Calendar

Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) is hosting an online Poetry Slam Competition for teens and young adults. The theme for the competition is “Dare to Hope.” Entries may be submitted online April 5 through May 3. The live-streamed performance-poetry competition will take place on Saturday, May 8, at 2:00 pm.

Students who are 14 to 20 years of age are invited to compete for prizes in this performance-poetry event by reading original works they have created themselves.

To participate in the competition, contestants should complete an online entry form on FBCL’s website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us) and upload copies of three original poems they wish to read for the competition. One poem will be read for each round to which the participant advances.

There will be two qualifying rounds and one final round. A panel of five judges will determine which competitors advance to the second round and the final round. The order of performances will be randomly chosen on May 8 at the start of the event.

Judging will be based on language, idea, theme, tone, mood, vocal strength, emotion, body/facial movement, and fluency.

Each poem must be limited to no longer than 3 minutes and 10 seconds in length. Poets may read from a copy of their poem, but they may not use props, costumes, or musical instruments.

Poems must be family friendly and may not include any profanity or sexually explicit content. Poems containing incendiary, offensive, discriminatory, or inflammatory language will be disqualified.

Participants who submit poems online during the entry period will be sent a link for the Webex session for the competition. Submissions will not be accepted after 5:00 pm on May 3.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three competitors.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Fort Bend County Libraries, the Poetry Slam is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library system’s Communications Office at 281-633-4734.

Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will present a series of introductory online demonstrations in April 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.

“Intro to 3D Printing” – Monday, April 5 (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.

 “MS Word Survival Basics: How to Delete an Unwanted Blank Page” – Thursday, April 8 (pre-recorded video).

In this segment of the MS Word Survival Basics series, learn how to delete an unwanted blank page.

 “Computers 101” – Monday, April 12 (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.

 “MS Word Survival Basics” – Monday, April 19 (pre-recorded video)

In FBCL’s “MS Word Survival Basics” series, learn the basics of using this word-processing software program to create letters, resumés, forms, and other types of documents. Different segments in the multi-part series will demonstrate various features, such as text effects, changing font style and size, adding images, footnotes and endnotes, page numbers, tables, mail merge, and more.

 “MS Excel Survival Basics” – Monday, April 26 (pre-recorded video)

Learn the basics of using this spreadsheet software program, which features calculation tools that are helpful for financial and statistical needs. In this multi-part series, learn how to use different features of MS Excel, such as formulas, filters, tables and graphs, pivot tables, VLOOKUP function, and 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’ Genealogy & Local History Department will present two online programs in April for local-history buffs and family-history researchers.

On Monday, April 19, Genealogy and Local History department manager Daniel Sample will present “A History of the Old Richmond Jail.” Sample will share a tour and brief history of the old jailhouse in Richmond, Texas.

Richmond Jail

On Monday, April 26, Carol Beauchamp will present “Family-History Research: The Southern Claims Commission Records.” The records created by the Southern Claims Commission provide a wealth of information for genealogists. In 1871, Congress established the Southern Claims Commission to compensate southerners, who had been loyal to the Union during the Civil War, for property taken or destroyed by the Union Army. Claimants had to answer a lengthy set of questions pertaining to their losses. These records also include testimonies from relatives, neighbors, friends, former slaves, and free people of color to support the claimants’ stories. Beauchamp will demonstrate how to access and navigate through this unique set of records.

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.

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 “Earth Day” in April. 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, April 19, 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:

“Earth Day, Every Day” – The Sustainable Minimalists (20 minutes).Hear five action steps to take to begin an eco-minimalist journey. Those looking to up their sustainability game will discover five advanced strategies.

“Conservation Technology with Shah Selbe” – Ologies with Alie Ward (83 minutes). Conservation Technologist Shah Selbe chats about saving the planet with some well-intentioned technology. Wind turbines, solar cars, and all the ways in which sensors, drones, recycled smartphones, and real-time data reporting can help conserve species, spaces, and communities that are threatened. Hear inspiring tales of travel, art, adventure, and putting engineering to good use from a former rocket-science-turned-professional do-gooder.

“Recycling with Helen Lowman” – Wild Ideas Worth Living (35 minutes).Helen Lowman, President & CEO of Keep America Beautiful, is an expert on the background of the recycling industry. Hear some common recycling myths, as well as tips and tricks for recycling properly.

“China Doesn’t Want Your Trash” – Why It Matters (20 minutes).For years, China processed more than half of the world’s recycling. Then, in 2018, it stopped. Things have gotten messy since then.

“The End of Trash with Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle and Loop” – Masters of Good (35 minutes). Tom Szaky is the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a social enterprise that specializes in recycling hard-to-recycle materials, tackling waste management from different angles. Additionally, Tom recently launched a global circular-shopping platform called Loop where people can buy products from major consumer brands like Hӓagen-Dazs®ice cream or Dove® shampoo in reusable containers. We talked about the impact of COVID-19 on the garbage crisis, the business of recycling - how it works and what drives it -- the future of circular economy, the power of consumers and how we can positively influence governments to pass regulations, and much more.

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).