By Judy Woodward
Every month, the reference librarians at the Roseville Library receive questions from the public. Here are two interesting queries we received:
Q. Has the cost of living increase in Social Security payments ever been this high before?
A. In 2023, Social Security recipients will receive an 8.7% increase in their benefits to reflect the cost of living adjustment. For the average recipient, this will amount to about $140 more monthly. This increase — although the biggest in years — is not largest increase in Social Security history.
More than 40 years ago, during the hyperinflation of that long-ago era, the COLAs for 1979, 1980 and 1981 were 9.9%, 14.3% and 11.2% respectively.
It is highly unlike anyone collecting Social Security in that era is still alive today. So, for the majority of Social Security recipients, next year’s COLA will be the largest they have ever received. (Social Security Administration website: ssa.gov/oact/cola/colaseries.html).
Q. Can I get a list of the books I’ve checked out in the past?
A. Data privacy regulations prevent us from keeping records of materials that you have previously checked out. This is to ensure that no one has the ability to discover your reading and viewing choices.
Although we have no way of keeping a record of what you have read in the past, it is possible for you to keep your own record in the future. One way to do that is by signing into your library account on our website rclreads.org.
Under the heading “My Collections” you’ll see three “shelves” titled: “For Later,” “In Progress” and “Completed.” Still in your online account, you can then turn to the list of titles that you have checked out, and you will see that you have the option to add each of these to one of the three “shelves.”
Unfortunately, this will work only for books you have currently checked out or will have checked out in the future.
Judy Woodward, who lives in St. Anthony Park, is a reference librarian at the Roseville Library, 2180 N. Hamline Ave. The library’s general phone number is 651-724-6001.
