacy.  This course helps learners understand the level of personal, confidential information we can share on websites and via email, and take control of the information we are constantly sending and receiving.

If you want a little help with one of these classes, or any of the others on Digital Learn, come to the Main Library on Goodwood every other Saturday at 2:00 for Open Lab in the Tech Lab – the next session is next Saturday, October 14th.

EBRPL is one of the pilot libraries for a partnership with Cox Communications to develop enhanced digital literacy training and resources, including Home Broadband, for library patrons and families. In all Cox markets across the company’s 18-state footprint, Cox and the local libraries will collaborate on digital literacy and internet adoption initiatives. Click here to learn more about the PLA/Cox project.

For more information about DigitalLearn.org, call us at 225-231-3750. For more information about the Public Library Association, check out their website!

Our thoughts are with our Baton Rouge community today. We have compiled a list of resources available for those who need assistance or who are looking for ways to give back.

If you need to talk, there are counselors available at the Baton Rouge Grief Recovery Center. You can contact them by calling (225) 924-6621.

Our Lady of the Lake Hospital has pulled together a few tips from their physicians on how to talk to your children about violence or sad events in the news.

Capital Area Human Services has helpful resources on how to cope with the recent tragedies in Baton Rouge. They are also offering three free discussion sessions with mental health professionals to help the public process the recent violent events in Baton Rouge. No registration is required and attendees are encouraged to bring a bag lunch to the first two sessions. All sessions will be held at Capital Area Human Services located at 4615 Government Street, Building Two, Room 200.

• Tuesday, July 19 from noon to 1 p.m.
  Managing Your Distress (in the Aftermath of a Shooting)
• Thursday, July 21 from noon to 1 p.m.
  Helping Others Cope in Times of Tragedy
• Thursday, July 21 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  Managing Your Distress (in the Aftermath of a Shooting)

You can access our InfoGuide on Coping with Traumatic Events & Disasters for resources and books the library offers.

There are several places where you can donate blood:

• Our Lady of the Lake Blood Donor Center They will have normal hours the rest of the week 8 am to 6 pm Monday – Thursday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Friday and 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday. They are located on the first floor of the hospital. 
• LifeShare Blood Center will be open from 10am-6pm Monday, 8am-6pm Tuesday, 10am-6pm Wednesday, and 8:30am-4:30pm on Friday. You can also visit their website to schedule an appointment. They are located at 3849 North Boulevard. Blood drives on Tuesday, July 19 are scheduled for the Zachary Fire Department, 4525 Main Street, Zachary, La. from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and EFCU Financial, 10719 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• United Blood Service is located at 8234 One Calais Ave. You can access their website to schedule an appointment to donate.
• There will be blood drive at Woman’s Hospital on Friday, August 5 from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM at the main hospital entrance.

WAFB has a list of community events planned.

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation is taking donations to benefit the injured officers and their families as well as the families of the fallen officers.

You can access the GoFundMe page for Officer Montrell Jackson’s family here.

You can access the GoFundMe page for Officer Matt Gerald’s family here.

You can access the GoFundMe page for Deputy Brad Garafola’s family here.

Several local restaurants will donate 25 percent of their sales on July 25th to the families of slain officers. All other contributions collected on that date will be given to the families as well. The event is called  “25% on the 25th”. For a complete list of restaurants participating visit their Facebook page here.

The Baton Rouge Local Union 198 is holding a fundraiser for the families of the fallen officers. You can pick up a dinner for $5.00 on Wednesday, July 27 between 11am-1pm at 5888 Airline Highway.

No one knows better than a librarian how frantic the holidays can be. With relatives flying in from all over the place, second cousins popping out of the woodwork, and everybody’s children running around like they’re being chased by a real live reindeer, it’s easy to forget about those holiday movies you checked out on DVD for a little family bonding – and/or the murder mystery you picked up to give yourself a break.

So sign up for an account on Library Elf! You just need an email address and a password to set up reminders up to a week before your items are due. You can also set up a weekly reminder so you can keep track of what you have checked out. It’s also got a “track your reading” feature that you can turn on to keep a record of what you checked out based on the check-out and return dates.

It’s extra-great if you’ve got a big family – you can link multiple library cards to a single Library Elf account, so you can keep track of things your children, uncles, parents, and whoever else check out to make sure everybody turns things in on time. If you want to renew anything, just click on the due date in the reminder email – it’ll bring up the library’s login page and you can renew everything online.

If you’ve got some late fees built up, don’t forget that Food for Fines runs the whole month of December. Bring in canned or nonperishable goods for a dollar off your fine per item.