Library Computer Lab Helps Job Seekers

Libraries have always been about access and empowerment. The Nampa Public Library’s new “Power Lab” sessions take that mission to a new level in a timely and practical way.
The Power Lab is a series of training sessions with library computers set for every Saturday morning in January and February, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. At the sessions, library staff will help people log in and choose an online training topic, especially relating to job searches and skills that will help make a person more employable.
Already, library customers find information they need to improve their lives, including their financial situation. Books, magazines and databases can inform a person on how to get a job, improve job skills, achieve certifications, improve household finance, and even start a small business.
The Power Lab sessions simply introduce our extensive database to customers who want to learn a wide variety of topics. This is not meant to take the place of services offered by the State Department of Labor or other useful agencies. The library is just one more valuable resource for people to take an active role in their future.
Space is limited. Register for the Power Lab by calling 468-5803, or online at www.nampalibrary.org.

Breaking Dawn @ Twilight

Karen went on vacation and returned to amazing reports of successful library programs and activities! I am eager to share one example for you to enjoy:

Nampa’s teen group, TALK put on a fantastic event for the release of Stephenie Meyer’s fourth and final book in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn.
Breaking Dawn @ Twilight…

As the sun works its way towards twilight, teens start lining up at the Nampa Public Library’s front doors. Among the casual dresser, one can also see suits and dresses, including prom dresses stepping out of cars and taking their place in line. At 7pm, the doors open and teens start filing in. Every teen signs in and receives a raffle ticket for their chance to win a new copy of Breaking Dawn. The first 60 teens receive a button with dripping blood and wolf tracks asking the question, “Who would you choose?”
The teens head to the basement where the party is just starting. As the teens step down the stairs and walk into the open basement area, the atmosphere changes from the usual library look of books and shelves into a dimly, candle lit room. Music is coming from a DJ up front on the stage. Round tables with black tablecloths, highlighted with candles, sparkly rocks, trivia cards and chess pieces colored in red, black and white set on the stage and continue throughout the rest of the room. Just in front of the stage is a professional dance floor. Centered over the dance floor is a spinning disco ball and soft swags of red and white draping from the center of the disco ball out. Streamers follow suit cascading out from the dance floor and continuing over the other round tables scattered around the room. Each round table is candlelit and decorated with the theme colors of red, black and white. Coordinating streamer wind socks create a wall separating seating area from the hall.

In the back of the room a long table holds a large white frosted cake with black roses. An array of cupcakes, dripping with vampire bites, waits to be bitten again. A punch bowl is filled with red punch and little bags of blood candy and animal cookies wait to be eaten.

One of the TALK members, Cristina walks around with a basket full of temporary tattoos including claw marks, vampire bites and red lips and offers to adorn any willing participant with their own Twilight inspired tattoo.
In a side room, adult volunteer Frances sets up for a duct tape craft to make duct tape roses of various colors, including black of course! Duct tape wallets can be created too.

Holly (library staff) takes the stage and welcomes the teens to the party and introduces teen TALK member Jessica. Jessica, TJ, Justin and Katherine kick-off the evening with a performance of a Twilight skit written by Jessica. The teens pull it off with spice and humor and the crowd of teens laugh and relax a little.

As teens eat and mill around, Holly once again takes the stage to offer some basic instruction in swing dancing. Teens fill the dance floor for the demonstration and practice. After the instruction, the music continues, mist fills the room, pin lights dance and the strobe light flickers as teens fill the dance floor. Dancing continues through the night with intermingled interruptions to give Salsa Dance lessons, Twilight costume contest voting and to give copies of the book away!

A total of 90 teens participated in the Twilight Party. The teens from the TALK group (Nampa Public Library’s teen group) worked hard to create press releases, posters, bookmarks, trivia cards and more to promote the event. TALK also promoted the event in the community by handing out bookmarks and asking area businesses and organizations to post flyers. In fact, two teens went to the Barnes and Nobles release party and promoted the Nampa Library event there! Many TALK members worked on some of the “behind the scenes” steps such as creating a supply list, researching costs and helping with scheduling. The teens worked together to transform what was a drab, noisy and stale white basement room into a Twilight inspired space that one could even imagine seeing Bella and Edward taking a spin on the dance floor.
Dawn Kindberg
Nampa Public Library

New Look for Website

The library’s webpage is exciting and new in many ways – but who knew it would take so long to get here? Many thanks to our library webmaster, Liesl Seborg, and the cross library team that worked with her. One of the library goals for the current budget year was “Build the library's 'virtual branch' including a redesign of the library webpage, additional webpage features, and adding access to genealogy databases for customers both in the library and by remote access.”

Explore the new format and features, and let us know what you think! Do you value access to minutes of library board meetings and reports? Perhaps the ability to make purchase suggestions online is your top new feature. Is the events page with calendar something you just love? We even have a FAQ page. Is there anything that you used to use regularly that is now difficult for you to find? Did you find the brief history of the library interesting? Do the staff group photos make us more seem approachable? This blog is a conversation, and we welcome your input!

~Karen