Library is cool oasis during hot summer

Twins Katie, foreground, and Maggie Strain are frequent patrons of the library during the summer months.

The Bill Ellis Memorial Library Web site is www.cityofportaransas.org/library.cfm. There, you'll find the library catalog, general information about the library and many links to interesting and helpful Web sites.

Card-holding library patrons can also access Tex- Share, a commercial database subscription that is paid for and administered by the Texas State Library for use by participating libraries. TexShare gives immediate access to online databases with full-text articles from popular periodicals, medical resources and health information, academic reference materials and much more.

Two online learning resources are also available.

Learning Express Library offers patrons real testtaking experiences, instant scoring and other features. Practice tests include ACT, GED, SAT, TAKS and more. Courses are offered at different levels in grammar, writing, math and other subjects.

Rosetta Stone, a languagelearning interactive software program, offers courses in English and Spanish. Both Learning Express Library and Rosetta Stone links can be found on the Web site under Web links/education.

Users will be asked to sign up with a user name and password.

The library has three computers available (one is reserved for children) offering Internet access. Wireless Internet is also available for patrons who bring in their laptop computers.

The library has some 24,000 items in the collection, including adult, junior and child books; audio on cassette and CD; VHS tapes and DVDs. The library also has 68 magazine subscriptions. Back issues of magazines are available for checkout.

Interlibrary Loan service is available to any patron seeking materials that are not in the collection.

This summer, the Summer Reading Program begins June 4 and runs through July 16. It's from 10-11 a.m. at the library. H.G. Olsen Elementary School kindergarten teacher Carly Carlough is the facilitator.

The library is supported by a group of library and book sale volunteers and by the Friends of the Library.

The library, at 710 W. Avenue A (next door to city hall), is open Tuesday 10 a.m.- 8 p.m., Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. A meeting room is available for use by non-profit organizations.

For more information call (361) 749-4116 or email eml@cityofportaransas.org.