National Cyber Security Awareness Month @ BPL

9/29/2014 10:11:00 AM Amanda, End User Support Technician
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Bossier Parish Library's IT Department will be offering a series of special lectures on different aspects of staying safe online. Registration begins today! You can find more information on registration our website - www.bossierlibrary.org.

We are also going to provide a short description of each class here on this blog, and in the coming weeks this blog will feature tips for staying safe online, including creating strong passwords and protecting your identity.

October Class Schedule


Security for New Computer Users

This class will share general security tips for new computer users. This will include creating secure passwords, protecting your information, and staying safe online while shopping or banking online. It is open to people of all ages. This is a lecture only class, and will be held in the meeting room of the Bossier Library Historical Center.
When: Thursday, October 9th, 10:00 -11:30am
Where: Bossier Library History Center Meeting Room

Security Tips for Parents

Get tips on talking to your ids about online security and tools for keeping kids safe online. We will also discuss what to do if someone in your family is bullied or harassed online. 
When: Saturday, October 18th, 1:00 - 2:30pm
Where: Bossier Library History Center Meeting Room

Security Tips for Job Seekers and Young Professionals

It is becoming more common for employers to use your online presence as a factor when deciding whether to hire or promote you. Every post on Facebook and Twitter can have an impact on your future. Learn how your online presence can be a help or a hindrance when searching for a job. We will also discuss workplace security. 
When: Thursday, October 23rd, 5:30 - 6:30pm
Where: Bossier Library History Center Meeting Room


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Pronunciator - a new free service at BPL!

9/26/2014 01:01:00 PM Amanda, End User Support Technician
Bossier Parish Library has a new way to learn a language! In the past we've talked about using Mango Languages to learn a new language, but we have a brand new service that allows you to learn languages online with your computer, tablet or smart phone.

Pronunciator is an online service that features lessons in 80 languages! And it's free to Bossier Parish Library patrons!





Since this is a new service, we thought we would do a review and instructional post in one.

To reach the Pronunciator site, click on the link on the Bossier Parish Library website. There is an icon on the right hand side.

Pronunciator will ask you to register the first time. Enter your email and seconds later receive a confirmation email.



 This email also assigns you a student name and password. The only downside we found when registering was that you do not choose your own student name and password - they seem to be random letters assigned to each user. While this may make it difficult to remember, it does make it more secure.

Once you have received your student name and password, you can sign in to the Pronunciator website. An entry code is not required.


When you have logged in, click "Launch Pronunciator" and it will bring you to the page were you can choose what language you would like to learn. There is also an option for people who speak language other than English.


Once you have decided which language you would like to learn - and with 80 languages available this may take some time! - you decide what course you would like to take. There is the general Pronunciator course or more customized courses, such as the 8 Week Travel Prep and learning levels like beginner, intermediate and advanced. 

After choosing your lesson, you're ready to begin! In this example, we choose 8-Week Travel Prep Course. Each course is divided into weekly and daily lesson. The lesson shown below is Week 1, Day 1. The first lesson includes saying hello and goodbye. 


The first part of the lesson is to listen and repeat the word or phrase. You can replay it as many times as you need and even slow it down, if necessary. We found that slowing the audio down came in very handy when we moved on to longer phrases. It shows you the word in the language, a pronunciation guide, and the English translation of the word. When you feel you've got a handle on the word, you can click next. The lesson is self-paced, which means you can move as quickly or as slowly as you like! 


After you've completed the audio portion of the lesson, it's time to move on to flashcards! It shows you the same images that were on the audio portion and gives you the chance to fill it in yourself. When you think you've got the answer, hit the "Reveal Answer" button to see if you're correct! 


Even though the lessons are divided into days and weeks, because it self paced you can move through the lessons as you want to - if you feel you can do more than one lesson in one day, you can. Or if you feel you need to spend several days on one lesson, you can do that too.

The Verdict:

Even though Pronunciator may not have all the fancy bells and whistles of other language sites, it is very straightforward and easy to navigate. We definitely recommend! 

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Read with your kids with Tumblebooks!

9/19/2014 12:37:00 PM Amanda, End User Support Technician
Bossier Parish Library has many resources for parents and children. We've covered a few of these resources, but those were almost entirely school related. What about parents who want to help their young children read for fun? For those parents, we have TumbleBooks!

TumbleBooks is a service for Bossier Parish Library patrons who want to share in a fun story time with their kids without leaving home or while on the go! Tumblebooks are story books that have been animated and read aloud. Not only is the book read aloud with different voices and sound effects, but the book text still shows on the screen allowing kids to read along.

Tumblebooks offers story books for young readers, as well as chapter books for more advanced readers. There are also nonfiction books and math books to help your kids learn about a wide range subjects. You may even learn something while listening along!

The books are automatic, so there's no page turning required. This means even young children can finish the books on their own.

For access to Tumblebooks, go to our website at BossierLibrary.org and click on the Tumblebooks icon on the right side of the page. This will allow you to automatically be logged in under Bossier Parish Library's account.

From the Tumblebooks home page, you can decide browse books by type and genre or search for specific authors and titles.


Have you tried Tumblebooks? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!
If you have an idea for blog posts or questions/comments, you can contact us on Facebook or Twitter. 

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New Tech Wednesday!

9/03/2014 03:41:00 PM Amanda, End User Support Technician
Thanks to the Labor Day holiday our schedule is a little off, so this month's New Tech Tuesday is actually being posted on a Wednesday. We hope you'll still enjoy all the shiny new gadgets.

There are many exciting smartphone accessories available on the market today. For our New Tech Tuesday (one day late) this month, we'll be discussing a few accessories to make your smartphone even more versatile.

External Camera Lens 

The camera phone means that most of us have a camera at all times, ready to capture the perfect photo of the sunset, family and friends or just our evening meal. There are also lenses that allow your phone to take panaramic pictures, perfect for capturing landscapes or, in our case, the many books on our shelves!

The newest external lens in the news turns your smartphone into an almost professional level camera. The latest lens from Sony is bringing interchangeable lenses to your smartphone.
You can find more information on the new article from TechCruch.com.


Speakers

Listening to music and movies is made even better with external speakers. There are many choices for external speakers for smartphones, including smaller speakers that plug into the headphone jack of your phone and wireless speakers that connect to your phone via bluetooth. The good news is, the variety of speakers available on the market means you'll be able to find one in your price range. You'll even have your choice of colors! 
There is even a speaker that learns your moods and preferences and plays music accordingly! The Aether Cone features a complex algorithm that allows it to learn what you like to listen to, when and where and tries to play music accordingly. Read Gizmodo's review to learn more! 





Portable Chargers

Using all of these fancy accessories or even just using your phone in the course of your normal day can really drain your battery. Unfortunately, we can't always be near an outlet to charge up. Luckily, there are portable chargers there to help you when your batter starts to fail. Like the speakers, these portable chargers come in almost every price range. There are some that run on batteries (which means you have to change the batteries before charging) and some that are rechargeable themselves. There are a variety of sizes, though most can charge a smartphone from almost dead to full charge at least once. The one we'll be talking about today goes the extra mile - it reminds you to take it with you when you're having a busy day! 

The Smart Power Battery from Elgato syncs with your calendar and sends you a reminder to bring it along any time you have a full schedule. It also sends you a notification when your battery starts to run low. 
You can read more about this battery from Elgato on SlashGear.com. 




What is your favorite smartphone accessory? Tell us in the comments below! If you have an idea for blog posts or questions/comments, you can contact us on Facebook or Twitter. 



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