Want to understand the industries, occupations, poverty, education, cost of living, and more in your community? Want to go further and see how you compare to other communities, the state, or the nation? Want to know how your community has changed over time? If so, here are a few resources to help make the analysis easier: DataUSA: https://datausa.io/
Combines multiple public U.S. Government data sources into one visualization tool. The data sources are cited so you can check for more current data or actually get the underlying data so you can generate your own charts. Don’t miss the ADD COMPARISON option which allows you to compare to another community. Read about more resources like Applied Population Lab and American FactFinder at the original post... Tackling the "Homework Gap" with the National AfterSchool Association (from Google for Education)1/16/2018
Teachers are assigning more and more homework that requires the Internet, but millions of students—especially those from low-income and rural communities—don’t have Internet access at home. That’s why Google is partnering with the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) to fund programs working to close this “homework gap.” Google’s $500,000 grant will fund research and resource development for programs supporting millions of students in underserved communities. Read more here.
Over the years, most of our libraries have experienced a disconnect between Sierra and the receipt printer. The tell-tale sign is when Sierra will not print or wants to print to another printer in your library. Lately, I have been contacted with this issue more than ever before. It seems to happen most often on Windows 10 computers and I am suspecting the Windows Updates to be the culprit. However, this can also happen on our Windows 7 computers.
There are a number of places in Sierra that the settings need to be checked/changed; though, they are all pretty much set the same. You may want to try this yourself because, once you do it a couple times, it will be faster than contacting me to do it. Of course, I would be happy to assist if you prefer. The procedure is here in the OWLSnet Manual. Everyone should already have the username and password to get in. If not, please ask your supervisor or contact me over the phone. Note that your printer name may be different than in the procedure (i.e. Visitor Cards printer). Hurry, you have just a few more days to ensure a spot for your tweets in the collections of the Library of Congress.
After archiving every single public message posted on Twitter since the social media platform was introduced in March 2006, the institution will soon scale back its approach to collecting them. Starting on Jan. 1, 2018, the library will apply the same selective discretion to tweets that it uses for other documents, collecting and archiving material around themes or events of consequence. The move, announced in a Tuesday blog post, brings to an end an ambitious effort, which began in 2010 when Twitter donated its full archive of public tweets to the library. “The Twitter Archive may prove to be one of this generation’s most significant legacies,” the library said in a document detailing the decision. “Future generations will learn much about this rich period in our history, the information flows, and social and political forces that help define the current generation.” Twitter has come a long way since one of its founders, Jack Dorsey, posted the first tweet on March 21, 2006. Today, many organizations, celebrities and politicians, including President Trump, view it as a crucial tool for reaching their audiences. The service has also shrunk the distance between the anonymous and the famous, the frivolous and the serious. The most-liked tweet of 2017 was a quotation about unity posted by former President Obama in the wake of the white supremacist violence this summer in Charlottesville, Va. And the most retweeted message was a plea from a teenager on a quest for a year’s worth of free chicken nuggets. Make of that what you will. (Read the entire article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/27/technology/library-congress-tweets.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FLibraries%20and%20Librarians&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=collection) Looking for beautiful pictures to use in newsletters, blog posts, social media posts, and more? Winnefox Library System's "Library Sparks" recently highlightedUnsplash, a source for free, high-resolution photos. Crediting isn't required, but the site provides a super-easy way to credit the photographers by providing text to embed a badge or text credit. I am in LOVE with it already! Just look at some of these beauties... Check out the review of Unsplash, and give Library Sparks a look, too -- it's a great source for all sorts of helpful library-related tips and information, and it's one of my favorite blogs!
From Google for Education newletter:
You’ve told us that you want more videos from Google for Education, and we’ve got some exciting video content planned for 2018. Subscribe to our channel today so that you don’t miss out - and in the meantime, check out series you might have missed, like EDU in 90 and our Applied Digital Skills videos. There have been instances around our system where a Staff computer seems to turn itself on during the night. What is actually happening is that the computer is not shutting down all the way; it is doing a "hybrid" shutdown in order to save some electricity and then turn on almost instantly. This is not what we want to happen in our libraries. We want the computers to shut down all the way.
If you notice any of your Staff computers acting as if they are not shutting down completely, hold down the Shift key as you select Shut down. Thanks! After attending a recent conference, I realized something – not everyone practices their presentations beforehand!
There are definitely some benefits to practicing giving your presentation, especially if you are a new speaker and are going out in front of people for the first time. Here are some things you might want to practice and/or finesse before the actual presentation:
[The original article: https://www.davidleeking.com/] Is there anyone that doesn't know what YouTube is? There isn't a day goes by that I am not on YouTube watching/listening to something either while I do my hair and makeup in the morning or making dinner at night. If you are anything like me and you watch YouTube videos [more than] you watch regular TV, then you might already know these tips and tricks. If not, here are some tips and tricks that I use when watching YouTube videos.
Loop a video: Have a song you can't get enough of? YouTube will loop (continuously play) it for you. Simply right click the video and select Loop. Share a video at a certain time: Want to share a cute cat video with your friends but the real action doesn't start until 1:00 into the video? No problem, just click Share at the bottom of the video and check the box Start at and enter a time. Then choose how to share the video. Captions: Maybe you are waiting in line at Starbucks and you don't have headphones. Turn on the captions! Captions are not available on all videos, but if it is you can click on the CC button on the bottom of the video. Watch Later: This is my most used tip for YouTube. Let's say I'm watching a video and on the side of the video player is a couple similar videos I want to watch next. Put your cursor on the thumbnail for the video and an option will appear in the upper right corner that looks like a clock. This will add it to your Watch Later playlist which you can access anytime in the left menu bar of YouTube. Quick way to pause video: Almost get caught watching a cat video while at work when your boss walked in? Simply press the space bar on the keyboard to pause the video fast. Transcript: Watching a video for educational purposes but missed a quote? You can view a transcript of the video easily. Click on the three dots at the bottom of the video by the share button and select Open Transcript. This displays the captions essentially and time stamps which you can click on to view that part of the video. Google for Education posted: In preparation for Hour of Code 2017, we’re launching a new activity, which allows students to bring the Google logo to life using code. Take a sneak peek with your students today and design your own fun version of our Google doodle.
Celebrate National Author's Day (by Sharon Schweitzer from the HuffPost)
November 1 is home to a quiet and important holiday: National Author’s Day. In 1949, the United States Department of Commerce officially recognized the holiday 20 years after Nellie Verne Burt McPherson of the Illinois Women’s Club began pushing for National Author’s Day. The holiday provides a designated time to honor authors. We can do so by writing (or tweeting) a thank-you note to our favorite authors, purchasing new and old books alike, or working on our own writing projects. Enthusiasts encourage use of the hashtag #NationalAuthorsDay. Both fiction and nonfiction books have the potential to enrich our personal and professional lives on many levels. Here are five priceless gifts we can thank authors for on this holiday:
The list of gifts authors provide us goes on—this is far from a comprehensive account of the various ways books enrich our lives. Professionals, students, and retirees alike can celebrate #NationalAuthorsDay on November 1 by tweeting a “thank you” at their favorite author. Sharon Schweitzer, J.D., is a cross-cultural trainer, modern manners expert, and the founder of Access to Culture. In addition to her accreditation in intercultural management from the HOFSTEDE centre, she serves as a Chinese Ceremonial Dining Etiquette Specialist in the documentary series Confucius was a Foodie, on Nat Geo People. She is the resident etiquette expert on two popular lifestyle shows: ABC Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend and CBS Austin’s We Are Austin. She is regularly quoted by BBC Capital, Investor’s Business Daily, Fortune, and the National Business Journals. Her Amazon #1 Best Selling book in International Business, Access to Asia: Your Multicultural Business Guide, now in its third printing, was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2015. She’s a winner of the British Airways International Trade Award at the 2016 Greater Austin Business Awards. I'm reprising a post of Cindy's from Sept 2009; a timely post as we work our way into the next cold and flu season. Plus my keyboard needs a good cleaning. Heidi O.
Keyboard Ickyness Did you know that a study from the University of Arizona found more germs per inch on a keyboard or a mouse than on a toilet seat? And not just a few more but many times more. Yuck! Unfortunately most keyboards just don’t react well to a bath. Nor do they really react well to bleaching. And washing your hands after each and every time you touch your keyboard or mouse just isn’t practical. So what can you do? One recommendation is to wipe down your keyboard and mouse with commercial anti-bacterial computer spray or wipes. Instead of a commercial cleaner, you could even use something as simple as isopropyl alcohol or a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water. (That’s a major part of what’s in a lot of the commercial cleaners anyway and it’s cheaper.) Tips for wiping down your keyboard or mouse:
So how often should you wipe down your keyboard and mouse? I looked online and opinions on that differ. Most recommendations were for around once a week, though some recommended daily if there was a nasty illness going around the office. Just make sure you're not doing this so often you wipe the letters off of your keyboard. *Personally, I inherited a canister of Lysol Disinfecting Wipes when I started at NFLS and use them regularly on my keyboard, mouse, and telephone. They are quick, easy, and not too wet. -John K Careers with Code is a free e-magazine highlighting up-and-coming opportunities where computer science overlaps with the Arts, Sports, Engineering, and other industries through 35 career pathway profiles. Check out the free e-magazine and educator resources.
How do librarians use Careers with Code? Gina Bravo, Program Development and Coordination Librarian, San Diego Public Library Q. What are the sorts of STEM programs running at your library and why did you decide to implement their programs? In 2017, we launched an annual “Spring into STEAM” program for kids ages 9-12, in which each of our 36 locations participate. This program was implemented to address geographical inequity in our city, and provide a unified distribution model for hands-on educational resources to our network of communities. We’re very proud of the success we achieved early-on; through a partnership with the International Barcode of Life, our Citizen Science component of Spring into STEAM gained world-wide acclaim as the largest DNA Sequencing citizen science project in the world. The rationale for providing these programs is based on the need to develop interest in STEM careers, and connect our resource of talented local youth with our Innovation economy. Q. What is the role of libraries in connecting communities with STEM? I see our role as building confidence. STEM is at its core about experimentation. Children understand how to imagine and create through play, but the seriousness of scientific concepts has been a barrier to some. Our goal is to provide encounters with new concepts and technology in a laboratory like space within the library. Since we’re known by kids and families as a safe place to learn and grow, it’s a natural fit for our communities to explore and discover new ideas and potentially be inspired to follow a concept introduced at one of our workshops all the way into a career. Q. What do you think of Careers with Code magazines? Content is high quality, thank you for sharing the awesome things going on around the world! [Last] week Google added a new feature to their search results. When you look up a book title on Google, the results will now show a listing of libraries that have the ebook version available to borrow.
The listing shows up in the “quick facts” box either above or next to the search results, depending on whether you’re on a PC or a mobile. The feature is available on both PCs and mobile devices in the US. I did some experimenting and it appears the information is coming from OverDrive. Clicking on the link for “Wisconsin Public Library Consortium: South Central Library System – Madiso” brought me directly to the OverDrive page for the book and prompted for a sign in. The local library name at the end of the link will change depending on where you are or if you enter a new location in the “Edit location” window. One thing I did note is that if you’re searching for a book that also has a movie adaptation, the “quick facts” may default to the movie information, not the book. Searching for "The Hobbit" originally returned information about the films but adding "book" after the title got me the listing above. |
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