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     If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

     Dreaming about whether you would want to read minds, see through walls, or have superhuman strength may sound silly, but it actually gets to the heart of what really matters in your life.

     Every day in our work, we are inspired by the people we meet doing extraordinary things to improve the world.

     They have a different kind of superpower that all of us possess: the power to make a difference in the lives of others.

We're not saying that everyone needs to contribute their lives to the poor. Your lives are busy enough doing homework, playing sports, making friends, seeking after your dreams. But we do think that you can live a more powerful life when you devote some of your time and energy to something much larger than yourself. Find an issue you are interested in and learn more. Volunteer or, if you can, contribute a little money to a cause. Whatever you do, don't be a bystander. Get involved. You may have the opportunity to make your biggest difference when you're older. But why not start now?

     Our own experience working together on health, development, and energy the last twenty years has been one of the most rewarding parts of our lives. It has changed who we are and continues to fuel our optimism about how much the lives of the poorest people will improve in the years ahead.

      Apply for a Library Card

    Any person who lives, works or attends school in New York State is qualified to receive a New York Public Library card free of charge.

    Adult and teen users may either apply online or in person at any New York Public Library location. Applications for children aged 11 and under must be completed in person, and require the signature of a parent or guardian.

    When you apply for a card online, you will receive a 7-digit temporary barcode(条形码). This allows you to set a PIN (Personal Identification Number).

After you receive your permanent barcode, which is required to borrow materials, search library databases, or reserve a computer, you must validate your card.

    Renew or Validate Your Card

    All adult, teen and child library cards for cardholders in New York City and areas of New York State outside of New York City expire(期满) and must be renewed every three years. New library card applicants who applied for a card online must validate their card before full cardholder privileges can be extended.

    Cardholders in New York City must visit any New York Public Library location to present the required forms of identification in order to renew or validate their card.

    Cardholders from areas of New York State outside of New York City may email scans or copies of the required forms of identification to patronaccounts@nypl.org.

    Forgot Your PIN?

    If you provide the library with a valid email address, you can click on the Forgot Your PIN? Link on the login(登录) screen of either Biblicisms or the Classic Catalog. A link with instructions on changing your PIN will be sent to the email address on your account, giving you a brief period of time to update your information. You must select a 4-digit numeric PIN, with no repeating or obvious characters(e.g.1234 or 2222).

    If you have not provided us with a valid email address, you have to visit a library location with valid identification to have a staff member reset your PIN for you.

    A new report says living in a city makes it harder for people to concentrate(集中) on some tasks. The research found that people who live in rural areas can focus better than people in urban areas. The study is from Goldsmiths College, which is part of the University of London. Head researcher Dr. Karina Linnell and her team made great contributions. They studied how two groups of people did the same "thinking tasks". The team went to a remote(偏远的) part of Namibia, southwest Africa, to study the Himba tribe. Himba people live a very basic life in the desert. They are still doing traditional farming. The team also studied members of the same tribe who had moved to the nearest town. Dr. Linnell said the tribe who lived in the desert did much better on the tests than those in the town. It's really interesting and shocking.

    Dr. Linnell said their research may lead to changes in the way companies operate. In the future, workers may move from cities to live and work in the countryside. Linnell said there are too many things around us in the city that stop us from thinking about one thing for a long time. This means we do not work at our best. She asked, "What if, for example, companies realized certain tasks would be better carried out by employees based outside of the urban environment? There their concentration ability is better. "The past century has seen billions of people move from the countryside to big cities. In the future, the trend may not continue. If Dr. Linnell's research is true, this century might see many of those people return to the great outdoors. Let's wait to see what will happen.

    What would you like to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? An astronaut? What do you need to do to achieve your dream job?

    Perhaps you think that studying well and then going on to work hard will get you the successful career you want. We are constantly taught that our hard work will eventually pay off.

    But a government survey has shown that hard work is not the only thing that will help you to move up the ladder. Two thirds of people believe that who you know matters more than what you know when it comes to social activity. So are the connections that you have more important than your education?

    Seventy-six percent of the people in the survey believed that family background is important in influencing your chances of success. They believe that if you are privileged from birth, you are more likely to have a successful career, especially if your family is wealthy.

    Even if you don't have a privileged background, the people you know can still make a difference to your career. Networking is a skill which is encouraged by many career advisers. Some companies run networking workshops to try and encourage staff to meet other people, to communicate and build relationships. It's a valuable skill.

    But the survey also showed something quite interesting. Although most people believed that networks are more important than education, many people put their own career success down to talent, rather than background. 41% of the people said that their parents' income had influenced their life, but at the same time, another 41% believed that they had achieved their own success.

    So which is more important, what you know or who you know? It seems that by working hard and making lots of connections, the answer may be that both are very important.

Even though it is just a few years old, the comic strip, Cul de Sac, has already won many fans through its characters. So when cartoonist, Richard Thompson, announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, his fans sat up and took notice.

One of the fans was Chris Sparks, a designer and web developer in North Carolina. Sparks was building a website for Thompson when the cartoonist announced his disease. He started reading more about Parkinson's disease through books and websites. There he found that people could form public fund-raising teams to raise money for Parkinson's research. He quickly decided to form his own team: Team Cul de Sac.

However, Sparks decided to take a different path. He has contacted dozens of cartoonists around the world, who will contribute artworks inspired by the Cul de Sac strip. Thompson's publisher, Andrews Mcmeel, has agreed to release them in a book next year. Some of the profits from the book will go to the research. And after the book is released, the artworks will be auctioned off. All profits will go to the research team. The aim is to raise $450,000 for the foundation. "We've already had around 80 people who say they are interested in contributing", says Sparks.

Although many people with Parkinson's disease are private about their condition, Thompson is not one of them. He's happy to put his support behind the project. "I think we can make a difference," says Sparks, who points out that his love of comics inspired him. "I've been reading comics since I was 5 years old, and most of the cartoonists I've met have been wonderful human beings,"he says. "They've made a difference in my life, and I hope to make a difference as well."

After a decade of negotiations, nearly 200 countries have agreed to a new United Nations treaty（条约）to protect the world's oceans, the first of its kind in 40 years. The High Seas Treaty aims to protect 30% of the open oceans by 2030, setting a plan in motion to preserve this vast area.

Oceans cover about 71% of the Earth's surface and are home to countless species of animals and plants. They play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy planet. However, overfishing and pollution from ships and other sources have severely impinged on many marine （海洋的）species and ecosystems.

The last major UN sea treaty in 1982 described the "high seas"—the parts of the oceans that aren't controlled by any country—but it did not protect them. The high seas, which account for two-thirds of the ocean, currently have only 1. 2% of their massive area protected. A marine protected area（MPA）is an area in the sea with strict rules about fishing and other activities. While more and more countries have established MPAs in their waters, most are not connected, limiting their effectiveness for migratory（迁徙的）species.

Last December, over 110 countries committed to protecting 30% of their land and ocean areas by 2030. The High Seas Treaty now enables the extension of this goal to the entire ocean. It aims to make 30% of the high seas become protected areas by 2030 and requires that proposed activities on the high seas undergo assessment for their potential impact on the ocean environment.

Reaching the agreement was challenging due to differing views on ocean protection among countries, such as limits on fishing or pollution. Disagreements also arose over sharing resources between rich and poor nations, with the latter seeking an assurance that resources benefit everyone, not just those in wealthy countries.

The treaty is not yet final and must be officially accepted at a UN meeting. Then it must be approved and signed by enough countries before it takes effect.