Monthly Archives: June 2014

Crafts and D.I.Y.

Crafts and D.I.Y.

crafts

Craft

The online presence of the magazine by the same name, Craft has a goal to “unite, inspire, inform and entertain a growing community of highly imaginative people who are transforming traditional art and crafts with unconventional, unexpected and even renegade techniques, materials and tools.”

Craftster

An online community where people share off-beat, crafty D.I.Y. projects.  Find articles and tutorials on specific projects, as well as city guides to resources and deals on craft supplies.

CraftGawker

A photo gallery that allows a visual search of handmade arts and crafts submitted by craft bloggers from around the world.  Create a profile to save and take notes on your favorite photos, share your favorites and search and filter your favorites by category.

DIY Network

Features do-it-yourself home improvement projects and a Make It, Fix It, Learn It blog that educates users in a variety of fields providing information for a multitude of projects.

Home Improvement Reference Center

A comprehensive library database that features decorating, maintenance and remodeling projects for inside the home and out.  Resources include how-to videos, conversion charts, a printable homeowner’s journal and tips for working with contractors.  You will need your library card and a library account to access this database.

Instructables

This site, created in an MIT lab as a space for the creators to share projects with one another, has grown to house over one hundred thousand projects (and counting).  The site lets users explore, document and share creations.

Pinterest – DIY & Crafts

A popular website where one can collect (pin) and organize projects.  Browse able categories are arranged on boards by subject. Users must sign up for a free account to maintain and manage pins.  Offers a component for users to connect with social media (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr).

home improvement

Home Improvement

Home Improvement
Check out these home improvement websites

HOME IMPROVEMENT

 

Bob Vila

Check articles under “More Home Improvement” for a wide range of information.

DIY Network

Articles and information written with the homeowner in mind. 

Family Handyman

How-tos, product reviews and forum make this an excellent site geared for the do it yourselfer.

Fine Homebuilding

For the professional or serious DIYer. 

Hammer Zone

How-tos for the real world. 

International Association of Certified Home Inspectors

These articles are geared for home inspectors, but contain plenty of information for homeowners.

New York State Building Codes 

Plumbing Zone Forums

Technical information for serious plumbing issues. Use the search box and answer the spam test question. 

This Old House

Not just for old house lovers! Good how-tos and inspirational remodels covering all aspects of the home.

Furnace Compare

Reviews furnaces, boilers and other HVAC equipment. Contains information
and articles on servicing and improving your home’s heating system.

General

Lists of websites on your favorite topic

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Web Links by Subject 

Yes, you can find almost anything you need by typing it into Google, but our librarians have gone a step better and have sifted through to the best sites on a variety of subjects to bring them to you all in one place, with a description of the site.  Just click on the link and go right to the site. 

If there is a subject for which you would like us to create a list, just e-mail us at eipl@eipl.org

General

Travel and Language

travel

Language Websites:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/

The BBC (BBC.co.uk/languages) Users will find instruction for 40 languages, including French, Spanish, Greek, Chinese, German, Italian and Portuguese.

http://www.loecsen.com/?lang=en

Learn expressions in 26 languages

http://www.fodors.com/language/

Travel phrases for many languages

http://www.learnfrenchlab.com/learn-french-grammar.html

learn French fast in a fun interactive learning experience

http://digitaldialects.com/

The Digital Dialects website features free to use online games for learning languages. Language resources include games for learning phrases, numbers, useful words, spelling, verb conjugation and alphabets

http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html#jump1

A video instructional series in French; 52 half-hour video programs. Scroll down and click on “Individual Program Descriptions”.

http://www.learnalanguage.com/

Users choose a language (Japanese), then a category (“Japanese Words”), followed by a topic (“Travel”). Next, they decide whether to play an educational game or click through talking flash cards. There’s one word on each card, which can be flipped over with a click. For example, a card with “suutsukesu” on one side says “suitcase” on the other.

http://radiolingua.com/shows/

Choose from 20 languages.
Travel websites

http://www.dishtip.com/

DishTip organizes the world of eating out in the United States a whole new way: By clam chowder. Or turkey sandwich. Or blueberry pie. In other words, by single dish, not by restaurant. The site sorts through reviews across the Web, figures out what has been raved about, aggregates its findings and spits out rankings of the best dishes in Denver or the pizzas in Portland or the fried food in Phoenix.

http://www.staydu.com/

A neat site that matches hosts from around the world with travelers looking for unique local experiences. That can mean volunteering to teach English or doing farm work in exchange for lodging and meals, or simply paying a small fee to move in with a local resident. The site is not overly populated with opportunities yet, but shows a lot of potential.

http://triptuner.com/

No idea where you want to go? With Triptuner, just use a panel of six sliders (like the kind on graphic equalizers) to “tune” your trip. Do you want “relaxing” or “active” or somewhere in the middle?

Music

Online Resources for Music Lovers

musiclovers

All Music    A virtual encyclopedia of music with many options for searching and discovering new music.  One can search for artists by genre, i.e. rock, jazz, blues, classical, etc.  There are also options to search by mood such as romantic and theme such as rainy day.  This site contains overviews of genres, biographical information of artists and composers.

Descarga  Comprehensive resource for Afro-Latin music.  Descarga contains a Latin music database and the Descarga Journal, an online magazine consisting of articles, interviews, profiles, and reviews.

EMusic   You can discover a world of music on this site without spending any money.  This site allows you to explore through editor’s picks, charts, reviews, and lists compiled by staff.  EMusic has archives of music collections that you can explore.  EMusic also has many streaming radio stations, however, users must subscribe to listen.

Gramophone    The world’s authority on classical music including classical music news and features.  Gramophone’s website has a few blogs including one dedicated to concerts and events as well as a blog written by different guests.  This website is a great source of current information and history of the classical music genre.

NPR Music     Offers current and archival podcasts, reviews, music lists, news, criticism and interviews.  NPR Music provides access to free videos such as field recordings, studio sessions, live concerts, and documentaries.  NPR tends to be on the cutting edge of music on various genres, this is a great place to learn about new music.

Piero Scaruffi     Multilingual site with information on music in a wide range of genres.  This site contains the history of various music genres, best album lists, best song lists, discographies, and a lengthy bibliography on rock music.

Pitchfork     A daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on independent music, however, the range of musical genres covered extends to electronic, pop, hip hop, dance, folk, jazz, metal and experimental music.

Smithsonian Folkways   Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution dedicated to documentation, preservation, and dissemination of sound.  The Smithsonian Folkways website has artist, archive, and video spotlights as well as audio recordings and tools for teaching.

StereoGum  A music blog that has been around for many years covering everything from popular releases to more independent music.  Good source for music news and popular for it’s lists highlighting best songs, albums, and extras.

Yahoo Music  Contains information on popular music including music blogs, artist profiles, videos, news, and exclusive originals such as Spotify On Tour music videos.  Yahoo Music also runs iHeart Radio, a collection of free streaming radio stations. Free Music Streaming Services: Each of the following sites offers free music streaming, subscriptions are sometimes required to download and save music or to avoid ads.

Spotify/ Pandora / Last.fm/ Mog.com/ Rdio.com/ Songza/ iHeart Radio/ Turntable.fm/ Grooveshark/ Slacker.com (music, news, sports, and comedy)

Online Music Archives Rock’s Backpages   Archive of rock journalism including 17,000 articles, interviews, and reviews, many of which are available for free.  You can search for articles by artist, writer, publication, and subject or genre.  A subscription provides access to all articles and an archive of audio interviews.

Voted 2011 Runner-Up Best Niche Database by LibraryJournal.com. Free Music Archive  The Free Music Archive is an interactive library of high-quality, legal audio downloads.  The Free Music Archive is directed by WFMU, the most renowned freeform radio station in America.

Every artist page will have a bio and links to the artists’ home page for users to learn more about the music they discover via the Free Music Archive. ArkivMusic   Where collectors can get lost classical recordings.  Site also has biographical information and available recording lists on popular composers and performers.

**Patrons can download and listen to a variety of music for free through Live-brary, available via eipl.org.

website by topic

Genealogy

Genealogy

Getting Started

Genealogy Topic Guide

This is the place to begin searching for your family roots.

Major Databases & Newspapers  

Heritage Quest, Footnote, World Vital Records, New York Times Historical-1851-2006,Newsday Historical-1940-1984,& Suffolk Historic Newspapers

Ancestry

Due to licensing agreements, this database may only be used in the library.

More Detailed Resources

Ellis Island

Digitized immigration records and a Getting Started Guide

Family History Library

As a Suffolk resident you may request most microfilm and microfiche listed in the Family History Library Catalog for use inside the library.

L.I. Genealogy

A large collection of LI records and resources

USGenWeb

Free genealogy websites for genealogical research in every county and every state of the United States.

U. S. Vital Records

United States birth certificates, death records & marriage licenses

Books to Borrow

East Islip WebOpac

Find books to borrow from the East Islip Public Library.

General

Education/Computer Websites

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION—The U.S. Department of Education website has the latest information about education news, funding, and curriculum. They also have information about policies, higher education, financial aid, different federal grants and scholarships, and other websites with information that are available.  http://www.ed.gov/

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION—this website has information about issues and actions, tools and ideas, and grants and events. They also provide other helpful websites with educational information. http://www.nea.org/home/34289.htm

LIVE-BRARY.COM— by searching through East Islip’s databases through Live-brary.com, you can search Education and find resources about children’s literature, teacher resources, and ERIC.http://www.live-brary.com/online-resources/171
 

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS – this website is a compilation of the Best Websites for Teaching & Learning 2013. It provides helpful links for different topics such as Media Sharing, Digital Storytelling, Manage & Organize, Social Networking & Communication, Content Resources, and Curriculum Collaboration.http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/2013

DISCOVERYEDUCATION.COM – provides free resources for parents, students, teachers, and administrators. The site provides a variety of activities, homework help, and motivation tactics.http://www.discoveryeducation.com/parents/

EDUCATION.COM–is a helpful website that provides workbooks, activities, and craft ideas for each grade; broken down by grade level. They also post different articles about changes in education, specifically with the Common Core. It’s a great website to get different ideas and to get the latest information about changes in the realm of education. http://www.education.com/

COMPUTER WEBSITES

PCMAG.COM—offers the latest information about PCs, laptops and other computer technology; such as scanners, tablets, networks, security, etc. They also provide reviews for different brands, discuss daily deals, and offer helpful tips. http://www.pcmag.com/

CONSUMER REPORTS—Computers & Electronics- provides (you can also find the physical copy located in the library) offers information about the latest computer technology, tablets, and other technology. They provide reviews and have forums that allow users to share information and opinions about resources.http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm

LIVE-BRARY.COM—this site is offered through the library. It provides information and resources, in both print and electronic, about computers, electronics, and technology. http://www.live-brary.com/online-resources/194

GALE VIRTUAL REFERENCE—through the gale virtual reference center, provided through the library, you can do searches of periodicals and other electronic sources, about the latest computers, electronics, and technological advances.http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=nysl_li_eip&authCount=1