State resources

Do you take old National Geographics? No?

Introducing an exciting new database you can share when your patrons ask you this eternal question! Thanks to Power Library, all libraries in Allegheny County now have access to a robust run of National Geographic, featuring a collection of fully searchable issues running from 1888 –2020. This is great news for students, researchers, and anyone interested in this classic American magazine that explores the natural world, both on and off planet Earth.  

The search interface will be familiar to anyone who has used a Gale product before. We have access to lots of great Gale content! They all work in similar ways, and I’m here to point out a few exciting things I’ve found in the new National Geographic Virtual Library. 

Because I am so dorky, I always head to the advanced search page to see what it can offer. This advanced search page provides some useful options for sifting through such a large collection, including multiple keyword fields, date ranges, and content types. Yes, you can search through National Geographic content not just for the articles but also for the iconic covers, detailed maps, and even the advertisements!

I’ve been having a grand time searching through 132 years’ worth of advertisements!

The electric car won’t happen overnight in November 2002, pg. 39

An electric car from November 1914, pg. 549

I’m a fan of the dynamic reading pane, as well. Readers can flip through the pages, zoom in and out, and read in a full screen view. There are tools to adjust contrast and brightness to enhance accessibility. Here, I’ve used the “Invert” tool to create a kind of “dark mode.” 

The table of contents is also fully linked. Readers can explore content by type within the reading pane if they want a more direct, hyperlinked reading experience, as opposed to the flippable browsing kind. National Geographic is covering cheetahs, the Bronze Age, the Brothers Grimm, Y2K and more just in this issue! You can see other navigation options listed along the left side, as well, offering a rich search experience for patrons (and staff!).

Click here to get started with the National Geographic Virtual Library. Let me know in the comments what interesting articles, beautiful maps, and (especially) weird ads you find.  

-Mary Phillips, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Continue ReadingDo you take old National Geographics? No?

Online Tax Resources!

There isn’t a polite way to say this: it’s the beginning of tax season. Here is a list of common lies we tell ourselves about filing our taxes and their associated underlying toxic trait:

  • “I can put this off for now.” (Procrastination)
  • “I’m going to have a great time filing my taxes this year!” (Toxic Optimism)
  • “I would rather build a time machine, go sit in the nosebleed section of the Steelers vs Bills’ game on January 15th, and watch them lose a playoff game 17-31 while only wearing a Hawaiian shirt and board shorts than get audited by the IRS!”

(That’s not a lie, just somehow the better of those two options).

And we all know how agonizingly laborious it can be seeking out the right tax information online, right? Wrong.

Did you think Allegheny County Libraries would just leave you out in the cold? Put your tax filing ambitions on ice? Give you the cold shoulder when you needed help the most? Let your worries snowball until your tax fears bury you in an avalanche of anxiety?!

You’re right, let’s move on.

Let’s start with resources for Pennsylvania State Taxes!

The link you just clicked takes you straight to the PA State government site. You’ll find all kinds of relevant information there as a PA resident (feel free to browse that extra stuff later). For now, you’re looking for the Department of Revenue towards the bottom of the page.

Looks just like this.

This is where you’ll find pretty much everything you need including:

  • Personal income tax forms
  • Property tax/rent rebate forms
  • PA personal income tax guide
  • Info on making a personal income tax payment online, by phone, or mail
  • Info on establishing payment plans
  • A tool that lets you track the status of your PA personal income tax refund
  • Forms for businesses
  • A link to speak directly with a customer service representative
  • More!

You can even fill out those forms as a .pdf and print them or save them for later.

Now for everyone’s favorite department of the federal government: the IRS! (That’s also not a lie, it’s sarcasm).

I’m kidding! (Please don’t audit me).

The IRS website has all kinds of tax information for you!

Here you will find all the information you need to file federal income taxes, including:

  • Forms and instructions for (including but not limited to) the following documents: 1040, W-4, 1040-ES, W-9, 4506-T, 2848, 941, W-2, W-3, 9465, SS-4, and W-7
  • Your IRS website account
  • Your federal tax record
  • Tax withholdings estimator
  • Info on making a federal income tax payment online
  • Info on establishing payment plans
  • A tool that lets you track the status of your federal refund
  • More!

Sure, reliable and easy to utilize tax information isn’t the most alluring resource that your Allegheny County Libraries offers. But, spending practically no time at all visiting these sites will make sure you don’t become so overwhelmed by tax season that you feel…frozen with inaction.

This seems like a good place to wrap up.

Always remember, if you ever have questions about accessing or navigating your digital resources, contact your local librarian!

– Derek, South Park Township Library

Continue ReadingOnline Tax Resources!