¿Comprende Ingles?

Learning a new language can be frightening, but Basic ESL is a service that makes it easier to learn English as a Second Language. The Fresno County Public Library has Basic ESL for FREE on its website.

The method is simple, starting with the English language's sounds, then going on to vocabulary and its sentence structure. You can start with primary languages from many parts of the world: French, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, and more. Lessons are spoken in English, with their words and sentences printed in the primary language.

Vocabulary lessons teach words and put them in context, and dialogue lessons show how to use those words in talking to people.

Entering through the Research It link on the FCPL home page, Basic ESL asks new users to register, so their progress can be tracked. The home language, name, email address, and a selected password are used to set up an account. Passwords are six letters and numbers, and can be as simple as “abc123” or “mynam3.”

Once registered, it’s time to learn! Speakers or headphones are needed to hear the audio portion, which is triggered by the clicking the speaker icons

on the page. Listen and repeat the words, and listen again, if you wish.

It’s a simple program, and it’s FREE through the Fresno County Public Library.

Meet Me at the Library

A library isn't just a building with books in it. A library is a part of the community, a place where people can meet.




McCardle Room at the Central Library


Many branches of the Fresno County Public Library have meeting rooms where community groups and not-for-profit organizations can gather, and they are offered FREE to the public. Library meeting rooms have hosted drum circles, rodeo associations, knitters and quilters, table-top gamer groups, line dancers, cemetery use boards, T-ball parents, Scouting events, and community Thanksgiving dinners. Non-library-sponsored gatherings that aren't selling services or products or are campaigning for issues or candidates are welcome to sign up to use library spaces. After your event, you can sign up for another use, if the space is available.


Woodward Park Branch meeting room

Because the library is a public building, restrictions on alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and flames and candles apply. Rules are meant to keep the buildings safe places. Different rooms have different service capacities. Kitchens, projectors, Wi-Fi, dry-erase boards, public address systems, podiums, or assisted listening devices are available at some locations. Fire Marshal room capacity limits must be followed.

To apply for meeting room use...

• choose a location,

• find a time that is available,

• provide contact information,

• choose options

That's what it takes to reserve a library meeting room.
Meet you at the library!

Betty Rodriguez Branch meeting room

Here Comes Money Smart Week!

Do money matters mystify you?

• How do I save for retirement?
• Are payday loans a good idea?
• How can I protect myself from identity theft?

Financial literacy, understanding how money works and what to do with it, is just as important as knowing how to read. That's why the Fresno County Public Library is participating in Money Smart Week, April 23-30. Government brochures and flyers are available, each geared to teaching people about financial matters from mutual funds to avoiding scams.

The WoW! Library staff are participating in several events.

• Saturday, April 23, 2016 -- Sierra Vista Mall, Clovis, noon-4pm
• Monday, April 25, 2016 -- Courthouse Park, Fresno, 11am-2pm
• Saturday, April 30, 2016 -- River Park, Fresno, noon-4pm

Each event will include information flyers for adults in English and Spanish, computers with games that teach financial concepts, a sample saving plan, and storytimes and piggy bank crafts for youngsters.

The FCPL has links to useful resources on renting, saving, retiring, and credit.

Shannon Morrison of the WithOut Walls Library talked with Kim and Kopi on KMPH-26 about Money Smart Week and the library's National Poetry Month writing contest.

http://kmph-kfre.com/great-day/at-the-library/at-the-library-44-money-smart-week

Knowing how to take care of your money is an important skill. If you don't watch your money, you'll watch it fly away.

Placing Holds: Get that book locally!

Did you know you can have materials you request (holds) delivered to your nearest branch?  All you have to do is search for the item in our catalog and request it!  It only takes a few easy steps.



Find your Title

You can search for library items by the title, by the author who wrote it, or by the subject (what it's about). If you wanted to find It by Stephen King, you could search with the terms "It," "King, Stephen," or "Clowns--Fiction." If you were looking for Against All Enemies by Tom Clancy with Peter Telep, the subjects to search for include "Taliban--Fiction," :Terrorism--Fiction," "Mexico--Fiction," "Drug Traffic--Middle East--Fiction," and "United States. Central Intelligence Agency--Fiction."

See where it is available 

Requests tells you how many people are in the line waiting for it. The Location list tells you what branches have copies and if they are checked in or checked out.

Click on Request Item

A Request will put you on the list to get what you want sent to a convenient library. Add to My List makes a wish list of things you would like to get from the library...but not right now. When you want one of those items, go to the list. One click will request it.
Once you select Request Item the next screen will ask for your library card number and your PIN, the four-digit Personal Identification Number you set up with your card (if you can't remember your PIN take your ID to any FCPL branch library; one of the staff will be able to look it up for you).

The next page confirms your request and allows you to choose the location where you want to pick up your request. Select the branch closest to your home or where it is most convenient for you to pick up materials

Sometimes you will be first on the request list. Popular books may have a long waiting list. Don't worry. Anything worth having is worth the wait.