Pioneer Library System

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that millions of American are out on the highways this summer. While the summer is full of fun - poor vehicle maintenance can result in a vacation turning bad.

According to the NHTSA, “hot weather combined with underinflated tires or worn out tread are a recipe for disaster”. With a tire gauge and a vehicle owner’s manual motorists can make sure their tires are properly inflated. This helps add a level of safety to summer excursions.

What if you no longer have all that documentation that came with your vehicle? Now PLS card holders have access to two vehicle repair databases from home. All it requires is your library card. Chilton’s Auto Repair Manual and EBSCO’s Auto Repair Reference provide your shade-tree mechanics (and even the more advanced garage mechanics) access to repair and maintenance information on vehicles both foreign and domestic.

You can also check out the federal government’s website dedicated to vehicle safety information, at http://www.safercar.gov/

On Saturday, June 26, join us at the Sam Noble Museum for “Library Day” at the museum. From 10 am to 5 pm, you can get free admission to the museum with a library card. If you don't have a library card, don't worry. We will have library card applications available.

The library will provide craft activites from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm and "dinosaur storytimes" in the Discovery Room at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.

In addition to all the regular exhibits, there is a special exhibition from The Field Museum in Chicago called "Chocolate" that will be on view at the Sam Noble Museum through Sept. 12.  You can learn all about the wonderful food and its history.

The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is located at 2401 Chautauqua Ave on the South side of the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman. Visit www.snomnh.ou.edu for directions.

Pioneer Library System is proud to present Mango Languages, the newest database available from the Virtual Library.

Mango Languages provides lessons in over 30 foreign languages including ESL courses for a variety of languages. Languages include Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic and many more.

Mango Languages prides itself on its ease of use and practical application. Instead of spending time learning words out of context the lessons teach actual conversational skills.

It’s very easy to create an account to track your progress and start learning now from a library computer, your home computer or any internet enabled computer. All you need is your valid library card and you can start learning a foreign language today.

Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 31st this year and all of the Pioneer Library System's hometown public libraries will be closed, on the 30th and 31st, as we honor military men and women who have died in service to our country.

Memorial Day, known as Decoration Day originally, was first enacted to honor Union soldiers after the Civil War, but after World War I it was expanded to include all American casualties. The name Memorial Day became more popular after World War II, but was not declared the official name until 1967.

Traditional celebrations include families gathering for cookouts and sporting events, visiting cemeteries and memorials, and flying the American flag at half staff from dawn until noon.