By FRANCES SMITH / Community Columnist

It’s early enough in the new school year that excitement is still in the air.

We hope that students of all ages maintained reading skills by participating in our Summer Challenge.

Now it’s time for college-bound high school seniors to sharpen their focus on the future. Here are a few steps to success: take the ACT, SAT, etc. tests, attend college fairs, conduct college visits, complete drafts of your common application essays, file FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as early as Oct. 1, decide which teachers could write recommendations, create a resume’ of noteworthy endeavors, complete scholarship applications, and apply to college(s).

Helpful library books and resources include: McGraw-Hill Education ACT 2017; Master the New SAT; Peterson’s How to Get Money for College 2016; The College Application Essay; Campus Visits & College Interviews; and College Admissions for the High School Athlete.

On our website, Alabasterlibrary.org, under Reference Services, click the Learning Express Library link for access to the College Preparation Center for ACT, SAT and AP online practice tests.

One helpful school supply is a library card. September is National Library Card Sign-up Month and kids 5 years old and older who get their first library card at our library will also get a surprise.

They must be with their parent or legal guardian who must bring their Shelby County residency identification.

This does not apply to replacement cards. The card will be ready in a few minutes after filling out an application.

A library card application visit could be timed to participate in one of our programs held in the meeting room.

Kids Programs:

•Story Times are Tunes & Tales Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. and Toddler Tales Fridays at 10:30 a.m.

•Lego League Sept. 6, 4 p.m.

•Throwback Thursday Sept. 8, 4:15 p.m. Tweens and teens can have fun with Legos & Lollipops! •Kids 11 years old to 18 years old can sign up. No younger siblings please.

•Homeschool Happening Sept. 12, 10 a.m. Ham It Up with Alabama 4-H. Fun session includes public speaking and teamwork. Kids in grades 1 through 12 can sign up.

•Pete the Cat Book Club Sept. 20, 6 p.m. Children age 5 and older can sign up.

•American Girls Club Sept. 23, 4 p.m. Girls age 7 and older can sign up to learn about new girl Melody and perform in our talent show with or without a doll. Family can be in the audience but all kids in the audience must be with an adult.

Adult Programs:

•Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Computer Classes Sept. 7 Microsoft Word 2013 Part 1; Sept. 14 Microsoft Word 2013 Part 2; Sept. 21 Microsoft Excel 2013 Part 1. Sign up.

•Wednesdays, Tai Chi 10:30 a.m. Eight week course. Complete enrollment form at the front desk before the first class. Newcomers will not be allowed after the second class.

•Sept. 12, 1 p.m. ABC & D’s of Medicare

•Sept. 15, 7 p.m. Book Group The Tilted World by Tom Franklin

•Sept. 18, 2 p.m. Cake & Culture: Music of the Mines

•Sept. 22, 6 p.m. Mobile Device Workshop