Get homework help and much more by visiting the link below!

https://landing.brainfuse.com/index.asp?u=main.Belmond.p.iowastatehn.ia.brainfuse.com

HelpNow offers a lot of great tools for all ages to help you in and out of the school year.
All these are available FREE OF CHARGE to all library patrons.

Live Tutoring: HelpNow offers live tutor access for homework help, skills building and test preparation where after taking a quiz, the user can connect directly to a live tutor from the test center without having to return to the main page. Because HelpNow is personalized, both the student and the tutor can access quiz questions to do an intensive test prep which may include loading lessons on the whiteboard. All live sessions are saved and can be replayed as well as shared with friends and teachers by email.  Using the CloudPack feature, students can store and upload MS Word, Excel, JPG, and other accepted file types directly onto the whiteboard.
 

Asynchronous Services: The Writing Lab and the 24/7 Center options give users the freedom to receive assistance at any time of the day without connecting with a live tutor.  Users can submit papers through the Writing Lab for a detailed feedback.  24/7 Center is for non-writing assignments such as math or science.  All reviews and comments from our tutors are found and stored in the Message Center which is found on the student homepage.

Study Tools: LEAP helps patrons build academic skills through targeted lessons, quizzes, and live, online tutoring. LEAP creates a learning plan based on a skills assessment that is taken at the beginning of the course. Flashbulb is a robust, learning resource where you can find flashcards or create your own. There are many ways this can be used.  Brainfuse students have created sets to use with their friends and teachers have created sets for their students to use.
 

Collaboration tools: For students who prefer to work independently and   form their own online study group, HelpNow offers a set of collaborative tools – MEET and Brainwave. MEET allows students to schedule their own online sessions using the Brainfuse MEET whiteboard which is specifically designed for a group setting.  Brainwave is a recordable whiteboard where students can draw, write on the whiteboard and chat then save and email it to others for feedback.   

Adult Learning Center
Adult Learning Center is the adult learners’ version of HelpNow™ where patrons can access High School Equivalency prep, US Citizenship test prep, resume assistance, Microsoft Office support, and Career Resources. The Writing Lab, Send Question, and Skills Building are also included in the Adult Learning Center suite. 

About Brainfuse™
Brainfuse is one of the nation’s leading online tutoring providers, serving a diversified client base of libraries, school districts and colleges/universities for over 18 years. With Brainfuse, users receive real-time tutoring from instructors via our proprietary online classroom.

myLIBRO is NEW to Belmond Public Library!

With myLIBRO you can:

Search the catalog
You can search the catalogs for both Belmond Public Library and BRIDGES.

Access your account
Use the app's voice-enabled "virtual assistant" text chat interface to see your checkouts and holds for both physical and digital items, due dates, and items ready for pickup.

Manage multiple cards
Add multiple cards to your profile to manage the accounts of your children, spouse, or other loved ones.

Getting started is easy.
Download the app on Apple or Android.

After downloading, open the app and press 'get started':
1. Under library, select "Belmond Public Library"
2. Enter your full library card number. Don't know your number, give us a call (641-444-4160)
3. Enter your library PIN (the last 4 digits of your card number)
4. Tap "Sign In"

Once signed in:
• Tap the three vertical lines in the top left-hand corner to see menu options such as Settings and Quick Tour
• From the menu select Profile to display your library card as a scannable barcode
• Search the catalog using Search or My Account (see your checkouts and holds in My Account only)

Need more help? Check out the myLIBRO User Guide

If you have questions about myLIBRO or want assistance adding it to your phone or tablet, feel free to stop by or contact us at 641-444-4160.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: Is myLIBRO the same as Libby?
A: No. myLIBRO is a separate app all together. Libby connects you to the BRIDGES library for all digital media and downloads. myLIBRO is a one stop all things your library. With myLIBRO you can manage your library account, view and renew all physical and digital checkouts, search our card catalog, put physical books on hold, view our calendar of events, receive library notifications, and more! 

Q: Will I still need Libby if I can read ebooks and listen to audiobooks on myLIBRO?
A. This is up to you. myLibro does give you access to the BRIDGES collection. You are able to listen to audiobooks and read your ebooks through the app. If you prefer the look and feel of Libby, continue to use Libby. 

Q: I can't log in. I don't know my library card number.
A: Contact the library and we can help you get set up with the app. Need some hands on help? Our staff can walk you through the app in person. Simply stop by the library and ask for assistance.

You, our patrons and visitors, are the most important piece of our library puzzle. We created this spring challenge with you in mind to celebrate all the wonderful things about our library and community.

Complete tasks and color or cross off the puzzle piece. For every 8 tasks you complete, you will be entered to win the library challenge prize! Complete all squares and earn one extra entry. Puzzle cards and entries must be received by Saturday, May 27.
Prize drawing will be held on Tuesday, May 30 with winners contacted after.

REGISTRATION WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 5 THROUGH FRIDAY, JUNE 9!

Kick off is scheduled for Wednesday, June 14 at 4pm. Dr. Michael Bechtel, Associate Professor of Science Education at Wartburg College, will be here sharing his love for animal ecology and introduce us to some of his animal friends. Open to all ages.

AGES 3 YEARS OLD TO THOSE JUST FINISHING PRESCHOOL:
Join us for TOT-TIMEon Tuesdays one June 20 & 27 as well as July 6 (note day change) & 11. This summer we will read exciting stories and creating fun crafts that will hep us Paws to Read! Please note, all Tot-Time children must be accompanied by an adult.

KIDS JUST GOING INTO 1ST GRADE TO JUST FINISHING 5TH GRADE:
Programs will be held on Wednesdays from June 21 through July 12. A full schedule of programs will be provided at registration. 

YOUTH GOING INTO 7TH GRADE THROUGH JUST FINISHED 12TH GRADE
Participants in this group will complete activities on the "Paws to Read" Game Board to earn entries to the prize drawing. Complete the entire sheet to earn an extra prize drawing entry and a prize book.

The hospital construction is underway!

As a result, the back parking lot is closed until completion. Parking will be available on main street in front of the building. Just a reminder, the back book drop will be unavailable. Please place all items returned outside business hours in the book drop located in front of the library.

Thank you for your continued patience as construction continues.

If you have questions or need us to deliver your items via curbside delivery or if you are homebound and would like us to deliver items to your home, please contact our library at 641-444-4160. Thank you.

            
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Friends of the Belmond Public Library was formed in 1995.  They are an auxiliary group of the Library Foundation.  Their mission is to maintain an
association of persons interested in the library, to focus public attention on the library, to lend financial support, to coordinate volunteer efforts,
and help promote the programs and services of the Talbot Belmond Public Library. 

As a Friend, you will have the satisfaction of supporting one of our most important educational institutions, playing an important role in making books and other materials available to the community. 
You will also have the opportunity to volunteer for various events and programs.

  You can join for as little as $5.00 per year as an individual, or $15.00 as a family.
If you are already a Friend of the library, please stop by today to renew your membership. 

Please contact the library with any questions. 
The library would love to have you as a Friend!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Silver in the Bone dips into Arthurian legend and myth taking it's characters to Avalon and the home of Arthur's tomb. In the book, readers are introduced to Tamsin and her brother Cabell. Both are Hollowers, or thieves for hire who search out magical relics on contract. Told through Tamsin's point of view, the two are contracted to find an artifact that fits closely with their search of their adopted father and a ring that is said to dispel any curse. This is vitally important as Cabell's shifts to a beast are happening more often and are harder to stop. As always, things are not as easily gained or solved in this case. The two are thrown into an adventure with Neve, a self taught sorceress, and Emrys, fellow Hollower and trust fund baby.

I really enjoyed this fantasy young adult read. The story is pretty straight forward with elements of mystery, adventure, and even light horror. The worldbuilding is a bit on the light side. Not much is really explained about the magic system and the Hollowers portion of the story is short and for the most part felt like a device to bring the characters together. The Arthurian legend part of the story is also pretty on the surface. There are elements, characters, and lore in the story; however, it's a relatively accessible approach. While I'm sure some readers would like a little more in regards to that part of the story, I think how it is written does a lot to engage the readers while avoiding alienating them with too much information.

The characters are interesting. There is character growth, both good and bad, through the story. This growth also occurs for some secondary characters. I enjoyed the action in the book. The mystery element also had me guessing. While I had an impression of where the story was leading, it was not so much that I felt it predictable. The writing is really nice as well. Bracken does a wonderful job of showing instead of telling. We learn about the characters, the world, and the history as the story progresses.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I've been in a bit of a reading slump so this was a nice comfortable read that was engaging and kept my interest. I was unaware it was a series, so I will admit to some disappointment when the story ended with loose ends. I look forward to the next book and following the series.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Sutanto
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Funny, heartwarming, and entertaining, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers wrapped me up and warmed my insides like one of Vera's delicious cups of tea. It was a fun read filled with mystery and wonderful moments.

Vera is queen of her own kingdom. She lives above her tea shop where she carefully considers the right tea for the right person and situation. She's a widower who spends a lot of her time alone. Her son is pretty absent, but despite this, she texts him regularly and asserts her loving brand of worry upon him and his life choices.

One morning she enters her shop and discovers a dead body. After being disillusioned with the police's handling of their investigation, Vera decides to do a bit of sleuthing of her own. She gathers a group of suspects. She quickly inserts herself into their lives. Each one of them is unique and has their own questionable involvement in the death. Jumping between five points of view, readers get insight into each of the characters, their motivations and the victim. Overall, while this is definitely a who done it, there are themes of friendship, family, and grief sprinkled with plenty of wit and heartwarming moments. Each of the characters develop over the story and find that they are changed for the better thanks to Vera. That's what is so delightful about this book. It's a cozy mystery but so much more. I absolutely adored Vera, the cast of characters and the story.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan Series #3) by Elle Cosimano
Genre: Comedic Mystery

I am fan of the Finlay Donovan series. The books have a nice blend of romance, action and craziness. What sets the series apart from others of its type is that Finlay is a mother and encounters a lot of the issues that come along with motherhood. She's also navigating divorce and stepping out into new relationships. It's a lot to handle without the Russian mafia, bodies showing up, a friend and roommate who is carrying her own baggage, and a whole lot of misfortune. Despite everything seeming to go wrong before going rigth, the series is done in a way that you cheer for Finlay and laugh at all the ways things go sideways.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is book three in the series. Like the other books, the story picks up where it left off. There are no huge surprises or needing to play catch up with the plot. There is plenty of action and readers will see a progression in not only Finlay's story but Vero's as well. The book did seem to move a bit slower than the others. While a lot happened and we learned a lot more about the characters, it read like a transition novel. Of course the book ended leaving some big questions about one of the regular characters and their involvement in other possible bad things. The humor is still there and the romance as well. I am glad that there is an end to the love square that seemed to permeate the last books. I dislike Finlay's ex even more in this book. He's sketchy and it feels like he's becoming a borderline stalker at this point. Not only did he fail as a husband, but I'm pretty confident he will not get 'father of the year' at any point.

Overall, it was a fun read. It has just the right amount of mystery to keep you guessing. A lot of questions were answered from previous books and a few more were created. Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series would really like this series as it has a lot of the same comedic elements. Need a laugh and love a good mystery, check out the Finlay Donovan series at our library!

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Genre: Horror

How to Sell a Haunted House is just plain creepy. Given the title and the beginning of the book, I thought this would be a straight forward haunted house story. I should have known it would be a lot more complicated given Grady Hendrix is the author. The book has an overflowing bucket load of family disfunction, a creepy puppet by the name of Pupkin, attempted murders, and an imaginary pet who is absolutely disturbing. The formula makes for some pretty horrifying scenes and an even more troubling glimpse into the characters' family dynamics.

Louise returns home after her parents' death in a car accident. She's reunited with her brother which goes far from smoothly. To put it bluntly, they hate each other. There's so much baggage there that I'm surprised either of them can function. After arguments and fights, the two settle on working together to sell their parents house. From the get go the vibe is creepy. Something is definitely wrong with the place, or rather the things in it. Louis and Mark quickly discover that their family has kept a lot of secrets over the years. They have also kept a lot of secrets from each other. Louise pines to return home to her 5 year old daughter, Poppy, and the sense of normalcy that comes with her life, Mark flips back and forth between the money he will get from selling the house and holding on to the memory of his parents. Neither one of them wants to be in the company of the other.

How to Sell a Haunted House is a surprisingly fast read. I read it in two days, but that is only because once Pupkin made his entrance I had to put the book down. That's what I get for reading a horror book right before bed. The story is pretty intense. I was fully immersed in the story and like any hungry reader, I was desperate to find out what happened. The scary scenes are a bit chaotic which drives the drama and creepy factor. At times parts of the book are a bit campy and even predictable. My only issue is the total unlikability of the characters. From the get go I had a strong aversion to Mark and throughout the book even Louise. I didn't find myself cheering for either of them; however, it did not affect my enjoyment of the story as a whole. I think had I genuinely cared for the characters this would have pushed it to a full 5 stars for me.

Overall, How to Sell a Haunted House is a great read. I enjoyed the experience in a pretty creeped out disturbed way. Pretty certain this librarian will avoid puppets for a while thanks to this book.

A HARD DAY FOR A HANGOVER (Sunshine Vicrum #3) by Darynda Jones

Genre: Comedic Mystery

There is never a dull moment in Del Sol. Reluctant sheriff, Sunshine Vicram is on the case. When a young woman is found unconscious at the bottom of a cliff, Sunshine puts on her sleuthing hat to solve the case. Auri, her precocious teenage daughter, does a little investigating of her own. Of course, the case isn’t the only thing on Sunshine’s mind. Her continuing love for Levi is causing a bit of a distraction. Can sunshine balance the foils of her professional and personal life to solve the case?

Like the other books in the series, A Hard Day for a Hangover is full of romance, humor, and a killer mystery. As a conclusion to the series, it definitely does not disappoint. The book is fast paced and full of high tension action. The mystery element, interaction between the characters, and of course the laughs kept me going from page one. There are twists and turns in the case that keeps readers guessing. A bit of a warning, A Hard Day for a Hangover is a bit more graphic than other books in the series. Jones does a wonderful job of finding a balance between the serious and comical scenes. She transitions nicely. What I love most about this book and the others in the series is the characters and their interactions. I absolutely love Auri and would love to see a young adult series with her as the main character.

The Sunshine Vicram series is high on my list of books I recommend to my friends and patrons, especially those who are fans of sassy main characters and comedic mysteries. Overall, the series and this latest installment are solid books. They are fun reads and bring a bit of sunshine into my reading, pun intended.

Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse

Genre: Fantasy Western

I am a big fan of Roanhorse's writing. It always feels gritty, dirt in your teeth kind of good. In Tread of Angels, Roanhorse creates a world of Angels and Demons and places it all in a western setting. The novella follows Celeste as she moves through Elect society investigating the death of Virtue. All of this is to attempt to free her sister, Mariel, who was charged with the murder. Eliciting help from a Virtue and the demon Abraxas who happens to be her ex, she discovers that things aren't always what they seem.

I really liked Tread of Angels. While the book checks in at only 200 pages, it reads like a full length novel. Of course, I wouldn't have hated an extra hundred pages or so. There is plenty of mystery and intrigue in this fantasy western. The characters are interesting, the world building is pretty unique, and of course the racial metaphors are not lost in the story. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep the story moving. While there is a romance, the tension and background are missing. This might be a miss with some readers who love a good strong romance. While we know the romantic history between Celeste and Abraxas, the length of the book isn't enough pages to feel it.

Overall, a good read. It's fast paced, interesting, and kept me guessing.