- Mobile Pages
- Library Catalog
- Library Account
- Calendar of Events
- Children's Page
- Community Information
- Friends of the Library
- Library Cards
- Library Policies
- Library Services
- Library Use Value Calculator
- Meeting Room
Reservation Form - New Materials List
- Reference Databases
- Request Items
- Teens / Young Adults
Do you have a book club? Get your kit from Ransom!
Everything you need to have a great discussion packed in a handy bag. Now with over 75 great titles guaranteed to please your readers.
Ransom Book Discussion
June 11, 2013
Wild
By Cheryl Strayed
July 9, 2013
August 13, 2013
September 10, 2013
October 8, 2013
November 12, 2013
No Discussion Date in December.
2013 Books TBA
New Members Welcome!
New title recommendations are welcome!
All titles we have read are available in the discussion kit bags for circulation.
Ongoing Kid & Teen Programs
Caffeine Teens - Mondays, 3 p.m.
Teen Writers Group - 4th Mon. of the Month, 7 p.m.
Elementary: Original Play & Read-Write-Create - Tuesdays, 4 p.m.
Story Time - Mondays & Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.
Teen Creative Writing Workshop - Wednesdays at 3 p.m.
Parachute Playtime - Fridays at 11 a.m.
Guitar Club Beginners - Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.
Guitar Club Experienced - Fridays at 3:30 p.m.
New
members are welcome to any group!
For more info visit:
Kids Things to Do Page &
Teens Things to Do Page
Ransom only emails you once a month or as needed for the following reasons:
-Reserve Notices
(As Needed)
-Interlibrary loan (MEL)
(As Needed)
-Item Due Notices
(As Needed)
-Overdue Notices
(As Needed)
-Ransom eNewsletters
(Once a Month)
-New Book Alerts
(Once a Month)
Sign up your email to your account and/or your child's account today!
Online Access to Your Library Account and Online Catalog
To access your Library Account, your library card number is your username and password. Once into your account, you may view your checked out materials and renew materials.
You may also reserve materials online. Just search our catalog, locate the item and enter your library card number for your username and password. This can also be done through our Catalog Computers in the library!
Order on MEL? Review your MEL Account and renew items! Go to www.mel.org, click MyMel to log in. Or go to MyMel directly to check for due dates, renew your MEL materials, and see the status of your requests. Just select your library (Ransom District Library) from the drop down list and login with your name and library card number.
Need more information on ordering through MEL (interlibrary loan)? Go to our Library Cards page for more information.
Item Due Notices
Story Time:
Mondays & Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
For more information, please visit our Children's Page.
Be sure to view all of Ransom District Library's events!
All events are listed on Ransom's calendar.
But for program details on Children's & Teen's events visit: Children's Page and Teen Page.
Local Historic Papers are now available electronically!
The electronic format, consisting of PDF files, is available on all patron computers. (Not available online.) The electronic papers are searchable (such a wonderful, time-saving feature!!) and can be printed. Currently, they include The Forwarder (1948-1949), The New Enterprise (1971), The Otsego Union (1970-2011), and The Plainwell Enterprise (1886-1974), The [Plainwell-Otsego] Union Enterprise (1974-2011).
Get the updates, newsletters, and more!
Send us your email!Is your email on your library account? Get Ransom's Newsletters, interlibrary loan (MEL), Ransom Reserve, Item Due, and Overdue notices, sent to your inbox!
If you registered your email with us and have not received an email, please check your "spam folder" and mark our email address as "not spam." Thank you!
Search Ransom's Catalog
|
Search MeLCat!
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Just view new items or sign up!
Southwest MI Digital Library
Free eBooks & Downloadable AudiobooksNow compatible with Kindles!
Join us on Facebook!
Click here to see Ransom District Library's Page!
Follow us on Twitter!
Click here to see Ransom District Library's Page!
Get Ransom Newsletter Emails!
Click here to fill out the form to subscribe.
For more information about the project or for other possible "re-tour" routes to Ransom Library, please visit plainwell.org.
*Special Event*
There will be a ceremony in downtown Plainwell to celebrate our city's historic plaque project on Thursday, May 30th at 7 p.m. The project is a documentation of oral history, folk lore, and interesting stories about historic buildings in downtown Plainwell. Come toast Plainwell and all the folks who worked hard to honor and remember our local history.
Friends of RDL News
Friends of Ransom District Library President,
Janet Ragainis
Friends of Ransom Library Upcoming Book Sales
Sat., July 20 from 10-3PM
Can't make it to the Book Sale? Don't forget the Friends Book Sale Shelves!
Ransom will be closed:
Memorial Day
Monday, May 27, 2013
Independence Day
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Christmas Eve
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Christmas
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
New Years Eve
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
New Years
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Troan Yearbooks
Ransom District Library is missing the following yearbooks and we would appreciate donations of the following years:
1957, 1961, 1969, 1979, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998
Parents: Add your email address to your child's account - get overdue notices sooner to help reduce fines! Just fill out the Contact Us Form with your name, your email, and child(ren)'s name.
Updated Information:
Free Electronics Recycling @ Ransom
Ransom has partnered with New Life Inc. Electronics Recycling to offer free recycling! We now accept: computers, monitors, printers, scanners, laptops/tablets, servers, televisions, still cameras, video cameras, MP3 Players, fax machines, phone systems, cable, radios, speakers, projectors, routers, modems, PDA's, video game consoles, external drives, dvd players, vhs players, cable receivers, satellite receivers, digital converter boxes, video game consoles, alarm clocks, cell phones and chargers, any type of batteries and more! No large appliances, please. A large variety of items are accepted, if you do not see your item on the list, please contact info@nlerinc.com. Please drop off items during regular library hours.
What about your personal data?
There is no need to worry about your personal data. All hard drives will be wiped according to the Illinois EPA guidelines with our data destruction program that meets Department of Defense Standards. - NLERINC
Questions about item loan periods, fines, and overdue items? Visit our Library Cards Page for more information!What title comes next in a series of books?
Join our Friends of the Library! New Members are always welcome! Visit the Friend's Page for more info!
Reserving the Meeting Room
The Library has a meeting room available for reservation. The room is available to non-profit organizations only. There is no charge for meeting room use. Please check our calendar for dates and times that already have the Burchfield Room reserved. If you would like to reserve the room, please call the Library for further information or use our Meeting Room Reservation Form.
Amazing New Services! Click the links for more info....
Ransom Library will be closed
Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.
Have a safe and fun holiday!
from 7-9 p.m.
Over time each of us experience many different losses: the death of someone close; loss of a physical ability; any kind of broken relationship; loss of possessions or a sense of safety or security; loss of a future we thought we were going to have; or perhaps, loss of hope. The list seems endless. This workshop will highlight the process of coming to terms with our losses, show how people have successfully found the resources to meet the challenges loss brings, and suggest ways of “being” as well as ways of “moving” toward hope, healing, and renewed life.
For further information about this free program, please call (269) 686-8659 or 1-800-796-2676 and ask for Bill Brady or David Green.
More classes to be announced soon, in our next newsletter!
Thursday, June 13 at 7 p.m.
Wet your appetite for the road and discover some great summer trip ideas when Steve Ellis, editor of new West Michigan magazine "Spark" visits Ransom. Steve worked for the Kalamazoo Gazette for 23 years, and has assembled over 600 odd and amazing tales from the greater Kalamazoo area. He is bringing his photographic presentation here, along with a treasure lode of memorabilia from area businesses. Registration required.
Thursday, June 20 at 7 p.m.
Paper quilling is an exciting and stunning artwork of creating decorative and intricate designs from delicate thin strips of paper. Learn how to make a truly unique card in this free class. Registration required.
Download FREE Popular MP3 Music
from your library website!
Popular Award Winning Artists!
Coming Soon: The complete addition of Sony Music Entertainment's music video collection!
Did you know? Freegal has an iTunes backup on the app and a wishlist for downloads!
ransomlibrary.freegalmusic.com
(Pin numbers are typically your library card number, so enter your library card number for both lines.)
What is Freegal?
Freegal is a downloadable music service from your library. All you need is your library card number and, if your library requires it, a PIN. Freegal offers access to about 3 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. In total the collection is comprised of music from over 10,000 labels with music that originates in over 60 countries. There is no software to download, and there are no digital rights management (DRM) restrictions. Access to Freegal is limited to patrons of subscribing libraries.
Please also see: Freegal FAQ's.
Freegal Searching: WHY CAN'T I FIND IT?
A band name is one of the most valuable assets a group can own. Band names are protectable under trademark law, because like "brand names" they allow us to distinguish one band's music and identity from another. How does that affect you? In your haste to download your favorite songs you might type in the common spelling of an artist instead of the name their music is trademarked under…..and you either get a “no artist found” or a list of music you were not looking for.
Beyoncé vs. Beyonce - P!nk vs. Pink - Ke$ha vs. Kesha - Mötley Crüe vs. Motley Crue
OutKast vs. Outcast - The Black Crowes vs. The Black Crows
Britney Spears vs. Brittany Spears - Evanescence vs. Evanesence
And, let’s not forget when you are searching for an artist using the A to Z artist search…..Monosyllabic band names can almost always be improved by the addition of the word, “The”. The Guess Who, The Bangles, The Kinks, The Romantics…. When using the A to Z artist search, look under the letter ‘T’ to find bands that begin with the word, ‘The’.
Introducing Rocket Languages!
Rocket Language...
Your ticket to:
- Speaking with a perfect accent!
- Understanding when spoken to
- Cutting learning time up to 50%
- and having FUN while doing it!
About Rocket Languages for Libraries:
Our extensive range of products allows you to learn a language on your own terms and in your own time. With our comprehensive multi-media packages you will be speaking and improving your language skills with every lesson by taking part in the modern, everyday conversations that make up our Interactive Audio Course. In addition, you will learn to speak the language naturally with our language and culture lessons and you can also build on your vocabulary and improve your audio recognition of common words and phrases (and have fun at the same time) with our popular MegaGames range.
Visit the Art in the Library!Ransom's art hosting schedule:
Free Online Classes! http://www.gcflearnfree.org/
This is an amazing service provided by the Goodwill Community Foundation.
Start anytime, finish anytime - Study at your own speed!
Use for just one tutorial or complete a whole class!
750+ free lessons – receive a Certificate of Completion & accredited Continuing Education Units!
Just to name a few…Topics range from:
- Microsoft Office: Windows, Outlook, Powerpoint, Publisher, Word, Excel, & Access – available in XP, 2000, 2003, 2007, & 2010
- Career Building: Resumes & Cover Letters, Interview Skills, Job Searching & Applications
- Internet Basics, Email Basics, Apple, Google, Mobile Apps, & Social Media Math Basics, Reading, Money, & “Everyday Life”
Books & Audiobooks - Log in and check out items today!Log in today by selecting Ransom District Library and using your library card number. You may begin browsing materials immediately. However, to download materials and transfer them to your device you will need to review the QuickStart Guide. Please note that an email address will be required to download the software for accessing items and to place holds on checked out items. We recommend reviewing all of the links listed below for new users.
SouthWest Michigan Digital Library Home Site - Bookmark this page!
QuickStart Guide - Guided Tour - Checkout Assistance
FAQ's & Troubleshooting - Supported Devices - Incompatible Devices
Why don't you have [Bestseller / Award Winner / etc.] as an eBook?
Chances are it's because we don't have a choice. Not all eBooks available to individuals are available to libraries. Sadly, unlike a regular person, a library cannot pay Amazon or Barnes & Noble for an eBook and then lend it out to people. eBooks and other digital content are treated differently than print books and other physical formats by the publishers and the companies who manage digital content licensing. We desperately want to offer you these eBooks but the companies won't let us. As your library, we commit to continuing advocacy for change in these policies.
The following publishers currently refuse to sell or license eBooks to libraries. If you disagree with their policies concerning libraries and eBooks, please contact them and make your opinion known.
Macmillan Publishing - 75 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013
(212) 226-7521 customerservice@mpsvirginia.com
Simon & Schuster - 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
(212) 698-7000 http://simonandschuster.com/about/contact_us
Penguin Group - 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
(212) 366-2000 ecommerce@us.penguingroup.com
Hachette Book Group - 466 Lexington Avenue #131, New York, NY 10017
(212) 364-1100 customer.service@hbgusa.com
Brilliance Audio - 1704 Eaton Drive, Grand Haven, MI 49417
(616) 846-5256 libsales@brillianceaudio.com
New Book Alerts display all new items!
Browse our new items below, click on an item to see more! *New items added WEEKLY!*
New Book Alerts is a free online service that showcases the newest titles purchased by your local library. You can select to receive alerts via email and/or RSS feeds. If you see a new title that you are interested in, just click "borrow" to place a hold on the item right away.
Click here to see the New Book Alerts!
*New items added to page WEEKLY!*
(Email Newsletters sent monthly.)