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.