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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Amazon: E-books Will Overtake Paperbacks by the End of 2011


Amazon: E-books Will Overtake Paperbacks by the End of 2011


Amazon predicts that it will sell more e-books than paperbacks by the end of next year, and that they will eclipse both paperback and hardcover sales combined shortly thereafter.

"I predict we will surpass paperback sales sometime in the next nine to 12 months. Sometime after that, we'll surpass the combination of paperback and hardcover," Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos told USA Today.

Kindle books have already eclipsed hardcover sales; Amazon recently said it sells 180 e-books for every 100 hardcovers, with the ratio constantly shifting in e-books' favor.

Many readers still favor the good old printed book. In a recent poll, most Mashable readers cited a preference for physical books over e-books. However, with the e-reader/tablet battle heating up (the iPad is selling amazingly well, and Amazon recently launched a new version of the


Happy birthday to the paperback!

from Read Street
Happy birthday to the paperback!: "penguin hemingway paperback

The Census Bureau alerted me to an important birthday: This week 75 years ago, Penguin brought out the first modern paperback. The idea came from British publishing exec Allen Lane, who was seeking a respite from a Depression-era revenue slump. The cheap, convenient, color-coded format caught on with readers and within months Penguin books were selling in the millions. Today, half of the books bought each year are softcover, the Census Bureau says.

Here's how Penguin's corporate history describes Lane's epiphany: "After a weekend visiting Agatha Christie in Devon, he found himself on a platform at Exeter station searching its bookstall for something to read on his journey back to London, but discovered only popular magazines and reprints of Victorian novels.

"Appalled by the selection on offer, Lane decided that good quality contemporary fiction should be made available at an attractive price and sold not just in traditional bookshops, but also in railway stations, tobacconists and chain stores. He also wanted a 'dignified but flippant' symbol for his new business. His secretary suggested a Penguin and another employee was sent to London Zoo to make some sketches. ...

"The first Penguin paperbacks appeared in the summer of 1935 and included works by Ernest Hemingway, André Maurois and Agatha Christie. They were colour coded (orange for fiction, blue for biography, green for crime) and cost just sixpence, the same price as a packet of cigarettes."

This week, let's tip back a pint -- or a cup of tea -- to honor Mr. Lane.

Five Best Book Recommendation Services [Hive Five]

from Lifehacker

Five Best Book Recommendation Services [Hive Five]: "
It's disappointing to haul a book home from the library or shell out hard-earned cash at the bookstore only to settle in at home and find you don't enjoy it one bit. Stock your reading list with these five great recommendation services. More »




Study: Libraries Top The Competition In Lending Movies

from ResourceShelf
Study: Libraries Top The Competition In Lending Movies: "

From the Article:


Red boxes, red envelopes and the blue and yellow Blockbuster stores may dominate the movie rental landscape, but according to a recent survey, when Americans want to watch a DVD, they are most likely to turn to their local library.


The survey, released this year by OCLC, a nonprofit library co-operative and research organization, found that public libraries in the United States lend an average 2.1 million videos every day, slightly more than the 2 million that Netflix ships. The other top two competitors, Redbox and Blockbuster, come in at 1.4 million and 1.2 million respectively, according to daily averages provided by company representatives.


The findings were part of a report called “How Libraries Stack Up,” which highlights the many roles that libraries play in communities, according to OCLC market analysis manager Peggy Gallagher. It also includes statistics on career assistance and Wi-Fi use — the extent of which might be surprising to the general public or even to businesses offering similar services.


“I think of libraries as places for books,” said Steve Swasey, Netflix’s vice president of corporate communications, adding that Netflix doesn’t view public libraries as a competitor.


Note: We wonder when the last time Mr. Swasy visited the public library in his town or even took a look at their web site? Perhaps we should let him know that libraries are about books and so much more.


One more point, the concept of having to go somewhere to pick up or having someone send you video content on a DVD is coming to an end. Within the next 4-6 years it will be a primarily on-demand world. Want a movie or a repeat of a classic tv show? Go to your TV or computer, press the buttons and either view the show on a traditional television screen or take it with you on a Smartphone or other portable device. For many movies and tv programs it’s already this way and it’s only going to expand. All of the content will be in the “cloud” and users will pull down what they want when they want it. Netflix is placing more and more content online to stream for no extra charge each day. A great way to get users use to the concept.


The Denver Public Library is an example of a library offering video content to download.


See Also: How Libraries Stack Up (from OCLC; PDF)


Source: Hartford Courant

Hat Tip: DigiLibraryBlog

"

Information Literacy reality check.

In a post titled, New Research (Full Text): Not as Web Savvy as You May Think; Young People, Web Search, and Credibility, ResourceShelf reports on a new article by Eszter Hargittai in the International Journal of Communication. The article Trust Online: Young Adults’ Evaluation of Web Content says

Google it. That’s what many college students do when asked to read an excerpt of a play for class, write a resume or find the e-mail address of a politician.

They trust Google so much that a Northwestern University study has found many students only click on websites that turn up at the top of Google searches to complete assigned tasks. If they don’t use Google, researchers found that students trust other brand-name search engines and brand-name websites to lead them to information.

The study was published by the International Journal of Communication. (Abstract and Full Text)

[Our Emphasis] “Many students think, ‘Google placed it number one, so, of course it’s credible,’” said Eszter Hargittai, associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern. “This is potentially tricky because Google doesn’t rank a site by its credibility.”

E-Books Fly Beyond Mere Text

From The New York Times:

E-Books Fly Beyond Mere Text

Like DVDs, electronic books for the iPad are now being loaded with extras, including video clips that are integrated with text.

http://nyti.ms/a0wNiG

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

5 Online Sources For Amazon Promotional Codes

5 Online Sources For Amazon Promotional Codes: our friends at makeuseof.com have provided these links.

NYTimes: Readers Are Abandoning Print, Yet Don't Trust the Web

From The New York Times:

Readers Are Abandoning Print, Yet Don't Trust the Web

A new report finds that even as people abandon print publications, they distrust the information they read online.

http://nyti.ms/bwJzJQ

Monday, July 26, 2010

Now You Can Bump iPhones to Connect on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn

Now You Can Bump iPhones to Connect on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn

One of my favorite iPhone apps get supersized.

from our friends at Mashable

Top (Free!) Tools to Organize Online Research

from Bib 2.0
Top (Free!) Tools to Organize Online Research: "I'm starting to think about what tools I'm going to introduce to the IB Extended Essay students to help organize themselves as they do their research. It seemed like a good time to do a re-cap (or a gathering!) of the different online note-taking/bookmarking tools I've mentioned before, and to look for any new ones. All of these apps work via browser add-ons, and all allow sharing.



I will add that I tested several different tools; I only included a) those that allow you to grab and save content (images, text, etc.) b) the ones that actually worked. A couple that shall remain nameless repeatedly crashed my browser, wouldn't save content, etc. They didn't make the list, even in a negative review. I also didn't include Google Notebook because they've stopped working on it. With that said, here are my top choices:



Diigo: Originally my app of choice, Diigo's biggest flaw is that you can't make folders to organize/categorize your saved information. Which means you have to rely heavily on tagging to sift through the items. Still, it's a nifty app, and they recently added the ability to capture screenshots and add call-outs to the image. Very cool. Diigo is most famous for the ability to both highlight text on a website, or add public or private sticky notes to the site. (Kids really love that!) They offer an education account that makes student sharing and collaboration a breeze. Diigo now has a web highlighter for Safari on the iPad as well as an offline reader for the iPhone.



iCyte: The best thing about iCyte is it's so incredibly easy to use. While the features are somewhat limited, it's perfect for upper elementary and middle school students. Clicking on the right side of the iCyte browser button captures a screenshot of the page you're on and brings up a window that allows you to assign the capture to a project, tag the shot and add notes. Clicking on the left side brings up a list of all your captures. How easy is that?





Evernote: The granddaddy of them all, of course, and probably the tool I will use with my IB students. Evernote is multi-faceted in that has a Firefox add-on, a desktop application, an iPhone/iPad app AND an online version. All of which sync, of course. You can also add noted from Facebook, Twitter or via email. Evernote also recently added Trunk, a collection of a wide variety of apps and hardware that also work with Evernote. You can add images, text, audio, and video. Evernote saves it all. You can create folders to organize it all. It allows users to create to do lists, which is nice to help students organize their research tasks. Because it does so much, there is something of a learning curve, but it's not huge. You can find my more detailed review here.



SpringPad: While not as elegant as Evernote, SpringPad has one feature I really like: it has a notebook app that allows students to add content, and then arrange it onto different tabs. So, as you can see in the image, I created a general notebook for research on St. Francis, with tabs for him, the 5th crusade, and the sultan. It has an alarm feature that can send either email or SMS reminders (about due dates, for example), as well as a to-do list to help students organize themselves. Like the others, it can grab text as well as capture a screenshot of your webpage. It also offers apps for the iPhone or Android.



Zotero: I have a real love/hate thing going on with Zotero. I love it in theory. Designed for college and graduate level research, it is phenomenal at capturing bibliographic info from online books, journal articles, websites--even pdf's--with a simple click, and allows users to choose from the major citation styles. It's a cross between EasyBib and EverNote, in essence. Sort of a free Noodle Tools. It will store full files, you can add notes, grab screenshots and all the usual collaborative functions. You can even use it as a notetaking tool with physical texts (though there's no reason you couldn't do that with Evernote, too.) Manually add the bibliographic info, then notes are grouped under that entry. But for some reason I just don't like working with it much, and I don't think it would be all that intuitive for high-school students, though I'll admit I've never tried it with them. If any of you have experience with it, I would be interested to hear what you thin
"

Monday, July 19, 2010

Amazon: We sell more books in Kindle format than hardcover.

From boingboing

Amazon: We sell more books in Kindle format than hardcover.

Amazon today released an announcement boasting that sales of the Kindle device have tripled since the unit price dropped from $259 to $189. And with that, a related piece of news. Founder Jeff Bezos: "While our hardcover sales continue to grow, the Kindle format has now overtaken the hardcover format. Amazon.com customers now purchase more Kindle books than hardcover books--astonishing when you consider that we've been selling hardcover books for 15 years, and Kindle books for 33 months."









John Taube
Allegany County Library System
301-697-7384

5 Effective Ways To Workout At Home With Online Videos

by Mohan Ramkumar on Jul 19, 2010 2:32 PM

5 Effective Ways To Workout At Home With Online Videos

ways to workout at homeEverybody wants to be fit and healthy. Working out in a gym and taking the help of a fitness coach can be a very relaxing experience. But going to a gym to work out is not everyone's cup of tea. Gyms with personal trainers tend to be expensive and if you are anything like me, driving to a gym is such a chore.


The quasi lazy person's alternative is workout videos. Online workout videos offer the best of both worlds – staying in the comfort of your own home and also getting professional fitness advice. After the advent of broadband, delivering professionally produced videos for free while upselling full length DVDs and fitness products has become one of the most common ways to workout at home.




There are a lot of sites and blogs out there that help us tone our body with free workout videos. We have covered quite a few of them in the past and have come up with five more for our beloved readers.


Diet.com


at home workouts


Diet.com has a dedicated videos section featuring hundreds of video workouts and exercises. All the videos are neatly categorized and are updated pretty regularly. Even though there are paid plans available, the videos are not chopped off in the middle and can be viewed by unregistered users free of charge.


Video with tips to reduce weight, reduce fat etc. are an added bonus. Diet's workout video archive is quiet fun to watch with videos like celebrity workouts, workouts without the need for gym equipments and the like. The Diet Investigates section features videos that probes a lot of health related topics and is a must watch.


Workoutz.com


ways to workout at home


On top of the great workout and exercise videos, Workoutz.com also has a dedicated section for specialty training videos. Video workouts of Yoga positions, kettle ball, speed & agility, stretching etc. are covered in the speciality training section.


These workout videos are of varying len...


Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Download Entire Newspapers Or Blogs To Your eBook Reader With Calibre

from MakeUseOf.com

Download Entire Newspapers Or Blogs To Your eBook Reader With Calibre: "
download entire websitesEbook readers are pretty fantastic, but if you’re more into newspapers and magazines than books you may think your only option is to stick to what sites offer subscriptions for your device. That’s not true.

Calibre can download entire websites and convert them to any eBook format, meaning you can read your favorite news articles or blogs on practically any eBook reader, from the Kindle to the Nook to the Kobo and everything in between. Heck, it even has easy built-in connectivity for iPhone/iPad app extraordinaire Stanza.

Or, if all you’re looking for is a great way to download your favorite websites for offline reading, Calibre’s got a great built-in reader for your computer as well.



Simon wrote all about Calibre’s superb function as an eBook manager in an article in which he called Calibre mighty eBook management software. In the article he mentioned Calibre’s amazing ability to download entire online newspapers, but didn’t go into any depth. Having said that, let’s take a look at this amazing function.

Getting Started


download entire web site

If you read Simon’s article, you should be familiar with installing Calibre on your machine. If not, check out the download page here for Windows, Mac and Linux downloads (though as always, Linux types should check their repositories before downloading from the web).

The first time you start up the application you’ll go through a simple setup wizard and then you’ll be ready to use the program. As I said, check out Simon’s Calibre article for more information on day-to-day usage; I’m going to focus here on downloading news.

Find Your Publication


download entire websites

Downloading news from many websites simply could not be easier. Just click the “Fetch News” button (pictured above) to bring up the list of many websites built into the program. When you do you’ll be presented with the many sites, broken down into categories.

For example, here’s everything you can find under Canadian English:

download entire websites

All the major daily newspapers are there, ready to be downloaded and read offline. If the category function is too overwhelming, simply search for your given website by typing the name in the search box.

I like to read the entirety of The Economist every week if my schedule allows for it, and Calibre helps nicely with that. I can download the entirety of the print edition to my computer for offline reading, or for reading on any eBook reading device.

Note that, for some of these publications, you will need a subscription to the website in order to make use of Calibre’s downloading function. This is because these sites do not offer access to the full paper without a subscription. Even in these cases, however, it’s nice to be able to download content you’re paying for for offline reading, isn’t it?

Roll Your Own


Can’t find the application of your choice? If you consider yourself fairly tech-savvy you might consider simply rolling your own. A Calibre recipe, you see, is little more than a script that explains how to download the content from a given website and convert it into an e-book. Calibre allows for you to add your own custom recipes if you like. Find out more about creating custom recipes over at the Calibre user manual.

If you create any useful recipes you should share them; it just might end up being integrated into Calibre itself!

Conclusion


Calibre isn’t just a great eBook manager; it’s a fantastic way to download your favorite newspapers or websites to your computer or eBook reader. In this way it reminds me of Plucker, a service I used to use to download news sites and RSS feeds to my Palm Pilot. Calibre, it seems to me, does a much better job than Plucker ever did (and Plucker was really, really good). This is in large part thanks to the recipes tailor-made in order to give end users the best reading experience with a given site.

What do you awesome people think? Is Calibre’s ability to download entire publications and blogs useful to you, or would you rather just read everything online? Is this a threat to advertising models on the web, or does it encourage reader loyalty?

Most importantly, will any of you write a recipe for MakeUseOf? Sharing is caring, or something. Whatever. Just comment.

Image Credit : ShironekoEuro

NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE!

How-to: Effectively Manage your Facebook Privacy Settings with Three Simple Lists

from iLibrarian


Nilay Patel at Engadget blogs about How-to: Effectively manage your Facebook privacy settings with three simple lists. This step-by-step tutorial shows you how to balance your personal and professional life on Facebook by setting up appropriate Privacy Settings and Friends Lists.

"

The Basic Parts Of A Computer & How To Upgrade Them [Technology Explained]

from MakeUseOf.com

The Basic Parts Of A Computer & How To Upgrade Them [Technology Explained]: "

diagram of the basic parts of a computerDo you know how to use a computer? Of course you do. But how familiar are you with what’s inside that shiny metal box of yours? For as complicated as the inner workings of computers may seem, they are really only made up of a few key pieces. If you ever have a hardware problem or would simply like to upgrade one of those pieces, it helps to know what they do and where they are located.


Today we’re taking it back to the basics. In this article, I am going to name the basic parts of a computer, describe what they do, show you where they are usually located, and give you a few tips on how to upgrade them. So the next time your hard drive dies or your CD-Rom stops reading discs, you don’t have to pay for a house call from your neighborhood PC-repair man.




[Note]: This article is meant to be a basic diagram of the basic parts of a computer and is by no means a complete and accurate description of everything that is inside a computer. While replacing computer parts, there are various things to consider that I will not be able to cover here, like compatibility issues.


This article is not about how to build a computer. For that, I invite you to check out our guides, How to Build a Gaming PC and The Idiot’s Ultimate Guide to Building Your Own PC. You can find a lot of what will be here in our Basic Computer Terms You Should Know Before Buying A PC article.


Now that most of the professionals and hardcore geeks have left, onto the basics!


diagram of the basic parts of a computer


Motherboard

Your motherboard is where all of the components I’m going to talk about will inevitably plug into. It has slots for most removable components like RAM, IDE/SATA drives, and video cards. If you are a beginner, I wouldn’t advise you to upgrade your motherboard yourself, but a lot of the other components I will cover require you to unplug things from the motherboard.

To view system specs, try Speccy.

Central Procesing Unit (CPU)

See: What Is A CPU and What Does It Do? [Technology Explained]

If a computer was a human, the CPU would be the brain. It is the single most important piece of a computer because it does all the processing of data, calculations, and it controls most of the other components. The CPU is usually located directly underneath a cooling unit on the motherboard.

Once again, I would not advise you to upgrade your CPU yourself if you are a beginner. In most cases, upgrading your CPU will require a new motherboard, along with a heat sink and perhaps other components. While I won’t go into it here, you can find a very informative and detailed walk-through on How to Upgrade a Processor here.

Power Supply Unit (PSU)


name the parts of a computer


The PSU provides power to your whole PC and is usually located in the top-back of your computer. PSUs are rated by the amount of power they give out (e.g. 600 watts). It is important that your computer is powered properly so that it does not fail on you.

To upgrade your PSU, you should research the specifications of the other components in your system, most importantly the video card and CPU. You also want to make sure you get the proper connectors for your system.

Calculate your PC power supply with eXtreme PSU Engine.


Hard Drive


name the parts of a computer


Your hard drive is what stores all your data long-term. Hard drives are generally kept in the bottom-front of most PCs, and are usually connected to the motherboard via SATA cables (IDE for older PCs). Also, there will be a power cable.

If yours dies on you or you simply want to upgrade to a bigger one (storage wise), you just need to purchase one with the proper connections. Hard drives are usually screwed into place.


Random Access Memory (RAM)


name the parts of a computer


RAM is temporary (or short-term) memory and helps out with overall system performance and speed. RAM consists of long sticks that are plugged directly into your motherboard. Consult your owner’s manual or system information to determine the maximum amount of RAM that’s supported by your system.

Upgrading RAM depends on how many slots you have and the maximum size each slot supports. Some computers require that you have the same amount of RAM in each slot. This would be listed in your manual as well.


Disk Drive (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM)


parts of a computer system


Your disk drive(s) is/are generally located at the top-front of your machine. They allow you to play and burn (copy) CDs and DVDs. Since discs spin in these drives, they occasionally break on you. Also, the speed at which these drives can read and write data is constantly increasing.

To upgrade a CD or DVD-ROM, simply unplug and unscrew the existing drive and plug the cables (power, SATA/IDE) into the new drive. If you are upgrading from one drive to multiple drives, you can learn about setting the drives to master/slave configuration here.


Video Card


diagram of the basic parts of a computer


Your video card is what allows you to view anything on your monitor (makes sense). If you’re into gaming, you either left already to learn how to build a gaming PC or you stuck around to see what I had to say about video cards.

Modern games require better video cards. Your video card is usually located in the bottom-back portion of your computer case. Aside from size specifications, slot placement, motherboard type, processor speed, and power intake – which are all compatibility issues – upgrading your video card is as simple as unplugging the stock card and plugging the new video card in its place.

How did I do? Leave a comment below and please be gentle!


Image Credit: William Hook, BBC News, William Hook, Fr3d.org, mattk1979, Renee V, mattjb

Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!



Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Essential Guide To Digital Photography [PDF]

from MakeUseOf.com
The Essential Guide To Digital Photography [PDF]: "

You may think that picking up a digital camera, turning it on, and taking the photo is all that you need to know about digital photography. Think again, as there is a whole heap more to learn that you might not even realise.


To add to MakeUseOf’s latest PDF collection, Bakari Chavanu from Mac Photography Tips has combined his knowledge to produce an 8000+ word, 59 page PDF eBook.




It’s jammed packed full of useful information for all type of photographers – from beginners photographers to advance photographers.




Inside, you will find information about:



  • The different types of digital cameras to choose from

  • What digital camera is right for you

  • What to look for when buying your digital camera

  • Accessories that you should have for your digital camera

  • Features that you should know about your camera


But wait, there’s more. There are also 5 beginner exercises for you to complete to help you become a professional photographer, and helpful instructions and information about editing your photo’s to make them even more magical.


photography_display


If you have a digital camera, want to become a professional photographer, or you are already a professional photographer, then you do not want miss out on downloading The Essential Guide To Digital Photography.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Barnes & Noble looks to lock down e-book delivery for education with Nook Study

from Engadget
Barnes & Noble looks to lock down e-book delivery for education with Nook Study: "

Timely, no? Just as the 2010 back-to-school season really gets rolling (and that dreaded Fall semester arrives to pester you to death), Barnes & Noble is looking to become your go-to place for eTextbooks, study tools and pretty much anything else in the related field. Up until now, there's been no all-encompassing eTextbook delivery method, and the few options that are out there are generally poorly thought out and shockingly spartan. 'Course, B&N isn't coming right out and saying it, but why else would you create a comprehensive application suitable for Macs and PCs that not only puts digital textbooks into the hands of students for up to 40 percent less than conventional books, but also a full library of study aids, test prep guides, periodicals, and hundreds of thousands of trade and professional titles. Moreover, the app "provides students access to all of their materials -- eTextbooks, lecture notes, syllabi, slides, images, trade books and other course-related documents -- all in one place, so their digital library goes wherever they go." Oh, and did we mention that it also supports highlighting and notes, both of which are searchable? Yeah. Currently, Nook Study is being used in a smattering of universities, with an August rollout pegged for universal use. Lookout, used bookstore -- the end could be nigh.

Continue reading Barnes & Noble looks to lock down e-book delivery for education with Nook Study

Barnes & Noble looks to lock down e-book delivery for education with Nook Study originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceNook Study | Email this | Comments"

Sunday, July 11, 2010

5 Handy YouTube Channels for DIY and Home Improvement

From Mashable! by Amy-Mae Elliott on Jul 11, 2010 8:58 PM

5 Handy YouTube Channels for DIY and Home Improvement


The easiest way to learn how to do something practical is to first see it done properly by someone else. By breaking it down into easy-to-follow steps, these how-to videos offer an absolute wealth of knowledge that is just a few clicks away.
We've searched YouTube for the very best home improvement instructional video channels where experts and enthusiastic amateurs share their skills for free.
So the next time you have a DIY job to do, whether it's fixing a leaky faucet or a more ambitious project, check out our choice of top five channels where, no doubt, there's a handy video by someone who's been there, done that, and can help you avoid throwing the wrench against the wall in frustration.

1. VideoJug




VideoJug is one of the big boys in the online instructional video world, and specializes in helping people do a huge range of things, with separate channels for Food & Drink and Beauty & Style.
As far...


John Taube
Allegany County Library System
301-697-7384

Article from California Newspaper: “Libraries Evolve into Information Clearinghouses”

From  ResourceShelf
by resourceshelf on Jul 11, 2010 7:01 PM

Article from California Newspaper: "Libraries Evolve into Information Clearinghouses"

What a POSITIVE article about public libraries. Great to read.


We really like the headline, especially the use of the word clearinghouse. It lets people know in a single word that libraries offer a variety of information services, resources, and tools plus the professionals that can train and assist in their use. Perhaps it's a term we should be using more?


Merriam-Webster defines clearinghouse as, "a central agency for the collection, classification, and distribution especially of information; broadly : an informal channel for distributing information or assistance." It's not a perfect definition but it's close and with some tweaking it be even better.


The article focuses on three libraries in the San Diego area.


From the Article:


Libraries, long recognized as book lenders, are evolving along with changing reading habits and new technology to become information clearinghouses, offering services as diverse as free passes for museums, e-book loans, housing clinics and live performances.


"Informing, educating, inspiring, these are all part of our mission and this fits in beautifully with that," said San Marcos branch manager Angelica Fortin.


+ You'll read about how the Friends of the San Marcos, CA Library donated $10,000 from used book sales to purchase about 500 ebooks. San Marcos is a branch library in the San Diego County Library System.


+ The Escondido, CA Library recently purchased an iPad so librarians can be out on the floor helping patrons.


+ The Oceanside, CA Library launch of a new "social web" catalog from BiblioCommons.


+ Several articles in the San Diego County Library System offering "Housing Clinics" and "Job Cafe."


NOTE: More about BiblioCommons in the item posted directly above this one.


+ The Library as community center


+ A bookmobile with wireless access and "resume counseling."


"We're realists, we're pragmatists," [San Diego County Library Director Jose] Aponte said. "We've built a library that we think focuses on community needs in a variety of different contexts."


Access the Complete Article


Source: North County Times (California)



John Taube
Allegany County Library System
301-697-7384

Five Best Personal Money Management Sites [Hive Five]

from Lifehacker
Five Best Personal Money Management Sites [Hive Five]: "
Web-based financial management tools have grown in sophistication to the point where many people manage their entire financial lives with online tools. Here's a look at five of the most popular personal money management sites. More »


"

Kids: Learn MovieMaking Free at Apple Summer Camp


From. Bib 2.0
by noreply@blogger.com (Jeri Hurd) on Jul 10, 2010 6:14 AM

Kids: Learn MovieMaking Free at Apple Summer Camp

Smart move on Apple's part, and a great opportunity for kids.  Local Apple stores are offering a free 3-day summer camp  teaching 8-12 year olds the movie-making process from storyboarding to final viewing. They will need to bring their own camera. Check here to sign up at your local Apple store.




John Taube
Allegany County Library System
301-697-7384

Friday, July 9, 2010

10 Sites That Will Teach You How To Draw

by Saikat Basu on Jul 9, 2010 3:31 

10 Sites That Will Teach You How To Draw

how to drawThey say that there are two skills that most humans wish they were born with. The first – to sing and play in tune; the second – to draw with ease. Unfortunately, most of us can only stare with envy as some of the blessed ones give voice to their talents.


I could never hold a tune, but to a moderate degree I succeeded in holding a brush and palette. I never reached the artistic heights of a Picasso or anywhere remotely close, but I did well enough to breeze through Biology's vertical sections and sundry anatomical illustrations. The art classes that I took certainly helped to shore up my understanding of symmetry and perspective.




Let's take computer art. Photoshop and Illustrator can help just that much with their tools and filters. It's the same with user-friendly drawing apps. To take it to the next level, a good drawing hand is essential. And it's never too late to dust off the years and take up lessons on how to draw. Think of the web and these websites profiled below as your free online drawing and art class. Brush up your skills.


How to Draw It


learn how to draw


How to Draw it is a simple site but with lots of lessons. From the kid who is just beginning to take up the art to the guy who needs to go back to the basics, the lessons cover all. The beginner lessons are composed of 10 exercises from shading to use of watercolors. The fundamental concepts will require a lot of reading, but it's worth that for understanding how creative art comes together. For instance: the laws behind good composition.


The specialty of the site seems to be the lessons that show how to draw different kinds of animals easily.


Drawspace


learn how to draw


Drawspace is definitely one of the best sites you could go to for learning how to draw and sketch. The person behind the site is Brenda Hoddinott. It's not only the variety of things you can learn to draw or the well supported discussion board on the site. It's also the layout of the site where you can jump straight to your skill level (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) or choose a particular skill from the dropdown. Then there is the Gallery of finished art to...




Dear Book Lover: Keeping Libraries Open


Dear Book Lover: Keeping Libraries Open: "Cynthia Crossen on the benefits of free libraries."

Thursday, July 8, 2010

NYTimes: For Those Facebook Left Behind

From The New York Times:

STATE OF THE ART: For Those Facebook Left Behind

A primer on social networking sites for those who don't know a Yelp from a FriendFeed.

http://nyti.ms/aiDZhh

Get The New York Times on your iPhone for free by visiting http://itunes.com/apps/nytimes

Is digital divide being narrowed by mobile phone Web use?

librarianbyday: RT @dmlcentral: Is digital divide being narrowed by mobile phone Web use? NY Times http://nyti.ms/df92YY

6 Quick iBooks Tips For Better Reading Experience On iPhone

from MakeUseOf.com
6 Quick iBooks Tips For Better Reading Experience On iPhone: "

ibooks for iphoneI always thought that reading electronic books on a small screen would be a daunting experience. That’s why I had my doubts when I first heard that Apple had released the iPhone version of iBooks – which was originally made for the bigger screen of the iPad.


Nevertheless I would never turn down the possibility of carrying a library of books in my pocket. So after downloading and installing iBooks for iPhone and loading a bunch of digital books to it (as discussed in a previous article), I opened the first page of one of the books – the free complimentary classic “Winnie The Pooh” by “A. A. Milne”.



iBooks for iPhone


It felt strange holding and reading a book the size of your palm. It’s smaller than ordinary printed pocketbooks and I have to admit that the reading experience was indeed different from reading a real book. But it’s anything but inconvenient.


Here are a few things I can share after playing with iBooks for a short time.


Jumping Around Pages


One of the advantages of digital books is its ability to jump around pages easily, and the first place to do that is the table of contents. You can tap one of the chapters to go directly there or you can resume reading the page you were previously on.


iphone ibooks


You can also go to one of the bookmarks you created while you were reading. We’ll discuss more about bookmarks later.


iphone ibooks


Modifying The Looks


When you tap the page, the tools will appear. You can modify the look of the pages using these tools. For example, you can change the brightness by moving the slider.


iphone ibooks


You can also change the size and type of font used. The “Sepia” switch is to alternate the temperature of the page between warm and warmer for the eye.


iBooks for iPhone


At the top right of the page is the bookmark tool. Tap on it to place a bookmark, tap again to lift it. Bookmarked pages are accessible from the tab next to the table of contents.


ibooks on iphone


Search & Define


You’ll notice a magnifying glass among the tools. This is the search tool. Tap to activate the search function (you can also do a search on highlighted text).


ibooks on iphone


Type in the search string and you’ll have the search results. Clicking on one of the results will bring you to the page where it’s located.


10f Search.jpg


But that’s not all. You also have the option to get results from Google and Wikipedia.


10e Definition in Wikipedia.jpg


Adding Notes & Highlights


One of the things that I like (and hate) about buying used books is the amount of notes that I might find between the pages. Some people reading while making notes. You can do similar things – digitally – in iBooks.


Tap and hold a word to select it. You can expand the selection by moving the marker. From the pop-up menu you can add “Highlight” and/or “Note” to the selected text. Then the highlighted texts will appear on the bookmark list so you can access them easily anytime.


07a Highlight Text.jpg


If you choose “Note“, a notepad and keyboard will appear. Just type in your thought or comment there.


07b Adding Notes.jpg


After that, a tiny marker will appear next to the highlighted text, and your note will appear everytime you tap the marker.


07c The Notes.jpg


Tap on the highlighted text and a new menu will appear. You can remove the note or you can change the color.


07d Remove Note.jpg


There are five colors that you can choose.


07e Choose Color.jpg


Define In Dictionary


Still using the tap and hold action, you can zoom in the text for better selection. A magnifying glass will help you select the text, and it will move along with your finger.


10a Zoom to Select.jpg


Another action that you can do with selected text is to find the definition in Dictionary. This feature will be a great help for students who read their textbooks in iBooks.


10b Find Definition.jpg


The first time you use it, iBooks has to download the dictionary first. tap on the “Download” button.


10c Download Dictionary.jpg


After the download has finished, you’ll have an elegant dictionary in the palm of your hand.


10d Definition in Dictionary.jpg


Flipping & Orienting Pages


So iBooks can give you a page-flipping like animation. So what? There are many applications that can do the same, right? This feature must be just eye candy.


Wrong. Even if it is just eye candy, it’s a beautiful and well-thought out one. It’s not just a boring flipping page which always goes in the same repetitive manner, but you can actually interact with the way the pages flip.


08a Flipping The Page a.jpg


Try to tap and hold your finger at the edge of the page and slide a little bit to the left. Without releasing your finger, try to move around the page – left and right, also up and down.


08b Flipping The Page b.jpg


Now what about changing the reading orientation of your iPhone from Portrait to Landscape? Will the book be turned into two smaller pages like an iPad? It turns out that the iPhone version of iBooks will still keep the one page view, and also maintain the size of the font. The changes happen to the page numbers.


09a Different Page Number a.jpg


The app adjusts the page number to keep up with the constant size of the font. This method will ensure that the book is still readable even if you change the orientation.


09b Different Page Number b.jpg


I guess this is one of the advantages of digital books in ePub format compared to PDF. Reading proportionally fixed PDF pages requires you to constantly adjust the zoom to compromise between page view and readable text.


So have you tried iBooks for iPhone? What’s your opinion about it? Please share your thoughts using the comments below. Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s someone that I have to meet at the Pooh corner.


12 End.jpg


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