Librarian

The State Library of Kansas e-book collection is now available via mobile app for iPad/iPod touch/Android phones and similar devices. (The downloadable website, for use with e-readers, Nook Color, and Nook Touch is supposed to be live within a week.)

For directions and information on accessing this services, visit the home of the State Library’s downloadable EZ Library at www.kslib.info/digitalbooks. You will need a Kansas Library Card, available free at our library, to utilize the collection. If you have questions, feel free to contact us at 620.327.4666 or hesstonpubliclibrary@gmail.com.

The library will host a TALK Book Discussion Series on the topic of Contemporary Immigration, with three sessions beginning March 1. A different book will be discussed each evening, facilitated by a discussion leader provided by the Kansas Humanities Council, which is sponsoring the series.

Book sets are available for checkout at the library. Participants are welcome to attend any and all sessions. This is a great way to interact with others in the community while discussing literature pertinent to today’s issues. For more information, contact the library!

• March 1, 2012 • 6:30 p.m.
  Discussion of “Caramelo”
  Discussion leader: Kim Stanley from McPherson College

• March 29, 2012 • 6:30 p.m.
  Discussion of “Harbor”
  Discussion leader: Martha Ortiz Sanchez from Wichita State University

• April 26, 2012 • 6:30 p.m.
  Discussion of “Typical American”
  Discussion leader: Martha Ortiz Sanchez from Wichita State University

We have many of the basic federal tax forms and instructions here (such as 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ) at the library if you need copies. If you need additional specialized forms, locate them at www.irs.gov.

We’re happy to help you locate the forms you need, but please remember, we’re not tax professionals and cannot advise you on which forms to use or other tax issues.

We’ve just added a good number of helpful links, available through the “Links” tab in the menu above. We’ve added a Consumer Information link page, and a General Reference & Misc link page. We’ve also added several new Health links. Check them out! (And if you ever find a link that doesn’t work, please send an email to hesstonpubliclibrary@gmail.com so I can fix it right away!)

We’ve had lots of questions about e-books lately, as many people received e-readers for Christmas! I wanted to let you know that we’re paying attention!

The State Library of Kansas has offered a downloadable e-book service for all Kansas residents for several years. In December, the State Library switched providers. The transition to the new provider is taking longer than expected, but a new downloadable e-book library should be up and running within a few weeks. The new e-book service, along with the downloadable audio service (which is up & running) will be located at www.kslib.info/digitalbooks, and you’ll need a free Kansas Library Card to access the services (which you can get here at the library). We’ll let you know when the e-book service becomes available. At this point, it appears that titles for Kindle users may not be available initially.

We are looking into options for providing our own e-book library. However, it may be several months before we are able to do so, because of timelines set forth by the vendor. However, we are hoping  to have such a service up by early summer.

There are several websites that have free e-books available, mostly public domain works. A few sites include:

The library will be closed Saturday, Dec. 24, through Monday, Dec. 25, for Christmas. The library will reopen at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

The library will be closed Saturday, Dec. 31, through Monday, Jan. 2, for New Year’s. The library will reopen at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Happy holidays!

Morgan Estep and Rebecca Ring, the 2011 Newton Saddle Club queen and princess, will present a program at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the library. The girls will talk about horses, their awards, and lots more! The program is for kids of all ages. Hope to see you there!

It looks like winter is on the way! Please note that library policy is that if Hesston Public Schools (USD 460) are closed, the library will delay opening until 10 a.m. (instead of 9 a.m.).

The library will strive to remain open as much as possible. However, there may be instances when severe weather prompts further alterations of library hours to protect the safety of patrons and staff. In such instances, notice will be posted through the following methods:

• Library website (www.hesstonpubliclibrary.com)
• Library Facebook page (listed as Hesston Public Library)
• The library email list (email hesstonpubliclibrary@gmail.com and request to be subscribed)
• Local news outlets, particularly the Newton Kansan (www.thekansan.com), KWCH (www.kwch.com) and KAKE (www.kake.com)

Please note that the library telephone voicemail system cannot be updated remotely to relay library closing information.

Thank you, and stay safe this winter!

We just opened the doors on our in-library Scholastic Book Fair, so come check out what we have to offer! We have hundreds of titles and lots of great gifts for the young readers on your Christmas list!

The fair is open through next Thursday, Dec. 15, at noon, and is open all hours the library is open. For a link to our Online Fair, which is open through Dec. 10, click on the link on the right hand side of our homepage.

All proceeds help us purchase new books for the library. We accept cash, check, and credit/debit cards.

For those who love the convenience of downloading ebooks and audiobooks to their personal electronic devices, the opportunity to sign on with two new vendors is underway.

The State Library of Kansas and our library are pleased to announce the Kansas EZ Library of digital books available to all Kansas library users. Acting on behalf of Kansas libraries, the State Library of Kansas has entered into agreements with OneClickDigital (for downloadable audiobooks) and 3M (for downloadable eBooks).

OneClickDigital for audiobooks is available via the State Library of Kansas and Hesston Public Library. Books can be accessed at this site www.kslib.info/digitalbooks. Users must have a Kansas Library card that can be requested at our local library.

Regular users of the download service will find the new interface with OneClickDigital much simpler and faster to use. Video and written tutorials are available at www.kslib.info/digitalbooks to assist individuals in using the new service.

In addition, the State Library will begin offering an ebook solution through 3M Cloud Library soon. Updates for the beginning of this service can be found on the www.kslib.info/digitalbooks site. The Kansas EZ library page also features other free audiobook and ebook resources available to Kansas readers.

On Dec. 5, Kansas ended its six-year contract OverDrive, a source for downloadable books. The books previously available for checkout through OverDrive and possibly on hold for patrons will no longer be accessible. However, thanks to the diligence of the State Library, many of the titles popular with customers have been transferred to the new vendors’ platforms, and now are available through the two new service!

(P.S. – The link to the State e-books and audiobooks has been added to Quick Links on the right-hand side of our homepage, for easy future access!)