About Our Services

Middletown Thrall Library's Reference Department provides a unique variety of hardware and software-based technologies to both staff members and the public as part of our library's mission to help meet the advanced informational and technological needs of our growing community.

We are constantly testing, adapting, revising, or innovating services to give you the best opportunity to quickly and easily find what you need. New and improved services are carefully planned and delivered under the guidance of the Reference Supervisor. Existing services are refined to more capable and efficient offerings wherever possible.

Our daily goal is to provide access to quality tools and information which you can use to empower yourself as a researcher and community member on both local and global levels. We encourage you to explore our website and the library in person to discover how you can take advantage of our many free services. Please feel free to visit the Reference Department at any time to learn what is available to you or use our Ask a Librarian service to send us your questions.

Services Available

Examples of Thrall Computer Services available to the public include:

• Article and Music Databases - Thrall subscribes to electronic databases and other services in addition to those available through the New York State NOVEL program. Thrall cardholders have free access to millions of articles, along with thousands of classical and world music titles.
• Ask a Librarian - Our free Internet reference service.
• Basic computer and Internet classes - Individually scheduled tutorials. Please inquire at Reference for more information.
• Beyond the Bestsellers - An electronic edition of our in-house publication dedicated to readers craving to go beyond bestseller lists.
• Booklovers Guide and Booklovers blog - resources and updates for the love of reading!
• Digital History Initiative - Local history documents, books, photographs and other items digitized at Thrall.
• Current Interests Center - Our guide to the world of news by topic.
• Do the Dewey! - A popular triva game where you can learn about and test your knowledge of the Dewey Decimal System.
• E-mail notification of items requested or overdue. This is a free service available throughout the entire Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS).
• eBooks, eAudio, eMusic - Freely downloadable titles accessible through your home computer.
• Educational and "edutainment" software and word processors in the Children's Department and Young Adult. Please visit the Children's Department or call 341-5470 for more details.
• Encyclopedias - Complete multimedia editions of major encyclopedias also available in print at Thrall.
• Future Title Watch - Our monthly publication of forthcoming titles (fiction, nonfiction, biography, etc.).
• Government Information Center - Local, state, federal, international information made accessible to you by Thrall, a designated Federal Depository Library.
• Internet access at the library - Free access! Please inquire at Reference for more details. Provided in partnership with Alteva (formerly Warwick Online).
• Library Catalogs and Library Account Access - Search or Browse Thrall's holdings and along with nearly 50 other libraries in the Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS).
• Library newsletter - An electronic edition of our quarterly newsletter.
• LightSwitch Search Tools - Discover and learn new search engines. An educational tool developed and maintained at Middletown Thrall Library.
• Local information on the web - Links to schools, organizations, and more.
• Obituary Database - A local index of obituraries developed and maintained at Middletown Thrall Library.
• RAVES! Reader's Advisory - A dynamic tool for readers developed and maintained at Middletown Thrall Library.
• RE:fresh! Newsletter - Featuring important updates and new resources/tools in our Reference services.
• Search Engine Simulator - An educational tool developed at Thrall to demonstrate how a search engine can work.
• Self-Study Center - On the web, Thrall provides concise introductory courses to key concepts, such as Computer Basics, Critical Thinking, and Searching the Internet. Most courses have a quiz at the end where you may test your knowledge.
• Special Coverage Center - Hot topics of local and global interest.
• Thrall Documents - Downloadable versions of select in-house publications.
• Thrall.org - Our award-winning website provides comprehensive access to local and global information along with tools, documents, and other resources provided to educate and empower you. In addition to this, you can use our website to learn about the library, its history, budget, policies, departments, administration, board meetings and minutes, annual reports, current and upcoming public programs, hours of operation, delays or closings.
• Web Guides - Annotated links to Internet sources in all major topics.
• Wireless Internet access at the library - - Free access. Please inquire at Reference for more details. Provided in partnership with Alteva (formerly Warwick Online).
• Word processing and other office software (Microsoft, OpenOffice, WordPerfect) at the library.

Additional Activities

Thrall Computer Services also collaborate with all library departments and the administration to:

• Discuss, plan, and implement new features, services, policies, or electronic resources, such as our web guides
• Discuss and formulate technology requests for our Friends of Middletown Thrall Library, Inc. group.
• Produce print and electronic/web-based promotional materials for all upcoming library programs and events.
• Create print and electronic/web-based informational materials from the administration to the public, such as Annual Reports, yearly budgetary summaries, minutes of the meetings, and special announcements from the library director or the library board.
• Train and assist staff members with all software, hardware, and library-related machines, such as our photocopiers and microfilm/microfiche readers.
• Coordinate with the Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS) headquarters for such things as software and database licensing, identification and resolution of library system-level technical issues (e.g. problems with the library catalog), and communication of recommendations from both staff members and patrons concerning changes and improvements in library system-level matters.
• Coordinate with Alteva (formerly Warwick Online) with respect to our wired and wireless Internet services for patrons and staff members.
• Coordinate with software, hardware, or Internet vendors with respect to existing and possible future services and acquisitions.
• Provide technical assistance or technical support referrals wherever necessary for all library systems and electronic services provided by Thrall.

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