Technology

Interested in picking up basic computer, Internet, or email skills? How about becoming stronger in Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint? Maybe you want to learn the latest about Twitter, Facebook, eBay, or blogging?

You're in luck. The Troy Public Library offers classes for the public on these technology topics and many more, free-of-charge, every month. Most classes are two sessions, and each session is two hours. Check out our Computer Class Calendar for a full listing.

Register for the Library's January classes beginning December 11, at 10 am, by clicking on the Calendar link on the Technology page of the Library's website. Registration is limited.

For more information, contact the Technology Department at 248.524.3542 or techroom@troymi.gov.

Morningstar Investment Research Center, one of the popular business eResources to which the Troy Public Library subscribes, is offering a free training webinar Wednesday, December 16 at 4 pm on how to rebalance your portfolio for 2010.

To register, send an email to librarytraining@morningstar.com, and mention that you use Morningstar through the Troy Public Library. You don't have to be at the Library for this webinar. All you need is an Internet connection and a phone to attend.

For more information about this webinar or our other eResources, contact Technology librarian John Robertson at j.robertson@troymi.gov.

If you use Mango Languages, an online language learning program offered by the Troy Library, you will notice something different the next time you login. Instead of a screen showing various languages, you have a choice: Mango Complete or Mango Basic.

Mango Basic is new product, designed for people who need basic-level language skills in a short amount of time. It includes lessons for 22 different languages and ESL courses for 14 languages. This includes languages that are in Mango Complete, such as French, German, and Japanese, and new languages like Arabic, Hindi, and Korean. It uses the same flash card style as Mango Complete.

Each language lesson in Mango Basic is divided into 2 sections. Section 1 teaches greetings, gratitude, and goodbyes, while section 2 discusses how to ask if someone speaks English. In addition to basic words and grammar, cultural information is also covered.

To access Mango Languages, you will need a Troy Public Library card. Click eResources on the left under Library Links. Click on Language Learning, then Mango Languages. Try it let us know what you think.

Are you considering buying a new car? Do you need to replace a home appliance? Or, perhaps you want to know the best value for your money when it comes to everyday products, from breakfast cereal to light bulbs.

In today's economy, it's more important than ever to make informed purchasing decisions. Consumer Reports, the magazine of nonprofit organization Consumer Union, has been independently testing, evaluating, and rating products for over 70 years.

Now you can get all the ratings from Consumer Reports at home through the Troy Public Library's subscription to ConsumerReports.org. Our subscription gives you access to all subscriber-level content, including ratings, product overviews, video, and more. You can also browse issues from the current calendar year.

To access ConsumerReports.org, you will need a Troy Public Library card. Click eResources, under Library Links, then on Magazines, Journals, and Newspapers in the subject list, then on ConsumerReports.org.

Registration for the Troy Library's December adult computer classes opens November 11, at 10 am.

Each month, we offer 14 classes, taught by Technology Department staff, including Computer Basics, Navigating the Internet, Email, Blogging, Electronic Library Resources, Ebay, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. All classes are free, hands-on, and have plenty of handouts. Most are two sessions, and each session last about two hours. To register, go to our class schedule, on click on the class in which you are interested.

We are offering a new class in December: Finding Friends on Facebook, December 1, at 6:30 pm. If you are interested in the new Internet, you won't want to miss this class.

For more information, contact the Technology Department at 248.524.3542 or techroom@troymi.gov.

Congress has declared October 18 to October 24 as National Save for Retirement Week. With employer pension plans becoming a thing of the past and market downturns hurting 401(k)s, it is more important than ever not only to plan and save for retirement, but be aware of how your investments are doing. In addition to books and magazines about investing, several financial electronic resources (eResources) available through the Troy Public Library feature guides to help you make informed investing decisions.

Morningstar Investment Research Center and Standard and Poor's Net Advantage contain comprehensive information on stocks, mutual funds, industry profiles, and more. They both feature financial education sections with articles about beginning investing and retirement planning.

Do you invest largely in stocks? Value Line is a popular source of stock ratings and recommendations. With our subscription to Value Line, you can get the latest copies of the Value Line Investment Survey electronically before the print publication is available. Value Line also has an education section called Value Line University which discusses investing basics, how to build a portfolio, and how to study a stock.

To access these eResources all you need is a Troy Library card. All are available in the library or at home. Click eResources on the left side under Library Links, then click on the Business and Economics link and choose which one you want to use.