Library News and Notes: More May options at the library

Business is booming at the BRIC

The Business Resource Innovation Center, at 108 E. Proctor St., is staffed by Michael Salogga and a cadre of Carson Library personnel and provides business-focused books, research databases, mentoring, seminars and more to those interested in starting or improving a business. The BRIC recently added free access to and classes for the online learning website Lynda.com, whose 40,000 video tutorials include such offerings as Adobe Creative Suite, 3D+Animation, Motion Graphics, Accounting/Financing, Home Office, Excel and eBay. There are even tutorials to help users understand the intricacies of the iPad. Though some of the tutorials are free online from home, many require a rather expensive subscription, which the BRIC has purchased. To find out more about Lynda.com and the classes offered, visit the BRIC during business hours, call 775-283-7123 or visit www.carson.org/BRIC.

'The Mono Lake Story'

Mono Lake and Basin, at the edge of the Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada, is an ancient saline lake that provides a diverse ecosystem for migratory birds, unique limestone towers known as tufas and interesting areas to camp and hike. Much controversy arose when Los Angeles began to divert water from the streams in the 1930s and '40s, thus lowering the level of the lake and raising the salinity. Find out more of the history and the future of this area when Jackie Stroud presents a film, "The Mono Lake Story," at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the library auditorium.

BookMasters-Toastmasters Book Club

The BookMasters Book Club will begin a discussion of author Walter Isaacson's book "Steve Jobs" at 6 p.m. May 8. Isaacson, who has penned biographies of such luminaries as Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and Henry Kissinger, conducted more than 40 interviews with Jobs, as well as hundreds of interviews with family, business associates and friends. If you are interested, start reading now because it is a long, but compelling book.

Free homebuyer workshop

The complexities of Nevada's housing market continue to abound, but there are many opportunities for the savvy homebuyer. By choosing one of two free library-sponsored seminars, interested participants can learn the basics of today's real estate market and the intricacies of mortgages from mortgage adviser Sheri Cook and Realtor Laura Lau. Topics will include short sales, bank-owned properties, regular sales, buying vs. renting, and the process of obtaining a mortgage. The workshops will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 10 and from 10 to 11:30 a.m. May 12 in the library auditorium. Seating is limited, those who are interested should RSVP by calling Cook at 888-6262 ext.1264.

Ongoing library programs

Love on a Leash, a reading program that encourages children to read to specially trained dogs, now includes rabbits. After the reading experience, children will receive a free book to take home. The program, which runs from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Children's Room, is free and requires no registration, just an enthusiasm for reading and a love for animals.

The Lego Club meets from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday in the library auditorium. Using kits provided by the library, this fun-filled program enhances an interest in a wide variety of skills and fosters creativity. Sign up for this program at the Youth Desk.