New books we ordered Oct. 28th

Below is a list of the books recently ordered by the library. They are grouped by Adult and Children. Click on the title to see more and request a copy!

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Off the tourist trail : 1,000 unexpected travel alternatives
Prehistoric life
The war that killed Achilles : the true story of Homer's Iliad and the Trojan War by Alexander, Caroline
Googled : the end of the world as we know it by Auletta, Ken
A fatal feast : a Murder, she wrote mystery : a novel by Bain, Donald
Raising the perfect child through guilt and manipulation by Beckwith, Elizabeth
Nowhere to run by Box, C. J.
Raven's shadow by Briggs, Patricia
Dragon blood by Briggs, Patricia
Dragon bones by Briggs, Patricia
Raven's strike by Briggs, Patricia
The centurion's wife by Bunn, T. Davis
Cure by Cook, Robin
Woodrow Wilson : a biography by Cooper, John
Whiplash by Coulter, Catherine
The spy by Cussler, Clive
The case for books : past, present, future by Darnton, Robert
Undead and unwed by Davidson, MaryJanice
The burning wire by Deaver, Jeffery
Civilization or barbarism : an authentic anthropology by Diop, Cheikh Anta
Too much money : a novel by Dunne, Dominick
That first season : how Vince Lombardi took the worst team in the NFL and set it on the path to glory by Eisenberg, John
Hero at large by Evanovich, Janet
The intimate lives of the founding fathers by Fleming, Thomas
Jazz by Giddins, Gary
Ace of Cakes : inside the world of Charm City Cakes by Goldman, Duff
The killing edge by Graham, Heather
The American meadow garden : creating a natural alternative to the traditional lawn by Greenlee, John
The vigilantes by Griffin, W. E. B.
A friend of the family : a novel by Grodstein, Lauren
The farmer's daughter by Harrison, Jim
A deeper blue : passion marks II by Hayes, Lee
Ecstasy unveiled by Ione, Larissa
Desire unchained : a Demonica novel by Ione, Larissa
Passion unleashed : a Demonica novel by Ione, Larissa
When China rules the world : the end of the western world and the birth of a new global order by Jacques, Martin
Chaos in the ashes by Johnstone, William
Lit : a memoir by Karr, Mary
A Christmas blizzard by Keillor, Garrison
The executor by Kellerman, Jesse
The swan thieves : a novel by Kostova, Elizabeth
The metabolism miracle : 3 easy steps to regain control of your weight-- permanently by Kress, Diane
Prospero lost by Lamplighter, L. Jagi
SuperFreakonomics : global cooling, patriotic prostitutes, and why suicide bombers should buy life insurance by Levitt, Steven
Crouching vampire, hidden fang (LT) by MacAlister, Katie
The vintage caper by Mayle, Peter
Stained glass : a Father Dowling mystery by McInerny, Ralph
A country of vast designs : James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the conquest of the American continent by Merry, Robert
Austin by Miller, Linda Lael
Coyote dreams by Murphy, C. E.
Thunderbird Falls by Murphy, C. E.
Urban shaman by Murphy, C. E.
Walking dead by Murphy, C. E.
The remains of Company D : a story of the Great War by Nelson, James
Skybreaker by Oppel, Kenneth
The winter man ; Silent night man ; Sutton's way by Palmer, Diana
The Genesis enigma : why the Bible is scientifically accurate by Parker, Andrew
Blue-eyed devil by Parker, Robert
Maximum Ride : the manga #1 by Patterson, James
Burning lamp by Quick, Amanda
The search by Roberts, Nora
Storm prey by Sandford, John
Start-up nation : the story of Israel's economic miracle by Senor, Dan
God's war on terror : Islam, prophecy and the Bible by Shoebat, Walid
The Rembrandt affair by Silva, Daniel
Stuck in reverse : how to let God change your direction by Stanley, Charles
Man of constant sorrow : my life and times by Stanley, Ralph
Essays on woman by Stein, Edith
Unsweetined by Sweetin, Jodie
Depraved indifference by Teller, Joseph
The creed of violence by Teran, Boston
Ice land by Tobin, Betsy
The faith instinct : how religion evolved and why it endures by Wade, Nicholas
29 gifts : how a month of giving can change your life by Walker, Cami
The perfect match by Warren, Susan
Elfland by Warrington, Freda
The Whitaker wellness weight loss program / Wellness Weight Loss Program by Whitaker, Julian
A mad desire to dance : a novel by Wiesel, Elie
Lucid intervals : a Stone Barrington novel by Woods, Stuart

Books for Children (Fiction and Nonfiction)
The wyrm king by DiTerlizzi, Tony
Dark fire by D'Lacey, Chris

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered Oct. 28th

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs
Beloved
The Christmas card
The cowboys
The mighty
Next day air
The note
The note II: taking a chance on love
Play Misty for me
Boys don't cry
Monsoon wedding
Unfaithful
The adventures of Francis the Talking Mule
Believe in me
Follow the river
Great Indian leaders & nations
Imagine that
Inglourious Basterds
Kingdom under the sea
Shorts
Straight from the heart
Sunday school musical
The Ten commandments: the musical
True romance
Aliens in the attic
My life in ruins
Bionicle: The legend reborn
Flubber
Change happens
Inside and out
The bug club
The ruler of thumb
Weather kid Sid

Books on CD
The war that killed Achilles by Alexander, Caroline
City of bones by Clare, Cassandra
The spy by Cussler, Clive
Chaos by Dekker, Ted
Elyon by Dekker, Ted
Lunatic by Dekker, Ted
The vigilantes by Griffin, W. E. B.
Storm prey by Sandford, John
The faith instinct by Wade, Nicholas
Lucid intervals by Woods, Stuart

Music CDs
3 Doors Down: Away from the sun
Elvis Presley: I believe
Miley Cyrus: Time of our lives

Now taking debit/credit cards

You asked for it and we heard you. The library is now accepting Visa, Mastercard, and Discover debit or credit cards for transactions of at least $5. Pesky fines can now be paid immediately with the swipe of your card and the flourish of your signature. You can also use your card to buy book bags or items from our sale table, or to pay for any of our services such as interlibrary loan or making copies. We hope you find this new service to be a convenience for you!

New "Tween the Pages" book club

You might've heard your parents or other adults talking about a "book club" or a "reading group," and the idea sounds interesting to you, but you're curious about what they are and what they do. It's really simple --- a reading group or a book club is just a bunch of friends who decide to read the same book and then get together to talk about it. All across the country these groups of book lovers are becoming very popular, so maybe you and some book-loving friends would like to join the library's new book club.

The book club will be called “Tween the Pages” and children in grades 3 – 6 are invited to attend. The group will meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 3:30 pm starting December 2, 2009. We will meet to discuss books like: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo, Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech, Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo, Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath and many other entertaining, delightful and engaging books.

Books will be provided for all participants and each session will last for approximately one hour.
A light snack will be provided and the program will feature crafts and various other activities. You must be registered to participate and you can register by calling the library at (270)826-3712.

Free beginning computer classes at library

There are still a lot of people who call themselves "computer illiterate" because they don't feel comfortable using a computer. If you're one of them, you may have heard terms like mouse, cursor, and click but don't have a clue what they mean in the computer world. More and more people of all ages are getting connected to technology for a variety of reasons. Some people need computer skills in order to get a job while others may want to get online and email their grandchildren. Whatever your reason, don't let technology scare you when help is available!

The Library is offering free Beginner Computer classes on Tuesday, November 10, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 14, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. You will learn the basics of using a computer from turning it on to creating and saving files. You will also learn basics about the keyboard and mouse, opening and closing programs, and using Windows. The class will be held in the Children's Department computer lab and each participant will have his or her own computer for practice.

Registration is required and class size is limited so register early. You can register by calling or stopping by the library. The classes are identical so you only need to sign up for one. If you have specific questions about the class, please call Retta Zollinger, the library's Public Computer Instructor, at 826-3712.

Employment opportunity at the Library

The Library is currently accepting applications for the following position:


Genealogy/Local History Archivist


The Genealogy/Local History Archivist is responsible for the acquisition, organization, maintenance and preservation of the library’s archival collections including all books, papers, maps, photographs, machine-readable materials, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics. The Genealogy/Local History Archivist provides reference service for the local history and genealogy collections and assists patrons in a friendly and timely manner in person, by telephone, mail, and electronic mail. Bachelor’s degree or combination of higher education and experience in a related field required, or any equivalent combination of experience, training and/or education approved by the Library Director. Library experience preferred. Public service experience and working knowledge of computers required.


Click here to see the complete job description.


To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and completed application to Library Director Donald Wathen via mail or fax.


Henderson County Public Library
101 South Main Street
Henderson, Kentucky 42420
270-826-3712 (tel)
270-827-4226 (fax)


Resumes and applications are kept on file for 6 months.The Library is an equal opportunity employer.

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered Oct. 21st

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs
District 9
Elvis: #1 hit performances
Elvis : #1 hit performances & more: vol. 2
Gladiator
FBI story
The planets
The universe
Alvin's Thanksgiving celebration
Give thanks

Books on CD
Goodbye to all that by Graves, Robert
Inside of a dog by Horowitz, Alexandra
Sackett's land by L'Amour, Louis
Kindred in death by Robb, J. D.

Music CDs
Jay-Z: The blueprint 3
Mario: D.N.A.
P!nk: Missundaztood
Casting Crowns: Until the whole world hears

New books we ordered Oct. 21st

Below is a list of the books recently ordered by the library. They are grouped by Adult and Children. Click on the title to see more and request a copy!

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
D-Day : the Battle for Normandy by Beevor, Antony
Finding it : and satisfying my hunger for life without opening the fridge by Bertinelli, Valerie
My custom van : and 50 other mind-blowing essays that you blow your mind all over your face by Black, Michael Ian
Alpha and Omega by Briggs, Patricia
Heat wave by Castle, Richard
Among the missing by Chaon, Dan
Bound for murder by Childs, Laura
Motif for murder by Childs, Laura
The good doctor by Clarkson, Wensley
The accidental family by Coleman, Rowan
Mandolin for beginners by Dalton, Joe
The sisters who would be queen : Mary, Katherine, and Lady Jane Grey : a Tudor tragedy by De Lisle, Leanda
Phantoms of old Louisville : ghostly tales from America's most haunted neighborhood by Dominé, David
The pattern in the carpet : a personal history with jigsaws by Drabble, Margaret
The big burn : Teddy Roosevelt and the fire that saved America by Egan, Timothy
The way I am by Eminem (Musician)
Divorce sucks : what to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex's Hollywood wife make you miserable by Eustace, Mary Jo
The sacrifice by Ewing, Lynne
The lost one by Ewing, Lynne
Moon demon by Ewing, Lynne
Blessed trinity by Griggs, Vanessa
Cheating death : the doctors and medical miracles that are saving lives against all odds by Gupta, Sanjay
Art of keeping secrets (LT) by Henry, Patti Callahan
Between the tides (LT) by Henry, Patti Callahan
Losing the moon by Henry, Patti Callahan
Where the river runs by Henry, Patti Callahan
When light breaks by Henry, Patti Callahan
Building a wood-fired oven for bread and pizza by Jaine, Tom
I'm dying up here : heartbreak and high times in stand-up comedy's golden era by Knoedelseder, William
Marked by moonlight by Kohler, Sharie
To crave a blood moon by Kohler, Sharie
Kiss of a dark moon by Kohler, Sharie
God, the universe, and where I fit in : a psychic's reflections on figuring out the rest of your life by Levin, Laurie
The long snapper : a second chance, a Super Bowl, a lesson for life by Marx, Jeffrey
Assassin by Myers, Anna
"Only the super-rich can save us!" by Nader, Ralph
In the blood by Phoenix, Adrian
A rush of wings by Phoenix, Adrian
False alarm : the truth about the epidemic of fear by Siegel, Marc
Bird flu : everything you need to know about the next pandemic by Siegel, Marc
Knockout : interviews with doctors who are curing cancer-- and how to prevent getting it in the first place by Somers, Suzanne
My journey with Farrah : a story of life, love, and friendship by Stewart, Alana
Brave new West : morphing Moab at the speed of greed by Stiles, Jim
The protector's war by Stirling, S. M.
The bread builders : hearth loaves and masonry ovens by Wing, Daniel

Books for Children (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Return to the Hundred Acre Wood : in which Winnie-the-Pooh enjoys further adventures with Christopher Robin and his friends by Benedictus, David
The Islands of the Blessed by Farmer, Nancy
The stowaway solution by Korman, Gordon
Hunting the hunter by Korman, Gordon
Now you see them, now you don't by Korman, Gordon
Public enemies by Korman, Gordon
Chasing the Falconers by Korman, Gordon
The fugitive factor by Korman, Gordon
Love, Aubrey by LaFleur, Suzanne

Kentucky love story - Lucy Bakewell Audubon

On Thursday, October 22, at 7 PM at the Presbyterian Church in the Fellowship Hall, the Friends of the Library will present Lucy Bakewell Audubon, a Kentucky Chautauqua character portrayed by Kelly O’Connell Brengelman. She will give a 45-minute performance which is FREE and open to the public.

Lucy Bakewell Audubon, wife of John James Audubon, was incredibly devoted to her husband. She made enormous sacrifices and suffered public scorn as she supported her husband’s talents. She was an advisor, teacher, and editor; she was also a saleswoman and business manager. Lucy became the main breadwinner as the couple spent time apart as John James Audubon dedicated his life to art and nature. Ultimately her intellect, loyalty and respectability helped John James Audubon publish Birds of America, often referred to as one of the greatest picture books ever produced.

Come hear Lucy Bakewell Audubon’s Kentucky Love Story. Free refreshments will be provided. For more information, please call the Library at 270-826-3712.

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered Oct. 14th

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs
Alive
The butterfly effect
Control room
Crossfire Trail
King Solomon's mines
Like father, like son
Vice versa
Moonlight & mistletoe
Overcome
Goodnight moon & other sleepytime tales
Hole
Mulan
Mulan II
Once upon a mattress
Santa buddies : the legend of Santa Paws
Sonny with a chance
The wizard of Oz

Books on CD
The word of promise audio Bible: The New King James Bible
The year of the flood
Executive intent by Brown, Dale
Manhood for amateurs by Chabon, Michael
Juliet, naked by Hornby, Nick
Queen of the night by Jance, Judith
Half broke horses by Walls, Jeannette

Music CDs
Barbra Streisand: The collection
Michael Buble: Crazy love
Barbra Streisand: Love is the answer
Bryan Adams: The best of me
Luke Bryan: Doin' my thing
Buckcherry: Black butterfly
Gloriana
Lynyrd Skynyrd: God & guns
Jason Aldean: Wide open
Kid Rock: Rock n roll Jesus

New books we ordered Oct. 14th

Below is a list of the books recently ordered by the library. They are grouped by Adult and Children. Click on the title to see more and request a copy!

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Island beneath the sea : a novel by Allende, Isabel
Waking the witch by Armstrong, Kelley
Silent killer by Barton, Beverly
Praying the Scriptures for your children by Berndt, Jodie
Pretty dead by Block, Francesca Lia
Going bovine by Bray, Libba
Executive intent (LT) by Brown, Dale
Executive intent by Brown, Dale
Hate list by Brown, Jennifer
Insatiable by Cabot, Meg
Homecoming queen by Carlson, Melody
Viva Vermont! by Carlson, Melody
Mixed bags by Carlson, Melody
Stealing Bradford by Carlson, Melody
Dear mom : everything your teenage daughter wants you to know but will never tell you by Carlson, Melody
California connection by Chunichi
A promise of hope by Clipston, Amy
When everything changed : the amazing journey of American women, from 1960 to the present by Collins, Gail
Meriwether Lewis by Danisi, Thomas
The Wayfinders : why ancient wisdom matters in the modern world by Davis, Wade
In bed with the Duke by Dodd, Christina
Skin hunger by Duey, Kathleen
Sacred scars by Duey, Kathleen
Love & respect : the love she most desires, the respect he desperately needs by Eggerichs, Emerson
A lady's guide to improper behavior by Enoch, Suzanne
Welcome to the departure lounge : adventures in mothering mother by Federico, Meg
Dark slayer (LT) by Feehan, Christine
The liar's lullaby by Gardiner, Meg
This body of death (LT) by George, Elizabeth
This body of death : a novel by George, Elizabeth
Nothing but trouble by Gibson, Rachel
How to buy a love of reading : a novel by Gibson, Tanya Egan
Never love a lawman by Goodman, Jo
Just listen : discover the secret to getting through to absolutely anyone by Goulston, Mark
To catch a bride by Gracie, Anne
Mr. Darcy, vampyre by Grange, Amanda
Health care will not reform itself : a user's guide to refocusing and reforming American health care by Halvorson, George
The conversation : how Black men and women can build loving, trusting relationships by Harper, Hill
Celebrating failure : the power of taking risks, making mistakes, and thinking big by Heath, Ralph
False pretences by Heley, Veronica
Resurrection by Hernandez, Treasure
2012, the Bible, and the end of the world by Hitchcock, Mark
Get outta my face! : how to reach angry, unmotivated teens with biblical counsel by Horne, Rick
Crush : a Karen Vail novel by Jacobson, Alan
Queen of the night (LT) by Jance, Judith
Queen of the night by Jance, Judith
When your child breaks your heart : help for hurting moms by Johnson, Barbara
Massacre at Whiskey Flats (LT) by Johnstone, William
Sidewinders (LT) by Johnstone, William
Warrior princess by Jones, Frewin
Hangman (LT) by Kellerman, Faye
Hangman : a Decker/Lazarus novel by Kellerman, Faye
The brazen bride by Laurens, Stephanie
Blind eye by MacBride, Stuart
Supreme justice (LT) by Margolin, Phillip
Supreme justice : a novel by Margolin, Phillip
The rule of nine : a Paul Madriani novel by Martini, Steve
Last man standing : the ascent of Jamie Dimon and JPMorgan Chase by McDonald, Duff
Gone by McMann, Lisa
Fade by McMann, Lisa
Wake by McMann, Lisa
Blood safari by Meyer, Deon
Garrett by Miller, Linda
Tate by Miller, Linda
Ruined : a novel by Morris, Paula
The perfect liar by Novak, Brenda
Truth or dare : interactive fiction for girls by O'Dell, Nicole
The great American heart hoax : lifesaving advice your doctor should tell you about heart disease prevention (but probably never will) by Ozner, Michael
A matter of trust by Pilcher, Robin
Ten things I love about you by Quinn, Julia
How to survive the end of the world as we know it : tactics, techniques, and technologies for uncertain times by Rawles, James
We'll be here for the rest of our lives : a swingin' show-biz saga by Shaffer, Paul
What your daughter isn't telling you : expert insight into the world of teen girls by Shellenberger, Susie
D.N.Angel 1 by Sugisaki, Yukiru
D.N.Angel 2 by Sugisaki, Yukiru
D.N.Angel 3 by Sugisaki, Yukiru
D.N.Angel : Volume 4 by Sugisaki, Yukiru
Cracked up to be by Summers, Courtney
The night monster : a novel of suspense by Swain, James
The geek girl's guide to cheerleading by Tahmaseb, Charity
Fruits basket 15 by Takaya, Natsuki
Fruits basket 17 by Takaya, Natsuki
Fruits basket 18 by Takaya, Natsuki
Fruits basket : Volume 16 by Takaya, Natsuki
Fruits basket : Volume 14 by Takaya, Natsuki
The hawk and the dove : Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the history of the Cold War by Thompson, Nicholas
iWant : my journey from addiction and overconsumption to a simpler, honest life by Velez-Mitchell, Jane
Leviathan by Westerfeld, Scott
The summer hideaway by Wiggs, Susan
The mapping of love and death : a Maisie Dobbs novel by Winspear, Jacqueline
Sense and sensibility and sea monsters by Winters, Ben

Books for Children (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Night of the soul stealer by Delaney, Joseph
Claim to fame by Haddix, Margaret Peterson
Outcast by Paver, Michelle
Leven Thumps and the whispered secret by Skye, Obert
Leven Thumps and the gateway to Foo by Skye, Obert

How Tax-Efficient Is Your Mutual Fund?

Investing tip of the month from Morningstar Investment Research Center by Katie Rushkewicz, Mutual Fund Analyst

Tax frenzy may reach a fever pitch in April, but it's a mistake to only consider your tax bill around tax time. Whether you're just starting out or are a longtime investor looking to make changes to your portfolio, understanding a fund's tax efficiency can mean more money in your pocket in the long run. Below we'll take a look at some basic metrics that will help you gauge how tax-friendly a fund is.

What Taxes Are You Paying?
Fund investors are at a disadvantage when it comes to taxes. Stock investors only pay taxes on an investment if they have pocketed dividends or income or have sold the fund for a profit. Exchange-traded funds have also been quite tax-efficient over time. But investors in conventional mutual funds can get stuck with a tax bill on their mutual fund holdings, even if they've lost money since they've held the fund. Like all investors, fund investors have to pay taxes on dividends from stocks and interest from bonds, and they also have to pay taxes on all fund distributions, including capital gains, which occur when a fund manager sells an underlying holding for more than its purchase price.

So, what's the best way to gauge how hard a fund will be hit by taxes? Well, high turnover can be a signal that a fund might not be tax-efficient. That's not the only thing to look at, though. Pull up a fund on Morningstar Investment Research Center and click on the Tax tab on the navigation bar on the left side of the page to get a glimpse of a fund's tax profile.

Tax-Adjusted Return
One of the quickest ways to understand a fund's tax implications is to compare its pretax return with its tax-adjusted return. The tax-adjusted return accounts for a fund's capital gains, dividends, and interest during the period, but it doesn't include tax consequences from selling the fund in the future. Note that Morningstar Investment Research Center uses the highest federal tax rate when dealing with short-term capital gains and income (currently 35%) and the 15% rate for long-term capital gains. State and local taxes aren't included in the calculation because they vary across the country. The tax-adjusted return also factors in sales charges that you pay from buying the fund, so you can get a sense of how much money you're losing to fees and taxes when comparing it with the pretax return. Meanwhile, the category rank helps you see how a fund's tax-adjusted return stacks up against its peers. It works in the same way as the category rank for total returns: a ranking of 1 is most desirable and means that the fund's tax-adjusted return is at the top of the category, and 100 means it's at the bottom. It's worth noting that a fund can have a good tax-adjusted return not because it's been tax-efficient but simply because it has a high pretax return. However, you'll want to be careful about funds with big gaps between their pretax and tax-adjusted returns.

Morningstar Investment Research Center provides tax-adjusted returns for the three-, five-, and 10-year periods. Although longer time periods are generally more meaningful when it comes to evaluating funds' performances and characteristics, in some cases it might be useful to look at the shorter time periods. For example, if there's been a recent manager or strategy change that's affected the fund's trading pattern, the three-year tax-adjusted returns may be more instructive than the five- and 10-year numbers.

Tax-Cost Ratio
Another useful metric is tax-cost ratio, which looks at how big of a bite taxes take out of a fund's annualized return. Unlike tax-adjusted return, sales charges aren't considered in the tax-cost ratio. Morningstar Investment Research Center lists the average three-, five-, and 10-year tax-cost ratio for each fund. Think of tax-cost ratio as you would an expense ratio: The lower it is, the easier a fund is on the wallet if you own it in a taxable account. The average tax-cost ratio for equity funds tends to fall between 1 and 1.2. A tax-cost ratio of zero means that the fund didn't pay out any taxable distributions for the period. That's not to say that you should buy a fund just because its tax-cost ratio is low or zero, however. It could have plenty of other things wrong with it, like poor management, a bad record, or high fees. On the flip side, many good funds pay out distributions, so you shouldn't necessarily avoid a fund just because it has a tax-cost ratio. Just be careful to keep funds with high tax-cost ratios in nontaxable accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs.

Potential Capital Gains Exposure
Whereas tax-adjusted returns and tax-cost ratios look at funds' tax efficiency in the past, a fund's potential capital gains exposure helps you gauge how big of a future tax bill you could possibly face. It measures how much a fund's underlying holdings have appreciated in value, adding up capital gains that haven't yet been distributed to the fund's shareholders and dividing that number by the fund's total net assets. A positive PCGE means some of the fund's investments have gone up in value and could cost shareholders come tax time if the manager sells any of those securities and distributes the gains to shareholders. A negative PCGE means the fund's underlying holdings have lost money, so taxes shouldn't be an immediate concern.
PCGE is especially important for investors looking to buy a new fund. If a fund has a high PCGE, investors can get stuck paying taxes on capital gains that occurred before they were even shareholders. On the other hand, funds with negative PCGEs may be tax-efficient because the losses can offset future gains. It's helpful to look at a fund's turnover alongside its PCGE. A fund with high turnover (generally more than 100%) could chew through its tax losses pretty quickly, lessening the tax benefit. That said, now is a good time to buy from a tax standpoint: Roughly 80% of all mutual funds currently have negative PCGE after last year's market downfall.

A version of this article appeared on Morningstar.com on Sept. 15, 2009.

Morningstar Investment Research Center is great tool for new and veteran investors. It's chock full of unbiased analyst reports, tools for evaluating your portfolio, and lessons on how to invest. The best part is that it's free to all valid library cardholders! Begin now or learn more.

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered Oct. 7th

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs
Dark matter
Four Christmases
The hangover
Live In Bucharest
Santa's slay

Books on CD
The lace reader by Barry, Brunonia
Death of a gentle lady by Beaton, M. C.
Death of a maid by Beaton, M. C.
Death of a Valentine by Beaton, M. C.
Death of a witch by Beaton, M. C.
Pursuit of honor by Flynn, Vince

Music CDs
Kelly Clarkson: All I ever wanted
Kelly Clarkson: Breakaway
Journey: The collection
Keith Urban: Defying gravity
Kelly Clarkson: My December
Kelly Clarkson: Thankful
The very best of Don Henley

New books we ordered Oct. 7th

Below is a list of the books recently ordered by the library. They are grouped by Adult. Click on the title to see more and request a copy!

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Best served cold by Abercrombie, Joe
Portrait of an unknown woman by Bennett, Vanora
Death message : a novel of suspense by Billingham, Mark
Possess me at midnight by Black, Shayla
Seduce me in shadow by Black, Shayla
Tempt me with darkness by Black, Shayla
The next front by Bond, Christopher
Dragonmaster by Bunch, Chris
Forbidden Falls by Carr, Robyn
Angel's Peak by Carr, Robyn
Moonlight Road by Carr, Robyn
Heist Society by Carter, Ally
Homer's odyssey (LT) by Cooper, Gwen
The future of faith by Cox, Harvey Gallagher
Real church : does it exist? can I find it? by Crabb, Lawrence
The green pharmacy guide to healing foods : proven natural remedies to treat and prevent more than 80 common health concerns by Duke, James
Reaper's gale by Erikson, Steven
Venomous reptiles of North America by Ernst, Carl
Apple turnover murder by Fluke, Joanne
Five for sorrow, ten for joy by Godden, Rumer
U is for undertow (LT) by Grafton, Sue
The Christian in complete armour, or, A treatise of the saints' war against the devil, wherein a discovery is made of that grand enemy of God and His people, in his policies, power, seat of his empire, wickedness, and chief design he hath against the sain by Gurnall, William
The light of Eidon by Hancock, Karen
Winston's War : Churchill, 1940-1945 by Hastings, Max
Without mercy by Jackson, Lisa
Sorceress by Jackson, Lisa
Churchill by Johnson, Paul
The next Mrs. Blackthorne by Johnston, Joan
Betrayal in the ashes by Johnstone, William
Sandman Slim by Kadrey, Richard
Nine gates by Lindskold, Jane
Annie's ghosts : a journey into a family secret by Luxenberg, Steve
Going rogue : an American life by Palin, Sarah
Greywalker by Richardson, Kat
Poltergeist : a Greywalker novel by Richardson, Kat
Underground by Richardson, Kat
Vanished : a Greywalker novel by Richardson, Kat
The road to vengeance : western Frankia spring and summer A.D. 845 by Roberts, Judson
The Madoff chronicles : inside the secret world of Bernie and Ruth by Ross, Brian
The Sibley guide to trees by Sibley, David
The faerie queene by Spenser, Edmund
Listen up, Mr. President : everything you always wanted your president to know and do by Thomas, Helen
Confucius from the heart by Yu, Dan