Staff Review: RX: A Graphic Memoir by Rachel Lindsay

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a rat race? Yeah, me too. RX: a graphic memoir by Rachel Lindsay explores the rat race of corporate America from the viewpoint of a woman stuck in a vicious cycle. This quick read pairs Lindsay’s basic, yet poignant drawings with her no-nonsense, straight-forward, and humorous dialogue to suck the reader into her story.  She masterfully shows us what it means to be a ‘human among the wolves.’

Lindsay was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and works a full-time job for the health insurance to be able to pay for her treatment. Ironically, she ends up creating advertisements for antidepressant drugs. We are drawn along with the choices she makes that eventually leads her to be involuntarily committed. As she struggles to process her life while trying to earn her freedom, we join in her battle between sanity and happiness. You will run through a gamut of emotions in a short time when reading this graphic novel, which is something I really enjoyed because it was a short, yet powerful reminder of what it means to be human.

While you are exploring the world of graphic memoirs, try Marbles: mania, depression, Michelangelo, & me: a graphic memoir by Ellen Forney and Passing for human: a graphic memoir by Liana Finck.

~Thea, Adult Services

#MCM Man Crush Monday- Carlos Arturo Torres

Who is Carlos Arturo Torres? He's a designer who's making some children's lives much more exciting.

Photo from http://www.wired.com/2015/07/lego-makes-everything-bettereven-prosthetic-kids/?mbid=nl_72815.

Torres created Iko, a prosthetic arm that can be customized with Legos, allowing children to make their arms look however they want and help them feel more comfortable and have fun while wearing the prosthetic. It's a great step in a field where 3-D printers are already making strides in how prosthetic limbs look. It's an awesome idea and for that, Carlos Arturo Torres is our Man Crush.

Read about Carlos and Iko here.

Interested in health and science? Take a look at some of our newer books on those subjects.

Eat. Nourish. Glow.: 10 Easy Steps for Losing Weight, Looking Younger, and Feeling Healthier by Amelia Freer

Genomic Messages: How the Evolving Science of Genetics Affects Our Health, Family, and Future by George Annas, J.D. and Sherman Alias, M.D.

No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness by Michelle Segar, Ph. D

The Nurses: A Year with the Heroes Behind the Hospital Curtain by Alexandra Robbins

September Magazines of the Month: Wired and Yoga Journal

The start of the school year is a perfect opportunity to explore new things, whether learning the wonders of multiplication or researching the history of scientific investigation. Carnegie-Stout Public Library is, of course, a great starting point for learning something new. Our September Magazines of the Month display the breadth of our collection, with something to appeal to every interest!

Yoga Journal began publication in 1975, and today has expanded beyond the pages of a magazine to DVDs, books, and conferences across the country. Despite their long history, they devote space each month to provide information to people new to the world of yoga, making this a great resource for beginners and experts alike. You can check out a print copy, download an issue from our Zinio downloadable magazine collection, or check out their website to learn more: www.yogajournal.com

Wired magazine is a published by Condé Nast, and focuses on technology and its effects on the world. Offering insight and coverage of the cutting edge, Wired has something for readers interested in culture, economics, science, and more (the term "crowdsourcing" originated in a Wired article). Check out a copy from the library, or check out their website to learn more: www.wired.com

Staff Review: Death Without Cause

Wahlert High School and University of Iowa graduate Pamela Klauer Triolo now lives in Texas.  When she emailed the Library last summer to ask if we’d like to accept a copy of her first novel, I was pleased to find Death Without Cause was already on our shelves.  Now that I’ve read her book, I’m equally glad to report that I want to read The Imposter, the next title in her planned series of health care mysteries featuring nurse Santos Rosa, but it doesn’t have a release date yet.

Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen are authors of medical thrillers I’ve read in the past.  Pamela Triolo compares favorably; a bit less graphic and a touch more cozy.  All three authors use their medical backgrounds to give an insiders’ view of health care settings, professional ethics and politics. 

The first chapter of Death Without Cause begins with Santos and fellow nurse Patrick Sullivan facing a tense code blue emergency when a local public figure scheduled for a routine knee replacement begins hemorrhaging.  The following chapters alternate from Santos’ point-of-view to the thoughts of an unnamed hospital employee who is plotting a deadly game for patients.  I like that many of the chapters are relatively short; some are less than a page long.

Triolo’s cast of characters and well-plotted storyline kept me absorbed.  The good guys weren’t perfect, and the bad guy wasn’t inexplicably evil.  His motivation, if not his identity, was revealed as the story progressed.  There was a balance in not only the characters, but the action as well.  Details of Santos’ family life and friendships counter the riveting medical action.  Triolo’s time spent working in hospital is evident in her knowledgeable account of how staff respond to unexpected and unexplained problems for patients.  If I ever end up in a critical care situation, I’d want a team like Santos’ co-workers from the Texas Medical Center in my corner. 

The descriptions of Houston reinforce my desire to visit Texas someday; I’d like to attend the Nutcracker Market.  Maybe Pamela Triolo will be there autographing copies of her next book.

 - Michelle, Adult Services

Our Favorite Books of 2013, part two

It's time once again for the staff of Carnegie-Stout Public Library to pick our favorite books of 2013. It's a mix of books new in 2013, and books new to us in 2013. This is the second half of our list, you can check out the first set of our favorite books of 2013 by clicking here. If you're wondering what other patrons have been reading this year, you can check out the What Dubuque is Reading Pinterest Board. We'd love it if you'd share your favorite books from this past year in the comments

Andrea, Circulation: Growing up, I did not read many books that are considered “the traditional classics.” Trying that now as an adult, I finally picked up To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  Published in 1960 and set in the South, this is a time that I do not know very well.  Aware of this fact, I wanted to keep reading it once I started.  Seeing the world through the eyes of Scout and Jem in 1930s Alabama, I was able to learn many lessons about inequality and justice.  I can't imagine this is how people used to live, yet this was a normal occurrence to them with change slow in coming.   Now I am finally able to understand all of the nuances brought out by this book in the world today and how many actual Boo Radleys there are in our own lives.  I am now thankful for my first journey into the classics and I am waiting for my next trip very soon. 

Amy, Youth Services: Pure Trilogy by Julianna Baggott (Pure, Fuse, and Burn): These books take place during the post-apocalyptic future world.  A cataclysmic event has happened and all of the people outside the "dome" suffer from fusing's of materials and other people that were near them at the time.  Pressia has a doll head fused to her hand.  She meets up with Partridge who is an escaped "pure" dome-dweller.  Together they brave the desolate and treacherous countryside to find her mother that she is sure survived the cataclysm.  They also search for the secret that will free the Wretches (those outside the dome) of their fusing's forever.  I'm anxiously awaiting the 3rd installment of this trilogy.  It's due to be released in February 2014.  I liked the fast pace of these books and the intriguing story.
You might also enjoy checking out Allison's review of Pure.

Sarah, Adult Services: It's hard to pick just one book for this list, which is why it's nice that I get to post reviews for my favorites throughout the year.  Even so, I'm picking two books. A friend insisted that World War Z by Max Brooks was worth reading despite the zombies, and while I did have zombie themed nightmares, it was an amazing audiobook. It's a full cast recording, so each narrator who shares their experiences in the zombie war has a unique voice and character. Zombie stories, like much of science fiction, are used as metaphors for the problems in modern society, and Brooks does a brilliant job of that. My second choice is The Human Division by John Scalzi. I read this in a standard print copy, as opposed to its original release as a series of short stories. I think this was the strongest title in his Old Man's War series, but I'm a sucker for collections of interconnected short stories. If I have a complaint, it's that the ending is a little too open, but I'm hopeful that means there will be a book six.

Michelle, Adult Services: Jan Brett's brand new book Cinders: a chicken Cinderella is my Christmas present to myself.  Cinderella is not my favorite fairy tale, but Jan Brett's spin on the story and her illustrations are incredible.  The four page center foldout is a magical ballroom scene that gives new meaning to "chicken dance"!  I love looking at the details in the borders around each set of pages.  Brett knows chickens; this is evident in her drawings and her description of the flock's pecking order.  Cinders, her Cinderella, reminds me of Doofus and Dorcas, my Silver Gray Dorking hens.

Angie, Circulation: The House of Hades is the 4th book in the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan– a secondary series that follows the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Much like the Harry Potter series, the heroic adventures in this book appeal to a wide audience - middle-grade through adult readers. For those unfamiliar with the Percy Jackson world - the setting is the modern world, with a twist: The gods of Olympus (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, etc.) and the monsters of mythology like giants, the Titans and Tartarus, are real and causing chaos) and it is the job of a group of 7 demi-gods (teens who have one mortal parent, one godly parent) to defeat those monsters who are out to destroy the human race. This book takes a darker turn than some of the other books in the series, but the demigod characters really come into their own in this book. With humor and daring, the demigods come to believe that they might be able to pull off the impossible when they work as a team.I listened to the audiobook version of this book– and the performance by narrator Nick Chamian was commendable. I highly recommend anyone listen to the entire series on audiobook. The stories are exciting and funny.

Emily, Youth Services: Gulp by Mary Roach. One would not expect a "journey through the alimentary canal," which is what we now call the digestive tract, to be an enjoyable, let alone funny, read but it is! The subject is well researched with both historical and modern references. Mary Roach covers every - yes, every - aspect of the digestive process with facts, stories, and humor. Gulp is a thorough yet light-hearted examination of a serious and often unpleasant subject.

June Magazines of the Month: Men's Health & Men's Journal

We've once again  selected two magazines of the month! June 16th is Father's Day, and so in honor of all the men in our lives, our magazines of the month are Men's Health and Men's Journal. Both of these monthly magazines focus on issues of interest to men from fitness to fashion. Men's Health publishes local editions in over 30 countries worldwide, while Men's Journal has been carried into orbit by NASA astronauts.

You can check both of these magazines out from Carnegie-Stout's collection on the second floor or from our Zinio collection of digital magazine subscriptions. Both publications offer special features and additional content on their websites.

Men's Health: www.menshealth.com
Men's Journal: www.mensjournal.com

If you come into Carnegie-Stout in the next few weeks, be sure to check out our Father's Day themed display on the second floor near the Adult Computers!

Snack Time, Read Up!

 

Gulp, the latest book by popular science author Mary Roach, tackles the mysteries of the digestive system. If you enjoy learning while you laugh, you should definitely check out Mary Roach's writing. She has an ability to bring humor and insight to topics that would normally make the average person squirm (sex, death, etc.). If you're already on the waiting list for Gulp, or you're not quite sure you want to read about what happens in the small intestine, we've pulled together a list of some other recent titles that explore our relationship with food.

Mark Kurlansky is another popular author of non-fiction known for his engaging style and incredible detail, though his tone is far more serious, and his focus tends toward the historical. If you're looking to learn more about our relationship to food prior to consumption, you should ddefinitely check out Salt: a world history (333.85632 KUR), Cod: a biography of the fish that changed the world (333.956633 KUR), and Birdseye: the adventures of a curious man (LP Biography Birdseye). For other in depth explorations of a single consumable's impact on humanity's history, try:

• Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization by Steven Solomon (553.7 SOL) 
• Sugar: A Bittersweet History by Elizabeth Abbott (633.6 ABB)
• A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage (394.12 STA)

Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss (613.2 MOS)
This recent title has also spent some time on the best seller lists. A through-provoking and passionate look at our relationship with junk food by an award-winning journalist. If you're already on the hold list for this one, check out:

• American Wasteland by Jonathan Bloom (363.7288 BLO)
• In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (613 POL)
• Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock (DVD 647.95 SUP)

Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton (641.5092 HAM)
The stories of the people who devote their lives and careers to food and the restaurant business can provide a different perspective on our relationships with food. Blood, Bones, and Butter is a moving and straightforward autobiography by Gabrielle Hamilton. The book chronicles Hamilton's difficult path from rural New Jersey to the head chef of her own New York restaurant. For more chef, foodie, and restaurant memoirs, try:

• Relish: my life in the kitchen by Lucy Knisley (Graphic Knisley)
• Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford (641.59455 BUF)
• Kitchen Confidential: adventures in the culinary underbelly by Anthony Bourdain (641.5092 BOU)

Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish (641.815 FOR)
Perhaps you're more interested in creating the delicious foods you eat yourself? Carnegie-Stout does have an excellent collection of cookbooks, but for today we'll stick to a few on baking bread. Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast is a recent guide to home baking from ken Forkish, a Portland baker. The recipes in this cookbook range from the beginner to rather more advanced. If you're looking for more, check out:

• Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery by Joanne Chang (641.815 CHA)Flour 
• My Bread: the revolutionary no-work, no-knead method by Jim Lahey (641.815 LAH)
• Bread Baker's Apprentice: mastering the art of extraordinary bread by Peter Reinhart (641.815 REI)

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you! 

Books to Help You Stay Healthy, or Maybe Just Make you a Hypochondriac

It's cold and flu season, and if you didn't get a flu shot, hopefully you're washing your hands regularly. But if you've come down with some bug, we've put together a display of some books and movies to entertain and inform. Although, if you think you might be contagious, it might be better if you browse our collection of eBooks on OverDrive first.

For more on the current flu outbreak:
Iowa Department of Public Health, Influenza Home
For the latest information on the influenza outbreak here in Iowa, along with helpful tips for how to stay healthy at home, work, and school.

Flu.gov
The U.S. government's one stop site for information on influenza, current outbreaks, prevention methods, tips for recovery, and more!

It's not too late to get a flu shot, and this handy widget will help you discover where to go to get one:


For more on the science behind flu, viruses, and epidemic diseases:

Flu: the story of the great influenza pandemic of 1918 and the search for the virus that caused it by Gina Bari Kolata
(614.51809041 KOL)

Guns, Germs, and Steel : the fates of human societies by Jared Diamond
(303.4 DIA)
Also a DVD


A Planet of Viruses by Carl Zimmer
(616.91 ZIM)

Inside the Outbreaks by Mark Pendergrast
(614.4 PEN)

For soup recipes:

An Exaltation of Soups : the soul-satisfying story of soup, as told in more than 100 recipes
(641.813 SOL)

The Culinary Institute of America Book of Soups : more than 100 new recipes from America's premier culinary college
(641.813 CUL)

The Secrets of Jesuit Soupmaking : a year of our soups
(641.813 CUR)

For home remedies and alternative medicine:

The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies: an easy-to-use reference for natural health care
(645.321 CON)

The People's Pharmacy : quick & handy home remedies
(615.321 GRA)

National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs : the world's most effective healing plants
(615.321 NAT)

And there's even more on our Pinterest Board!

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

It began - or at least it seemed to begin - with two small bug bites. Bedbugs? Perhaps. The young Manhattan reporter, just months out of college, searched her apartment for any sign of the pest. Despite finding no trace, she searched again, eventually calling in an exterminator, who also found nothing. Unknown her, this seemingly innocuous event would mark the beginning of an illness that would eventually steal her sanity, mind and nearly her life.

Susannah Cahalan's Brain of Fire: My Month of Madness is her recollection (as much as she is able to remember) of her journey through what initially appeared to be a bad cold, to extreme personality changes, paranoia, mania and vivid auditory and visual hallucinations and seizures. It is also a harrowing journey through the health care system, as she and her parents desperately searched for a diagnosis as Cahalan slipped further and further into catatonia.

Brain on Fire is based on Cahalan's recollections during the first stages of her illness. However, as she admits, the very nature of the disease makes her memory of that time unreliable, and later, simply missing. Cahalan also relies on the recollections of her parents - who kept a shared journal to keep each other updated on their daughter's progress between visits - her boyfriend's memories and stories from her family, friends and coworkers. Cahalan also draws on her extensive medical records and interviews with the doctors and nurses who treated her, including, as Cahalan's mother remarks, "a real-life Dr. House." She also reviews recordings of her time in New York University Hospital's Advanced Monitoring Unit, offering a haunting glimpses of her deteriorating sanity, none of which Cahalan remembers.

Some of the book's most moving passages (of which there are many) are the recollections of her parents and loved ones. Cahalan's parents had divorced and remarried and her relationship with her father - a somewhat reserved and emotionally distant man - had suffered. Her parents, who had not maintained a relationship, vowed early on that their daughter would not be placed in a psychiatric ward. Her father kept a near-constant vigil at her bedside and her mother researched every possible cause of her daughter illness, searching out the best doctors with increasing desperation. The effect of Cahalan's illness - of watching their only daughter fall apart and being powerless to help - was profound. But, as Cahalan acknowledges, she would not have survived without them.

The science behind the disease Cahalan is eventually diagnosed with is highly complex and not entirely understood. Therein lies the crux of the book - the disease is so rare and difficult to diagnose, its cause so mysterious - that it baffles even the best doctors in the field. Perhaps the most sobering message of this book is, as Cahalan says, how lucky she was. To have been admitted to the right hospital at the right time and referred to the right doctors; the sheer odds against her were astronomical. How many others, she wonders, were not so lucky? How many have been confined to psychiatric wards, long-term care facilities, or have died because they were not as fortunate?

At the close of the book, nearly two years had passed since her admission to NYU Hospital. While she had returned to her job at the New York Post and had, again, moved out of her mother's home, she admits that she isn't entirely sure if her recovery is complete. After such a harrowing journey, after the insults suffered by her brain and body, was is even possible to return to the same person she had been before? Cahalan seems to accept the idea that she might never return to exactly the same person she was before, nor will her parents and boyfriend.

Brain on Fire is both a memoir and a medical thriller, an exposé of the health care system and a tribute to the men and women who work within in,  it is a warning of how fragile our minds and bodies are, and an affirmation of the strength of love and family.

~ Allison , Adult Services

Poorcraft by C. Spike Trotman & Diana Nock

Around the age of seven, I decided that books with pictures were for little kids who couldn't read real books yet, or boys who liked robot trucks and superheroes so much that cartoons weren't enough. The only exceptions to this rule were Garfield, The Far Side, and Calvin and Hobbes.

Luckily, by the time I got to college, dorm rooms came equipped with internet and in between working on papers I discovered webcomics. Almost always free, often created by newer, less established, or more experimental artists and writers, these were my one-page-at-a-time introduction to the world of graphic novels.

I'm still an avid reader of webcomics, which is how I came to hear of Poorcraft: funnybook fundamentals of living well on less (640 TRO). The writer, Spike Trotman, is responsible for one of my favorites, Templar, AZ (sometimes NSFW), and I've been waiting to read this graphic novel guide to living within your means since she raised the possibility.

In fact, I wish I'd had this book before I finished college, and entered the world of entry level positions, job hunting in a lukewarm economy, and graduate school. Poorcraft has everything from tips on how to make your own cleaning supplies to how to navigate the complexity of the health care system. Some of the advice my parents gave me (always keep a budget, don't buy things on credit), and some I've learned through experience (how to find a good apartment), but many elements were new for me (how to care for an iron skillet).

The art is done by Diana Nock who, among other projects, does the webcomic The Intrepid Girlbot (family friendly). The style she uses for Poorcraft reminds me of cartoons from the 1930s, very expressive and loose limbed. A callback to the Great Depression makes sense for the topic! I love the humor of the visual style (there are some very amusing background elements), and how the book is organized around Millie's navigation of the concepts of frugality with Penny's help. By having the humor and a narrative, it turns Poorcraft from a list of Dos and Don'ts into a story you'll want to read cover to cover!

I highly recommend this title for anyone looking to save a little money in their budget, whether you're just starting out, or you've been navigating adulthood for years. Poorcraft will give you a good starting point!

You can see more of Spike's work on her website: www.ironcircus.com
And more of Diana Nock's work on her website: www.jinxville.com
Both sites may include material that is NSFW.

~Sarah, Adult Services

"Working Mother" is May's Magazine of the Month

In honor of Mother's Day on May 13th, we've selected Working Mother as our Magazine of the Month. This magazine is designed to support the growing number of women who balance career and family every day.

In addition to the print magazine, Working Mother's website has a large number of interactive features from a community of more than a 150 bloggers, to a family organizer. You can check out the magazine here at Carnegie-Stout or their website by following this link: www.workingmother.com

Other mom friendly magazines available at Carnegie-Stout include:

More
Country Woman
Family Circle
Vogue
Lucky
Cosmopolitan
InStyle

Woman's Day

New Year's Resolutions

It's once again the time of year to consider making a New Year's Resolution. Whether you promise yourself to eat healthier, get a handle on your finances, or just to read more great books, Carnegie-Stout is here to help!

Stop in and check out our display of books on Diet, Exercise, Addiction, and Managing Stress. Our collection includes everything from Pilates to the Paleo diet.

We've brought a selection of our Exercise DVDs down to the first floor too. Don't forget our Music CD collection, we're sure to have something to get you on your feet!

You might also want to take a look at our popular New Year's Resolutions lists from 2011:

Addiction
Budgets and Debt
Career
Diet
Exercise
Stress
Vacation
Volunteer

"Diabetic Living" is November's Magazine of the Month

November is both National Diabetes Month and Diabetic Eye Disease Month, and because of this we've selected Diabetic Living as our Magazine of the Month.

Diabetic Living is part of the Better Homes and Gardens, and each month they provide information and helpful articles for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics, including delicious recipes! You can check out issues at Carnegie-Stout or take a tour of their website: www.diabeticlivingonline.com

In the United States today, an estimated 25.8 million adults and children, or 8.3% of the population, have diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org) and the CDC (www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/factsheet11.htm) are both sources for up to date statistics, as well as other helpful information.

Carnegie-Stout also has a collection of books and DVDs on topics related to diabetes, and of course we have a number of excellent cookbooks!

Check out a short list of our Diabetic Cookbooks here.



Some other helpful books and DVDs include:
Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions for Diabetes (DVD 616.462)

Moving Forward -- with diabetes (DVD 616.462)

American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes (616.462 AME)

Diabetes and You by Naheed Ali (616.462 ALI)

Diabetes A to Z by the American Diabetes Association (616.462 DIA)

Diabetes Rising: How a Rare Disease Became a Modern Pandemic, and What to Do about It by Dan Hurley (616.462 HUR)

Cheating Destiny: Living with Diabetes, America's Biggest Epidemic by James Hirsch (616.4 HIR)

The Fight to Survive: A Young Girl, Diabetes, and the Discovery of Insulin by Caroline Cox (616.462 COX)

Swine Flu Information

The following websites contain information about swine influenza, including daily updates, frequently asked questions, fact sheets, planning tools, and state and local news. Note: Swine flu is also known as H1N1, Influenza A(H1N1), and Novel Flu.

City of Dubuque Health Services Department
H1N1 Information for Dubuque

Dubuque Community School District
Dubuque School Nurse Flu Information

Iowa Department of Public Health
Novel Influenza Virus (H1N1 Swine Flu) General Public Information

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Flu.gov

FluGov on Twitter.com

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

World Health Organization
Global Response to Influenza A(H1N1)

Find Health Services with Iowa Go Local

Looking for a physician, hospital, nursing home or pharmacy? Iowa Go Local is a free online directory of health-related services, organizations and providers in the State of Iowa.

With Iowa Go Local, you can search for health services in your county or city, or you can find services by browsing a list of health-related topics.

Iowa Go Local is produced by health professionals at The University of Iowa Hardin Library for the Health Sciences in cooperation with U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health.

Iowa COMPASS: Disability Info and Referral

Iowa COMPASS is Iowa's free, statewide information and referral service for people with disabilities, their families, service providers, and other members of the community. They have information on over 5,500 local, state, and national agencies and programs.

Iowa COMPASS can help answer these types of questions:

• What services are in my community to help my infant or toddler?


• I was turned down for Disability, now what?


• My sister just had a baby with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy. What's that and what can they do? Is there anyone to help them?


• I'm new to Iowa, are there any services for persons with disabilities?


• My place of worship needs a ramp built, where can I get help?


• How can I make it easier to get around my home?


• My brother has been living in a group home but it’s closing, what now?


• I have a child with Autism and he needs help in school what are my rights?


• I make too much money for Medicaid, but my kids still need health insurance, is there anything that can help?

To contact Iowa COMPASS, call toll-free 1-800-779-2001 or TTY 1-877-686-0032, Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. Or visit the Iowa COMPASS website at http://www.iowacompass.org/.

~ Mike, Adult Services

National Dog Bite Prevention Week

The third full week of May is National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dogs bite more than 4.7 million people a year, most of whom are children.

To learn how to prevent dog bites, check out these websites:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


• American Veterinary Medical Association


• United States Postal Services


• City of Dubuque Health Services

~ Mike, Adult Services

Mainstream Resource Guide 2007

The Dubuque Homeless Advisory Committee has published a 12-page Mainstream Resource Guide (PDF - 928 KB).

Designed to be easy to read and small enough to carry in a pocket, this resource guide contains important information for people who are homeless and need immediate help. Topics include:

• Meal Sites and Food Supplies


• Housing and Clothing


• Health Services


• Counseling and Crisis Intervention


• Financial Assistance

The guide includes names, addresses, phone numbers, and hours of operation for more than 60 social services agencies and community organizations, as well as a color map of Dubuque with agency locations.

Mainstream Resource Guide (PDF - 928 KB)

DRconnection: A Directory of Wisconsin Doctors

DRconnection, a new database from the Wisconsin Medical Society, includes information about every practicing physician in Wisconsin. Patients can search for a doctor by name, specialty, city, county or ZIP code.