Social Media Spotlight: Twitter

7/31/2015 03:22:00 PM maze

It's time for another Social Media Spotlight. This week we'll be talking about Twitter!



What is Twitter?

By now you have probably heard of the social networking site Twitter. Founded in 2006, Twitter is a social media platform that lets you share messages with online 'followers.' Unlike Facebook, Twitter posts are restricted to 140 characters only, meaning that for the most part messages are short and to the point. Twitter has been embraced by businesses and celebrities as a way to interact directly with customers and fans. We even have a library twitter account!

One of the most popular uses for Twitter to keep up with you favorite celebrities or television shows. You can see behind-the-scenes photos, candid shots of the celebrities and even ask them questions. (There's no guarantee that they'll see or respond, of course) One of my personal favorite twitter trends is television actors "live-tweeting" episodes. Which means when an episode airs the stars of show watch it and tweet interesting facts about filming the episode.



You don't have to be into to celebrities to enjoy Twitter. It also allows you to keep up with breaking news - both locally and internationally. You can be get the headlines as they happen on your twitter account. In fact, some people choose not to post at all, instead using Twitter as a way to stay current.


If you do choose to post, you don't have to let everyone one see it. Like Facebook and other social networking sites, Twitter allows you to make your account private. This means you decide who can see your tweets. Another way to keep people from reading your posts is to block them. This means they cannot see your posts or contact you directly.

Twitter can be used on your computer, smartphone or tablet via the web or by downloading an app.

Do you use Twitter? What is your favorite thing about it?

If you have an idea for blog posts or questions/comments, you can contact us on Facebook or Twitter. 

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Updated! Hoopla - a new service for borrowing movies, tv shows, audio books and music.

7/17/2015 03:42:00 PM maze
We've talked about Hoopla before on this blog, but we felt it was time to update it since Hoopla has added several new types of material! When we first wrote about this service from Bossier Parish Library back in November, it allowed you to check out movies, television shows, audio books and full albums of music on your computer or smartphone. Hoopla still offers all of those things but now they've added eBooks and Comics to their library! With all these additions there's something for readers of all ages and reading levels.

What does Hoopla offer?

Hoopla offers Audiobooks, eBooks, Comics, Movies, Television and full Music albums! All right at the touch of your fingers. 








How do I use Hoopla?

Step One: Getting to Hoopla

The first step to checking out items on Hoopla is, of course, getting to the Hoopla site. On your computer this means going to http://www.hoopladigital.com. On your tablet or smart phone, you'd download the Hoopla Digital app. 

Step Two: Signing up 

The first time you visit to Hoopla site or app, you'll be asked to sign up for an account. This is free and only takes a few minutes to complete. We'll walk through each step below. The first screen shows you an Overview of the Hoopla service and lets you know what is required to use it. You'll need your library card number and PIN, and a valid email address. 


After the Overview, you'll be taken to a screen that will allow you to choose your library. Most of the time, this will automatically show you all of the libraries in your area that use Hoopla. Choose Bossier Parish Library and click Next. 



After choosing Bossier Parish Library, you'll be asked for your library card number and PIN. Bossier Parish Library does require a PIN, so make sure not to leave this blank. 
(Hint: The PIN is the last 4 digits of your library card number)



The final step in creating an account is entering your email address and creating a Hoopla password. This password is for Hoopla only so Bossier Parish Library staff won't be able to access or reset this password for you. If you do happen to forget this password, you can reset it through the Hoopla website. 


That was the final step! You should now see a Welcome to Hoopla page that gives you basic information on your Hoopla account, including the number of titles you can borrow every month. 


Step Three: Borrowing Materials

Now that you're signed up with an account you're ready to start borrowing titles! You can browse by type or search for a specific title or artist. When browsing you can switch between types at the top. There are several categories including New titles, Top titles and genres. Click on the cover picture to find more info or to borrow the item. 



When you've decided what you'd like to borrow, click on the cover picture. This will take you to a screen that will show you more details, including how long you'll be able to borrow the item. Click the borrow button to add the item to your account. 


Once you've borrowed the item, it can be found under the My Titles. This page also shows you how many more titles you can borrow in the month. 



Using Hoopla on your mobile device or tablet

Using Hoopla on a mobile device is exactly the same as the steps laid out above, though the appearance of the screens may be slightly different. 


Are you excited to start using Hoopla? We are. We're even listening to the album pictured above while typing this! 



If you have an idea for blog posts or questions/comments, you can contact us on Facebook or Twitter. 

You can also follow us on Instagram!
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Read Magazines with Flipster - a new service at BPL!

7/02/2015 11:12:00 AM maze

Borrowing magazines is simple and quick with Flipster! 

Last week we talked about the newest service at Bossier Library - FLIPSTER! This week we'll be walking through step-by-step how to borrow a magazine on your laptop or device. 


On your Laptop:

1. Go to the Bossier Library website at http://www.bossierlibrary.org/start/
    Click on the Flipster icon under Digital Media/eContent. 



2. This will automatically sign you in to the Bossier Library account on Flipster. 
     The most popular magazines and latest issues will be on the front page. 
     You can choose to read one of these magazines or browse through the categories on the left. 
 

3. Once you've picked a magazine, click on the cover to borrow it. 
    This will open the magazine. Then you can use the menu on the side to flip pages, zoom in 
    or see other issues of the magazine. 

4, The magazine will look just like the print version. 

If you find the print is too small or hard to read, you can zoom in. Below is a zoomed in look at the first paragraph on the magazine page above. 


When you're finished, simply close the window! This will bring you back to the magazine library so you can find another magazine to read. 

Flipster is also available as an app on iPad, iPad Mini and Android tablets! 

Simply download the app and follow the instructions on the screen! No signing up necessary! 

Is there something you'd like to see us post about on this blog? 
If you have an idea for blog posts or questions/comments, you can contact us on Facebook or Twitter. 

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