You'll find a wide variety of resources at LearningExpress Library that will prepare you for career success, from the job search to interviewing and beyond. In addition to preparing you for the job search, LearningExpress Library offers instantly scored licensing, certification, and aptitude practice tests, online career preparation, and vital information for a wide variety of occupations.  

This is an incredible database. The other night when I needed census information for the Plymouth-Canton area for my meeting, I logged in and printed various demographic trend summary reports that gave me all the numbers that I was looking for. If you are trying to determine where to locate your business, identify your competitors, or find target audience for your advertising dollars, DemographicsNow has reports arranged by zip codes, cities and metropolitan areas in Michigan.

 With spring coming, a lot of us are thinking about our gardens, flower beds and long leisurely walks in the early evening. Ahhh yes, finally! I'm also thinking about RV season and can't wait to see the "old home away from home" again.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan is interested in many ideas to boost student performance.  Keeping kids in school longer is one option under consideration by the former chief of Chicago Public Schools. Not an easy task given the uncertainty of the tough economic times and the drastic budget cuts many states are facing. Read more on Secretary Duncan's interview with CNN.

Much has been said about what the new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act means to individuals.  The Internal Revenue Service outlines some of the tax-related provisions of the new program and answers common questions in a recent news release.

Check out our lobby bulletin board and display racks for information ranging from community events to financial aid forms and publications on state government. There are sections for seniors and health, too. All publications are free and change on a rotating basis.

I just finished reading a travel memoir called "The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's search for the Happiest Places in the World", that was both humorous and introspective. Eric Weiner deserves points for devising a new way to address the question of what makes peaple happy and why. To this end he goes off to nine unusual locales including Bhutan, Iceland and Qatar. His final stop is United States, which "is not as happy as it is wealthy". With engaging wit and some suprising insights, the author ( a self-professed grump) offers travelers some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions.

Try this quiz from About.com which is based on science standards for the third grade (and yes I got one wrong). Like me, you may then decide to brush up on some of your science basics with resources from CPL like, "The New Everyday Science Explained" by Curt Suplee.

Most people know that March 17 is St Patrick's Day, but did you know that March 1 is St David's Day? He's the patron saint of Wales. Check out www.visitwales.co.uk or http://usa.visitwales.com - several cities across the USA are celebrating next week with various events planned and a competition to win a trip to Wales. Hwyl!

If you are looking for information, asking a librarian is a safe bet. To get the most out of your interaction, follow these simple tips:

• Be specific: the librarian will only know what you tell him/her, so be sure to give all the necessary information up front. The librarian can work from broad categories down into specifics, but starting with all the information will find better information faster
• Don't wait until the last minute: While a web search only takes a second, the library moves a little slower.

Have you spotted George Clooney at Metro Airport this week? Or maybe Drew Barrymore at the Lafayette Deli in Detroit earlier this year? Despite these recent "star sightings," making movies in Michigan is not a completely new phenomenom. It was 50 years ago this spring when Anatomy of a Murder was filmed in the Upper Peninsula town of Ishpeming.

Local Harvest is a website dedicated to helping people find local food. You can find events, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), farmers markets, co-ops, and more. There are many listings in the Canton area, including the Canton Township Farmers Market, which will start on April 26, 2009.

Colleges are tweaking their methods of informing students of whether or not they'll be coming to their campus that fall. In today's U.S.

The new CD by The Derek Truck Band, Already Free, is a good example of how root forms of the blues have been transformed, yet preserved, by rock music.  Trucks has an excellent pedigree in Southern blues-rock, taking up Duane Allman's mantel as the best living slide guitarist and incorporating a range of world music influences into his playing.

Tired of winter? Check out something new from the library!
A great source of recommendations for all ages is our Fave Fives from staff and fellow patrons. Or take a look at our Books & More pages for Kids, Teens and Adults. Immerse yourself in someone else’s world and brighten up your day.

The Senior Alliance is requesting your input for the 2010-2012 Multi-Year Plan. A community forum  for input on how  $20 million in state and federal funds should be used for senior services will be held on Monday, March 2 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Summit on the Park (46000 Summit Parkway, Canton). If you are unable to attend, please complete the survey available on The Senior Alliance website.  Submit the completed survey to the Planning Specialist at The Senior Alliance by April 30, 2009.

Are you providing care for someone elderly?  Or are you a senior citizen wanting to learn more about laws that impact on your life?  Neighborhood Legal Services of Michigan Elder Law & Advocacy is presenting a panel discussion on Wednesday, February 25 (6-8 p.m.) at the Cherry Hill Village Theater.  Topics covered are current events in elder law, tips on caregiving, and preventing elder abuse. This event is sponsored by Canton Leisure Services, Giving Hope, Women's Giving Circle and Waltonwood.  For more information call 313/937-8291.

Gorgeous photos make Urban Italian worth checking out even if you never cook any of the recipes, but it may be hard to resist trying a few. Delicious looking photos for recipes such as Pine Nut Cake or Squash Tortelloni show it may be worth the effort.

This Matisse painting sold at Christies's auction on Feb. 23 for a record price for a work by a French artist.  The sale was of art from the estate of Yves Saint Laurent.  Our collection includes many works on Matisse including Matisse the Master by Hilary Spurling.  News of the auction appears in this New York Times article from Feb. 24.

Lent is a season of fasting, spiritual and mental cleansing, and discipline. But how orthodox do the orthodox fast in these parts? Read this article from the Detroit Free Press to find out how. For a broader view of lenten festivities, see The Encyclopedia of Easter, Carnival and Lent in our library collection.