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Friday, July 31, 2009

Plumber Licensing Practice Exams

Future Plumbers can now practice for important licensing exams online at their convenience. This is a welcome addition to the hundreds of practice tests available for free to library patrons through the LearningExpress Library website.


Whether you are just starting out in the plumbing trade or are a seasoned veteran looking for career enhancement, successful completion of your local journeyman or master licensing exam is an important career step. The goal of both exams is two-pronged: (1) to test knowledge and (2) to determine whether applicants can apply plumbing codes in real-world situations.

The LearningExpress Plumber's Exam Practices offer two online practices that test UPC and IPC code knowledge as well as the essential trade theory that is tested on every licensing exam, regardless of state or municipality.

Each Plumber Practice Exam offers:

  • 85+ multiple-choice questions designed to familiarize examinees with the content of
    their local Journeyman or Master Plumber licensing exam
  • Authentic practice with a computerized testing environment
  • Instant online scoring and detailed answer explanations
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

  • The average hourly wage for a plumber was $20.44.
  • There were about 500,000 licensed plumbers in 2006.
  • Apprenticeship programs generally provide the most comprehensive training, but many workers train in career or technical schools or community colleges.

So if you're thinking of a career as a Plumber, be sure to prepare for your tests at LearningExpress Library. Grab your library card and get started now.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Electrician Licensing Practice Exams

Future Electricians can now practice for important licensing exams online at their convenience. This is a welcome addition to the hundreds of practice tests available for free to library patrons through the LearningExpress Library website.

Whether you are just starting out in the electrical trade or are a seasoned veteran looking for career enhancement, successful completion of your local journeyman or master licensing exam is an important career step. The goal of both exams is two-pronged: (1) to test knowledge and (2) to determine whether applicants can apply electrical codes in real-world situations.

The LearningExpress Electrician's Exam Practices offer journeyman and master candidates the essential, authentic practice they need to perform their best on either the Journeyman or Master licensing exams.

Each Electrician Practice Exam offers:

  • 30 multiple-choice questions designed to familiarize examinees with the content of state-administered tests
  • Authentic practice with a computerized testing environment
  • Instant online scoring and detailed answer explanations

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

  • The average hourly wage for an electrician was $20.97.
  • There were about 705,000 licensed electricians in 2006.
  • About 4 out of 5 electricians work in the construction industry or are self-employed.
So if you're thinking of a career as an Electrician, be sure to prepare for your tests at LearningExpress Library. Grab your library card and get started now.

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered July 29th

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
Cannonball
The code
The contract
Encino man
Fired up
King of California
Land of the lost
Redemption
Redemption: a mile from Hell
Star Trek (2009)
Sukiyaki western django
Tuesdays with Morrie
Life in the undergrowth
Pillow talk

Books on CD
The midnight house by Berenson, Alex
The silent sea by Cussler, Clive
Spartan gold by Cussler, Clive
Hell gate by Fairstein, Linda
Matthew's story by LaHaye, Tim
Imperfect birds by Lamott, Anne
Known to evil by Mosley, Walter
The last surgeon by Palmer, Michael
Impact by Preston, Douglas
Blood vines by Spindler, Erica
A night too dark by Stabenow, Dana
Deep shadow by White, Randy Wayne
The betrayal of the blood lily by Willig, Lauren

Music CDs
Bacon Brothers: White knuckles
Bobby Broom plays for Monk
Steve Martin: The crow
Bearfoot Bluegrass: Doors and windows
Michael Angelakos: Manners
Magic Slim: Midnight blues
Rick Germanson Trio: Off the cuff
Garvin Bushell: One steady roll
Michael Holober: Quake
Viva Voce: Rose City
Greg Reitan: Some other time
Joseph Haydn: String quartets anthology
Melissa Morgan: Until I met you
Spring Creek: Way up on a mountain
Naomi Shelton: What have you done, my brother?

New books we ordered July 29th

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)
Holly blues by Albert, Susan Wittig
Early dawn by Anderson, Catherine
Busted : life inside the great mortgage meltdown by Andrews, Edmund
The Empress of Mars by Baker, Kage
Flood by Baxter, Stephen
Genesis by Beckett, Bernard
The midnight house by Berenson, Alex
Silver borne by Briggs, Patricia
The magic of believing by Bristol, Claude
The golden season by Brockway, Connie
Gold of kings : a novel by Bunn, T. Davis
The hidden flame by Bunn, T. Davis
Changes by Butcher, Jim
Getting it through my thick skull : why I stayed, what I learned, and what millions of people involved with sociopaths need to know by Buttafuoco, Mary
The pallbearers by Cannell, Stephen
Santa Olivia by Carey, Jacqueline
Orchid by Castle, Jayne
After dark by Castle, Jayne
The teaberry strangler by Childs, Laura
Maine squeeze by Clark, Catherine
Caught by Coben, Harlan
Sea of terror by Coonts, Stephen
The first rule by Crais, Robert
Wild ride by Crusie, Jennifer
The silent sea by Cussler, Clive
Whiter than snow by Dallas, Sandra
The pleasures and sorrows of work by De Botton, Alain
Never far from home by Ellis, Mary
Between the numbers 5 by Evanovich, Janet
Hell gate by Fairstein, Linda
Street game by Feehan, Christine
Shahnameh : the Persian book of kings by Firdawsī
Back in black by Foster, Lori
A murderous procession by Franklin, Ariana
The burying place by Freeman, Brian
Boy alone : a brother's memoir by Greenfeld, Karl
The weight of silence by Gudenkauf, Heather
The lock artist by Hamilton, Steve
Supernatural : meetings with the ancient teachers of mankind by Hancock, Graham
Winter garden by Hannah, Kristin
An eye for an eye : a novel by Hannon, Irene
The wolf at the door by Higgins, Jack
High anxiety by Hughes, Charlotte
Management rewired : why feedback doesn't work and other surprising lessons from the latest brain science by Jacobs, Charles
Eight days to live by Johansen, Iris
The Sorcerer King by Jones, Frewin
By blood we live by King, Stephen
Cop without a badge : the extraordinary undercover life of Kevin Maher by Kipps, Charles
Matthew's story by LaHaye, Tim
Imperfect birds by Lamott, Anne
Knitting under the influence by LaZebnik, Claire
In her own sweet time : unexpected adventures in finding love, commitment, and motherhood by Lehmann-Haupt, Rachel
Treasure hunt by Lescroart, John
How to improve your marriage without talking about it by Love, Patricia
Culture of corruption : Obama and his team of tax cheats, crooks, and cronies by Malkin, Michelle
Too many murders by McCullough, Colleen
The eyam factor : a novel by McCusker, Paul
Haze by Modesitt, L. E.
The power of two : surviving serious illness with an attitude & an advocate by Monaghan, Brian
Known to evil by Mosley, Walter
Butter safe than sorry by Myers, Tamar
Hippocrates' shadow : secrets from the house of medicine by Newman, David H., M.D.
Netherland (LT) by O'Neill, Joseph
The last surgeon by Palmer, Michael
Split image by Parker, Robert
Iron river : a novel by Parker, T. Jefferson
The sheen on the silk by Perry, Anne
Impact by Preston, Douglas
House of suns by Reynolds, Alastair
The serpent garden : a novel by Riley, Judith Merkle
The water devil : a Margaret of Ashbury novel by Riley, Judith Merkle
Shattered by Robards, Karen
Fantasy in death by Robb, J. D.
The Y factor by Roberts, Liam
Look me in the eye by Robison, John Elder
Diet myths that keep us fat : and the 101 truths that will save your waistline--and maybe even your life by Snyderman, Nancy
Forbidden nights with a vampire by Sparks, Kerrelyn
All I want for Christmas is a vampire by Sparks, Kerrelyn
Blood vines by Spindler, Erica
A night too dark by Stabenow, Dana
An Irish country girl by Taylor, Patrick
The Beckham experiment : how the world's most famous athlete tried to conquer America by Wahl, Grant
Deep shadow by White, Randy
The prodigal wife by Willett, Marcia
The betrayal of the blood lily by Willig, Lauren
The brother gardeners : botany, empire, and the birth of an obsession by Wulf, Andrea

Thursday, July 23, 2009

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered July 22nd

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
Anyone can play guitar volume 1
Anyone can play guitar volume 2
The reivers
The big aircraft carrier
The big submarine
Ghosts of girlfriends past
The haunted airman
Hollywood knights
I love you, man
Ice age
Out of the ashes
SpongeBob goes prehistoric
Two lovers
Sixteen candles

Books on CD
Home in time for Christmas by Graham, Heather
Plea of insanity by Hoffman, Jilliane
Kisser by Woods, Stuart

Music CDs
Glory revealed
Glory revealed II
Harry Potter and the half-blood prince soundtrack
Phil Stacey: Into the light
Michael Jackson: Number ones
Transformers: Revenge of the fallen soundtrack
Transformers: the score
John Coltrane: Giant steps
Ornette Coleman: Shape of jazz to come
Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time out

New books we ordered July 22nd

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)
The making of a poem : a Norton anthology of poetic forms
Reality check by Abrahams, Peter
Man of fate by Alers, Rochelle
A people's history of Christianity : the other side of the story by Bass, Diana
Beadsimple : 150 designs for earrings, necklaces, bracelets, embellishments, and more by Beal, Susan
County courthouse book by Bentley, Elizabeth
The practical system for drafting ladies' and children's clothing : designed for use in the public schools by Blakely, Elizabeth
The demon's lexicon by Brennan, Sarah
Scandal by Brian, Kate
Paper roses : a novel by Cabot, Amanda
The lords of discipline by Conroy, Pat
The Great Santini by Conroy, Pat
Gotcha! by Craig, Christie
Carter finally gets it by Crawford, Brent
Van Alen Legacy by De la Cruz, Melissa
Days of gold by Deveraux, Jude
The real Lincoln : a new look at Abraham Lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war by DiLorenzo, Thomas
A well favored gentleman by Dodd, Christina
In the coils of the snake by Dunkle, Clare
Night's rose by Evans, Annaliese
The heroines : a novel by Favorite, Eileen
Unhallowed ground by Graham, Heather
Bound by Gunning, Sally
The florist's daughter by Hampl, Patricia
Ayn Rand and the world she made by Heller, Anne
Cashless by Hitchcock, Mark
The age of wonder : how the romantic generation discovered the beauty and terror of science by Holmes, Richard
Crocodile tears by Horowitz, Anthony
Friends & fauxs by Howard, Tracie
If he's wicked by Howell, Hannah
The American Civil War : a military history by Keegan, John
The Genesis secret by Knox, Tom
Whispers by Koontz, Dean
Eisenhower's heart attack : how Ike beat heart disease and held on to the presidency by Lasby, Clarence
The treasure map of boys : Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon--and me, Ruby Oliver by Lockhart, E.
Crude world : the violent twilight of oil by Maass, Peter
A skeleton in God's closet : a novel by Maier, Paul
101 boardroom problems and how to solve them by Mina, Eli
Bead jewelry 101 by Mitchell, Karen
Vivian Vande Velde : author of fantasy fiction by Moonshower, Candie
The Devlin diary by Phillips, Christi
Silver phoenix : beyond the kingdom of Xia by Pon, Cindy
Generosity : an enhancement by Powers, Richard
The Cambridge introduction to modern Irish poetry, 1800-2000 by Quinn, Justin
That old cape magic by Russo, Richard
The secret lives of boys : inside the raw emotional world of male teens by Saval, Malina
Three tragedies by Shakespeare, William
House of stairs by Sleator, William
Ghosts of war : the true story of a 19-year-old GI by Smithson, Ryan
Fire study by Snyder, Maria
Magic study by Snyder, Maria
Poison study by Snyder, Maria
Wicked plants : the weed that killed Lincoln's mother & other botanical atrocities by Stewart, Amy
The apostle : a thriller by Thor, Brad
Who is Mark Twain? by Twain, Mark
User unfriendly by Vande Velde, Vivian
Companions of the night by Vande Velde, Vivian
Stolen by Vande Velde, Vivian
The surrogate by Wall, Judith
A good man : a novel by Wall, Judith
In Fed we trust : how the Federal Reserve became the fourth branch and Bernanke battled to keep the big panic from becoming the Great Depression by Wessel, David
A certain slant of light by Whitcomb, Laura

Books for Children (Fiction and Nonfiction)
The people of Sparks by DuPrau, Jeanne
Clues in the shadows : a Molly mystery by Ernst, Kathleen
Seizure-alert dogs by Fetty, Margaret
Treachery and betrayal at Jolly Days by Greenburg, Dan
The vampire's curse by Greenburg, Dan
The Onts by Greenburg, Dan
Fading echoes by Hunter, Erin
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the prisoner's dilemma by Stewart, Trenton

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Free online tutoring enhancements

Live Homework Help had a makeover this summer! If you are a frequent user of the free online tutoring available at http://www.hcpl.org/, you will notice significant changes and improvements in your tutoring experience. Haven't used it yet? Well let me tell you a little bit about what you're missing.


Live Homework Help is a FREE after-school service for students in grades K-12, college students, and adult learners. Students and adults can connect to online expert tutors for one-to-one help sessions. Live Homework Help has a tutor to suit your grade level and subject area. Career adults can also ask tutors for help with resumes, cover letters, family budgeting, going back to school and more.

It's available every day from 2 pm to 10 pm at http://www.hcpl.org/. You can get help with math, science, social studies, and English. Adults can get help with writing resumes and cover letters, studying for the GED or citizenship test, and back-to-school questions.

The service is free for all Henderson County residents however, a library card number or password is required. Please call or visit the library to obtain the password or get a library card number online (must be Henderson County resident and at least 13 to register online).

Ok, now for the good stuff. Here's what's new!

  • Proof Point™
    ProofPoint™ is the ultimate proofreading and homework check service that allows students to collaborate with a certified tutor in real time on reports, essays and papers. Using screen-sharing technology, the student and tutor can discuss each edit for a richer learning experience than simply sending off a paper and receiving a marked copy in return.

  • Skills Center Resource Library™
    SkillsCenter™ provides students with a variety of resources to help with everything from schoolwork to taking a citizenship test to writing an eye-catching resume. Tutor.com’s new SkillsCenter has 24/7 access to worksheets, lessons, videos and more. All of the resources are searchable by subject or keyword and rated by the community of students using the materials.

  • New Online Classroom

    Easy-to-use tools
    Students can select the most commonly used shapes, formulas and illustrations and drag-and-drop them into the classroom to easily explain their problem to the tutor.

    Real-time essay review
    Students can share a file with the tutor and review it together in real time on screen.

    Customizable settings
    Students can choose different backgrounds like loose leaf paper for an English session or graph paper for a math session and use their favorite fonts and emoticons.

    Avatars
    Students can choose an avatar and click to animate it during a session to let the tutor know how they’re doing.

    Session review
    After each session, students can replay it as a video, or print out a transcript to record any files, websites or resources used during the session.


For more information, be sure to visit our Live Homework Help webpage or call (826-3712) or visit the Library.









Monday, July 20, 2009

Track your language-learning at Mango

Now it's easier than ever to track your language-learning progress with Mango Languages. Create an optional username and password and your Learning Hours, Languages Studied, and Highest Lesson Achieved will be stored for you everytime you use Mango. Access your account from any Internet-ready device for the ultimate in language-learning convenience. (You will need your 14-digit library barcode to set up your profile.)

New to Mango? Mango uses real-life situations and actual conversations to more effectively teach a new language. By listening to and repeating after material designed from native conversations, you'll not only learn the individual words and phrases, you'll know how they're used in practical situations and conversations. You'll learn more than grammar, vocabulary and conjugation, you'll learn how to communicate.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Genealogists: 1958 KY death certificates available

For many people, a death certificate is a necessary evil, a symbol of life’s conclusion. But, did you know that death certificates can actually help you trace your genealogy, in addition to providing information on individuals in your family tree? With information like parents’ and spouses’ names, means of death, dates of death, and names of cemeteries, these records can equip you with the information you need to take your genealogical line back generations.

The state of Kentucky began issuing death certificates in 1911, and, here at the library, we have access to all certificates made available for public view, from their inception all the way up to the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics’ latest release, 1958. As of this year, 1958 death records have been made accessible to those who pursue them. Unsure about how to get started on your family’s genealogy? Visit our genealogy page.

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered July 15th

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
Double take
Ernest goes to Africa
Ernest scared stupid
Grey gardens
The informers
Man of the house
Obsessed
The panic in Needle Park
Private Benjamin
Secret window
Semi-tough
Song of Bernadette
Taking chance
The taking of Pelham one two three
3000 miles to Graceland
Wrongfully accused
Battle for Terra
Beau Geste
Lonely are the brave
Mars attacks!
Monsters vs. aliens
The trail of the lonesome pine
Zoolander
Do the right thing
For all mankind

Books on CD
Rainwater by Brown, Sandra
The shadow of your smile by Clark, Mary Higgins
Deadly Road to Yuma by Johnstone, William
Deception by Kellerman, Jonathan
Bed of roses by Roberts, Nora
The defector by Silva, Daniel

Music CDs
Jackson 5: Gold
Jackson 5: Love songs
Tanya Tucker: My turn
Jackson 5: Number ones
The Best of Jackson 5
Jordin Sparks: Battlefield
Jeremih
Ne-Yo: Year of the gentleman

New books we ordered July 15th

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)
Longshot : the adventures of a deaf fundamentalist Mormon kid and his journey to the NBA by Allred, Lance
How to win a cosmic war : God, globalization, and the end of the War on Terror by Aslan, Reza
The lace makers of Glenmara : a novel by Barbieri, Heather
The restored New Testament : a new translation with commentary, including the Gnostic Gospels Thomas, Mary, and Judas by Barnstone, Willis
The Embers : a novel by Bass, Hyatt
The bone thief by Bass, Jefferson
A good neighbor : Benedict's guide to community by Benson, R.
Capitol betrayal by Bernhardt, William
T. R. : the last romantic by Brands, H. W.
Rainwater by Brown, Sandra
Sanctuary by Bruen, Ken
Crossers : a novel by Caputo, Philip
The Aloha quilt by Chiaverini, Jennifer
The shadow of your smile by Clark, Mary Higgins
Held hostage : a serial bank robber's road to redemption by Cooper, Ken
The Alpine vengeance by Daheim, Mary
Burn by Dekker, Ted
Venetia Kelly's traveling show by Delaney, Frank
Gator a-go-go by Dorsey, Tim
I love you, Beth Cooper by Doyle, Larry
The cold light of mourning by Duncan, Elizabeth
All the queen's players by Feather, Jane
Unmasked by Halperin, Ian
False mermaid by Hart, Erin
Sugar bandits by Hogan, Chuck
Acres of skin : human experiments at Holmesburg Prison : a true story of abuse and exploitation in the name of medical science by Hornblum, Allen
All the dead voices by Hughes, Declan
In the heart of the canyon by Hyde, Elisabeth
Swimming by Keegan, Nicola
Deception (LT) by Kellerman, Jonathan
Deception by Kellerman, Jonathan
Appetite by Kendrick, Erika
Confessions of a rookie cheerleader : a novel by Kendrick, Erika
Take three by Kingsbury, Karen
Hard stop by Knopf, Chris
The introvert advantage : how to thrive in an extrovert world by Laney, Marti Olsen
This wicked world : a novel by Lange, Richard
Soul survivor : the reincarnation of a World War II fighter pilot by Leininger, Bruce
The switch by Leonard, Elmore
Unknown man #89 by Leonard, Elmore
The law at Randado by Leonard, Elmore
Escape from Five Shadows by Leonard, Elmore
Glitz by Leonard, Elmore
The telling by Lewis, Beverly
The telling (LT) by Lewis, Beverly
Fearless : imagine your life without fear by Lucado, Max
The spellmans strike again by Lutz, Lisa
All night long : a nannies novel by Mayer, Melody
Gallows Lane by McGilloway, Brian
The poet prince by McGowan, Kathleen
Deerskin by McKinley, Robin
Chalice by McKinley, Robin
Blood promise : a Vampire Academy novel by Mead, Richelle
Last light over Carolina by Monroe, Mary Alice
Let's get it on by Nelson, Jill
Blue moon by Noël, Alyson
Morning's refrain (LT) by Peterson, Tracie
Morning's refrain by Peterson, Tracie
House rules by Picoult, Jodi
Wings by Pike, Aprilynne
Mind over magic by Rabkin, William
Psych : a mind is a terrible thing to read by Rabkin, William
A bright and guilty place : murder, corruption, and L.A.'s scandalous coming of age by Rayner, Richard
The orthodox heretic and other impossible tales by Rollins, Peter
A proper education for girls : a novel by Rollo, Elaine di
Vanessa & Virginia by Sellers, Susan
Recovery-- the sacred art : the Twelve Steps as spiritual practice by Shapiro, Rami
The family : the secret fundamentalism at the heart of American power by Sharlet, Jeff
The Wauchula Woods accord : toward a new understanding of animals by Siebert, Charles
Black hills by Simmons, Dan
No distance too far (LT) by Snelling, Lauraine
No distance too far by Snelling, Lauraine
How the brain learns to read by Sousa, David
Eternal life : a new vision : beyond religion, beyond theism, beyond heaven and hell by Spong, John Shelby
Cloister talks : learning from my friends the monks by Sweeney, Jon
The great derangement : a terrifying true story of war, politics, and religion at the twilight of the American empire by Taibbi, Matt
Seduction by Tanenbaum, Robert
Defiance by Tec, Nechama
Give me back my legions! by Turtledove, Harry
The best of times : a novel by Vincenzi, Penny
A short history of women : a novel by Walbert, Kate
The new valley by Weil, Josh
The summer kitchen by Weinreb, Karen
Face of betrayal : a triple threat novel by Wiehl, Lis

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Investing in 'The New Normal'

Investing tip of the month from Morningstar Investment Research Center by Christopher Davis, Fund Analyst.

In this age of diminished expectations, how should you invest?

In May, real estate developers met in Las Vegas to discuss the future of the American shopping mall. Judging by The New York Times' account of the conference, many developers were reluctant (or unwilling) to entertain the idea that the post-financial crisis world could be much different than the environment that preceded it. Not only were they less-than-attentive to environmental and sustainability concerns, they seemed indifferent to the fact that consumer spending had fallen off a cliff and is likely to remain subdued for years to come. Many, though not all, were waiting for things to get back to normal--the way they were before the crash.

Bill Gross would tell them that is wishful thinking, and he'd say the same to investors who are waiting for a return to the good old days. Gross, manager of the huge and hugely successful PIMCO Total Return (PTTRX), argues that a "new normal" is emerging, one characterized by slower economic growth, lower investment returns, and higher unemployment and inflation. The culprits behind this new and unsettling normalcy, Gross says, will be greater government regulation, diminished access to credit, and increased savings. At the recent Morningstar Investment Conference, Gross told 1,000-plus attendees that the old global financial order, driven by the dominant U.S. economy and its consumers' ability to borrow heavily to buy foreign goods, is fading away. Gross wasn't the only one to make this argument. In an impassioned speech, Bob Rodriguez, skipper of FPA Capital (FPPTX) and FPA New Income (FPNIX) and three-time winner of the Morningstar Manager of the Year award, said that fund managers who didn't adapt to a world where American consumers spend less would wither away.

The rise of this new order, should it unfold as Gross and Rodriguez predict, probably will be messy and probably will lead to many unforeseen consequences, but Gross took a stab at predicting some of the repercussions. He argued that the U.S. dollar would eventually lose its status as the world's reserve currency, reflecting the decline of the U.S. economy relative to the developing world. That shift may take place gradually, but other implications of the new normal are clearer and have more immediate relevance. One is that the economy will rebound much more slowly than after previous recessions. That, in turn, will make it more difficult for your portfolio to recover fully from the late 2007 to early 2009 crash.

I'm doubtful of some of Gross' conclusions, namely that the traditional buy-and-hold portfolio is dead. I'm doubtful that average investors could pull off the alternative--which would require them to time the market--successfully. I'm not alone in my skepticism. Legendary Vanguard founder Jack Bogle certainly disagrees with Gross.

Even if Gross' "new normal" doesn't argue for a radical portfolio overhaul, it still has some important implications for how you invest.

1. Spend Less, Save More, and Pay (Even Closer) Attention to Costs
In an era of lower returns, your investments will do less of the heavy lifting in building your nest egg than they did before the market crash. There are a couple of things that you can do to cope. The biggest is simple: Save more. You can begin by gradually upping your contributions to your 401(k) or other retirement accounts. At the very minimum, ensure that you're investing enough to take full advantage of any 401(k) match that your employer offers. Leaving free money on the table means that you'll be building your savings more slowly. If you're nearing or in retirement, you don't have as many coping options if future investment returns are underwhelming. You can reduce your withdrawal rate, thereby giving your portfolio a greater shot at lasting throughout your retirement years, or plan to work longer or part-time.

Second, you should be even more vigilant in keeping your costs down. The more you pay in fund expenses, the less you'll have left over to spend on your retirement or kids' college. Look for domestic stock funds with expense ratios below 1%, international funds charging less than 1.25%, and bond funds with annual levies less than 0.75%. Remember: Cheaper is better.

Fund expenses aren't the only costs that you need to keep an eye on. Taxes, too, can take a heavy toll on your nest egg. Finally, don't forget about transaction costs. If you're a stock or ETF investor and trade heavily, you'll pay a lot in commissions, which will take a bite out of your investment return.

2. Think Globally
In his speech at the Morningstar Investment Conference, Gross argued that investors should invest more abroad, especially in developing markets such as China and India. If the U.S. is going to grow more slowly than the developing world, that's a logical conclusion. Keep in mind, though, that certain companies in the developed world will be among the biggest beneficiaries of growth in emerging markets. Coca-Cola (KO), for instance, earns 80% of its revenues overseas. That's an example of why you don't necessarily have to go hog wild in loading up on foreign investments, despite emerging markets' compelling long-term growth prospects. Moreover, emerging markets may come with a heavy helping of risk.

That said, most investors probably have too much of their portfolios invested in the U.S. This isn't an unpatriotic sentiment. Investors are making an enormous and potentially unwise bet by following the conventional wisdom, which suggests that you should keep only 20%-25% of your stock portfolios abroad. It's a big bet because 60% of the world's total stock market value lies outside of the U.S. An outsized U.S. stake also means that you're staking a lot of your portfolio on the fortunes of the dollar, which may dim if it loses its status as the world's reserve currency of choice. Of course, trying to predict future currency movements is a fool's game. But you can protect your portfolio against such uncertainty by ensuring that it has exposure to many different currencies. For that reason, I'd consider favoring international investments that don't hedge their portfolios against foreign currencies. Most international mutual funds don't hedge, but if you're unsure of your foreign holdings' hedging policies, check with the fund companies to find out.

There probably is no one right foreign allocation; investors will come to different conclusions based on their age and tolerance for risk.

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.

Thursday, July 09, 2009

New books we ordered July 8th

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

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Q & A with Point of Grace : faith, family, friends, dating, and more
Girls of grace daily devotional : start your day with Point of Grace
Girls of grace : devotional and Bible study workbook
Sugarplums and scandal
Backlash by Allston, Aaron
His pregnant housekeeper by Anderson, Caroline
Sisters & husbands by Briscoe, Connie
Kushiel's avatar by Carey, Jacqueline
Kushiel's chosen by Carey, Jacqueline
Kushiel's dart by Carey, Jacqueline
K blows top : a Cold War comic interlude starring Nikita Khrushchev, America's most unlikely tourist by Carlson, Peter
Harmony by Castle, Jayne
Ghost hunter by Castle, Jayne
After glow by Castle, Jayne
Green : the beginning and the end by Dekker, Ted
Perfect chemistry by Elkeles, Simone
Heaven and hell : my life in the Eagles (1974-2001) by Felder, Don
I'll make you an offer you can't refuse : insider business tips from a former mob boss by Franzese, Michael
Buckminster Fuller : starting with the universe by Fuller, R. Buckminster
Shakespeare's champion by Harris, Charlaine
Shakespeare's landlord by Harris, Charlaine
Glory invasion : walking under an open Heaven by Herzog, David
Bobby and Jackie : a love story by Heymann, C. David
Where grace abides by Hoff, B. J.
Quit digging your grave with a knife and fork : a 12-stop program to end bad habits and begin a healthy lifestyle by Huckabee, Mike
Hannah Grace : a novel by MacLaren, Sharlene
Guardian of lies (LT) by Martini, Steve
Confessions of a counterfeit farm girl by McCorkindale, Susan
The lost recipe for happiness by O'Neal, Barbara
Miracle on the Hudson by Parker, Laura
Seeds of terror : how heroin is bankrolling the Taliban and al Qaeda by Peters, Gretchen
Eye of the storm by Ringo, John
My heart remembers : a novel by Sawyer, Kim
Blackwater : the rise of the world's most powerful mercenary army by Scahill, Jeremy
How to marry a millionaire vampire by Sparks, Kerrelyn
On the line by Williams, Serena
The hope of refuge by Woodsmall, Cindy

DVDs & Books on CD ordered July 8th

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

DVDs
Anything goes
D-Day: The lost evidence
Flower drum
Henry Poole is here
In country
Jerusalem: center of the world
Roberta
Sunshine cleaning
Uptown girls
The Germanic tribes
Painted lady
Air America
Blaze
Cops & Robbersons
Curse of the Jade Scorpion
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Yentl

Books on CD
Green by Dekker, Ted
Sacred hearts by Dunant, Sarah
Frankenstein: Dead and alive by Koontz, Dean
Tenth Stone by Thoene, Bodie
Encore, Valentine by Trigiani, Adriana

Arabian Nights performance July 25

The Henderson County Public Library will have its summer program finale on Saturday, July 25, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. The finale will feature Tales & Scales presenting The Arabian Nights and will be held at the Presbyterian Church which is located at 100 South Main Street.

Tales & Scales is the nation's only 'musictelling' ensemble. Since 1986, they have collaborated with the brightest composers, writers, and theater directors to create innovative productions specifically designed to ignite the imaginations of young people and their families. Flutes fly, trombones tango and drums dance when these nationally acclaimed “musictellers” from Evansville, Indiana, weave original stories, instrumental music and creative movement into a unique experience for young people and their families. Tales & Scales puts music and story into motion, allowing audiences to see with their ears, hear with their eyes and discover the true power of live performing arts.

All ages are invited to attend this program and watch a battle fought with dueling drumsticks and the flash of a flute. Listen to a genie burst out of 1,500 years of imprisonment with clashing cymbals and thundering drums! The story begins as the heroine Scheherazade leads a rebellion against a misguided king, and is captured in battle. In an attempt to change the king’s greedy ways and postpone her own execution, master storyteller Scheherazade begins to weave stories together with music in an unforgettable performance.

This production is approximately 50-60 minutes in length and will feature instrument demonstrations by Tales & Scales Musictellers.

To register to see this wonderful high energy performance of The Arabian Nights call the Library at (270) 826-3712 before Wednesday, July 22, 2009.

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered July 1st

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
Dr. Dolittle : Million dollar mutts
Eve's bayou
Full moon in blue water
In the electric mist
Killshot
A streetcar named Desire
The wackness
Princess protection program
Wubbzy's big movie
Crank 2: High voltage
Disneynature: Earth
Nora's hair salon 2: a cut above
17 again
State of play

Books on CD
Warlord by D'Este, Carlo
The cheater by Rosenberg, Nancy
The evolution of God by Wright, Robert

Music CDs
Addison Road
Jonas Brothers: Lines, vines and trying times
Tenth Avenue North: Over and underneath
David Crowder Band: Remedy
Britt Nicole: Say it
Michael Jackson: Bad
Chris and Conrad
Michael Jackson: Dangerous
Michael Jackson: Off the wall
Lincoln Brewster: Today is the day by Brewster, Lincoln

New books we ordered July 1st

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)
Airplane flying handbook
Woodstock : three days that rocked the world
Magnificent desolation : the long journey home from the moon by Aldrin, Buzz
Reset : how this crisis can restore our values and renew America by Andersen, Kurt
Reagan's secret war : the untold story of his fight to save the world from nuclear disaster by Anderson, Martin
Litter boxes aren't just for cats : a guide on how to successfully litter box train your puppy or small breed dog by Barker, Sondra
Shadow of betrayal by Battles, Brett
Glenn Beck's common sense : the case against an out-of-control government, inspired by Thomas Paine by Beck, Glenn
Throw out fifty things : clear the clutter, find your life by Blanke, Gail
Emotional intelligence 2.0 by Bradberry, Travis
How to cheat at home repair : time-slashing, money-saving fixes for household hassles and breakdowns by Bredenberg, Jeff
American passage : the history of Ellis Island by Cannato, Vincent
Naamah's kiss by Carey, Jacqueline
Jericho's fall by Carter, Stephen
Sworn to silence by Castillo, Linda
Prayers that avail much by Copeland, Germaine
The burning land (LT) by Cornwell, Bernard
The burning land by Cornwell, Bernard
Boneman's daughters by Dekker, Ted
Chess for dummies by Eade, James
Shadow tag (LT) by Erdrich, Louise
Shadow tag by Erdrich, Louise
And then the roof caved in : how Wall Street's greed and stupidity brought capitalism to its knees by Faber, David
Love & logic solutions for kids with special needs by Funk, David
Dust to dust (#1) by Graham, Heather
Hunger : a Gone novel by Grant, Michael
Money to burn (LT) by Grippando, James
Money to burn by Grippando, James
Lords of the sea : the epic story of the Athenian navy and the birth of democracy by Hale, John
Black magic sanction by Harrison, Kim
Alphas 1 by Harrison, Lisi
Laughed 'til he died (LT) by Hart, Carolyn
Laughed 'til he died : a death on demand mystery by Hart, Carolyn
The wind harp by Hoff, B. J.
A distant music by Hoff, B. J.
The next world war : what prophecy reveals about extreme Islam and the West by Jeffrey, Grant
The lost queen by Jones, Frewin
Cop without a badge : the extraordinary undercover life of Kevin Maher by Kipps, Charles
Ripped : how the wired generation revolutionized music by Kot, Greg
Where men win glory : the odyssey of Pat Tillman by Krakauer, Jon
Death of a dream by Larosa, Paul
The elusive bride (LT) by Laurens, Stephanie
The elusive bride by Laurens, Stephanie
Split images by Leonard, Elmore
Stick by Leonard, Elmore
Cat chaser by Leonard, Elmore
City primeval by Leonard, Elmore
Last stand at Saber River by Leonard, Elmore
A colossal failure of common sense : the inside story of the collapse of Lehman Brothers by McDonald, Lawrence
Babycakes : vegan, gluten-free, and (mostly) sugar-free recipes from New York's most talked-about bakery by McKenna, Erin
The accidental billionaires by Mezrich, Ben
The city & the city by Miéville, China
Bite me by Moore, Christopher
Catastrophe : how Obama, Congress, and the special interests are transforming--a slump into a crash, freedom into socialism, and a disaster into a cat by Morris, Dick
Neptune's honor by Mueller, Pamela
Crazy for the storm : a memoir of survival by Ollestad, Norman
The suicide collectors by Oppegaard, David
Driving like crazy : thirty years of vehicular hellbending, celebrating America the way it's supposed to be-- with an oil well in every backyard, a Ca by O'Rourke, P. J.
Facebook for dummies by Pearlman, Leah
A river in the sky (LT) by Peters, Elizabeth
A river in the sky by Peters, Elizabeth
Dawn's prelude (LT) by Peterson, Tracie
The red wolf conspiracy by Redick, Robert V. S.
Defenders of the faith : Charles V, Suleyman the Magnificent, and the battle for Europe, 1520-1536 by Reston, James
Seduce the darkness by Showalter, Gena
Wicked game by Smith-Ready, Jeri
Bad to the bone by Smith-Ready, Jeri
The ties that bind (LT) by Steel, Danielle
Crazy love : a memoir by Steiner, Leslie Morgan
The first tycoon : the epic life of Cornelius Vanderbilt by Stiles, T. J.
Vegan Soul kitchen : fresh, healthy, and creative African American cuisine by Terry, Bryant
Enough : why the world's poorest starve in an age of plenty by Thurow, Roger
The finest hours : the true story of the U.S. Coast Guard's most daring sea rescue by Tougias, Mike
Encore, Valentine (LT) by Trigiani, Adriana
Encore, Valentine by Trigiani, Adriana
Perfectly executed by Van Sant, Peter
Invitation to a murder by Zimmerman, Gail

Books for Children (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Chrissa by Casanova, Mary
The city of Ember by DuPrau, Jeanne
Lost by Prineas, Sarah
Really truly Ruthie by Tripp, Valerie
Very funny, Elizabeth! by Tripp, Valerie
Brave Emily by Tripp, Valerie
Good luck, Ivy by Yee, Lisa