April 2006 Sites

IowaBikes.com
Just in time for spring! Check out the Iowa Department of Transporation's
IowaBikes.com Web site. In addition to information on bike safety and
Iowa's multli-use trails, most particularly cool and useful is the link to
the state bicycling map. (We also have print copies of this map here at the library.) There is a page of free bicycle safety materials you can order.

Get Human Database
The most popular part of the Get Human website is the Get Human database
of secret phone numbers and codes to bypass phone menus and get to a human
when calling a company for customer service. (See also their general tips for finding toll-free numbers and for getting directly to a human.) Thanks to Kirk for submitting Get Human!

Prints & Photographs Reading Room at the Library of Congress
You know if it's from the Library of Congress, it's bound to be way cool.
As a resource for wonderful historical stuff, LOC is right up there with
the Smithsonian. Check out this page for great, searchable, historical
photographs. Here is just a tee-tiny taste of what lies in store:
African American photographs assembled for the 1900 Paris Exposition Civil
War photographs
Look Collection (3.9 million photos made for use in Look magazine)
Stereograph cards
Van Vechten Collection (!! - Carl Van Vechten is a Cedar Rapids native)
The list very literally goes on and on and on. I was able to help a patron
looking for pictures of Native American Wicki-Ups by searching this
database.

Enjoy these sites and remember to refer our patrons for help with their
related questions.

Jo