Do you use Twitter or maybe you are a little baffled as to what Twitter actually is? Twitter originally began as an experiment in 2006 in order to provide short, quick shared communications at events such as conferences or even during earthquakes. Just like Topsy it grew and in 2007 it was registered as Twitter Inc... So, how exactly does Twitter work? It lets you write short, pithy messages of up to 140 characters and send them to multiple people (known as followers) at the same time, wherever they might be. If you just have to know everything about your favourite celebrity then you will have to become a “follower” in order to receive all of their updates. Twitter is not only for cell phone users, you can also use it on a computer. You will need to download and install the free program, and then create an account for yourself. Twitter can be used to ask questions,...

Adults are once again invited to join one of our popular book discussion groups. These groups can be a great way to discover authors and genres that might be new to you and meet other people in your community who enjoy reading. The groups meet for about an hour once a month from September to April at the Victoria Avenue Library, Chippawa Branch, Community Centre Branch and Stamford Centre Branch. There are both daytime and evening sessions offered. Pre-registration has started and these sessions usually fill up quickly. Registration is $8 for the year and groups are limited to fifteen people. The books under discussion are provided by the Library. Some of the titles to be discussed includeBook of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, The Bishop’s Man...

Our popular computer classes will be offered again starting Monday September 20th. Class size is limited to a maximum of 6, and each participant will have their own workstation. Classes take place in our fully equipped Computer Training Lab at the Victoria Avenue Library. The cost for each class is $10 and registration will begin August 26th. The subjects that we offer are:

Computer basics - in which you will become familiar with the basic components of a computer, learn how to use a mouse, learn the Windows XP operating system, learn the Windows file structure, learn what those funny little pictures called icons do, and much more.

Word Processing - in which you will learn how to do a basic letter and add some bells and whistles to it.

Internet - in which you will receive an introduction to the Internet, how it is structured and how it works, become familiar with Internet Explorer, understand the...

With the August long weekend gone by, the summer is beginning to wind down. There is still time to catch up on some serious summer reading. Last week in London, England; the long list of titles for the 2010 Man Booker Prize were announced. The “Booker” if you are not familiar with it, has been awarded annually since 1968 for the best original novel written in English by a citizen of the British Commonwealth (including Ireland & Zimbabwe). This prize has a high profile in the book trade, as the winner in particular is generally assured of international acclaim and sales. It is also a career highlight for authors to be included in the long list. Canadian authors Margaret Atwood won the Booker in 2000 for “The Blind Assassin”, and Michael Ondaatje won in 1992 for “The English Patient”, which of course went on to win multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture. On the other hand, Dame Beryl Bainbridge, considered by many as one of the most significant novelists of her generation and who passed away in early July, was nominated 5 times and never once won. Most of this years' nominated titles are available at the Niagara Falls Public Library, as our book selection staff do a lot of reading and research in trying to get the right books on the shelves for our readers! Check out “Parrot and Olivier in America” by Peter Carey; “The Betrayal” by Helen Dunmore; David Mitchell's “The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet”; or “Trespass” by Rose Tremain. The winner will be announced in October. ...