Survey Monkey

Need to create a survey?  Give Survey Monkey a try.  It is free to start an account.  I used it to poll SG staff about teen volunteer information for Summer Reading.  Creating a survey is so easy, and you can customize what you want to ask, and how you would like to ask.  Once your survey is complete, you get a link to send to everyone you would like to participate.  Results can be anylized once the survey is finished.   Fun and easy!

Beyond Cookies and Merit Badges

Now that the start of school is fast approaching for another year this is a good time to alert our patrons of a new feature of the Girl Scouts website.  I'm thinking not only of the young girls and their families who use our libraries but also teachers who are looking for new ways to motivate their students in writing.  This brand new addition is The Studio.  It can be accessed directly with the URL http://studio.girlscouts.org.  It is designed to be a showcase to inspire aspring storytellers.  The site is currently limited to authors however they plan to include other artists as well.  In addition they are planning to include the ability for girls to upload their own work.  There is a featured author of the week with a good biography and includes descriptions of his or her own experiences and tips for writing.  Some of the authors featured so far are Kate DiCamillo (Because of Winn Dixie), Patricia Reilly Giff (Pictures of Hollis Woods) and Megan McDonald (Judy Moody).  The site is operating in cooperation with the Children's Book Council which provides the content.

Firefox Updates

Firefox 12 has been out since April.  Their new update process has become nearly silent.  Firefox for Windows achieves updating by removing the user control dialogue pop-up that in the past required explicit user permission for each update.  Mozilla claims there is no adverse effect on system security and the benefit is fewer interruptions to the user.

To turn off or not to turn off

What do you do with your PC when it's time for nighty-night?  Some think that using the startup and shutdown processes creates wear and tear so they leave it on.  Others don't want to waste energy. How about sleep mode?  According to Ioto Labs, as reported by Rick Broida at PCWorld they found putting your PC to sleep instead of letting it run saves about $24.00 a year and 25 minutes a month in time for startup and shutdown.  They didn't study hibernate mode. Saving money and avoiding slow boot times is a good thing.

PBS Kids' history of producing strong & purposeful learning content for children has continued into mobile space according to PBS Kids Interactive vice president Sara DeWitt. With a series of quality apps aligned to PBS Kids programs like Arthur & Dinosaur Train, Curious George, etc. it's setting up a platform that demonstrates how to convert existing content & characters into digital content that both respects the mobile space, but also the children who will be engaging with it. The design of each app reflects the nature of the characters and program to which it is aligned. The learning process of children is considered and designed into apps that have appropriate prompts, audio & visual for the different age groups for which they are developed. The PBS digital team has presented its apps in a portal that makes it easy for parents to establish which apps are targeted at the children's age, interest & their own device.
Sara DeWitt says that they look for learning opportunities in every new technology, therefore developing true, immersive character engagement that's exciting in their apps.   The tools can be found on pbskids.org/lab.

Video games in the library

I came across an article about university libraries across the country installing video game labs in order to allow students to do research and experience retro games.  They seem to be primarily targeting computer science and programming majors but I wouldn't be surprised to see sociology or communication majors (heck, I wrote a research paper on early online text based games) doing some research in the labs as well.  The goal is to provide education and opportunities to try out games on a variety of platforms that have developed over the last 40 odd years.  The really interesting part was the discussion that was spawned in the wake of the article about whether or not this was a good use of the university's funds.  People got pretty fired up about the whole thing.  Here's the link if you're interested:

http://chronicle.com/article/Video-Game-Rooms-Become-the/127229/

Neighborhood Libraries Pinterest

I used to love reading the NL Tech Blog. But they have now changed their focus from tech to general conversation. According to Jenny Pissara, "It (NL Tech Blog) started diminishing so we started something new at least for our summer reading for staff... They are kind of like mini book reviews and also with music, movies, etc." So cruise on over to Pinterest, and start following their Boards. You can establish your own accout or find Jenniferpisarra and start pinning.

Cussler Museum

I know this is not "tech" but I had to share something a patron shared with me.  Did you know about the Cussler Museum?  It is in Arvada and owned by author Clive Cussler.  It is his collection of rare and vintage automobiles.  If there is a car on one of his bookcovers, that car is in the museum.  Sounds neat.  Want to learn more? 
Here is the website:cussler museum .

Ebook Crowdfunding PlatformUnglue.it

According to Library Journal, Unglue.it, the crowdfunding platform designed to encourage authors and publishers to make their ebooks available under a Creative Commons license, was officialy launched on May 17, 2012.  Unglue.it works by allowing the rights holders of an already-published book to set a funding threshold, generally between $5,000 to $25,000, and a deadline for a funding.   If supporters pledge sufficient funding prior to the campaign deadline, the book will be released as an "unglued" ebook edition, free of digital rights management (DRM) software and free to copy and share under a Creative Commons license.

Gluejar Inc., the company that developed Unglue.it, explained the motivation behind the concept, noting that "proprietary formats and DRM technology lock ebooks to specific devices and make it hard for people to keep reading their books as technology changes.  Many ebooks cannot even be lent by libraries and Unglued ebooks solve these problems."  http://unglue.it/

The New iPhone 5 and its Cords

Whispers of the new iPhone 5 have started and are creating a stir with a newly changed power cord. The new cord will most likely be smaller and only work on the iPhone 5 and the iProducts of the future, while the cords of iPhones/iPads/iPods past will no longer work or will need an adapter. This change in the iProducts designs will effect all of the accessories that surround Apple products. It's just something to think about as we try to keep up with the ever changing technology advancements. Here's a link to an article on Wired.com with more information about the effects of changing the iPhone power cord size.

I stumbled across a recent article in the NY times that discusses the impact of pornography and other mature content being accessed in public places. The article specifically talks about how the main public library in San Francisco has handled patron complaints- by installing 18 computer monitors with plastic hoods so that only the person using the computer can see what is on the screen. Its seems as if their approach is not to prevent patrons from accessing pornography, but to prevent other patrons from seeing it or being offended by it. The article goes on to discuss the implications of public wifi and the abundance of TV screens, tablets, and other devices with displays in our society. It's really worth reading!

NY Times: He’s Watching That, in Public? Pornography Takes Next Seat

Online File Storage: Dropbox

I recently went on a trip and took lots of pictures and want to share them with my friends from the trip, but without having to transfer from my computer to a cd or flashdrive and then to their computer. They told me to get Dropbox, it's online file sharing and storage website that allows you to upload pictures and documents for free (up to 2G) and others can view and collaborate with you. Once you have installed it on your computer, you simply drag files and 'drop' them into the Dropbox folder. If you think you're going to need more than 2G you can buy space or send requests for friends to join, download the mobile app and other simple tasks for 500mg more of free storage. The great thing about Dropbox is that you don't have to be at your computer, you can look things up on your smartphone (with the app) or from any computer with internet access.

Occasional trouble with ALD Hotspot

I've had several patrons this month who have had issues getting access to the internet through our hotspot.  So far it's been two people on their own laptops, a boy with his Nintendo DS and another patron with a new cell phone.  It tells them that they are connected to our network but not allowed internet access.  With each patron I was able to help them gain access by closing out any windows that were currently open, reopening their browser and either choosing the home page or one of their favorites.  This caused their browser to find our hotspot splash page and they were able to proceed from there.  Not sure if there is a better solution to this but it's been a pretty quick fix for me.

i>clicker

There is a group response system out there called i>clicker.  It is remote controls that are used in presentation settings for anonymous, instant responses.  Depending on the version, they come with buttons for True/False, or A,B,C,D, & E buttons for multiple choice.  This technology enables members to vote or answer questions during a live presentation.  Schools have been the main user of i>clicker, but it is now being used in corporate environments.  My husband was attending a meeting at his workplace where the i>clicker was being used to poll staff members.  Someday we may see someone use these in the library. 

Tech Support from a USB Stick

For just $35 two former Hewlett-Packard geeks have created a USB stick that works as automated technical support (with a version of Linux and disk-clean-up tools).  Users boot their computer to the flash drive which launches the customize version of Linux while it scans the computer's hard drive for viruses and signs of misconfiguration. 

The amazing thing about this USB stick is that it scans your computer without actually launching Windows.  This means that viruses and rootkits will have a very difficult time hiding in the stick.  You can skip the USB as well and just download Jumpshot from the internet.

Click the link below to watch the computer nerds Kickstarter video:

http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/07/jumpshot/

Apple's First Malicious App

Apple has been known as the best in terms of evaluating apps before they reach the app store.  This strict policy has allowed Apple's App store to remain untouched by malicious software for five years...until now.

Apple just removed an app known as "Find and Call" that asked users for their email address, cell number, then uploaded their phones contacts to a remote server that would send spam text messages.

Read more from the Huffington Post here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/06/find-and-call-apple_n_1654076.html?ref=topbar

WHAT A TOOL!

I don't know when, but a new program was installed on the patron computers called, Snipping Tool. When a patron wants a screen shot of some page from the internet to paste into a word doc or email, here is a much simplified way to do it: Start - Programs - Accessories - Snipping Tool. After you open Snipping Tool, follow the directions which are really simple to select what screen you want to capture. This beats the heck out of the process with Gadwin print screen.

Can ALD's resources help in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and dementia?

According to recent studies, the answer is "yes"!  Many experts recommend mentally stimulating activities to help increase neural activity which may have the effect of growing new brain cells, establishing new neural pathways and helping the brain cope with the toxins associated with Alzheimer's. Recommendations for activities inlude crossword puzzles, board and card games, writing, reading, group discussions and lisening to music.  This is all from a study described at the Alzheimer's information site http://www.alzinfo.org/.

Other mental healths sites such as http://www.fitbrains.com/ recommend similar activities for srengthening the brain such as: playing games, reading & writing, have a hobby, embrace education and picking up a puzzle.  They also recommend breaking away from patterns and mixing mental stimulation with the other senses such as listening to music while cooking.  The scent of the food combines with the sound of the music to make the brain work in a different way.

So how can we help?  ALD offers obvious solutions such as the stimulation from a good book but we also offer music, Playaways, books on cd and access to programs which can provide a great environment for new learning.  Combine listening to a Playaway with working in the garden and you are making the brain process the words being heard along with the tactile sensations of the work being done as well as the sights and smells of the garden.  Our audio books section contains selections from the Great Courses which are essentially free college courses on a variety of topics.  Finally, even engaging a patron in a stimulating discussion (such as reader's advisory) can help with their brain health and our own.

Just something to think about.

Picture Slide Shows: A simpler way

The other day a lady came in and wanted to quickly create a slide show in PowerPoint with her pictures. She had no idea of how to start, but had to first transfer some pictures from a CD to her Jump drive as well. After she had transfered the pictures to her Jump drive (all the photos were in a specific file) I told her that if you double clicked on the first picture, it pulled up a picture viewer window and then gave you the option to view as a slide show, full screen. She was very excited that we didn't have to go through creating a PowerPoint. She also wanted music to play in the background, so we transfered the song to the same file on her Jump drive and we were able to play the music while the picture slide show ran. So, there is a simpler way to make a quick slide show without the hassle of extra programs!

Kindle Direct Publishing offered

Kindle Direct Publishing now has a place for 'wanna be authors' to go to have others read your books.  Those books can be read on an ereader.  This is a way to promote your book and you get a certain percentage if the book sells so many copies.   This is also helpful to get instant feedback on your work as you begin to write books.  Just go to kindledirectpublishing and sign up for their free service of publishing. 

Cable Charmer

If you are overrun with a variety of cables in your travel bag, simplify that "snakes' nest" of cables with the Magic Cable Trio from Innergie  for only $20.00.  The 3-in-1 USB cable has a standard USB connector on one end.  The other end hosts an iPod dock connector, a Mini-USB connector, and a Micro-USB connector, neatly stacked on top of each other.  That's all you need to charge and sync an iPod,iPone,iPad, and more.http://www.myinnergie.com/

Improve your Google search

We do it every day but we could probably do it better. Here are five tips to improve your search.                  Use a minus sign before a key word so Google will exclude pages that include that word.  Only want Norsemen not football try Vikings-Minnesota.  
     Use "site:" followed by the web address and you'll get results only from that site.  Try "site:gov", "site:edu" to narrow those government sites.
     Use the asterisk as a substitute for a word in a phrase to identify a fact, "Littleton is in * county", or finding a missing word in a song.  I love the example, "in Penny Lane there is a * showing photographs".    
     Google will do math.  Enter a math problem and you will get an answer.  Use * for multiplication and / for division.  Google can convert currencies and temperatures.  Enter "$110 in euros"  or "72 Fahrenheit in Celsius".
     Put define before any word and the definition will be at the top of  the results.  Put movies or weather before a zip code or city name and Google will produce films playing or the weather forecast.

Free Video Tutorials

Grovo Offers Video Tutorials and Tips for Some of the Web’s Most Popular Services

  The next time someone asks you "Why should I use Twitter," or "How would I get started with Evernote," instead of sighing deeply and writing a massive email to them or directing them to a useless help page, send them over to Grovo. Grovo.com is a free site full of video tutorials and online classes that are easy to follow and cover some of the web's biggest and most popular services, like Gmail, Amazon, Pinterest, Wordpress, and more.
 As PSS's we are often the person that others ask for help if they're not familiar with what exactly Twitter is and how they should get started with it, for example, or what exactly Facebook Timeline is and why they're getting it. Grovo's video walkthroughs explain the features, and test the viewer's knowledge with quizzes and questions along the way.
 The service is free (although there's a $9/month, $99/year premium option for business users, which offers training on topics like "managing a social media presence" and "online marketing."), and requires you tie it to your Facebook account to sign up (a downer for some people, we know.) Once you're logged in and through the service's somewhat annoying tutorial, you can browse all of the courses available, select the one you're interested in taking or sharing, and start it at any time. If you use Facebook, you can invite your Facebook friends to join your "classroom" and take the classes you're taking—or that you think they should take. Whether you're looking to build your own skills or help someone else out, Grovo may be able to help.

grovo.com

Free ebooks

Zero Dollar Books Shows You All the Best Selling Kindle Ebooks Currently Available for Free

Sorting through the Amazon store for free ebooks can be a bit of a mess. To simplify the process Zero Dollar Books is a simple webapp that aggregates all the best selling free ebooks and shows them off in a nice clean view.
Zero Dollar Books taps into Amazon's Kindle best sellers list and then grabs all the books currently free. Since Amazon updates prices on the hour, so does Zero Dollar Books. The book list isn't always full of winners, but if you're looking to check out some free ebooks on your Kindle then Zero Dollar Books makes it easy. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed to get constant updates. If you're looking for more options for free ebooks, be sure to check out our guide to grabbing ebooks from the library and other sources.

Zero Dollar Books | via Digital Inspiration

Hats off to Poudre River Library District

The Poudre River Public Library District is a shining example of spectacular customer service by answering the need of the evacuees of the High Park fire.  They are working with the Red Cross and have set up services in the evacuation center located in Loveland.  A few of the services they have provided are a projector and 8 laptops in the shelter briefing room, storytimes, children's and adult programming, a collection of donated books and backpacks of books to send with children as they seek shelter at other locations.  I think this is a terrific example of how libraries can be a resource and a source of comfort to the communities they serve.  Here is a link to the whole School Library Journal article: School Library Journal Article .

Reading Rainbow Rides Again

The very popular PBS program launched in the 80's, "Reading Rainbow" has taken a leap into the digital world to engage young readers targeting ages 3-9.  There is now an app for Reading Rainbow.  It is being promoted by Levar Burton, the well-known host of the original program.  In describing the original Reading Rainbow Burton states that  they were using the most up-to-date technology of the time, television.  With the exponential growth of today's technology they wanted to find a way to bring Reading Rainbow to a new generation.  Their answer, an app for the iPad.  The app is free with one book, then it operates on a subscription basis of $9.99 per month or $29.99 per 6 months.  There are currently 150 titles available as well as 4 different themed floating islands on which users can now take 16 video field trips; My Friends and Family, Genius Academy, Animal Kingdom, Action Adventures and Magic Tales.  With the subscription basis, either a month or 6 months, users have unlimited access to titles rather than purchasing each book individually.  More books and more floating islands will be added related to subscribers preferences.  Given the high quality of the original program in promoting reading in a most engaging fashion, one can hope this app will provide the same high quality experience.  Let's offer this information to our parents of young readers and let them decide if this would be the type of experience they would wish for their children.

Hands Free Use So Easy

It used to be that we would hear from patrons that they would sometimes select a book based on its size and weight because they didn't like to have to support a heavy book in their hands in order to read it.  Now the use of a tablet computer or e-reader has brought its own set of issues.  Spurred by his inability to find a suitable accessory to help him hold his iPad for long periods of time local developer, Kevin Trotsky, designed his own.  Produced by Octa and named the Vacuum Dock + Whale Tail, the device consists of a vacuum suction holder and detachable tail that can that can be adjusted in multiple angles to help the tablet stand upright.  It is available through Octa.com and Amazon for about $50.  To see the device in action visit www.youtube.com/avuongx.

5 ways Microsoft's Surface may be better than an iPad

Amanda Payne of Digital Services posted this link on her Staffbook wall. Microsoft is still in the game and patrons will be asking what YOU! know about it. Their new tablet was just announced yesterday at 5 pm. Check it out by clicking here

Windows 8 on the Horizon…

You may have heard about the imminent release of the new Windows operating system 8. Right now you can download a preview of it on your PC to test out. You can also read this article I found on Life Hacker that explains the major differences. Major they are! The new system is inspired by mobile devices and touch screens.

You can tell in this picture the entire look and layout has changed. There is an option to switch back to the interface we are familiar with, but as the article states, “The traditional desktop is still there, though it may be a tad different than what you're used to. First and foremost, there's no start button to speak of. Your task bar merely shows the apps you have pinned.”

When or if our library district changes operating systems, when Windows 8 is released, new computers will have it already installed. This will change the way we teach computer classes and help patrons on the floor with their personal computer questions. Windows 8 does not have an official release date yet, but it is expected some time in 2012.

Online Paper Saver

A new start up in Denver, Brightnest (https://Brightnest.com)  has a handy new tool.  Set up an account and create a Homefolio.  You can enter details about every room in your house including details about appliances, flooring, wall coverings.  Based on this information they will provide customized, weekly to do lists.  It can also store owner's manuals, contractors, service phone numbers and emergency phone numbers.  It can keep you organized and what a great tool in case of an emergency or disaster.

iPhone: Take a Picture of Your Screen

If you have an iPhone and are browsing the web or looking at Facebook and you come across something that you would like to save for a later day, you can take a picture of your phone's screen, a screen shot. If you press the Power Button and the Home Button at the same time the phone captures the image and stores it in the Camera Roll. It's very handy!

Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight

Barnes & Noble has a new Nook out.   It is called Nook Simple Touch With Glowlight.   This helps those who want to read in bed or with different reading lights like the airplane.   The light is easily adjustable and the reading screen is more advanced technology with an anti-glare screen.  The battery life is suppose to be longer lasting about 1 month if you read about 30 minutes a day.  Another feature about this great new Nook is that it is the lightest ever weighing less than 7 oz.     The price for this new Nook is $139 which includes an adapter.   This seems like a very good deal and one that  patrons would like to know about if they were thinking about the Nook Simple Touch. 

Patron Amazon information stayed on ALD computers.

I was helping a SG young patron select a Nancy Drew book for her Kindle. We were working on a staff computer. As we checked out and were taken to the Amazon site, we were asked if this book was to be delivered to another patron's Kindle! (I recognized the the second patron as an elderly SG patron.)The second patron had not been in the library at all today. But there was her email address and everything. (You know how it will say, "deliver to Jody's Kindle.") We had to be deliberate to select "another device". After the transaction, I made sure to sign out of both patrons' accounts on Amazon, and to close the website, and to close the Internet browser. I realize now it is best to encourage patrons to do this transaction on a patron computer. But it still seems weird that our staff computers would hold onto that info. Any insights?

do you really need to eject USB drives?

Lifehacker answered a question I've had for quite awhile: do I really need to eject my flash drive before I remove it?

The answer...not necessarily...but it's a good idea.

Apparently, most operating systems use write caching.  When you save a file to your flash drive your operating system actually waits to perform the function until it has a number of requests to fulfill.  Therefore, when you hit the eject button it tells your OS to make sure all the pending actions are performed so you can remove your flash drive without any data corruption.

"In the end, there's no reason not to eject your drives, and doing so will ensure your data is uber-safe. Windows users may be less likely to experience issues due to the way Windows handles removable drives, but they aren't 100% immune. Ejecting the drive is a great habit to get into, since without it, you wouldn't always know if it were safe to remove or not." - Lifehacker

http://lifehacker.com/5863810/do-i-really-need-to-eject-usb-drives-before-removing-them

WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION FOR MY COMFORT!

A SG patron came in to use a phone book. (A what?!)He needed the white pages to locate a friend. (Again, huh?! That is so a few years ago.)I helped him go to White Pages online. He didn't know how to spell the last name of his friend. But he knew the general area where he lived. We clicked on the "Address and Neighbors" Tab. He put in a vague idea of an address and we viewed the aerial view of the apartment complex. He then recalled the unit of his friend. Clicking on that gave us the names of who lives there (or actually, anybody who has received mail at that location), and he remembered the phone was under his friend's mother's name. He clicked on her name and BINGO! there was the phone number he was seeking. So, I was able to help the patron get the info for which he came to the library. But my opinion is that there was an awful lot of info about other neighbors too. I guess that is okay if you are planning on having a block party......

I had a patron ask "Can I save a Word document to an SD card?"  The answer is: yes if the computer has a SD card reader (which ours do). Insert the SD card into it(there is a small slot on the side where dvds go in), and it will show up as a normal drive, just like a flash drive .  Then go to File > Save As, and select "My Computer" from the drop down list. Then, double click on the SD card option , and click "Save." Easy. 

ebook tip from a patron

As I was registering a new patron today, we were enjoying telling each other about all of the cool new resources we love at the library. I shared www.goodreads.com with her. It is my favorite on-line reader's advisiory. Love the lists!! Love the recommended titles! Then she shared a new website with me that she uses to download the newest ebooks-FREE! I tried it out and sure enough there they were-all of the newest books, Hunger Games series, Grisham novels, James Patterson-there for the downloading.The site is www.onread.com There's a choice of regular and premium downloads. Just set up a free account and begin downloading. One last feature...keeps track of your favorites!

"GadgitKids" in Florida Teach Seniors Technology

I stumbled across an article in a Florida news source about a small business that was started to meet the needs of technology starved seniors. The brainchild of 60-year-old Cecilia Tucker, "GadgitKids" consists of  technology-savvy young people, most in their teens, helping people, with many clients being older adults, in how to use their various electronic mobile devices. The article explains that all the GadgitKids receive extensive training,  including how to deal patiently and respectfully with customers, especially seniors who may have special challenges.

The service is $40 an hour, but a dollar of each hour long session goes toward a higher education scholarship for the teen employees.

Sounds familiar. :)  As if they are PSSs and Librarians in the making! View the Article

How Safe is Google?

Apparently, quite!

Google announced that it will provide online security warnings for users who might be the target of state-sponsored spying.  The message will be black type on a pink background if they suspect malicious activity against their system. 

How do they know when "state-sponsored" activity is occuring?  "We can't go into the details without giving away information that would be helpful to these bad actors, but our detailed analysis-as well as vicim reports-strongly suggest the involvement of state or groups that are state-sponsored."

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/06/google-to-warn-possible-victims-of-state-sponsored-spying/

Top Tech Trend for Teens

According to Linda Braun, the educational consultant and former president of YALSA, it's getting harder and more critical to keep up with technology and social media when serving teens.  The following are from her list of leading trends to know:
Draw Something, a Pictionary for the digital age, has become the most popular social drawing game today, bumping Angry Birds from the #1 slot in the Apple app store.  Created by OMGpop, players guess a word according to the image that's drawn by another player.  The activity encourages critical thinking and interactivity.  Storify, a curating website, allows you to tell stories by compiling links from social media about a specific topic or theme.  It is useful to help teens apply their information literacy and storytelling skills.

Spearfishing alert

AARP has issued a spam alert.   Rather than the generic "send money now" e-mails, scammers are now sending out fewer, personalized phishing messages often including actual names and addresses of the receiver.  Some reminders, always be suspicious even if it has your name or appears to come from a friend, legitimate businesses don't request personal info updating through e-mail, watch for "scammer grammer",  spearfishers are often overseas operations without a command of the English language.

Publishing Made Easy

For budding authors there is an amazing website available for publishing ebooks.  It is the largest site for indie publishing for ebooks.  With the number of programs that we offer in bringing in authors and provide writing workshops, this is an excellent tool to offer those interested patrons.  The website is www.smashwords.com.  It provides all of the guidelines for publishing with them and distributes to several of the big name retailers such as; the Apple iBookstore, Barnes and Noble, the Sony Reader Store, Kobo and the Diesel eBook Store.  The next time you encounter a patron interested in becoming an author share this information with them or if you have the literary bug yourself give it a try.

Apps Can Make Your Life Easier -- 3 top picks to have on hand

These time-saver apps offer easy shortcuts to many of the tasks that you do every day.
Clear through daily clutter with apps that will help you stay productive:
     Get organized. The "Remember the Milk" app creates master to-do lists, sets reminders and sorts your tasks by due date, priority or subject. (Works with Android, Blackberry, iPhone and Windows Mobile; free)
     Get a handle on your budget. The "Lemon" app scans and catalogs receipts, letting you track where and when you're spending. You can organize spending in a chart, based on retailer or over a period of time. (Works with both Android phones and iPhone; free)
     Get a human on the line. The "Fast Customer" app is the answer to getting caught in a maze of countless keypad options when trying to reach a real-life company representative. With this app, you select one of 2,000 companies, type in your contact number, and a rep will call you! (Works with Android and iPhone; free)

Let Your Social Network Help You Find A Job

Social networking can help you do more than stay connected with friends -- it can get you a job.
Networking is the No. 1 way to get hired, says Pete Leibman, author of I Got My Dream Job and So Can You. Here are a few ways to put your connections to work:
     'Like' pages.  Clicking the "like" button for a page related to your field keeps you in the know and can connect you with potential employers. When you subscribe to the page, you'll get updates on your news feed.
     Tweet, Tweet.  Follow potential employers and relevant associations on Twitter, Leibman suggests. But don't let them do all the work -- tweet your own tips and links related to your field. That will help you build your networks and get noticed.
     Get grouped.  Join your school's alumni association or a professional society group on LinkedIn to receive information on networking events.

Brain implant helps paralyzed woman drink coffee

Watching the BBC News the other night they were talking about a new breakthrough for people that are paralyzed. There were two patients that had chips implanted into their brains that reads the signals and transmits them to a computer that translates the signals and moves a robotic arm. The lady was able to think about drinking a cup of coffee and with the chip she was able to do so. It's incredible and the advancement in technology would allow more independence to people with disabilities. If you want more information or to watch the video here's a link to a Technology Review article.

USTREAM...Watch it live!

Ever wanted to stream video live from your phone? If you have a smart phone or are just curious about seeing what crazy things people are doing then USTREAM is worth checking out. It's very similar to YouTube, but everything is being streamed live. All you need is an account to stream live or view current content that they have divided by categories for easier browsing as well as a search option.

Espresso (Book) Machine

The always forward thinking Tattered Cover Book Store is once again making news with their Espresso book machine, a groundbreaking digital press that prints books on demand for self-publishing authors and customers looking for an unstocked or out-of-print title.  About 10 full sized Trade paperback books can be printed per hour for approx. $11.00 each and are indistinguishable from other books on the shelves.  The TC LoDo store has one of only nine of these machines in the U.S. out of the fifty in the world.  The Espresso is sponsored by On Demand Books where books are ordered up and sent to a printer via a computer keyboard and its monitor.  The Tattered Cover is participating in a program with Harper Collins that offers the house's entire backlist of books in instant digital access.  To read the entire article about Joyce Meskis, owner of the Tattered Cover Book Store and more details about the Espresso machine, go to the Sunday, 5/28 Arts & Culture section of the Denver Post.

Great Gardening Source

It's that time of year again when we're wondering what to do about planting tomatoes, miller moths, what goes where.  My favorite source of info is the CSU extension service.  Their very informative website is http://www.ext.colostate.edu/.  I recently recommended it to a couple new to Colorado, boy were they impressed!

Autism Assisted Apps

For iPad and other iOS devices there are now many apps available that reach out to the individuals that are affected by autism spectrum disorders.  So many have proliferated recently that there is now a specific app (Autism Apps) that provides a comprehensive list for those searching for such assistance.  Various apps are targeted to motor skills, eye/hand coordination, learning facial/ verbal expressions, learning how to verbalize wants and needs.  They aid in conversation between parents and children and help in learning words or social skills.  For those of us engaged in providing Storytime sessions for our youngest patrons we encounter those that may be affected by autism.  This is wonderful and beneficial information that we can share with these families to offer assistance of a unique type.

"Board Games You've Never Played"

A library in Texas didn't have enough money ot buy or upgrade their gaming laptops resulting in their games to have no appeal. The teens did show interest in board games leading the director to go all out on board games adding titles that were new or less well known and "Board Games You've Never Played" was born.  Games were chosen that encouraged cooperation, strategic thinking, abstract thinking skills and, of course, fun.  Word quickly spread and soon 12 to 20 teens were showing up each time, also making it easier to get them interested in going to other events.
As this library in Texas did, we always ask the same question for each event: What do we want people to take from it? The kids tried out new games, made new friends and improved their gaming skills.  They also learned cooperation, critical thinking, conflict resolution, friendly competition, all within a fun, safe, environment. Their advice for a board-game group is to do your research. A good recommended review site  which their director consults fequently is: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/

Playaway Options

I have spoken to several patrons about how great our Playaways are and one of them asked if they can be played in the car.  The answer is "yes, if you have the right adapter".  The proper adapter will depend on how modern their stereo happens to be.  The simplest one connects directly from the headphone jack on the Playaway to the jack in the stereo.  It is just like the adapter for using an Ipod. 

You (and patrons) can find more information on the Playaway website http://www.playaway.com/

There are some great resources there for libraries such as posters that can be printed, samples of displays at other libraries and even an opportunity for a library to win $500 in Playaway products.  And thank you, Jody, for recommending that I research it further!

Challenges with placing a Prospector hold

A SG patron could see an item as available in Prospector. But the system would not let her place the hold. It kept saying that the item was not requstable. After much work with David Britt, we found a few times that this happens. Here is David's bottom line: "So, the lesson learned here is that when an item is in a status that the Prospector system sees as “non-circulating” it will not allow a hold to be placed. This includes the status of “in transit” and “on holdshelf”, which isn’t always obvious when viewing the item on the Prospector catalog. As soon as the item is checked out, or back to an “Available” status the hold can be placed. This generally only becomes an issue when there is a single copy attached to the title. When there are multiple copies, the odds are more likely that one is in one of those “circulating” status codes to keep Prospector happy." So try not to be frustrated and encourage the patron to place the hold at a later date.

What Do Children and Young Adults Read Next?

Throughout the past couple of months we have been promoting Gale Virtual Reference Library to our patrons, and in that database I found a really great reader’s advisory tool for staff and patrons alike.

What Do Children and Young Adults Read Next?: A Reader's Guide to Fiction and Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults is available in GVRL and is one way, of many, to refer our patrons to their next read. It’s a 2012 publication and features summaries of books published 2009-2011, reviews, age ranges, and subjects. It surely isn’t the quickest way to access information, but it would be a great resource for proactive parents seeking a ready made list. I really enjoy how it covers non-fiction as well, which is something our Novelist K-8 can not do.

Subpar Skype call quality?

Although our busy libraries may not be the best place to carry on a Skype conversation, our iMac's are great computers for that purpose.  I've had a couple of patrons ask about poor sound quality while "Skyping".

There's not much we can do about background noise, and I don't think we'll be providing headsets with built-in microphones any time soon.  Internet traffic and congestion can hamper call quality.  And wireless connections are often slower than wired ones, so you might suggest that your patron move from his laptop to one of our wired patron PC's, or give her an ethernet cable to use while Skyping.

History Fabricated Online

This article in "The Atlantic" once again reminds us not trust everything we read online. Professor T. Mills Kelley teaches an undergraduate course called "Lying About the Past" at George Mason University. Students in the course take a historical event then fabricate stories around it--going so far as to make fake websites, documents, and Wikipedia entries--in an effort to better understand history and how easy it is to manipulate information. The lesson for teens and adults who use the Internet for research: "On the Internet, where identities are malleable and uncertain, we all might be well advised to err on the side of skepticism."

Old Car Model Values

Recently I had a patron come in and ask for a value of an older car.   An online website is  Kelly Blue Book located at  kbb.com goes back as far as 1992.  They will ask the make, model and mileage of the car after you have selected the year.  Then you select the style and various options that are listed for the car.  They will ask if you are considering a Private Sale or Trade In for the car.  The condition of the car makes a difference on the price also from Excellent, Good to Fair.  

The patron I encountered wanted information on a 1986 Toyota and that was not in the Kelly Blue Book.   A suggestion I learned was to look at Craig's list under vehicles and find the type of car in this area by zip code.  That way you can compare prices or see a value for another older car hopefully with the same features, mileage, and condition.

WMA Audiobooks on iPad

The other day I helped a patron learn how to download audiobooks on her iPad.  What I did not know was that WMA books can not be downloaded directly to the iPad.  After reading through Overdrive's FAQ's (very helpful), and emailing Nick, this is what I found out.  Patrons can check them out, but need to download the audiobook to Overdrive on their computer, then transfer the audiobook via the cord connection to the iPad.  If patrons want to download directly to the iPad, they need audiobooks in the MP3 format.  

Kids Encouraged to Lie Online?

Social networking sites, like Facebook, have been reporting an alarming number of underage kids (ages 7-12) creating accounts and using their sites. Studies indicate that 87% of parents are aware that their underage child is on Facebook, while 66% of them helped their kid lie to bypass age restrictions. This becomes a problem when kids are encouraged to lie and disregard safety policies at such a young age. In the same way that we teach kids to be aware when crossing the street, we need to teach them about Internet safety.  

World Cat

WWW.worldcat.org is a gobal network of library content that is available to help patrons find that book...not matter what!It functions similiar to Gale research library, but the neat thing is that it accesses local academic sources that people can drive to go get when they need a book right away. You can search by keyword, title, etc., and then can limit your search further. When you click on your desired source it will list all of the local Denver and surrounding libraries where the item is available. Thank you to Kathleen Rainwater for teaching a recent reference class and including it as a helpful avenue to follow when someone needs something right away. It is a great way to get that book for a patron, no matter what!

Printing google docs

During final exam time it seems like students are furiously printing all of their last assignments at the library. Most recently a young patron came up to me with two blanks sheets and said, "The computer didn't print my pages." Sure enough he was holding two blank pages. I looked at his screen and I could see his two page documentthat should have printed. It was too obvious of a solution: he had not actually opened the document to print it. He had gone to 'file' on the menu at the top of the screen instead of opening the document and clicking on print from the google doc menu. It was so obvious, that he had just missed it! Motto: always open the document before printing ;)

Printing Select Pages on a Mac

If you have a Mac computer devoted to actually running the Mac operating system, like we do here at SG, it may be more difficult to print selected pages than you think.

I had a patron ask me if he could print only pages 1-5 on his document of 20+ pages.  However, when you go to "File" and "Print" the only options it gives you is which printer you would like to send the job to. 

What you have to do is go to "File" and "Print Preview."  On the right you should see all of the pages in your document (all 20+ pages in this case).  From there you have to select each page that you would like to print (using the special Apple "Command" key you can select multiple pages at once).  FINALLY, from there you can click "File" and "Print Selected Pages."

This was the only way that I could figure out how to print select pages out of a large document.  Do you have any suggestions on how you have done this in the past?

Geotagging

Pictures taken with smartphones are automatically embedded with geographic location (latitude and longitude).  Keep this in mind next time you are posting a picture on Facebook, Craigslist or any other website.  Anyone viewing this photo can get your location and use this information.  There have been instances of thieves using this information to rob valuable items posted on Craigslist.  Most digital cameras do not automatically add this information.  You can disable the geotagging by going into your settings and disabling this feature on your phone.  For more information, here is a link to a New York Times article about Geotagging NY Times Geotagging Article .  Visit the website I Can Stalk U for information about disabling geotagging icanstalku geotagging.          

Facebook + Instagram

Within the last month Facebook threw down $1 billion to acquire the hipster-friendly free photo editing app Instagram.  This app is available for both the iPhone and (finally) Android phones...and while this app allows you to edit photos it is also another form of social networking (just what we need!).  After editing your photos other users in the Instagram community can view your pictures.  With 50 million users, and 5 million additional users each week, it's no wonder why Facebook wants to get in on the action.

Instagram currently has 18 different filters and allows you to instantly upload your newly edited photo onto Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, Posterous, Twitter, and Tumblr.

If you haven't used the app before I recommend it.  Here's a beginner's guide to Instagram:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-57414563-233/a-beginners-guide-to-instagram/?tag=mncol;4n

And if you're curious as to WHY Facebook would spend $1 billion on an app that isn't making money this article is interesting too:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31322_3-57411422-256/facebook-buys-instagram...but-for-what/?tag=featureLead

Keep an Emergency Photo Album in Your Phone

Your phone's photo album is probably filled with pictures of a fun night out, family events, and too many pictures of your pet, but the most important snapshots are often of things you wouldn't naturally think to include. You might already use your email or notes apps on your smart phone, but your camera app and photo album can be just as useful as a memory aid. Capturing photos of your prescription medication can be incredibly useful as a reminder or an indicator when you're in an emergency. On top of that, add the following:
   1. A picture of your photo ID (blurring out the any sensitive information you don't want to share - the
       goal is just to identify who you are).
   2. Your health insurance card.
   3. Your auto insurance card.
   4. Your car's license plate.
   5. Your library card!

Here are a few things that can easily be remembered with a quick snap of your camera phone's shutter button:
*  A reminder of where you parked.
* Your printer cartridges.
* The measurements of your furnace filters.
* Pictures of current medications.
* A recipe from a book or magazine that you want to use soon.
* Travel confirmation numbers.
* Anything "borrowed" that you might want to buy later.

Do you have any other suggestions? I'm sure you "smart" folks can think of plenty more ideas for photo reminders to leave stored on your smart phone. Please leave a comment and share it with everyone!

A New eBook Library Lending Service

I found this current article about the new 3M Cloud Library service. Like Overdrive, it enables patrons to browse the collection, check out, hold, and send ebooks to their devices. Plus, it uses what they deem "Discovery Terminals" set up in libraries for patrons to browse on!The article states that 3M has secured some great publishers for the service as well.

"Many libraries will love this solution because customers mostly do everything themselves. Overdrive warrants trained staff that know how to handle the content loading on your device and troubleshooting common problems." <- Don't we know it!

Google Chrome

When a patron comes up and tells me they can't sign on to our WiFi with aldhotspot.   I ask them if they are trying the browser Google Chrome to sign on. Many patrons can not use Google Chrome with our WiFi.    Google Chrome is a free web browser started by Google in 2008.   It is supposed to be faster than other browsers and about 25% of world wide usage is through Google Chrome. 

When I suggest they use another browser like Firefox they get on our website fine.   I had this happen a couple of times, so now I am comfortable suggesting another browser and it works for the patron.

A Call for xml HELP!

Hey everybody!  While helping a patron at SG she was trying to print her daughters algebra homework.  The teacher had saved the file as an xml document.  After trying everything I knew and everything google had to offer...I'm still at a loss.  Any suggestions?

Here is the link to the teachers site http://arapahoe.littletonpublicschools.net/Default.aspx?tabid=10840

Scroll down to Wednesday, April 25th and open the "Homework WS"

Any help would be appreciated!
-Julie

MillCirc Macros/shortcuts save time

Because my right arm was hurting from using the mouse all the time while using MillCirc, I created three Macros that utilize previously unused functions keys for all staff at CW to use.

F5 takes you to Circulation Desk, F6 takes you to Check-in and fn+F12 takes you to Search. Try it ... you'll like it! (We previously had those functions available and then they disappeared after we got the new MAC computers awhile ago.) I taped little reminder notes to the front of the staff computers listing these shortcuts.

How do I share my Nook Books with other Nook users?

This is easy to do.  Go to your Barnes and Noble account, and find your Nook's library.  Books available for lending will have a Lend Me icon.  Click on the Lend Me icon for the book you have selected.  This will bring up a window where you can type the email of the person you wish to lend to, as well as a message.  They will receive an email alerting them that a book is being lent to them.  The book can then be downloaded.  Books can be lent out for 14 days.

Don't Forget to Logout of Amazon.com

Make sure if you are helping a patron download a book to their kindle from a staff PC that you logout of their Amazon.com account when you are done! A patron and I were going through all the steps on how to download a book to her kindle and when we were ready to leave the the ALD/Overdrive page and get into her Amazon account, some how it was still logged into the previous patron's account. Without realizing the different names between the kindles we accidentally downloaded the book to a random patron's kindle. Whoops! It seems that if you don't logout from Amazon.com that the computer (even if you close the browser) will remember the last Amazon account user and download the book to that account. So we had to replace the hold for the original patron and hopefully the random patron that got the library book enjoyed it!

These Boots are Made for Walkin'

Especially for those of us at Southglenn, for which our NonFiction Neighborhoods are devoted to Leisure and Lifestyle subjects, I have discovered a new and very fun website.  It is http://www.strayboots.com/.  It was founded in New York City and is a creatively fun way to explore specific cities.  It is essentially a scavenger hunt whose clues lead the traveler/s to interesting areas in each city.
It works very simply.  The traveler/s: Receive fun challenges, Visit amazing places, Learn fun facts and Receive points in the hunt game.  Only a cell phone is required (not a Smart phone, but of course that would work too) since the clues are sent by text. 
Strayboots is available for the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC.  It is also available for the United Kingdom (UK) where it is known as "The Game".
The traveler/s purchase packages for each game similar to purchasing a guided tour of any area.  There are anywhere from 3-4 packages available for most locations with quite a few more in the largest cities.  Prices range from $10 for some kid's packages, $12 for most of the regular adult packages, $30-$36 for some of the combo packages for smaller cities up to $40 for the San Francisco Gold Rush Package and $75 for the NYC Explorer Package.  The pricing is per person.  This is a great creative option for exploring new areas whether it would be a single traveling alone, a couple, a family or various sized groups.  Each scavenger game takes between 2-3 hours to play, but there is not time limit.  It can be done at any pace, stopped and resumed later.  The traveler/s have one year from the date of purchase to participate in the game/s they have selected.
This is a great new source of information that you can pass along to your patrons when you see them browsing in the Travel area or ask you for travel information.  It would also be a very fun thing to do yourself.  I can't wait to take myself to a city I haven't visited and use this as a great way to become familiar with that city.

Easy kindle troubleshooting

A senior patron was having difficulty returning to her home page after downloading her books from the ALD website. She could not get to her home page to check if her book was downloaded. She had an older very simple Kindle, and the solution seemed simple. However, when I tried to get to her home page to check her account, indeed it was not simple. I pressed buttons and prodded a bit. Would you believe the solution was simply to press the back button, and press, and press, and press until we reached her her log in page? We relogged her into her account when the login page appeared. It seemed counter intuitive for such a simple solution. However, it seems like older Kindles like it simple. So when all else fails KISS- keep it simple silly! Hope this helps.

Is your computer infected?

In November the FBI was taking down a group of international hackers who had been running an Internet ad scam on a network of infected computers.  They had malicious software that turned off antivirus updates and changed the way computers reconcile website addresses.  The hackers made money from advertisements that appeard on websites victims were tricked into visiting.  The FBI realized that if they pulled the plug on the criminal infrastructure the victims would be without Internet service.  The user would  open up Explorer and find "page not found".  The FBI installed two Internet servers to take the place of the rogue servers the crooks were using.  These servers will be online until July.  The FBI is encouraging users to visit http://www.dcwg.org/ that will inform them if their computer is infected.  This is a website run by the FBI's security partner.  The website also has a more detailed description of what went on. After July 9 infected computers will not be able to connect to the Internet.

New patrons and technology

We are so used to all of our technological advances at the libary, that we may forget that new patrons may not know all of the technology available to them. I have made a habit of giving a brief tech intro to all new patrons. It's basic and simple, and everything we already know, but I'm always surprised by the oohs and aahs I get. However you choose to put your own spin on technology, just be assured it is appreciated by patrons more than we realize. I always begin with a tour of the Ald website, then show the down-loadable books and music, do a quick driveby of the new dvds available, show them evanced and the free classes and programs available, and finish with our databases. Then I ask if they have any questions, which device they own for downloadable books, and make them aware of our book a librarian service in case of snags. Patrons seem to appreciate the overview, and I enjoy sharing.

Secret Weapons for Struggling Readers

From 'Check it Out' magazine's Spring 2012 issue:  a statistic from Reading Rockets, a national multimedia literary initiative, over 40% of kids regard reading as a challenge and according to Deb Simmons, prof. of special educ. at Texas A & M Univ., the window of opportunity to become a successful reader often closes early, often by the end of 1st grade.  Reading Rockets article "Benefits of Audiobooks for All Readers" feels that children, adults, & patrons can be turned into readers for life, even if they don't like or can process the written word, by a variety of technology tactics which make the context more interesting, convenient and engaging.  Audiobooks, tablet computers, mp3 players and eReaders present excellent opportunities because of the variety of delivering the words, accessibility of anytime, anyplace, highlighted text, etc. and the tech interest of  savvy children in general.   These tools are powerful weapons against illiteracy and carry the common goal of encouraging reading no matter how old the patron is or how it's achieved.

Five Ways to use "LINKEDIN"

The social networking site-"LINKEDIN" focuses on business and professional contacts.  Here are five ways to use "LINKEDIN" to your advantage.  1. Find a Job-Linkedin is a favorite place for recruiters and headhunters.  2. Build a Professional Relationship-Linkedin lets you branch out and make new business connections in your field. 3. Conduct research-you can search a particular industry or a specific company- you can even check out a company before you go in for an interview. 4. Seek Advice-you can aks questions in Linkedin Answers to just about any question. 5. Establish a Group-You can form group pertaining to a specific topic or industry, get others to join the group and do debates, discussions and learn from one another.

AT &T MYstery Data Usage

I read this article in the Macworld Best of Best about smart phones and I Phone. AT&T claims. Many smart phone and I phone are always on data devices. They  establish a data connection with our network and keep it open even if their is no data being  transmitted. If you do not end the daily session, it is recorded during a nightly feed to the billing system. THe data session can contain billing for all the data that was transmited throught out the day. When your phone goes to sleep, its wi-fi connection is typically terminated, but the 3G connection remains active.If information is transmitted over the internet while the iphone is asleep, that data will go over 3G even if you have an active wi-fi network that the  iphoine would use in its waking state. So at nght to prervent further  excessive usage. On your phone, go to Setting-General-Network, and turn off Cellular Data.

A Google-a-Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Did you know that Google posts a daily puzzle to increase your googling mastery?  For example:

Today's Question

The artist who painted "Il Cenacolo" (aka "Ultima Cena") invented a device to monitor changes in humidity. What was it?

Using the A Google a Day's website you can search without bringing up any spoiler alerts posted by other authors.  Happy Searching!

http://agoogleaday.com/

Heard about 3-D printing?

One of the newest tech developments is 3-D printing, and it's very cool.  Oli has spoken about 3-D printers a couple of times, wondering when ALD can get one...  Toy manufacturers might be a bit nervous; soon parents - or their tech savvy kids - might be able to make their own toys.  See the YouTube videos below for a couple of examples of 3-D printers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmDz7Q9_h6c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdzooQQDWGg

Hunger Games can be read on computer

A patron told me he was reading Hunger Games on his computer. So I asked him how he can do that. He showed me to go to http://www.onread.com/ and then in the search box put 'Hunger Games'. When you see the picture of the Hunger Games Click on "read on line' under the book. It will ask you to download the book which costs money, so you just click X to Download which means No, and that will go away. Then in the top center it will say Read Online and click on the center.

You can start reading the book by turning the pages by clicking on the right side to turn pages. After about 10 pages it will say something like 'too many people are reading this book-download now'. Right under that it will say 'Please try again' and click on that. I went on to page 100 by just clicking 'Please try again' after about each 10 pages.

This is easy once you get the idea of it and available for our teen patrons who want to read the book now!

Deleting expired books from Nooks

If a patron's book(s) has expired and is no longer on the Nook, but the cover pictures still remain: Go to My Computer, choose Nook, choose Folders, choose My ebooks, choose the title(s) and then delete. A patron was frustrated and confused that the cover pictures were still there in her "library" even though the actual book had been read and was gone.

E-book Prices and DRM

Have you noticed that when you purchase an ebook you're losing certain priveleges and yet paying the same amount? E-books these days cost just as much as their physical counterparts, except you can't easily lend them or resell them. Without the costs of paper and ink, why don't e-books cost less? This article examines some of the problems associated with limiting our reading to digital content.

Smartphones are stressing everyone out!

"Yikes! Did I just get a text message, or did I imagine I just got a text message?"

A new study has found that smartphones can actually increase people's stress levels. The reason is that smartphones produce "a relentless need to immediately review and respond to each and every incoming message, alert or bing."

The stress gets so bad for some users that they actually begin to feel phantom vibrations, thinking their phone is buzzing when it isn't.

"Smart phone use is increasing at a rapid rate and we are likely to see an associated increase in stress from social networking."
Tom Stafford, a lecturer at the University of Sheffield, believes smartphone "addiction" stems from the same place as gambling problems.

"Both slot machines and email follow something called a 'variable interval reinforcement schedule,' which has been established as the way to train in the strongest habits. This means that rather than reward an action every time it is performed, you reward it sometimes, but not in a predictable way. So with email, usually when I check it there is nothing interesting, but every so often there’s something wonderful – an invite out, or maybe some juicy gossip - and I get a reward."

Want to feel more stressed? Read this.

Y'all can have your smartypants phones. I'll stick with my dumbphone for as long as possible.

The Hokey Pokey Clinic

Are you having a bad week? You might want to check into The Hokey Pokey Clinic: A Place to Turn Yourself Around. 
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_jW3L1dyEfY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
And that, friends, as they say, is what it's all about.

Amazon now lets you trade in your old CDs

Amazon's Trade-In Program will now include CDs , the company has announced. Until recently, it was available for a large range of electronics, such as iPads, but it is the first time that users have been able to trade recorded music for Amazon's gift cards.
While customers can use these cards to buy anything they'd like, Amazon seems hopeful that many of them opt for buying MP3s from its digital music store.
The Trade-In Program at www.amazon.com will show all trade-in choices (books, video games, movies & TV, electronics and music). However, for the CD trade-in, you first have to make sure your CDs are eligible - though you can search for multiple titles at once, which makes the process slightly less painful.
Once your list is ready, you can ship your package to Amazon at no cost, and you will get the corresponding amount as an Amazon Gift Card upon receipt of your shipment.
As you will notice, these trade-in titles are actually purchased by a third-party merchant, and not by Amazon itself;  "at the moment , Amazon does not resell used CDs, though a variety of used and like new offerings are available through [its] marketplace,"  the company has said.

Bacon, Bacon Everybody Loves Bacon!

The Better Bacon Book for iPad Guides You to Perfect Pork Preparation

Everyone loves bacon, but not everyone loves burnt, sandy bacon that's been in the oven or in the pan too long. If you want to up your bacon game and learn a bit more about proper pork preparation in the process, the Better Bacon Book, designed specifically for iPad, can help.

Part cookbook, part DIY guide the Better Bacon Book is an iPad app that will help you cook the most delicious bacon you've ever had, and also help you understand how to buy pork in general, walks you through different cuts of meat, how to prepare certain cuts of meat, how to carve your own portions and servings, and even video guides on how to make your own bacon and pancetta, along with a great explanation for why you should make your own instead of just picking up a rasher from the grocery store. The book includes what to look for when you're shopping, interactive recipes from professional chefs, tutorial videos, a step-by-step to building your own trash can smoker, and more.

The Better Bacon Book is available in the iTunes Store for $4.99.

Before You Know It

Did you know there's a new place to look for Before You Know It, the language teaching resource? It's now known asTransparent Language Online with byki. You can find it under the alphabetical list for research databases or under DYI where the list is much shorter.

How do I get my word document on my iphone?

I had a patron who was wanting to save his word document on to his iphone, and then be able to send it to others from there. He needed to download an app for this. Here are some options: Documents to Go apphttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/documents-to-go-office-suite/id317117961?mt=8 it costs $9.99 or you can upgrade to premium for $7.99 more. So, I kept looking for a less expensive option. Another option is the Windows SkyDrive app http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skydrive/id477537958?mt=8 this app is free. He took the information home with him to try, and I have not seen him to ask how it went. So far, this app is available for apple products only, so android users are still waiting.

eFlicks

I recently went to Denver Public as a patron, and decided to browse their catalog of eBooks. Believe it or not, DPL also provides eFlick movies for download. The collection looks like it is mostly comprised of classics, non-fiction, independent movies, and some children's movies. I find the idea intriguing, but I think the service is very limited. You can only watch the overdrive downloads on your PC or a few WMV supported portable devices, such as ZEN media players or Sony Walkman media players. I can imagine how popular this service would be in libraries if people could watch these items on their TV, i-devices, or other smart phones and tablets, and if there were more mainstream titles available. But that would simply make us a Netflix.:)

http://downloadmedia.denverlibrary.org/F6436E5B-58D2-4206-999D-1FDB05CFBD61/10/274/en/BrowseVideo.htm

Khan Academy learning tool

khanacademy.org is the place to go for learning mathematical equations, science and history as well as many other subjects. Math is explained and illustrated on a virtual blackboard. There are also practice exercises to help you put your new knowledge to work. This can be an additional source for students who also use Learning Express.

Entertainment Software Rating

Your kids love to play those video games but you think some are too racey for his or her age.  On each game box is a large black letter(eC,E,10E,T,M,A0).  These stand for eC-Early Childhood, E-Everyone, 10E-everyone over 10, T-Teen, M-Mature 17+, and A0-Adults Only-18+.  You can learn about these ratings at ESRB.org

Get Rid of the Yellow PSSTerm Bar in your Remote Desktop

Have you ever opened up a program in your remote desktop and the PSSTerm yellow toolbar blocks the minimize/maximize/close buttons or important information? I noticed that there is a thumbtack in the left hand corner, if it's pressed 'in' and facing down, that makes the yellow toolbar a permanent display. If you click on the thumbtack and it turns to the left, it will hide the yellow toolbar. This way it won't block or get in the way of any window you decide to open! If you want to get it back all you have to do is click in the area where it was located and it will magically reappear. Just a helpful hint!

Zombies, Run!

Now you can combine exercise, storytelling, and games via the Zombies, Run! app. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, you need to rebuild the "ruins of civilization by collecting critical supplies while avoiding roving zombie hordes." Start the app shortly before jogging/running (i.e. on a treadmill or outdoors), and you can listen to the storyline and collect points via the miles you run. After, you can go into your app and use your points to purchase and distribute the supplies to your bases. This app is available on iPhone and will be available for Android spring 2012. Exercise will never be boring again.

BBC Languages

Do you have a patron interested in learning foreign languages? BBC Languages is great resource for people of all ages seeking to speak a different languages What's great about this website is that there are over 50 different languages and everything from key phrases, online video courses, crossword puzzles, and foreign langage TV--all for free! So, the next time you head over to the foreign language audiobooks, take a second to check out this website.

Just for Fun

Movie quizzes, geography, NFL, catch phrases, lyrics. All of these quizzes are a change from crossword puzzles during your lunch break. I like Countries of the World which gives you 12 minutes to name all the countries you can. Quizzes range from easy to challenging. The only competitor is yourself. Find these quizzes at www.jetpunk.com

NeoOffice on our Macs

Recently we had a patron come into Southglenn wanting to use the Mac to edit a .PAGES file that they had been working on. We assumed that since it was a Mac created document it could be edited on that computer. But the Mac does not include the iWork suite, it actually uses a program called NeoOffice, a free software download. According to this wiki for the program, NeoOffice does not support .PAGES files for opening, editing, or saving.

http://neowiki.neooffice.org/index.php/NeoOffice_File_Formats

I would suggest to Mac user patrons that they save their text documents in both .PAGES and .doc or .docx formats when they plan to edit it on a different computer- just to cover all of their bases.

Patrons with accents in their name - Millennium and Prospector

A Spanish speaking patron at SG wanted to request a Prospector item. I entered his last name and library card number into Prospector and was rejected because the "information submitted was not correct." I double checked the spelling of his last name in Millennium and it contained an accent on the E or the A. I could not figure out how to enter his name into Prospector with the accents. I ended up using his first name because it did not have an accent.
Then, in a wonderfully collaborative effort, I asked a Spanish speaking PSS from May (Carina), to show me how the heck we do accents with the Apple keyboards. Here is her immensely helpful response.

"In Spanish when we write we always need to put written accents and tilde and in that way words will have the correct meaning.
For instance: if you write “papa”, “Papa” and “papá” they seems to be the same word, but the first one “papa” (without written accent) means “potatoe”, “Papa” with capital letter means “Pope” and “papá”  (with written accent) means “daddy”. For that reason it is very important to write those always.
Also we also use written accents just for vowels and tilde for a consonant.
For English people is easy to use the computer English keyboard and you can get those written accents and tilde using the following list (please press “alt” key and at the same time a number and then release them at the same time and you will get those well):
1)       á = alt + 160
2)       é = alt + 130
3)       í = alt + 161
4)       ó = alt + 162
5)       ú = alt + 163
6)       ñ = alt + 164
(The alt key is also labeled "option")."
So Bravo! to Carina for helping us learn a new way to better serve our patrons and to honor them with correct spelling of their names.
P.S. I just tried this with my Mac laptop and it didn't seem to work. Perhaps the keyboard with the external 10-key is the only way?

Does your child monopolize your iPad?

"Entertainment Weekly" recently highlighted "5 Fabulous Kids' Book Apps". They are mostly for the iPad; all look like loads of fun - for kids of ALL ages! They include high-tech pop-up activities of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Pat the Bunny" activities for the youngest.

Here's the link:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20570585,00.html

Printing in Excel

Today a patron approached me after printing a file in Excel. She didn't understand why the last line of the spreadsheet was cut off when she printed it. Were the margins too small? Was the last line outside of the print area? Nope. Her spreadsheet was only 12 lines long.

So, in order to print that last line I highlighted the entire spreadsheet that she needed to print, clicked on "Page Layout" on the top tabs, and then selected "Print Area." From here you can clear the current print area (obviously set to not allow the final line to print) and set the print area. Tada.

Amazing! Google's self-driving car allows the blind to drive

"This is some of the best driving I've ever done," Steve Mahan said the other day. Mahan was behind the wheel of a Toyota Prius tooling the small California town of Morgan Hill in late January, a routine trip to pick up the dry cleaning and drop by the Taco Bell drive-in for a snack.
He also happens to be 95 percent blind.
Mahan, head of the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center, “drove” along a specially programmed route thanks to Google’s autonomous driving technology. Look, ma! No hands. And no feet!” Mahan jokes at one point in a video of the event, posted online Wednesday by Google. “I love it,” he added.
Google announced the self-driving car project in 2010. It relies upon laser range finders, radar sensors, and video cameras to navigate the road ahead, in order to make driving safer, more enjoyable and more efficient -- and clearly more accessible. The search engine giant was awarded a patent on the system in December. In a Wednesday afternoon post (March 28, 2012) on Google+, the company noted that it has hundreds of thousands of miles of testing under the belt, letting the company feel confident enough in the system to put Mahan behind the wheel.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/28/amazing-google-self-driving-cars-allow-blind-to-drive/#ixzz1qYCZayNg

Google Play and Google News

Google has a new tab called Play. Just click to find lists of the top seller movies, books, music and android aps. Once you find one your interested in, you can find additional information and reviews.
Also don't miss the Google News tab. There you will find Links to top stories of the day.

Got Google Ap?

One of the best aps for your smart phone is the Google ap because of the microphone feature. Just touch the icon of the microphone and say your search term. It works!

That Pesky SouthGlenn Public Wi-Fi

If you're like me you may have noticed that SouthGlenn Public Wi-Fi seems to trump the ALDHotSpot Wi-Fi. Which wouldn't be a bad thing except it doesn't actually allow you to access the internet. Not only have I found this to be an issue with laptops but also with my iPhone. I will connect to ALDHotSpot and suddenly the Wi-Fi network is back to SouthGlenn Public.

So how do you get rid of that pesky network? On your iPhone go into Settings - click on Wi-Fi - click on the blue arrow to the right of SouthGlenn Public - at the very top click Forget this Network. From now on your phone will not automatically join that network!

Navigate the Denver Botanic Gardens

The Denver Botanic Gardens has a great new tool for visitors and gardeners, Gardens Navigator. You can access it from home or on your mobile Web device at the Gardens. Some of the things it can tell you are what's currently in bloom at The Gardens, where specific plants are planted there, what has a good chance of being in bloom during a certain time period. There are lots of photos and descriptions. There's also the Virtual Expedition feature where visitors can take tours guided by staff. You have to bring your smartphone or other device with you to The Gardens but if you don't have one you can still view the sight in their library or near the entrance to the Conservatory. Just go to http://www.botanicgardens.org/.

Gardening Apps now that Spring has Sprung

The New York Times had a recent article about apps for gardeners. It is pretty in depth, comparing and discussing the helpful aspects of each. Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/technology/personaltech/a-review-of-apps-for-gardeners-and-landscapers.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=technology#

The article did not tell us whether this warm weather will last, or if we will yet have a freeze... Maybe we should still wait for Mother's Day to do our planting!

Other Tech Blogs!

The Community Libraries - Southglenn and Castlewood - are not the only ones with a Tech Blog. Check out those for May and the Neighborhood Libraries. (Find them under "Branches" on Staffbook the way we get into our's.) More for us to know and help our patrons!

"A Novel With Music"

Jody was putting out express books the other day when she came across the book called Roam A novel with music by Alan Lazar. She showed me the book and the Microsoft Tags on certain pages. The book has a 7 part piano soundtrack that was composed by the author. I then went ahead and downloaded Microsoft Tag App to my iPhone to see what would happen. Once the app is loaded onto your smart phone you scan the Tag and it pulls up a youtube video that will play
the song that fits that chapter or section of the book. It was very easy on my phone to download the app (I just went into the iphone's app store and searched for Microsoft Tag) and the book even gives you the website to download the app and how-to directions. Both Jody and I had never seen anything like it before and it is quite a neat idea to combine music and reading!Authors and publishers just keep on surprising us, I wonder how this would work on an eReader like the Ipad or a tablet?!

online Denver Post

A patron had trouble viewing the Denver Post. I found their brochure to help view their website at home. The directions to help if you are having trouble viewing the most current day's paper is: 1: Click on Tools 2: Internet Options 3:General - Browser History 4. Click Delete 5. Click Delete Files - this could take awhile 6.Delete Cookies - wait a short while. 7.Close. Following these directions helped our patron be able to view the Denver Post. These directions seem to be helpful for patrons if they are having trouble getting onto our website at home too.

Lost and Found

Losing valuables while traveling is a sure way to ruin your trip. Take this step to increase the chances your lost items make it home safely. Record serial numbers before you leave.Label items with contact info or use tracking services such as ImHonest.com. (starts at $15.00/ year). You'll get stickers with a toll-free number for finders to call. I found this website in Money magazine, April 2012, page 22.

Real Simple's No-Obligation Book Club

Join the easiest book club ever: no pressure, no obligation.

You love curling up with a classic novel. You love talking with friends about the latest Jodi Picoult bestseller. But you can't stand the obligations of a book club. (What time? What place? Who's bringing the chip dip?)

That's why http://realsimple.com/bookclub has started the No-Obligation Book Club.

No time frame, no deadlines, no obligations: just the pleasures of reading good books, as suggested - and lead - by Real Simple editors. The goal is to get the benefits of a book club...without feeling overwhelmed by rigid schedules.

As many times as I have looked at Real Simple (every month!), I did not know they had this book club. They also have a feature each month about books that matter most to you. Go to http://realsimple.com/bookclub to answer the monthly book questions and to share your most memorable reading experiences with other RealSimple.com users.
So far this year they have featured:
January - What book helped you break a bad habit?
February - Who is your favorite fictional couple?
March - What book brightens your mood?
April - What author do you admire most?

I am adding this website to my list of readers advisory tools when asked about book clubs and/or good reads!

On The Lighter Side of Technology

If you are like me and do not have a Smart Phone yet, you may OR may not find this advertisement helpful when selecting a phone and service plan that might work for you.

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/verizon-ad/1384573

This "advertisement" just reinforces in me that I need to have patience and understanding when working with patrons who are not familiar with all the "techno terms" and language.


And when you're finished shaking your head on that one, watch Katie Couric as she "investigates the sillies".

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/ea1eba8b33/katie-couric-investigates-the-sillies

Obviously, Katie has not attended one of our awesome Story Times here at ALD!

Hacked Email?

If you are still getting all the emails from real estate to Canadian pharmacies or friends say they are getting those same emails from you, it's likely not your computer being hacked, but your email service provider such as hotmail or gmail by guessing your email address & password. The hackers have software that will retrieve your email address from another victim and run password cracker programs to guess your password. From there they look into your sent and deleted folders for addresses you sent message to. When passwords are being set for an email acct., it's much better to choose something cryptic, using numbers and uppercase characters, etc. If the password is in the dictionary or a variation of an actual word, it's not a good password.
I found this to be good information when patrons are setting up email accts. or changing their passwords and think the simplest or shortest PW is the best.