Tax season is over!

We are all celebrating that tax season is over! Leonore plans to keep the tax forms out until the end of April and then will recycle them.

I just added up the count for tax aide by our wonderful volunteers from AARP. They helped 956 people this year!

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone has elected to stop doing business with public libraries. After our subscription ends on July 31^st we will not be able to provide access to Rosetta Stone. There is nothing that we can do about it.

As we get nearer to the last day of the trial we will be asked about this more often so if you have any questions about this please feel free to ask.

This transition time is a good chance to familiarize ourselves with and to promote Mango Languages and the downloadable language learning e-audiobooks available through NetLibrary.

Tax Help

According to our AARP person, they are not available to answer any questions as of 4/15/09. If customers call you can give them the contact info from the AARP Tax Aid website: by phone at 1-888-AARP-NOW or write to: AARP Tax-Aide, 601 E. Street NW, Washington DC 20049-1214.

Friends Information

Collier received a nice acrylic stand to house Friends information for the public. Currently, there is 1 copy of the newsletter (more should be coming from HPL PrintShop), the cards for the Book Sale, and membership forms. There is an address on the forms for people to send in their money to join. If someone insists they want us to send it in, you can, but only if it is a check. DO NOT ACCEPT CASH!! It can go in interoffice mail to the Friends.

Sundays and temperature

Sunny was here today to restart the AC and I asked him about Sundays. He doesn't know why it has been so hot. He thinks that the blips in electricity that we have had may be turning off the chillers.

He suggested that if it is hot when we first get to Collier on Sunday we call 1-866-635-1395 to report that it is too hot.

All of the guys who are on call live far away so it takes them a while to get here. They have to be on site to make any adjustments.

New Pharos Link

https://192.168.132.21/Pharos/Logon.aspx

Same password as before. A security certificate warning comes up; you should accept even though it recommends that you not accept to continue.

IT sent some instructions. They are on the Reference Desk. Take a look when you get a chance.

New tax issues for 2009

• Your stimulus payment from last year should not be included as income when you file your 2008 tax return. Most people received the maximum Economic Stimulus Payment in 2008. However, some people may be eligible for a first time credit or for a larger payment than they were eligible for last year. This amount is called a Recovery Rebate Credit . You'll need to have the amount of your Stimulus Payment from last year so you can figure out whether or not you're eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit. Use this link to determine your amount from last year. https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/irfof/IRServlet?app=IRACTC&selectLanguage=en
• People have asked about claiming hurricane damage (apparently talking about it some in the media). They can use Form 4684 to claim. We have the form but not the instructions. Additional instructions are in Publication 547.