The library has added three new electronic services, the Law Depot and the Corporate Reference Library and Superfund Information Service, all of which can save you time and money.

The Law Depot allows users unlimited access to thousands of legal forms in categories such as real estate, business, human resources, family law and more. All forms have been created by licensed attorneys and can be edited online from any computer. The service is a boon to small businesses or to anyone who needs a straight-forward transaction. The full list of forms is available at lawdepot.com/contracts/subscriptionDetails.php?layout=librarysubscription.

The Corporate Reference Library is a sophisticated yet user-friendly online database that opens up a world of corporate information on one easy-to-read screen. It could be particularly useful for those who research their own investments, as it provides not only current and background information on corporations (name changes, acquisition, acronyms, corporate family connections, stockholder equity) but is updated continuously so you always have access to the latest available data.

A companion service, the Superfund Information Service (SIS), is the most comprehensive EPA Superfund document database available in the U.S. today. It is a fully searchable database containing complete document detail for virtually every Superfund Consent Decree and Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) issued from the inception of the EPA Superfund program to date. Both of these new resources can be accessed via the following URL: efisinfo.com/iplogin.aspx from any of the library’s computers. As always, if you have any questions on access and use of these services, don’t hesitate to contact a library staff member for assistance.

LIBRARY GETS NEW RATING

The Shelter Island Public Library has received the honor of being designated a Four Star Library by Library Journal as announced in the publication’s November 1, 2011 issue, an increase from the three star rating the library received in 2008. The highest rating is five.

The Index of Public Library Service is a national rating system that is used to rate libraries nationwide. This year, the Index evaluated 7,513 public libraries in the U.S., based on per capita usage in four categories: program attendance, circulation, public Internet terminal usage and overall visits.

According to Library Director Denise DiPaolo, the information that figures into the rating is gathered by the Library Journal from state reports; there is no way to submit a nomination. “Receiving this increased rating is proof that our library is delivering despite economic hard times, and our community clearly values us as an essential service.” Ms. DiPaolo continued, “Many of us have known all along that our library is an active center of the community. We’ve been seeing record-breaking statistics in all areas — library visits, program attendance, check-outs and Internet usage, all measures that are part of this rating system. But now we know how we compare to public libraries across the country. Earning the four star rating  shows how essential our library has become … We’re so proud to be recognized for our efforts.”

While many programs are on hiatus as the lower level renovation gets underway, there are plenty of new items crowding the shelves. As the days get shorter, checking out any of these new books would be a treat. And worry not if an item you want is packed away; the staff can obtain an inter-library loan quickly and efficiently for you. See you at the library!

NEW FICTION

Zero Day, David Baldacci

Bonnie, Iris Johansen*

The Burning Soul, John Connolly

The Litigators, John Grisham

A Christmas Homecoming, Anne Perry

City of Whispers, Marcia Muller

Shock Wave, John Sandford*

The Lady of the Rivers, Philippa Gregory*

Robert B. Parker’s Killing the Blues, Michael Brandman (also in large print)

Abuse of Power, Michael Savage

Double Dexter, Jeffrey Lindsay

1225 Christmas Tree Lane, Debbie Macomber* (large print)

Zone One, Colson Whitehead*

Aleph, Paulo Coelho

The Best of Me, Nicholas Sparks*

The Cat’s Table, Michael Ondaatje

The Dovekeepers, Alice Hoffman*

The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides*

Nanjing Requiem, Ha Jin

Nightwoods, Charles Frazier

The Prague Cemetery, Umberto Ecco

The Race, Clive Cussler

New York to Dallas, J.D. Robb (large print)

Son of Stone, Stuart Woods (large print)

NEW NON-FICTION

Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson

The Sibling Effect, Jeffrey Kluger

Confidence Men, Ron Suskind*

Now You See It, Cathy Davidson

Top Screwups Doctors Make and How To Avoid Them, Joe Graedon

Elizabeth and Hazel, David Margolick

The Hare with Amber Eyes, Edmund DeWaal

The Swerve, Stephen Greenblatt

Wheat Belly, William Davis

Sybil Exposed, Debbie Nathan

Midas Touch, Donald Trump

Why Read Moby Dick?, Nathaniel Philbrick

The Tao of Travel, Paul Theroux

Jerusalem, Simon Sebag Montefiore

My Song, Harry Belafonte

The Journals of Spalding Gray, Spalding Gray

Spencer Tracy, James Curtis

Working Class Mystic, Gary Tillery

Beyond Tallulah, Sam Wyly

True Strength, Kevin Sorbo

*New York Times best seller