Plug-ins—You should make sure you've got the important plug-ins (add-ons to your browser software that enable multimedia content to be utilized at certain sites) before you visit many of these great sites in order to enhance your experience. Just click on the Plug-ins button on the home page to find links to sites where you can download these must-have additions.

Site design—The site uses the typical root-style structure. From the home page you can go to the different sections, like "Reference" or "Internet for Teens," for example, and anytime you want to return to the home page, just click on the Home button on the left column. By the way, the menus of sites are not put in any particular order, although the best tend to be placed near the top. Still, check all of them out, because each site has something special to offer.

Local Statistics—You'll find this button on many pages, especially in the Reference section. By clicking this button, you'll go to a page full of links to statistical and government information about the Napa Valley, the state of California, and more.

Family Computer—This button leads to an archive of articles I've written over the years which are of particular interest to kids, parents and teachers. All of the articles are hyperlinked to many valuable sites, some of which, of course, are also included in the pages of this site.

FYCA—This button leads to a special site I designed for a presentation I gave in Washington D.C. a couple years back. It offers a lot of the information I included in a book, The Frugal Youth Cybrarian, that I wrote for the American Library Association. You'll find great resources and many fine shareware and freeware applications for kids, parents, librarians and teachers. It's an older site of mine, and some of the links may have expired, but I'm sure there are lots of valuable resources still available. So, by all means, check FYCA out.

I hope you spend many wonderful hours with your children at the fantastic Web sites on these pages.

—Calvin Ross

Questions? Email me!