Reference Services's blog

Are you job-hunting and need to write a resume? Microsoft Word has resume templates, but these online Web sites may also help.
www.myresumeonline.org
This site is free and offers templates for resumes and cover letters

www.theresumebuilder.com
Some features are free; others are available only with anannual subscription.

www.buildaresumetoday.com
Basic services are free; silver and gold services are available for a subscription.

Within the library, you can use the database Ohio Career Information System. Click on "job search" in the left-side margin, and you'll find lots of good advice and sample resumes in Word or pdf that you can modify for yourself.

National Preparedness Month
September is National Preparedness Month (NPM). The kickoff for this project is September 11, 2008; this nationwide event is a coordinated effort to encourage businesses and families to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools. The event coordinators want to highlight the importance of emergency preparedness by promoting community involvement through a wide variety of preparedness events and activities.

You can access their website at www.ready.ohio.gov which provides information about NPM. There you will find a tool kit and informational brochures that can be ordered and/or downloaded. You may also call the 1-800 number listed and order these publications at no cost.

FARM FRESH

It's summer, finally. Find farmers' markets, farm markets, pick your own, and roadside markets in your county by going to www.ohioproud.com. Click on "farm markets" in the banner under the photo and create your own list. Contact information, hours of operation, and products carried are given for each market.

Here are several websites that might help with the resolve to be more organized and clutter-free with 2008.

Get Organized Now!
This website has abundant tips, articles, and e-courses, as well as a free weekly e-newsletter, to help you organize your home, office, and life.

Organized Home
A website with the motto: "Cut the clutter, speed your cleaning, and calm the chaos." Includes tips for room-by-room cleaning and organizing, green living, menu and meal planning, and much more.

Jane Austen fans are looking forward to four months of Masterpiece on Sunday evenings devoted to adaptations of Jane Austen novels and an original biographical play.
January 13 Persuasion
January 20 Northanger Abbey
January 27 Mansfield Park
February 3 Miss Austen Regrets (an original biography)
February 10-24 Pride and Prejudice (3 2-hour episodes)
March 23 Emma
March 30-April 6 Sense and Sensibility (2 90-minute episodes)

True Janeites will enjoy a visit to the Republic of Pemberley and may even belong to the Jane Austen Society of North America.

Medicare Part D
There is open enrollment for the Medicare Drug Plans through December 31, 2007. Useful information on how to select a plan is available at the website of the Ohio Department of Insurance. Under Freatured Links click on "Medicare Drug Plans." Use the links to the www.medicare.gov plan finder to see the plans available in Cuyahoga County and to sort them by premium or dectuctible and to compare the plans' ratings.

Shopping for Toys
It's THE season for toy-shopping. Be sure that the toys you buy are not under recall. www.ToyInfo.org is the product of the Toy Industry Association. It lists and illustrates a number of toys and children's products that were recalled this year. It also conveniently links users to the website of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and to www.recalls.gov, a website that lets you search for recalls by all the relevant U.S. agencies.
www.parents.com has a slide presentation of the 20+ Biggest Toy Recalls of 2007 on its website.

Looking for a dentist? You could use our database Reference USA or you could look at the database of dentists maintained by the Ohio State Dental Board at www.dental.ohio.gov. Click on "licensure verification." At the next screen you can check the licensing date, education, and area of practice of a particular dentist or you could generate a list of licensed dentists in a specific geographic area.

If you're tired of coping with endless phone trees, take a look at www.gethuman.com and see if the company you're trying to communicate with is listed. If it is, you'll find specific instructions to be able to talk to a human being. The companies are categorized. If you prefer to skim an alphabetical listing, click on "alphabetical listing for printing."