Benzie Shores District  Library


COMMUNITY RESOURCES

 


Visit the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency page for a directory of several resources and services in Benzie County

BROADBAND (INTERNET ACCESS)
BUSINESS
GENEAOLOGY
GOVERNMENT
IMMIGRATION
LEGAL HELP
LANGUAGES
TAXES
TECH HELP
UNEMPLOYMENT
VOTER INFORMATION


BROADBAND INFORMATION
 

Michigan High Speed Internet Office
https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi

 

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BUSINESS INFORMATION

 

Local Business & Organization Info:
Michigan Township Association- Info for local governmental units  
MSU Extension Local Government Resources 
Frankfort-Elberta Area Chamber of Commerce 
Benzie Area Chamber of Commerce
 


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GENEALOGY

The Benzie Area Historical Museum collects and preserves artifacts, photos, and stories about our past.  The Museum is housed in an 1887 Congregational Church building and is on the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites.

Seeking Michigan is the online platform for the Michigan Historical Center. It includes Archives of Michigan research guides and indexes, a blog, and educator resources – all from the Michigan Historical Center and Archives of Michigan staff.

The Benzie Area Genealogical Society (BAGS) furthers interest in genealogy through speakers, educational materials, and member interactions.  BAGS meetings are held the 2nd Wednesday of the month, April thru November, at the Benzie Area Historical Musueum. 

Frankfort High School Alumni page offers class photos and some full year books for dating from 1868 to present day.

Benzie County Cemetery Index and Tombstone Project

Benzie County USGEnWeb Archive hosts marriage Records, obituaries, cemetary Indexes and more.


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GOVERNMENT

Visit the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency page for a directory of several resources and services in Benzie County
Blaine Township
City of Frankfort 
Crystal Lake Township
Lake Township
Benzie County
United States Government



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IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Justice for our Neighbors Traverse City Website:
http://www.jfonmi.org/traverse-city
 
Michigan Legal Help Immigration Website:
https://michiganlegalhelp.org/self-help-tools/immigration
 
Justice Department's List of Pro Bono Lawyers
https://www.justice.gov/eoir/list-pro-bono-legal-service-providers
 
Visit michigan.gov and for more information on such things like knowing what rights you have even when you're undocumented, locating an interpreter for court proceedings, descriptions of potential immigration scams, etc.
https://www.michigan.gov/ogm/0,9597,7-394-93230_93417---,00.html
other resources for immigration:
https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory/search?state=MI
https://www.michbar.org/public_resources/legalaid
https://michiganlegalhelp.org/organizations-courts/find-lawyer/michigan-immigrant-rights-center
https://michiganlegalhelp.org/self-help-tools/immigration/becoming-citizen-through-naturalization
https://michiganimmigrant.org/
 


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LANGUAGES

BBC Languages offers free online language learning: courses, audio, video and games, including the alphabet, phrases, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, activities and tests.



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LEGAL HELP

https://michiganlegalhelp.org/
Michigan Legal Help is for people who are handling their legal problems without a lawyer. It can help you learn about your legal problems and get ready for court.

Legal Services of Northern Michigan
http://www.lsnm.org
 
Michigan Courts Self-help Center
https://courts.michigan.gov/self-help/center/pages/default.aspx
 
Michigan Courts Forms
https://courts.michigan.gov/Administration/SCAO/Forms/Pages/Search-for-a-form.aspx
 
Michigan Legislature - Publications
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(ma41v3hppua0h4qauhxpv2jz))/mileg.aspx?Page=Publications
 
MSU Law Library Resources
https://www.law.msu.edu/library/substantive/michigan.html
 
U of M Law School Community Resources
https://www.law.umich.edu/clinical/generalclinic/Pages/communityresources.aspx
 
MI State Bar - Legal & Law Related Programs by County
https://www.michbar.org/public_resources/legalaid
 
Michigan Courts - How To Find Legal Information
https://courts.michigan.gov/Self-help/center/legalinfo/Pages/default.aspx



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TAXES

The IRS website contains printable tax forms and tax information for your federal income taxes.

The Michigan Department of Treasury contains printable tax forms and tax information for your Michigan state income taxes.

The library can print any form you need for .25 cents per page.

 

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TECH HELP

LearningExpress Library Computer Skills Center
A resource available through MeL, the Computer Skills Center provides more than 90 courses ranging from the very basic, such as setting up computer hardware or web-browsing, to advanced, application-specific tutorials. The applications include the Microsoft Office suite, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator, as well as courses on multiple versions of the Windows operating system. Patrons need to register a free account to access these courses.
 
DigitalLearn
DigitalLearn is a free platform and series of courses provided by the Public Library Association. The courses focus on basic computer skills, including: navigating the internet, introduction to email, introduction to Mac and Windows operating systems, digital job skills, social media, and more. There is also a series of courses on online safety and digital privacy. Most tutorials use interactive videos; available in Spanish.
 
GFCGlobal
Created by Goodwill, GFCGlobal is a free education platform that provides a large variety of specific, mostly written tech tutorials. The breadth and depth surpasses the other platforms, but the specificity can be a bit overwhelming if you are looking for more general topics. There are instructions on computer basics for Windows, Mac, and other operating systems; using smartphones and tablets; the internet (email, searching, social media); job skills; and Microsoft Office and Google suite. Almost every topic has specific sections on different applications which do the same thing. For example,the internet section has tutorials for several different browsers. The platform also has a range of tutorials on creative digital skills like photo-editing and more.

 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT

Need help with food, housing, or paying bills? Need support in a family crisis or community disaster? Michigan 2-1-1 is an easy way to connect with help of all kinds, right in your community. Visit https://www.mi211.org/ or dial 2-1-1 or 844-875-9211, or text your zip code to 898211

The Unemployment Insurance Agency urges Michiganders to use Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM). You will experience longer load times – due to the unprecedented number of claims being filed, it may take several minutes for a page to load. Filing online remains the fastest way for Michiganders to apply for unemployment benefits. View the MiWAM Toolkit for Claimants for step by step instructions on how create your account.

Michigan Unemployment Fact Sheet 

Michigan Works

Benzie Area Christian Neighbors  

Free Resume Builder and How-to Guide

 

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VOTER INFORMATION

Voters can use the MICHIGAN VOTER INFORMATION CENTER to:         

View your Sample Ballot for the upcoming election
Request and Track your Absentee Ballot
Verify your Voter Registration
Find your Polling Place
Contact your Local Election Official
Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions

VOTE411.ORG
Brought to you by the League of Women Voters. See What's On Your Ballot, Check Your Voter Registration, Find Your Polling Place, Discover Upcoming Debates In Your Area, And Much More!