71 Monell Avenue
Islip, NY 11751

T: 631-581-5933

F: 631.277.8429

71 Monell Avenue
Islip, NY 11751
T: 631-581-5933
F: 631-581-8429

71 Monell Avenue
Islip, NY 11751

T: 631-581-5933 

F: 631-581-8429

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All posts by Laurie Aitken

Your 24/7 Research Library!

Your 24/7 Research Library!

Live-brary is a cooperative project of the public libraries of Suffolk County that provides a one-stop, digital branch for Suffolk County public library cardholders.

Live-brary Research Databases is a collection of research materials, including magazine and newspaper articles, reference books, and homework help organized in over 30 different subject areas.

What kind of information can I find using Live-brary?

  • Access a wide variety of databases including those that provide full text articles from newspapers and magazines
  • Find online car repair information
  • Find online medical information
  • Get “live” study help for homework or access a tutor to help you in real time!
  • Find study guides for all kinds of tests, including Civil Service exams, licensing exams, the U.S. Citizenship exam, and various tests given to elementary, middle, and high school students.
  • Find job postings, help with resumes and cover letters, and career information.
  • Search Historic Newspapers going back to the 1800s.
  • Learn a new language with Pronunciator, an online foreign language learning resource that includes an ESL feature for 99 Languages!

Where do I find Live-brary?

Go to our webpage at www.isliplibrary.org and click on:

​This month we’re highlighting the following databases – check back soon for information about some other great resources!

Browse full-text journal and magazine articles (including Consumer Reports), primary sources, maps, flags and multimedia:
Magazines & Journals

Full text articles from over 250 regional, national and international newspapers:
Newspapers

New York State Historic Newspapers; Suffolk County Historic Newspapers; Newsday 1940-current; New York Times 1851-current; Wall Street Journal 1889-current:
Historic Newspapers

Library Resources

Library Resources to Help You Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions!

Happy New Year! Did you know you can use apps on your smartphone to make helpful lifestyle changes throughout the year?! There are apps available for calorie counting; mindful-eating tips; workouts (filterable by skill level, intensity, and duration); meditation, self-care, organization, and much more! Learn all about apps during these two programs taught by an instructor from Sharper Training Solutions.

Sharper Training Solutions:

Learn a Language: 

Our free database Pronunciator is a fun and free way to learn any of 80 languages with self-directed lessons, live teachers, movies, music, and more. We also have an English-Spanish Conversation Group Wednesday mornings at the library for those interested in learning English or Spanish!

Get Out of Debt/Save Money: 

Learn some common-sense tips to financial success with investment advisor William Breakstone on Tuesday, February 26 at 7:00 pm.

Research Your Family Tree: 

The Islip Library has a subscription to Ancestry.com Library Edition. This database, available on any of our public workstations (in-library use only), provides access to over 11 billion records online, including census, immigration, military, vital records, and a variety of other resources. Other genealogy databases are available as well through Live-brary including Heritage Quest and Fold 3.

Upcoming Genealogy Programs: 

Exercise: 

Get fit and have fun with Joy Walker during this interval training workout on Friday mornings.
Are you unable to attend our fitness class? Try some of these fitness DVDs at home instead.

#LiveYourBestLife: 

 Ebooks & Audiobooks available through our Live-brary Free Downloads service.

Visit a Museum: 

Did you know that the Islip Public Library offers free museum passes and discount tickets for local and New York City area museums to Islip Library cardholders?! We currently have passes available to the following Long Island museum sand places of interest: Empire Pass for NYS Parks; Fire Island Lighthouse; Long Island Children’s Museum; Old Bethpage Village Restoration; Sagtikos Manor (only open during the summer); and The Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium. We have passes available to the following New York City museums: The Intrepid & The Frick Collection.  We also have discount tickets available to: Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead and the Museum of Natural History in NYC.

Tackle a Home Improvement Project: 

Our free database, available through Live-brary, Home Improvement Reference Center includes magazine articles and reference material as well as videos and images designed to help homeowners tackle home repairs safely. This database provides the latest step-by-step information along with background information and basic tips on topics including electricity, plumbing, woodworking, outdoor projects, maintenance, and decorating.

Learn Something New: 

Take an online learning course available free of charge through Live-brary. Courses are taught from a variety of professors from Yale, Harvard, MIT and more! There are many topics to choose from.

Find a Diet that Work for You: 

Find a diet that works for you. We have a wide variety of books located in our non-fiction collection!

September Library Card Sign-up Month

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

It’s #LibraryCardSignUp Month! Celebrate by visiting the Islip Public Library this September to get a library card. Already have an Islip Library card? Here is just a sample of all the “incredible” services offered at the Islip Public Library!

  • We have a wide variety of programs for all ages: infants, toddlers, children, tweens, teens, adults, and seniors! Our programs also take us “on the road” including storytimes (during the summer) at the Islip town beach, bus trips, and discount Long Island Railroad trips too!  Take a look at our program calendar or newsletter for a complete listing of our September/October programs.
  • In addition to thousands of printed books, did you know that we offer free access to thousands of eBooks and Audiobooks available through our Live-brary Free Downloads service. Do you have a smartphone or tablet? Download an app called Libby or Overdrive to get started. Our eBooks work on Kindles too!
    Need additional assistance getting your device set up? Make an appointment with one of our librarians through our book-a-librarian service: https://goo.gl/s6Rfrw
  • The library subscribes to a wide variety of print magazines that can be checked out with your library card as well as digital magazines available through FlipsterFlipster works on browsers as well as mobile devices with the Flipster app (available on iTunes or Google Play).
  • Need help with Homework? No problem! Our Brainfuse HelpNow resource connects you with live tutors in math, science, reading/writing, social studies, PSAT/SAT, ACT, AP and state standardized tests. Brainfuse HelpNow also features an Adult Learning Center: access a library of rich adult learning content (GED) and live, professional assistance in resume/cover letter writing, U.S. citizenship prep, MS Office Essential Skills Series, and more! It also includes a Foreign Language Lab as well as Spanish Speaking Support.
  • Need a scholarly journal for a research paper or information from a peer reviewed source? Try our Live-brary research databases for access to thousands of full-text articles.
  • Learn a new language! Our free database, Pronunciator is a fun and free way to learn any of 80 languages with self-directed lessons, live teachers, movies, music, and more. Download the Pronunciator app on iTunes or Google Play. We also have an English-Spanish Conversation Group as well as various other programs in English and Spanish.
  • Visit a museum! The Islip Public Library offers free museum passes and discount tickets for local and New York City area museums to Islip Library cardholders. We currently have passes available to the following Long Island museums: Fire Island Lighthouse; Long Island Children’s Museum; Old Bethpage Village Restoration; Sagtikos Manor (only open through September); Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium. We also have passes to the following New York City museums:  Frick Collection & Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum as well as the Empire parking pass.  We have discount tickets available to: Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead ($18); Long Island Game Farm ($14: expire October 2018); Museum of Natural History ($10).

We hope you will take advantage of all the services the Islip Public Library has to offer!

Summer Reading

Summertime is Reading Time

Summer is right around the corner and that means beaches, barbecues, hiking, kayaking, sailing, and of course summer reading! Did you know that we have a summer reading club for adults?!

Registration for the Islip Public Library’s Adult Summer Reading Club began on Friday, June 16th! It’s really easy to participate: Come into the Library to register and receive a summer reading club folder. Read any book you want and give us a review of the book(s) you read.

You can either report on your book using a paper book review form (found in the folder you will receive when you register) or by filling out your book review on our Adult Summer Reading Club blog found here.

Remember: you need to register before reporting on your books. After reading and reporting on two books, you will receive a special prize -- a personalized Islip Public Library notebook/pen set as well as an invitation to attend our summer reading club party on Thursday, August 16 at 6:00 pm.

Need some ideas for what to read this summer?

Try these lists or stop into the Library for some great summer reading suggestions!

Step into the World of Virtual Reality at the Islip Public Library

Thanks to the Suffolk Cooperative Lending Library program, the Islip Public Library will have access to the HTC Vive Virtual Reality system from February 9 - February 12. Schedule a 30-minute appointment and transport yourself into another world -- the world of Virtual Reality!

Swim underwater, travel to a foreign country, jump off a skyscraper -- these are just some of the virtual reality experiences that will be available. While wearing the virtual reality headset, you will be able to "look around" the artificial world, move about in it, and interact with features or items that are depicted inside the headset.

So what exactly is Virtual Reality? Virtual reality is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment that can be explored and interacted with. You become a part of this virtual world and are immersed within this environment. While you’re there you can manipulate objects or perform a series of actions.

Please note - due to the intensity of virtual reality you must be 13 years or older in order to try it out.

Please stop by or call us at 631-581-5933 to find out more or to schedule an appointment.

Museum Passes and Discount Tickets at the Library

Did you know that the Islip Public Library offers free museum passes and discount tickets for local and New York City area museums to Islip Library cardholders!

Below is our current list of Museum Passes available:

  • Fire Island Lighthouse
  • Intrepid
  • Long Island Children's Museum (Garden City)
  • Sagtikos Manor
  • Old Bethpage Village Restoration
  • Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium
  • Guggenheim Museum

We also offer discount tickets to:

  • Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead: $17.50
  • Long Island Game Farm: $12.50
  • Museum of Natural History: $10.00

Reservations for Museum Passes may be made online by following the Museum Pass link on the Islip Library webpage, www.isliplibrary.org - and select “Museum Passes.” Passes may also be reserved in-person. Museum passes can be reserved up to 30 days in advance.

Our museum pass software will show you a list of museums, and you select a date to pick up the museum pass.

It is recommended that you reserve a pass for the day you wish to pick it up at the library. Passes may be checked out for a total of three (3) days. All reservations should be made with the intention of visiting the museum between the day of pick-up and day of return. If the Library is closed on the scheduled date of return, passes will be due on the first day of re-opening.

Please remember! If your plans changed and you are not going to be able to use the museum pass, cancel your reservation so someone else can use it. It’s easy to cancel; call us at 631-581-5933, email us at reference@isliplibrary.org or cancel your reservation by clicking the Museum Pass link on the Islip Library webpage https://isliplibrary.org/museum-passes/ and select “My Passes”

Library Resources Can Help Find the Right Job For You

Are you employed but looking, underemployed or unemployed? Be sure to stop by the library on Friday, October 13 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm for our 10th annual job fair presented by the Suffolk County One Stop Employment Center.

Do you know how to apply for jobs online? Sign up here for a workshop on Wednesday, October 4th at 7 pm.

Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen potential job candidates, and many résumés never make it through these systems. This workshop, led by career counselor Karen McKenna, will provide specific strategies job seekers can use to strengthen their résumés and make use of networking connections to get that interview.

Take a look below at these job related websites. These websites are great if you are looking for a job, and for writing or revising your resume and cover letter.

The Islip Library also has an online database called “Career Cruising” as well as books, ebooks and audiobooks on job and career information.

Career Info. Websites

Resume/Cover Letter Websites

Library Services

Try Career Cruising for exploring careers.Career Cruising is an interactive career guidance and pathways planning tool designed for people of all ages. The tool can help students to explore different career options, manage course selections online--and plan various pathways to meet the requirements for their desired career path.

Summertime is Reading Time | Adult Summer Reading Club

Summer is right around the corner and that means beaches, barbecues, hiking, kayaking, sailing, and of course summer reading! Did you know that we have a summer reading club for adults?! Registration for the adult summer reading club begins on Friday, June 16th. It’s easy to participate: Come into the library to register and receive a summer reading club folder. Read any book you want and give us a review of the book(s) you read.

You can either report on your book using a paper book review form (you will receive when you register) or by filling out your book review on our Adult Summer Reading club blog found here:

Remember: you need to register first before reporting on your books. After reading and reporting on two books, you will receive a sweet treat! The first 75 patrons who read and report on three books, will receive an invitation to attend our summer reading club party on Friday, August 18 at 5:00 pm with dinner catered by Fratelli’s Restaurant and a fully staged musical production of My Fair Lady performed by Plaza Theatrical Productions.

Need some ideas for what to read this summer? Try these lists or stop into the library for some more great summer reading suggestions!

Celebrate Older Americans Month with Islip Public Library!

“May is a month of fresh beginnings. Perennials bloom once again, blazing a trail of bright color. May is also when we celebrate Older American’s Month, acknowledging the perennial contributions of older adults to our nation.”

(Source)

Proclaimed as a national observance by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the month of May provides us an opportunity to honor older Americans and acknowledge their contributions.

Every President since Kennedy has issued a formal proclamation during or before the month of May asking that the entire nation pay tribute in some way to older persons in their communities. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter’s proclamation changed the name to Older Americans Month. Older Americans Month is celebrated across the country through ceremonies, events, fairs, and other such activities.

Seniors - Join us at the Islip Public Library throughout the month of May for some special programs just for you!

Senior Fitness Classes​

Senior Fitness classes are held on Wednesdays from 9:30-10:30 am. Have fun and get fit while learning basic weight training and body-toning with Ellyn Seltzer.

​Scrabble!

Join three-time National Scrabble Champion, Joe Edley, author of Everything Scrabble on Monday, May 8 at 11 am. He will teach you several techniques to enhance your word game skills. Please bring your Scrabble set along. Light refreshments will be provided.

Concert: Better Late Than Never Jug Band

Concert: Better Late Than Never Jug Band on Sunday May 21 at 2:00 pm. This band includes six members: “Big Mike” Meyer plays guitar, sings, and plays kazoo; Rob “The Blue Streak” Bellassai plays harmonica, jug and a bunch of other things that make noise; Angela Giannotti plays wash board and sings; Rich Fuller plays mandolin and sings; Carl Batchelder plays upright bass; Rich Giannotti plays guitar and sings.

Guest Speaker Vincent DeSantis: Long Term Care Options

Vincent DeSantis, a Long Term Care Professional will be at the library on Tuesday, May 24 at 7 pm to discuss various long term care options.

Living Healthy Series for Older Adults

Living Healthy Series for Older Adults on Fridays from 10:00 am - 12 noon, May 26 - June 30. Put life back in your life during this six-week workshop series that empowers older adults to take charge of chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic pain, obesity and anxiety.

FREE Health Screenings

The St. Francis Hospital Mobile Bus, staffed by medical professionals, will be in the Islip Library parking lot on Wednesday, June 28 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm for free health screenings. No registration required.

Step into the World of Virtual Reality at the Islip Public Library

Thanks to the Suffolk Cooperative Lending Library program, the Islip Public Library will have access to the HTC Vive Virtual Reality system from March 24 through March 28, 2017. Schedule a 30-minute appointment and transport yourself into another world -- the world of Virtual Reality! Swim underwater, travel to a foreign country, jump off a skyscraper -- these are just some of the virtual reality experiences that will be available. While wearing the virtual reality headset, you will be able to look around in the artificial world, move about in it, and interact with features or items that are depicted inside the headset.

What Exactly is Virtual Reality?

Virtual reality is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer generated, interactive environment that you can explore. You become a part of this virtual world and are immersed in its environment - while there, you’re able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions.

Please note - due to the intensity of the virtual reality experience, you must be at least 13 years old in order to sign up for this program.

Please stop by or call us at 631-581-5933 to find out more and to schedule an appointment.

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