Seeking Broadband

A broadband connection to the internet is increasingly seen as an essential service, similar to electricity. This has been particularly apparent with the need to communicate remotely during the ongoing pandemic. In fact, billions of dollars in grants have been released in recent months to assist in providing more people with access to broadband. Some …

Converting to eTechnology

The first week of March is Read an eBook Week, when many publishers offer free or discounted eBooks. However, many ebooks are available to be checked out for free from your library. Through Fontana Regional Library, you can create an account with RB Digitial, OverDrive, or other providers of ebooks. eBooks have been increasingly popular …

Most Popular Recent Books

If you looking for a book to read, consider trying those listed below! These books were all published in 2018. Since being added to the collections of public libraries in North Carolina (those belonging to the NC Cardinal consortium of libraries), each of these books has been checked out 600 to 1000 times (not counting …

Libraries Provide Much More Than Books

Many people have the impression that libraries are less useful than in years past. It is true that we can now look to the Internet instead of a quiet library to find information and reading material. However, libraries today provide the internet access that is not otherwise available to those lacking the capability of connecting …

47 years working for FRL

Fontana Regional Library is celebrating 75 years of providing service to Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties in Western North Carolina. Read the recent blog describing how the regional library was started, including fascinating histories of the region’s member libraries. However, here is a remarkable history of another sort: for nearly two-thirds of the existence of …

Investing for the Future

Blogs earlier this year pointed out the benefits of spending less money than one earns in order to pay off debt and to build an emergency fund covering several months of expenses. It is also sensible to continue saving as much as one can manage over a lifetime, because income from Social Security and a …

To Budget, or not to Budget?

I wrote an overview of Financial Literacy in my blog from the beginning of the year. For those of us who find explanations easier to understand when clarified by pictures, the Infographic Guide to Personal Finance is a visual reference available from the library. My earlier blog included a link to useful guidance on how …

Money Matters!

Financial Literacy is a worthy goal. To be financially literate is to understand how to manage money, which can mean the difference between struggling to survive and living comfortably. Unfortunately, many people around the world lack the skill to calculate discounts or even change owed from a purchase. I believe that practical financial skills should …

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day takes place on the 1st of December each year. It’s an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever global health …