FREE Student Success Webinars!

This February, Tutor.com is offering three FREE student success webinars! Read below to find out each webinar’s theme and use the links to sign up today!

Friday, February 4th at 12:00 pm: Overcoming Test Anxiety – Register HERE

Friday, February 11th at 12:00 pm: Collaboration and Teamwork – Register HERE

Friday, February 18th at 12:00 pm: Critical Thinking and Research Skills – Register HERE

Aren’t available at that time to watch? If you sign up for the webinar, a video of the recorded session will be sent to your email after the session ends.

Did you know that you have access to no-cost 1-to-1 online tutoring, resume and cover letter review, and other learning resources through the Aurora Public Library District? Check out all the great services that Tutor.com can offer YOU by visiting our Online Resources page on our website or click here. Happy learning!

Election Day Information 2020

The 2020 General Election is on November 3rd! Do you have your voting plan in place? Now is the time to make sure that you have all the needed documentation, find your polling location and hours, and if needed, apply for a mail-in ballot. Here’s some helpful information to help you with your voting plan! You can also check out the resources at https://www.findlaw.com/voting/indiana-voting-guide.html

Voting Rights

The Constitution of the United States of America says that you have the right to take part in civic life.

  1. If you are registered to vote in Indiana, you have the right to vote in this election.
  2. You have the right to vote by yourself or with help and you can select who you want to assist you.
  3. Even if you have a conservator, you may vote unless a court specifically said you cannot.
  4. You have the right to vote the way you want.
  5. You have the right to get help if someone tries to stop you from voting.
  6. You have the right to be shown how to make your choices on your ballot.
  7. If you are waiting in line when the poll closes, you must be allowed to vote.

Dearborn County Polling Locations

Polling locations in Dearborn County will be open from 6 AM until 6 PM on Election Day. Registered voters may vote at any one of these ten locations. Locations will have all voter information and ballots for the entire county. Every polling location will have 4-6 sign-in lines and an average of 14 machines to vote on.

Dillsboro Civic Center

9824 Central Avenue

Dillsboro, IN 47018

First Baptist Church of Aurora

6060 Blair Dr.

Aurora, IN 47001

Agner Hall

145 Speedway Dr.

Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

Tanner Valley Methodist Church

19235 State Route One

Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

Willie’s in HVL

19325 Schmarr Dr.

Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

Dearborn Hills United Methodist Church

25365 Stateline Rd.

Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

St. John Catholic Church

25743 State Route One

Guilford, IN 47022

St. Martin Catholic Church

8044 Yorkridge Rd.

Guilford, IN 47022

Manchester Firehouse

7893 State Route 48

Aurora, IN 47001

Moores Hill Senior Center

16610 N. Broadway St.

Moores Hill, IN 47032


Accessibility at the Polls

  1. The site should have clearly marked, accessible parking.
  2. If the main entrance is not accessible, there must be a clearly marked accessible entrance.
  3. One must be able to enter the site without difficulty.
  4. The path from the entrance to the voting area should be level and clear of obstacles.
  5. At least one voting machine should be accessible to people with disabilities.
  6. Accommodations should be available to allow individuals with blindness or low vision to cast their vote privately.
  7. Wheelchair users or individuals who cannot stand for long periods of time should be accommodated to be allowed to sit while voting.
  8. If assistance is needed to vote, one must be allowed to designate a person to assist, provided that person is not your employer or union representative.

What to Bring to the Polls

Indiana law requires residents to present a government-issued photo identification before casting a ballot at the polls on Election Day. Your photo identification must meet all of the following four criteria to be acceptable for voting purposes:

  1. Display your photo; AND
  2. Display your name, and the name must conform to your voter registration record; AND
  3. Display an expiration date and either be current or have expired sometime after the date of the last General Election; AND
  4. Be issued by the State of Indiana or the U.S. government.

In most cases, an Indiana driver license, Indiana photo ID card, Military ID or U.S. Passport is sufficient.

If you are unable or unwilling to present ID meeting these requirements, you may cast a provisional ballot. If you cast a provisional ballot, you have until noon 10 days after the election to follow up with the county election board and either provide the necessary documentation or affirm one of the law’s exemptions applies to you.


New Voting Machines

Dearborn County has purchased new voting machines and adopted a new way of voting on election day. Voting will be done electronically on these new machines. You can visit the Dearborn County Elections page for instructional videos on the new machines.


Absentee Voting

Can’t make it the polls on November 3rd? No problem! Indiana has three methods of absentee voting available to its residents: in-person early voting, absentee voting by mail, and absentee voting by travel board. You can learn more about absentee voting and how to apply here.

 

 

Indiana Absentee Ballot 2020

The General Election is coming up! If you can’t make it to the polls on November 3rd, you can vote absentee in one of three ways.

In-Person Absentee Voting

State law requires counties to make in-person absentee voting available for 28-days before the election, ending at noon (local prevailing time), the date before the election. In addition, all Indiana counties must make in-person absentee voting available the two Saturdays immediately before the election. County officials will have applications or electronic Poll Books at early voting locations so there is no need to file an ABS-In Person application before your visit.

Dearborn County Early Voting Locations & Hours

Bright Fire House

Open Saturday, October 24th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Dillsboro Civic Center

Open Saturday, October 24th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Dearborn County Clerk’s Office Administration Building

Open Tuesday, October 6th through Friday, October 30th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

and Saturday, October 24th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

and Monday, November 2nd from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM


Absentee Voting by Mail

Qualifications

To vote absentee-by-mail in Indiana, a voter must be able to personally mark their own ballot and sign their name to the completed ballot security envelope and have a reason to request an absentee vote-by-mail ballot:

  1. You have a specific, reasonable expectation that you will be absent from the county on Election Day during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open (6 am until 6 pm).
  2. You have a disability.
  3. You are at least 65 years of age.
  4. You will have official election duties outside of your voting precinct.
  5. You are scheduled to work at your regular place of employment during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
  6. You will be confined due to illness or injury or you will be caring for an individual confined due to illness or injury during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
  7. You are prevented from voting because of a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
  8. You are a participant in the state’s address confidentiality program.
  9. You are a member of the military or a public safety officer.
  10. You are a “serious sex offender” as defined in Indiana Code 35-42-4-14(a).
  11. You are prevented from voting due to the unavailability of transportation to the polls.

How to Apply for a Vote-by-Mail Ballot

To vote absentee by mail, a voter must first complete an ABS-Mail application before each election. The application to request a vote-by-mail ballot must be received not later than 11:59 PM on October 22, 2020 for the November election. The county or the state must have the application in their possession by this deadline; any application received after this deadline – even if it’s postmarked before the deadline – cannot be processed.

To get the ABS-Mail application, voters can:

  1. Download and print the form
  2. Call their county election official or the Indiana Election Division at (317) 232-3939 for an application to be mailed
  3. Visit their county election office or election division to pick-up an application in-person

Voters can turn in their application:

  1. Online at indianavoters.com by logging in to their “my voter portal page” by entering the requested information exactly as it appears on their voter registration record. When on the main landing page, the voter selects the “ABS-Mail” option and enters the information as prompted. After clicking “submit,” a confirmation screen appears that allows the voter to download and retain a copy for their records. There is no need to sign and return the online submission since the system applies the voter’s registration signature to the application on the back-end.
  2. By mail or hand-delivery. Physical addresses to the county election boards are found on the back of the ABS-Mail application. Please contact their office directly to determine office hours. Remember, if you take custody of another’s absentee ballot application, you are to deliver it to the election official not later than noon, ten (10) days after receiving it OR the application deadline, whichever comes first.
  3. By email. This requires the voter to print, sign, and scan or photograph their absentee ballot application and send it to the county official or the Indiana Election Division at elections@iec.in.gov.

A voter with disabilities may request that another person sign the voter’s name on their behalf on the application. The person providing the assistance may not be the voter’s employer or union representative and must complete the affidavit of assistance found on the application. If the assistor is the voter’s power of attorney (POA), the POA paperwork should be submitted with the application.

Returning your Absentee-By-Mail Ballot

If your application is reviewed and approved by bi-partisan county election officials, a ballot packet is mailed to you. This packet will include your ballot, the absentee voter bill of rights, and a first class postage pre-paid return security envelope.

The voter must be able to personally mark their own ballot but may have assistance with placing the ballot inside the envelope and sealing it. (Be sure the assistor completes the affidavit of assistance!) The voter should sign the ballot (or make their mark) on the signature line. A voter’s power of attorney (POA) may attest to the voter’s signature but is to enclose their POA with the ballot materials inside the security envelope and complete the affidavit found on the absentee return envelope.

County election officials must receive an absentee-by-mail ballot not later than noon (local prevailing time) on Election Day, November 3, 2020. County election officials must have possession of the ballot by this deadline; postmarks – even if dated on or before the date of the election – cannot be considered timely.

Finally, pursuant to state law, only the voter, the voter’s attorney-in-fact, a bonded courier, or a member of the voter’s immediate household may hand-deliver a completed absentee ballot to the county election board. Any person other than the voter doing so is to complete the ABS-19 affidavit.


Travel Board

Qualifications

Absentee voting by travel board is an option for some voters to have a bi-partisan team deliver the voter’s ballot and assist the person with completing their ballot during the 19-day period before the election. In order to vote absentee-by-traveling board, one of the following must apply:

  1. The voter expects to be confined, due to illness or injury, or the voter expects to be caring for a confined person at a private residence, on Election Day.
  2. The voter is a voter with disabilities and believes their polling place is not accessible to them.
  3. The voter is physically unable to complete the ballot and sign the affidavit on their own.

How to Apply to Vote by Travel Board

Voters voting by traveling board must complete an ABS-Traveling Board application before each election. The application to request a travel board must be received not later than noon (local prevailing time) on November 2, 2020.

To get the Travel Board application, voters can:

  1. Download and print the form
  2. Call their county election official or the Indiana Election Division at (317) 232-3939 for an application to be mailed
  3. Visit their county election office or election division to pick-up an application in -person

Voters can turn in their applications:

  1. Online at indianavoters.com by logging in to their “my voter portal page” by entering the requested information exactly as it appears on their voter registration record. When on the main landing page, the voter selects the “ABS-Traveling Board” option and enters the information as prompted. After clicking “submit,” a confirmation screen appears that allows the voter to download and retain a copy for their records. There is no need to sign and return the online submission since the system automatically applies the voter’s registration signature to the application.
  2. By mail or hand-delivery. Physical addresses for the county election boards are found on the back of the ABS-Mail application. Please contact their office directly to determine office hours. And remember, if you take custody of another’s absentee ballot application, you are to deliver it to the election official not later than noon, ten (10) days after receiving it OR the application deadline, whichever comes first.
  3. By email. This requires the voter to print, sign, and scan or photograph their absentee ballot application and send it to the county official or the Indiana Election Division at elections@indy.gov.

Please include a phone number or email address on the traveling board application! County officials must be able to contact the voter to schedule a mutually agreeable time for the bi-partisan team to deliver the ballot to the voter and provide assistance, when requested. Including a way to contact the individual in the most efficient manner is helpful to everyone.


 

Voter Registration 2020

The general election is coming up on November 3, 2020. Take the time today to register to vote, or to double check that your registration is up to date.

Do I Have the Right to Vote?

You have the right to vote in Indiana if:

  1. You are both a U.S. citizen and a resident of Indiana; and
  2. You will be at least 18 years of age on or before the next General or Municipal Election, and
  3. You are not currently in prison after being convicted of a crime; and
  4. You have lived in the precinct where you vote for at least 30 days prior to the election; and
  5. You are registered to vote.

How Do I Check if I’m Already Registered to Vote?

Check your voting status by:

  1. Visiting https://indianavoters.in.gov/
  2. Under “CHECK VOTING STATUS,” click on “Check Your Registration Record”
  3. Enter your first and last name and your birthday, and select your county from the drop down menu
  4. Click Submit
  5. If you are registered, you will be taken to your voter portal.
  6. If you are not registered, a pop up will appear saying “We could not find voter registration from the information you entered.” It will then give the option to register.

What’s a Voter Portal?

Your voter portal is your go to place for information on voting and upcoming elections. In your portal you can:

  1. Update your voter information if you’ve moved or changed your name
  2. Apply for an absentee ballot
  3. Check your polling location and hours
  4. See who is on your ballot

How Do I Register to Vote

There are three methods to register:

  1. Register online at http://www.indianavoters.com/ with a valid Indiana driver’s license or Indiana state-issued identification card on or before October 5, 2020
  2. Register by mail by completing this form and mailing it to the Dearborn County Election Clerk: 165 Mary Street Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 (forms must be postmarked on or before October 5, 2020)
  3. Register in person by returning the completed form to your county’s voter registration office or the Indiana Election Division on or before October 5, 2020

 

Once your voter registration application is received, your county voter registration office will process the application and determine your eligibility. If you are eligible, the county office will send you a voter registration acknowledgment card. Once you receive that card, you will be officially registered. If you are not eligible, or if the application was incomplete, you will receive a notice denying the application or requesting the missing information.

Over 4.5 million Indiana residents are registered to vote! Join them today!


All information taken from in.gov

Solar Eclipse 2017

You might have heard about the total solar eclipse that has been reported for Monday, August 21, 2017 in North America. According to USA Today, the “path of totality” will occur in 12 states, beginning in parts of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and ending in South Carolina. Any given part of the eclipse will last about two or three minutes, but the entire path of the moon across the sun will take about an hour and a half to reach from one end of the country to the other. You will not see any part of the eclipse unless you are in path or close to it, so make sure you plan accordingly!

Here’s how the Aurora Public Library District can help:

Plan your trip across the country with the help from our Online Resources; more specifically, plan your trip with “A to Z the USA,” which you can access through the Online Resources page. All you’ll need to have handy is your library card and pin number. You can find information by state to state to plan your trip across the United States for the best viewing of the eclipse. You can also check out a copy or peruse a road atlas from one of our branches, or even log onto one of our public computers to print directions.

You can also check out the book Eclipses by Nick Hunter to learn more about solar eclipses. Impress your friends with facts as you’re waiting to see the phenomenon yourself. You can find out more information by reading the entry on eclipses in one of our reference encyclopedias. Or if you’d rather, you can go the Online Resources on the website and visit either the Britannica or the World Book websites for free to find out more information. You’ll just need your library card number to log on.

If all this eclipse talk has peaked your interest in all things outer space, check out our collection of non-fiction books beginning in section 520. We also have astronaut memoirs and true accounts of space missions beginning in section 629. We also have non-fiction DVD’s about space, like Cosmos. And don’t forget to check out the online Indiana Digital Download Center for more titles. If there’s a title you want that we don’t have, we’ll also be happy to get it for you via Interlibrary Loan.

Online Resources: Back to School

Kids are already dreading going back to school in the fall while their parents have had a countdown since May. The Aurora Public Library District’s website has several helpful Online Resources to make the school year a little easier.

Aside from the list of links for local school libraries, there are also links to online encyclopedias. All you need is your library card number to log in in order to have full access to these encyclopedias all the time for free, whether you need them for a research project or you just want to know more about a subject. There are also links to Inspire and Morningstar, which are databases used to locate cited resources that you can also use for research. These links will come in handy when you have a big research paper due this year!

There is also a link to GoodCall Scholarship Engine, which makes it easier for prospective college students find scholarships based on individual preferences. You can research and apply for multiple scholarships without ever having to leave your computer. There is also a link to take Practice Tests for adults and students, like the SAT, ACT, GRE, and many career placement tests. If you’re a nervous test-taker like I am, you can never have too much practice!

Another Online Resource we have is the AR Bookfinder. There is information about every AR book, including how many points each book is worth as well as the reading level, a short synopsis of the book, reading interest levels, and skills that will be used on the quiz. While you’re in the Online Resources, be sure to check out Novelist and Novelist K-8, too, to find author and title read-a-likes for your next great read.

There is also a link to Live Homework Help, where you can get free one-on-one tutoring time from 2 p.m. to 12 a.m. Math was always a difficult subject for me, so I wish I would have known about this amazing tool when I was in school! It would have saved me a lot of tears.

You can always stop in the Library, too, with any questions and we’ll be happy to help you! If you have a valid library card and have access to the public computers and Internet, you can also use one of our public computers for any of these resources as well as to type papers, print, or anything else you need to do. We will be happy to help you make this school year the best one yet!

Website Resources: Travel

airplane

Are you going on a trip and don’t want to lug a bunch of travel books around with you? You don’t want to constantly be worrying about losing the books, or how they’re going to fit in your suitcase, or how much your suitcase is going to weigh at the airport. We have plenty of travel guides that can be checked out from the Aurora Public Library District if you prefer to have the hard copy of a book in front of you, but we also have several little-known online travel resources that are available.

Of course, you know that you can download digital formats of books and audio books from the Indiana Digital Download Center, but what you might not have known is that we have an abundance of travel books and guides available to download as well. Since this selection of downloads are little-known, it is likely that you will be able to borrow and download a title right away. Just make sure you have your lending period set for as long as you’re going to be away; you don’t want your download to disappear halfway through your trip! If you have any questions about this, please don’t hesitate to call the library or stop in with your device today!

If you go under the Online Resources tab through the Aurora Public Library District website and scroll down, you’ll see a whole list of databases that you, as a library patron, can use at no cost. All you’ll need to have handy is your library card number! Most of the databases listed are available through any computer and Internet connection.

united-states

A to Z in the USA

This website is amazing because you can select information by state or the country as a whole, rather than slogging through a bunch of information you don’t really need to know. You just have to log in with your library card number and you’ll be ready to go! You can explore the different climates throughout the various regions of the Unites States, as well as culture and society, education, food, history, geography, and so much more. If you narrow your search down by state, there are more tabs to go through that are more specific than the general overview of the state that is provided, including information about demographics, energy, maps, and more.

world-globe

A to Z World Travel

This site is similar to the former website, however, this page is expanded to include the entire world. You can select where you’re traveling to by popular cities listed in alphabetical order with the country in parentheses. There is also a section included on the homepage with links to information you might need quickly, such as the different time zones of the world, satellite telephones and international calling, and tips on how to save money. Once you have selected the city you will be traveling to, you will be directed to a page with in-depth information devoted strictly to that city with a real-time clock telling you what time it is there at the top of the screen. There are tabs listed that will offer neighborhood information, maps, activities, emergency information, and more.

road-globe

Global Road Warrior

This website allows you to search by country where you are traveling. Once again, there are tabs running along the left-hand side of the page after you have selected your country that you can select for more in-depth information pertaining to these specific tabs, such as business culture, facts about the country, language glossaries, human rights information, health and medical information, religion, and travel essentials. There is also a section where you can see news feeds in real time so you will be as up-to-date as possible on information.

These three resources working together will provide you with an arsenal of information so you will be as prepared as possible for your next trip. And the best part is, you can access this information from anywhere with an Internet connection as long as you have your library card number with you!

Happy Traveling! Also, I’d really like to come with you.

Newsletter

district-dispatch-logo

Did you know that the Aurora Public Library District sends out a regular newsletter? The newsletter is full of all sorts of helpful information, such as new fiction titles, upcoming programs and events taking place, and so much more! Stay as up to date as you can with the Aurora Public Library District by subscribing to the newsletter today. You can always pick up a current copy of the newsletter at any of our branches as you need it, too! Start the New Year off by subscribing to our newsletter so you can always be up to speed on the goings on of the Aurora Public Library District!

Holiday Cookbooks

The winter holidays are fast-approaching, and with them come the business of family gatherings, shopping, and parties. And of course, where there’s more than one person gathered, there are mountains and mountains of food waiting to be devoured. The Library’s collection of cookbooks can help you find that perfect recipe.

For Thanksgiving gatherings, the Aurora Public Library District has several cookbooks dedicated to the holiday. These books are filled with traditional recipes that your family will love (and come to expect!), as well as new twists on old classics. The Library also has a few Thanksgiving craft books, too, that your family will enjoy when they’ve eaten too much dinner and can’t move. Nancy Hathaway’s Thanksgiving Crafts and Cookbook is an excellent place to start.

paula-deen

The Library has other holiday cookbooks to offer, too. Al Roker’s Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook, Paula Deen Celebrates, Debbie Macomber’s Christmas Cookbook, and the Jewish Holiday Cookbook are just a few titles we have to offer. And if you’re looking for the perfect side dishes to go with your traditional main course, Choosing Sides by Tara Mataraza Desmond is a wonderful resource. We also have great cookbooks dedicated entirely to desserts, like Anita Prichard’s Complete Candy Cookbook and Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade Desserts.

sandra-lee

The Aurora Public Library District has cookbooks specifically for entertaining guests in your own home as well as what to bring to parties, such as Bite by Bite, Relax, Company’s Coming!, Entertaining with Southern Living, and The Church Supper Cookbook. Get the kids involved, too; we have plenty of cookbooks with kid-friendly recipes, like I Can Cook, Cool Sweets & Treats to Eat, and the Better Homes and Gardens Step-By-Step Kids’ Cookbook. They’ll love helping you in the kitchen and you can make some great memories along the way.

better-homes-and-gardens

We also have several volumes of special dietary cookbooks on our shelves, like The Best Gluten-Free Family Cookbook, The Complete Step-By-Step Diabetic Cookbook, The American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook, and The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook. And if there’s a specific cookbook you’re looking for that we don’t have, we can always try to get it through Inter-Library Loan.

This time of year can be stressful enough without having to worry about cooking, so let the Aurora Public Library District help you. Stop in today with your questions, or visit the Indiana Digital Download Center for more cookbooks.

Happy cooking!