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Featured
Website for February 2010
So far this year, we've either broken or are getting close to breaking every record for snow fall that's out there! Road crews are trying their hardest to keep up, and people are starting to remember back to their childhoods when winters like this were a bit more common place. The constant snow fall has been keeping the weather first and foremost in our minds... so for this month, we would like to feature three of the best online weather sites:
Ligonier Valley Library is not responsible for the content found on this website.
Pennsylvania Center for the Book: Pennsylvania Book World
- a list of bookstores throughout Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Center for the Book is a Library of Congress approved site (there are 41 other state centers) dedicated to books, libraries, reading and literacy.Websites:
Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America - features an introduction to book collecting, FAQ, and a glossary of book terms.
Littera Scripta - offers advice on how to appraise books and identify first editions.
Rare Books on the Web - features information on rare books, including sections on book dealers, the history of the book and book collecting terms.
Search engines:
AddAll - allows you to search for new, old, rare and used items such as books, autographs, old magazines and posters.
Advanced Book Exchange - lets you look for books to buy from about 3,500 booksellers all over the world.
Alibris - lets you look for a book and features a FAQ and book term section.
Thomson Register Online - the most comprehensive resource for industrial information. Go straight to the source of product, company information, CAD drawings and more.
Associations on the Net - a collection of more than 1900 websites that provide information on a variety of professional and trade organizations, cultural and art organizations, political parties and advocacy groups, labor unions, academic societies, and research institutions.
10K Wizard - search this site for a company's SEC reports (1994-current) by ticker symbol, company name, keyword or phrase.
Bank Rate Monitor - is a source for up-to-date information on rates for mortgages, home equity and auto loans, credit cards, savings and ATM fees.
Consumer Price Indexes - provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, this site gives monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services. It also includes an inflation calculator.
Economic Indicators - sponsored by the U.S. Congress, this site provides tables of statistics on the U.S. economy.
Morningstar - provides a 1-5 star rating for selected mutual funds, charts their performance, provides details of a fund's portfolio with specific investments, etc.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission - allows you to download information the SEC requires from public companies for free. The SEC requires all public companies (except foreign companies and companies with less than $10 million in assets and 500 shareholders) to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through EDGAR. Here you'll find links to a complete list of filings available through EDGAR and instructions for searching the EDGAR database.
NASDAQ - releases 15-minutes time-delayed NASDAQ stock quotes, a 3-60 month chart that tracks a stock's performance, a link from each stock to its 10Ks, etc.
Standard & Poor's - details the performance of its indexes and has brief descriptions of all the companies with each index.
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency)
TAP (Pennsylvania Tuition Account Program)
Students.gov - Connects students with U.S. government services and information, including information on careers, planning an education, and paying for college.
Colleges, College Scholarships, and Financial Aid Page - wealth of information (including contact information) about Pennsylvania colleges, universities and scholarships.
Occupational Outlook Handbook - allows you to research a profession to find out such things as: educational requirements, salary ranges, job duties.
Online Degrees, Financial Aid, and Scholarships - Looking for information on online degrees? Find that and more on this website.
U.S. Consumer Gateway is your resource for consumer information from the federal government.
Pennsylvania Utility Choice - "Consumers can learn how to shop; calculate potential savings online; receive answers to frequently asked questions; get pricing information; and learn about the basic consumer protections."
Kelley Blue Book - The trusted resource for old and new car values.
Educational Links:
Schmoop - wants to make you a better lover (of literature, history, poetry and writing). See many sides to the argument. Find your writing groove. Understand how lit and history are relevant today. We want to show your brain a good time. (description from website)
How Stuff Works - want to know how something works? Visit this website for explanations on just about anything.
Emergency Management:
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) - find disaster updates, disaster and emergency preparedness guides, contact information, etc.
Office of Homeland Security - features news and releases about terrorism, homeland security, etc.
American Red Cross - find services, preparedness guides, contact info, information on donating blood, etc.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - find services, contact info, news and updates on disaster and emergency situations, etc.
Child & Family WebGuide (Tufts University) - describes trustworthy websites on topics of interest to parents and professionals; and is broken down into five categories: family/parenting, education/learning, typical child development, health/mental health, and resources/recreation.
Finances & Credit:
Annual Credit Report - this site allows you to request a free credit file disclosure once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Bank of America: Financial education and tools - "Advice and instant calculators to help you make intelligent decisions about savings, debt repayment, loans, retirement, etc."
Bankrate.com - gives rates for mortgages, auto loans, and home equity loans, as well as tips for finding best rates on credit cards, checking accounts and more.
Choosing and Using Credit Card - is an online brochure from the Federal Trade Commission that explains credit card terms, how your balance is computed, and how to shop for the best card. Need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file.
Financial Facts Tool Kit - Here you'll find a vast array of information to help you begin planning for a secure financial future. You don't have to be an expert to make money add up for you. You just need to know how to get started.
Practical Money Skills for Life - a free Web site designed to help individuals learn money management at school, at home and at work.
Fun Sites:
Internet Movie Database - lists information on movies.
Jump the Shark - lets you find out when your favorite TV show started to go downhill like Happy Days did when Fonzie jumped the shark pit on his motorcycle.
The Ligonier Library's Blog - yet another way to find out what's happening at the Ligonier Valley Library, also contains new book, audiobook, DVD and Music CD lists, occasional book reviews, and more.
The Ligonier Living Blog - hosted by a local resident and business owner, find out what's happing in Ligonier.
Shelfari.com - free social networking site that puts you in contact with other booklovers! Create your own page that includes a virtual bookshelf for titles you have read, want to read, and are currently reading; find your friends on Shelfari; even join an online book discussion group.
Yahoo! Games - a variety of games that can be played online.
Ligonier Valley Library's Pennsylvania Room Page - information about the Genealogy Forum, Pennsylvania Room resources, and Genealogy links.
Heritage Quest - Database that lets you search in a variety of ways for genealogical information. Such as, search the US Federal Census Records from 1790-1930, access to some 20,000 local and family histories, search using PERSI, and more. This site can only be accessed by using one of the internet computers in the library.
In-Library Heritage Quest Link - to be used inside the library
Home Computer Heritage Quest Link - to be used outside the library
About.com: Geography - features annotated links to geography sources.
Atlapedia Online - contains full color maps as well as facts and statistics on countries of the world.
The Columbia Gazetteer of North America - covers every incorporated place and county in the United States.
Library of Congress Country Studies - gives detailed information on a country's geography, society, economy, transportation, communications, government, politics, and history.
Government (Local, State, and Federal)
Local
Westmoreland County Government - lets you search for any agency or service, view elections results, etc.
Monessen Public Libraries Government Information Page - link to various government related links from the District Center Library.
Westmoreland County: Citizen's Financial Report - a report that is to educate and inform the public by making financial information accessible to ordinary citizens and other interested parties who may be challenged by more detailed traditional financial reports.
State
The Pennsylvania Manual - Comprehensive guide to Pennsylvania's government. It includes Pennsylvania history, the constitution and elections. It profiles the executive, judicial and legislative branches including information on the powers, functions and duties of those offices. It is a valuable reference for schools, libraries and the general public.
PA.gov - Access to everything Pennsylvania residents need to live, work, play and learn in the Keystone State.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue - Links to forms and publications for State taxes.
Pennsylvania General Assembly - Offers a variety of information to help you locate your local Legislator, look up session information, also provides links to learn more about Pennsylvania, both the state and government.
Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code - This website provides municipalities with an easy-to-use PowerPoint presentation from the Municipalities Planning Code Made Easy workshop.
Federal
FirstGov - the first-ever government website to provide the public with easy, one-stop access to all online U.S. Federal Government resources.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation - includes the FBI's 10 most wanted list, uniform crime reports, FBI for Kids, and Gotcha, which tells of the FBI's latest apprehensions.
Project Vote Smart - allows you to type in your zip code to find your candidates and elected officials.
GPO Access (Government Printing Office) - your link to all publications printed by the United States Government.
NASA and NASA for Kids
Internal Revenue Service - includes federal tax forms, etc.
Social Security Online - the official website of the U.S. Social Security Administration. Use this site to apply online for benefits, check your Social Securities earnings statement, find forms and publications, report fraud, even find your local Social Security office.
THOMAS--Legislative Information on the Internet - lets you search public laws by law number, read committee reports and the texts of bills, see the roll call votes of house and senate members, and read bill summaries and check on their status.
U.S. Census Bureau - Fast Facts for Congress - This site provides highlights from Census Bureau sources of economic and demographic data for the U.S., states, counties, and congressional districts of the 108th Congress.
U.S. Census Bureau - includes the latest summary file on the 2000 census and gives statistics on people and business, etc.
POTUS: Presidents of the United States - lists information on all the presidents, including election results, cabinet members, and notable events.
Health Science Library System's Consumer Health Information website - Health information for the Consumer, University of Pittsburgh.
MEDLINEplus - a service of the National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health, this site offers dictionaries, drug information, directories with locations and credentials of doctors, dentists and hospitals, and other resources.
PubMed - a service of the National Library of Medicine, provides access to over 11 million citations from MEDLINE and additional life science journals. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full text articles and other related resources.
Healthfinder.gov - good source for reliable health information brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
H1N1 and Influenza, Evidence-Based Medical Information from EBSCO Publishing - Due to Pandemic H1N1 Influenza (formerly known as Swine Flu) and concerns about the 2009/2010 flu season, the EBSCO Publishing Medical and Nursing editors of DynaMed™, Nursing Reference Center™ (NRC) and Patient Education Reference Center™ (PERC) have made key influenza information from these resources freely available to health care providers worldwide.
Job Search & Aid:
Here To Help - This site offers great links and resources to help Pennsylvanian's on everything from meeting basic needs for food and shelter to upgrading professional skills to find a new job in a high-demand industry.
PA Career Link - links business and individual's to Pennsylvania's workforce.
Indeed - One search, all jobs. Search job sites, newspapers, associations and company career pages.
Pennsylvania Workforce Development - will help you easily find the resources you need to work and do business in Pennsylvania.
Law:
PaLawHelp.org - a guide to legal information and free civil legal services for low-income persons and seniors in Pennsylvania.
PA Unified Judicial System - a searchable database of Pennsylvania Appellate Cases (Supreme Court: Nov. 1996 to present, Superior Court: December 1997 to present, Commonwealth Court: January 1997 to present).
Pennsylvania House and Senate Bills: Pennsylvania General Assembly - provides House and Senate bills from 1991 to present that are arranged by topic, number and keyword.
Pennsylvania Code: Legislative Reference Bureau - provides up-to-date, full-text searching of Pennsylvania Regulations.
Pennsylvania Bulletin: Legislative Reference Bureau - derived directly from the official publication. Full-text is available from 1996 on.
Lawyer Directories:
Attorney directory from Martindale
Libraries - provides links to many Westmoreland County and Western Pennsylvanian libraries as well as some specialty and large libraries (i.e. Library of Congress) and links to some useful databases.
Westmoreland Library Network -
4130 Sardis Rd, Murrsyville, PA 15668
Phone: 1-866-923-5772 (Toll Free) and 724-327-1677 (local); Fax:
724-327-1697; e-mail: info@wlnonline.org
Monessen Public Library
and District Center -
326 Donner
Avenue, Monessen, PA 15062
Phone: 724-684-4750; Fax: 724-684-7077; e-mail address: reference@monpldc.org
Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh - 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15213
Phone: 412-622-3114
Commonwealth Libraries - PA Department of Education - among many other things, this site enables you to find other libraries (academic, government, public, library organizations and special libraries) throughout the Commonwealth.
Ligonier and Laurel Highland Links:
Laurel Highlands - Visitors Bureau
News:
Pennsylvania Newspapers - contains links to 100 Pennsylvania newspapers spanning from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.
MyPublicNotices.com - a collaboration with various newspapers that provide online access to public notices (advertisements placed in newspapers by the government, businesses and individuals) from across the U.S.
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) - Nation's largest and most effective animal protection organization.
Outdoor Recreation:
Amusement Parks:
Ski Resorts:
ExplorePAhistory.com - Your gateway to Pennsylvania, Past and Present. Come explore, visit and teach a rich heritage of the people and events that strengthened America and brought new ideas to light. (Description from the webpage)
COMPASS - qualified residents can screen and apply online for a variety of social services programs.
PA Power Port - information about Pennsylvania.
Visit PA - tells you what's going on in Pennsylvania, including festivals throughout the year.
Pennsylvania Utility Choice - "Consumers can learn how to shop; calculate potential savings online; receive answers to frequently asked questions; get pricing information; and learn about the basic consumer protections."
Address/Phone Information:
Toll Free Directory - allows you to look up any 800 number by typing in the name of the company or business.
U.S. Postal Service Zip Code Lookup and Address Information - allows you to look up the Zip+4 code for any address.
Almanacs:
Information Please Almanac - is the online version of the popular almanac.
Old Farmer's Almanac - is the online version of the most popular information source since 1792 and features such items as tide tables, sunrise tables, recipes and weather forecasts.
Biography:
A&E Biography - is the official site of the A&E Biography TV show and features more than 15,000 entries from The Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia.
Calendars:
Virtual Perpetual Calendar - allows you to look up any year in the 19th to 21st centuries and any holidays in the U.S. and Canada from 1995 to 2010.
World Public Holidays - lets you find a date and day of the week for the national holidays of different countries around the world for the years 1999-2002. You can search by country, year, and/or month.
Conversions:
Universal Currency Converter - lets you convert dollars into liras, francs into pounds, etc.
Megaconverter - allows you to convert Fahrenheit into Celsius, find out how many inches are in a meter, how many seconds in a year, etc.
General Reference:
The Columbia Encyclopedia: Sixth Edition - is the online version of the Columbia Encyclopedia, a one-volume, short-entry encyclopedia with more than 50,000 entries.
Roget's Thesaurus Online - lets you look up synonyms and antonyms by typing a word in the search box.
Quotes, Lyrics, etc.:
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations - is the online version of the best source of famous quotes.
Lyrics World - lets you pop in a line from a song to find the title and the rest of the lyrics.
States:
The 50 States of the United States - includes information such as location (latitude and longitude), birds, colleges and universities, constitutions, flowers, genealogical resources, mottos, national forests and parks, nicknames, songs, date of entry into the union, etc.
State Symbols: Pennsylvania - features information such as Pennsylvania's state bird, song, dog, etc.
Statistics:
Global Statistics - gives statistics on the population of the earth in general such as the population of regions, countries, provinces and cities.
Search Engines:
For more visit: www.ligonierlibrary.org/search_engines.htm
National Institute on Aging - one of 25 institutes and centers of the National Institute of Health. This website includes information on health, research programs, the National Advisory Council on Aging, and more.
Pennsylvania Senior Centers - provides Pennsylvania’s senior community centers with opportunities to exchange information and ideas on topics of interest. It also contains a list of all senior centers in the state by county.
Medicare - contains information about its prescription drug assistance program, a directory of participating physicians, information about Medicare and Medicaid nursing home facilities, etc.
Elderhostel, Inc. - includes information about the many programs offered by the nation’s first and the world’s largest educational and travel organization for adults 55 and over.
SeniorNet - a nonprofit organization of computer-using adults, age 50 and older, whose mission is to provide older adults education for and access to computer technology to enhance their lives and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom.
Social Security Online - the official website for the Social Security Administration.
Tax Information:
Apple Hill Playhouse (Delmont)
Mountain Playhouse (Jennerstown)
Palace Theatre (Greensburg)
Stage Right (Greensburg)
Valley Players of Ligonier (Ligonier)
Voting - the Department of State's online voter information center. This site was designed to inform the voters and the election officials throughout our Commonwealth on a wide variety of matters related to elections. (Description from the webpage)
Internet Tutorials - contains information about using the Internet including how to connect to the Internet and basic Internet skills, etc.
Learn the Net - includes information about surfing the web, including using e-mail and downloading files, etc.
Online! Citation Styles - help in citations MLA, APA, Chicago, CBE and other styles.
Writer's Organizations:
Ligonier Valley Writers - non-profit writers group in Southwestern Pennsylvania which encourages interest in the written word and the continued perfecting of the art and craft of writing. Ligonier Valley Writers sponsors workshops, programs, and an annual writers' conference. (Description from the webpage)
Pennwriters - non-profit organization of over 300 published and aspiring writers from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the surrounding states. Virtually all writing areas are represented. (Description from the webpage)
Booklists, Author sheets, Database and Website guides are located at the circulation and reference desks. Pick one up today!
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Library All rights reserved - 120 West Main St., Ligonier, PA 15658 -
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