The Answer

According to The Free Legal Dictionary, presidential power is defined as:

The executive authority given to the president of the United States by Article II of the Constitution to carry out the duties of the office.

As the election approaches and you’ve probably made up your decision whom to vote for or you are sick and tired hearing about it, elevate your mind to a more idealistic level and consider some recent books on presidential power.  What are the limits and boundaries that prevent presidents from achievement and conversely, what circumstances have made them succeed.

Gibbs, Nancy.

The Presidents Club: Inside the World’s Most Exclusive Fraternity.

2012. (973.920922 G).

Merry, Robert W.

Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians.

2012. (923.1 M)
Also available: Large Type

Osgood, Charles.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House: Humor, Blunders, and Other Oddities from the Presidential Campaign Trail.

2008. (973.099 O).

For additional titles on this topic, check out this list.

For additional titles on this topic, check out this list of books about presidential power.

For loads of information and trivia facts, the The American Presidency Project is full of research and audio and video links back to Herbert Hoover.

Ever wonder what happens to your online presence when you die?  Now that a majority of the population has some kind of membership on a social media site, have you thought about what would happen to your content when you die? Well, the government has thought about it and they now want you to think about it by creating a social media will. The government says you should begin by appointing an online executor. They go on to suggest the following:

• Review the privacy policies and the terms and conditions of each website where you have a presence.
• State how you would like your profiles to be handled. You may want to completely cancel your profile or keep it up for friends and family to visit. Some sites allow users to create a memorial profile where other users can still see your profile but can’t post anything new.
• Give the social media executor a document that lists all the websites where you have a profile, along with your usernames and passwords.
• Stipulate in your will that the online executor should have a copy of your death certificate. The online executor may need this as proof in order for websites to take any actions on your behalf.

The preceding was taken from the government blog USA.gov Blog – United States Government which is filled with all kinds of useful information.

Books at the Library on wills in general may be found under the call number 346.73052.

Devising an effective marketing strategy is not easy. Businesses are bombarded by information suggesting how they should market their services, raising more questions than answers. How should I market my business? How can I generate more referrals? Is social media right for my business? What social media channel should I focus on and how do I do it? What about traditional advertising? Where do I spend scarce advertising dollars?

How can you distinguish good advice from hype and where can you find good marketing advice? Here are some ideas:

SCORE Counseling:  SCORE offers counseling and mentoring to Small Business owners and they sponsor free webinars led by trained professionals. Expert one-on-one advice from business professionals is available at the Skokie Pubic Library every Wednesday night. Sign up for an appointment today.

Books and eBooks:  The Library has business books, many focused on marketing, including a special collection of titles for small businesses in the Small Business Collection. Safari Books and Books 24×7 offer many marketing titles, instantly available to read on your computer online.

Business Databases and Online Information:  Build targeted customer lists, research your industry and competitors, and find targeted business information, are just a few things you can do using the Library’s databases.  It’s all free and available online, with your Skokie Public Library card. Or, make an appointment with a librarian for a personalized session and get started now.

You can find this business information and more, conveniently consolidated on the  Skokie Business Portal.

Pinterest is an online social networking site that is visual and easy to use. Users share images of things they find interesting on personal, themed boards. Other users of the site who find the images appealing repin the images to their own Pinterest boards. Consumers can’t buy anything on the site, but it has enormous potential for raising awareness of your business, as users find your images interesting and repin them to their own boards. You can get a lot of bang for your buck, because it doesn’t cost a thing.

If you think Pinterest is right for your business, you can begin by registering at the site and creating your own board.  Get started by following other users, such as important players in your industry or market, and repin interesting content to your boards. If you follow them, they may want to follow you.

How can you learn more about Pinterest for your business? Here are a few ideas. Build your Pinterest expertise with Library resources. Read Inc.com’s  9 Tips: Boost Your Business with Pinterest for great suggestions to craft your Pinterest presence. The Pinterest website has guidelines for business use and gives interesting examples of how businesses have used the site.

Every place you turn the business press is touting the need for innovation and creativity in business. There is little doubt that creativity and innovation can give businesses a competitive advantage. But, most articles contain little practical advice on how to come up with innovative concepts applicable to your business.  Where can you turn when you are looking for fresh ideas? A few recent books focus on methods to ignite the spark of creativity in business.

Imagine: How Creativity Works (2012) by Jonah Lehrer

Creativity is a process, not a gift, and can be learned. Lehrer explains how.

The Idea Hunter: How to Find the Best Ideas and Make Them Happen (2011) by Andy Boynton and Bill Fischer with William Bole

Ideas are waiting to be found by people who are in the habit of looking for new and creative concepts.

Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity  (2011) by Josh Linkner

Businesses can manage innovation in their daily routines.

The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book That Will Change the Way You Do Business (2011) by Clayton M. Christensen

Rules for companies who wish to take advantage of innovative practices.

Are you traveling with kids on your next vacation? Are they balking about going with you?  Here is a new series of travel books designed especially for your younger companions to involve and interest them in their journey.  Published by Lonely Planet, we own the entire Not-For-Parents series including New York, Paris, London, and Rome. These books are filled with unusual facts and trivia that you wouldn’t usually find in “regular” travel books.  Even if you aren’t going anywhere, these are fun to browse through for any age. Find these and other travel books on the second floor in the travel alcove.

Lee describes the Dewey number 900s area (the history section) or the Library.

Learn about the Library’s Travel Collection from Lee.

Check a brief video about the Computer Book section.

You will see more of these videos in the coming weeks.

Are you or someone you know interested in learning more about our ESL and World Language collections? Take a look at this great video tour given by one of our reference librarians! Then visit us and let us know if you need any help!

Also, don’t forget to check out these online resources for literacy and English as a Second Language.