By Paul Birkhead
Rowan Public Library
Everyone take out a pencil. Where’s the best place in town to get study help? If you wrote down the library, give yourself an A. The rest of you: Pay attention.
I recently had the pleasure of taking a four-hour test called the GRE. GRE stands for Graduate Record Examination and it is a standardized test generally used for admissions to graduate school. When I first began studying for the exam and looked through a few sample questions, it was clear that I would need some help. As usual, Rowan Public Library came to the rescue.
Rowan Public Library has some excellent resources for those needing help studying for tests of all types. On the shelves, there are study guides for the GRE, the GED, the ACT, the SAT, the Postal Exam, the U.S. Citizenship Test and more. Two of the study guides that helped me the most in preparing for my exam were “Cracking the GRE” by Princeton Review and “GRE/GMAT Math Workbook” by Kaplan Inc.
Another resource Rowan Public Library offers is 24/7 access to an online learning platform called the Learning Express Library. The Learning Express Library has dozens of searchable electronic study guides, so don’t worry if all the books on your subject happen to be checked out or you get the sudden urge to study after hours.
Learning Express also offers hundreds of online practice tests that prepare users for several types of exams, including the GRE. For younger students, there are scores of elementary school, middle school and high school skill building tests.
To access the Learning Express Library, you’ll need a valid Rowan Public Library Card number and PIN. If you don’t have a PIN or can’t remember what it is, stop by the library and ask for a new one. Make sure you bring your card or an ID with you. You’ll get to the Learning Express through a link on our Web site, www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.
Once at our home page, click on the “Online Tools” button. Then, click on the “NCLive from Home” link. Follow the instructions for obtaining the current password for NCLive. Once at the NCLive site, click on “Test Preparation” under “Browse by Type” and you’re almost there. Click on the Learning Express Library link and you’re in.
One more caveat, first-time users will need to set up a Learning Express user name and password from a computer at the library. The reason a user account is required is that it allows the site to instantly score practice tests, record your strengths and weaknesses, and make personalized recommendations.
Whether building academic skills or studying for a particular exam, don’t forget that Rowan Public Library may just be the best study partner you’ll ever have.The Big Read: The final week of discussion on “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest Gaines, Mondays, 7 p.m., and luncheon discussion Wednesdays, noon-1 p.m. Bring a lunch; drinks and dessert will be provided. The program is in partnership with Livingstone College. Call East and South branches to learn about their Big Read programs.
Let’s Talk About It: The book discussion program on Southern fiction will continue until March 27 at 7 p.m. in the Hurley Room at headquarters every other Thursday. The remaining titles are “Wolf Whistle” and “Song of Solomon.” Call 704-216-8230 to register.
Computer classes: Headquarters ó PowerPoint Part 2, Monday, 7 p.m.; Excel Part 1, Thursday, 1:30 p.m.; NCLive Resource: HeritageQuest, Monday, March 17, 7 p.m.; Excel Part 2, Thursday, March 20, 1:30 p.m. South branch ó Basic Publisher, Monday, March 17, 7 p.m.Children’s programs: Call 704-216-8256 for headquarter programs; 704-216-7839 for East branch; and 704-216-7727 for South branch programs beginning this month.
Tuesday movies: Shown at headquarters, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., March is Bogart Movies Month, with “Key Largo,” “The Maltese Falcon” and “Treasure of Sierra Madre.” Free refreshments.
Displays: Headquarters ó clothing and accessories by Maia Smith. East ó horses by Ann Furr. South ó Dolls by Rowan Doll Club.
Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.
Web site: For a listing of all library programs at all library locations, www.rowanpubliclibrary. org.