Calendar

Book lovers don’t need to let COVID-19 social distancing keep them from sharing their opinions and feelings about books with other readers.

Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will offer an online option for book-club meetings this spring – all book-club meetings will take place online through Webex so that readers can interact with others in real time and participate from the comfort and safety of home!

Fort Bend County Libraries’ book clubs represent a wide variety of books and genres. Book clubs that were previously specific to particular branches can now be enjoyed by readers all across the library system.

Books can be requested by calling the libraries, or by placing them on hold in the online catalog. They can be picked up from the libraries through FBCL’s Books & More! Curbside Pick-Up service. Digital versions of some books are also available for download from FBCL’s eLibrary.

Because the book club meetings will be live-streamed over the Internet via Webex, participants should register for the meetings by going to the FBCL website – www.fortbend.lib.tx.us – click on “Classes and Events,” and register for the book club meetings of their choice. A link to the Webex sessions will be emailed to all who have registered.

Saturday, May 15, 11:00 am-12:00 noon – Heavy Inks Graphic Novels Book Club

The books to be discussed are Boxers and Saints, both created by Gene Luen Yang. These titles are available in print; call George Memorial Library to check on availability of additional print copies.

Saturday,May 15, 11:00 am-12:00 noon – Mystery Readers Club (formerly Murder & Mayhem Book Club)

This book club, which focuses on mysteries and crime novels, meets on the 3^rd Saturday of every month. The book to be discussed this month is A Willing Murder, a novel written by Jude Deveraux. This title is available in audio and in print; call the Missouri City Branch Library to check on availability of additional print copies.

Monday, May 17 – Book Talk: Graphic Novels for National Pet Month (pre-recorded video).

In FBCL’s Book Talk series, library staff give a synopsis of featured books and share their thoughts on it. In this episode, hear about four graphic novels celebrating the love and loyalty of animals: Rascal, by Jean-Luc Deglin; Reggie and Me, by Tom DeFalco; She and Her Cat, by Makoto Shinkai; and Beasts of Burden, by Evan Dorkin. A link to the video will be posted on FBCL’s online calendar on the scheduled date, and it can be viewed at any time.

Wednesday, May 19 – Book Talk: The Republic of Pirates (pre-recorded video).

In FBCL’s Book Talk series, library staff give a synopsis of featured books and share their thoughts on it. In this episode, hear about The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down, written by Colin Woodard. A link to the video will be posted on FBCL’s online calendar on the designated date, and it can be viewed at any time.

The book club meetings are free and open to the public. Registration is required for the book club meetings so that a link to the Webex sessions can be emailed to all who register. To register online at the library’s website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on “Classes & Events,” select “Virtual Programs,” and find the program on the date indicated. Participants may also register by calling Fort Bend County Libraries’ Communications Office at 281-633-4734.

Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will present a series of introductory online demonstrations in May to introduce people to various aspects of computer use and technology.

These how-to tutorials can be viewed on the Fort Bend County Libraries website – www.fortbend.lib.tx.us – by clicking on the “Classes and Events” tab, selecting “Virtual Programs,” and finding the virtual “class” on the dates listed.

Some of the topics includes multiple sub-topics, and participants can choose to view the whole series or the individual parts of their choice.

The schedule for May is as follows:

 “MS PowerPoint Survival Basics” – Monday, May 3 (pre-recorded video)

In FBCL’s “MS PowerPoint” series, learn the basics of using this slideshow-presentation software program. In this multi-part series, learn how to use different features of MS PowerPoint, such as creating slides, inserting text and pictures, and adding transitions and animations.

 “Cyber Security” – Monday, May 10 (pre-recorded video)

In this multi-part series, learn about steps to take to ensure your online accounts remain safe and secure from virtual attacks and breaches. Get tips on how to create strong passwords, recognize and avoid email scams, verify “fake news,” avoid malware and viruses, and protect one’s privacy on social media.

 “MS Word Survival Basics: How to Create Letterheads and Stationary” – Tuesday, May 11 (pre-recorded video).

In this segment of the MS Word Survival Basics series, learn how to create custom letterhead. Library staff will demonstrate how to insert and format an image in the header so that a logo and slogan appear at the top of every page. Viewers will also learn how to use watermarks to create custom stationary.

 “Intro to 3D Printing” – Monday, May 17 (pre-recorded video)

This 2-part instructional video will provide an overview of 3D printing. Learn about how the 3D printer works, the process for printing, and how to use Tinkercad to design 3D objects.

“Computers 101” – Monday, May 24 (pre-recorded video)

FBCL's multi-part "Computers 101" series consists of basic, introductory videos providing an overview of computers and how they can be used. Episodes in the series cover the physical parts of a computer, the differences between a Microsoft PC and an Apple Mac computer, and the meanings of different computer terms. Get an overview of the software programs in the Microsoft Office Suite (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint), and much more.

 The sessions are free and open to the public. To access these online tutorials, go to the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on “Classes & Events,” select “Virtual Programs,” and find the program on the date indicated. For more information, call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).

For more Fort Bend County Libraries computer and technology tutorials, visit the library system’s YouTube channel -- https://bit.ly/FBCLYouTubeChannel.

Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will present online genealogy and Texas-geography programs in May for local-history buffs and family-history researchers.

On Tuesday, May 11, FBCL staff member Bryan Bankston will present an “Intro to Texas Digital Sanborn Maps.” Find large-scale maps of Texas towns and cities dated from 1867-1970. Bankston will explain how to access this online resource from inside or outside the libraries. Learn about the types of information that can be gathered by studying these maps.

On Monday, May 17, FBCL’s Genealogy and Local History department manager Daniel Sample will present “Family-History Research: Develop a Research Plan for Difficult Questions.” Sample will demonstrate how creating a research plan can help get past road blocks or unsolved mysteries in one’s genealogy search. Get tips on ways to narrow the focus of one’s research and break down brick walls obstructing the past.

These online, pre-recorded videos can be viewed on the Fort Bend County Libraries website – www.fortbend.lib.tx.us -- by clicking on the “Classes and Events” tab and selecting “Virtual Programs,” and then finding the programs on the dates listed.

Anyone interested in more local-history or genealogy resources is encouraged to join the Family-History Research FBCL Facebook group page. Managed by the Genealogy & Local History department at George Memorial Library in Richmond, the group page is an interactive, online forum for sharing genealogy tips and resources, as well as local-history stories.

For more information, call the Fort Bend County Libraries’ Communications Office (281-633-4734).

The Podcast Club at Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library will focus on “Mysteries” in May. The Podcast Club meeting will take place online via Webex, so listeners throughout the area can participate from the comfort and safety of home.

Similar to a book club, the Podcast Club provides an opportunity for podcast listeners to get together to discuss podcast selections from a themed podcast-listening list and share their opinions on trending topics. Each month features a different theme, along with a short list of podcast episodes.

The next meeting of the University Branch Library Podcast Club will take place on Monday, May 17, beginning at 5:30 pm. A link to the Webex meeting will be emailed to all who register.

A direct link to the podcasts can be found on Fort Bend County Libraries’ online calendar on the FBCL website. The playlist of podcasts from which to choose includes:

“Detective Story” – Stuff to Blow Your Mind (68 minutes). Everyone loves a good whodunit, but why does the figure of the fictional detective tower so staggeringly over the modern world? He or she is a seeker of truth, a resolver of conflict, a subcultural liaison, and perhaps even a shaman for an increasingly secular world. Join Robert and Christian for a dive through the history, science, and cultural resonance of the detective story.

“Halloween Special: The Mystery Show!” – Part-Time Genius (39 minutes). How did Agatha Christie churn out so many novels? Was Woodrow Wilson more important to the mystery genre than Sherlock Holmes? And what happened to Inspector Gadget's mustache (because he used to have one!) Hear about the mysteries of these mysteries!

“Case #1 Video Store – Mystery Show (25 minutes). Laura becomes a member at a video store, rents a video, and attempts to return the video the next day, only to discover the store is completely gone. This episode of Mystery Show gets to the bottom of how a video store could close in one day.

“Episode 1: What We Know” – Limetown (33 minutes). In this fictional mystery, Lia Haddock is an investigative journalist with APR looking into the story of the disappearance of the town of Limetown. Episode 1 lays the groundwork and background details for an intriguing mystery series.

“Could I Learn to Think Like Sherlock Holmes?” – CrowdScience (34 minutes). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous fictional detective is renowned for his feats of memory, his observational capacity, tireless energy, and an almost supernatural ability to solve the most perplexing crimes from seemingly unconnected facts. Does the way Sherlock Holmes solves mysteries go beyond fiction? What does science have to say about the matter? In this podcast, fact is pitted against fiction with a leading forensic expert and a sleep scientist, and presenter Marnie Chesterton puts herself to the test under the guidance of memory champion Simon Reinhard.

The Podcast Club is free and open to the public. Registration is required; a link to the Webex meeting will be emailed to all who register. To register online at the library’s website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on “Classes & Events,” select “Virtual Programs,” and find the program. Participants may also register by calling the University Branch Library (281-633-5100).