Fire Up the Grill!

5/22/2015 04:27:00 PM Amanda, End User Support Technician
With Memorial Day coming up, it's beginning to feel a lot like Summer and for most of us that means enjoying something from the grill! We've found some fun tech toys to make grilling easier.

BBQ Grill Buddy App

This easy to use Timer lets you select your food and how you'd like it cooked, then lets you know when to flip your food along with a countdown clock so you can see time remaining. Never wonder how long food should be on the grill again! 


Looftlighter

This gadget makes starting the BBQ easier than ever! Unless you use a gas grill, lighting the grill can be time consuming and -  depending on how much lighter fluid  - you use a little dangerous! This device allows you to safely start a fire in under 60 seconds and you don't have use any lighter fluid which can change the taste of the meat. 
Not just reserved for summer, this gadget is helpful when starting fires in the fireplace or while camping in cooler seasons! 

iGrill Thermometer


This thermometer works with your iPhone to allow you to check the temperature of your grill from several feet away - keeping you from having to get up out of that comfy lawn chair every few minutes. 


Thermapen

If you're not sure about using a smartphone to check the temperature of your grill, the Thermapen provides a more accurate reading than most meat thermometers. This means you never have to worry about under cooked food. 



GrillBots

We've saved our favorite gadget for last! Grillbots are the world's first automatic grill scrubbers. These devices take the grunt work out of grilling and let you get to the fun part - eating! There's no set up required, just push a button and watch them go to work. 



What do you think of grilling tech? Helpful or unnecessary?

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

You can also now follow Bossier Library on Instagram and Pinterest!

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Hoopla is perfect for rainy days!

5/15/2015 04:56:00 PM Amanda, End User Support Technician
Rainy days are perfect for staying in and watching movies. But who wants to go out in the bad weather to borrow a movie? That's where Hoopla and Bossier Parish Library come in!

Hoopla is the new service from Bossier Parish Library that allows you to check out movies, television shows, audio books and full albums of music on your computer or smartphone.  It's easier than you think!

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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Apps for Mom!

5/08/2015 04:16:00 PM Amanda, End User Support Technician
Mother's Day is just around the corner, so this week we're sharing apps that can make Mom's life just a little easier.  


Scheduling

One of the biggest challenges parents face is keeping track of everything that needs to be done in a day. There are several apps available that allow you to coordinate your daily to do lists. 

Awesome Note
Awesome Note, made by Bridworks, is an app that the company claims is the "most All-in-One organizer. It allows you to create To Do lists, calendars and notes - even allowing you to create folders to keep everything organized.
Cost: $3.99


Evernote

Like Awesome Note, Evernote allows you to create To-Do lists, make folders, and take notes. It also allows you to collaborate on projects with other user and it syncs across devices. What does that mean for you? You and your spouse or partner can share information with this app. Update one app and all other associated phones or tablets will update as well! Evernote also allows you to update from the website.
Cost: Basic level use is free, it includes everything list above. There are also Plus and Premium options available if you find you need more features.



Grocery Lists/Coupons

The apps above offer basic list making, which can work for groceries. However, apps that are specifically created for grocery shopping offer some advanced features. 

Grocery IQ allows you to make grocery lists for multiple stores, and even allows you to organize the list by aisle keeping you from having to backtrack because you've forgotten the milk. Like Evernote above, you can update your lists from the computer if you wish. You can also add print or email coupons from the app or website. Want to share your list? You can email right from the app. 
Cost: Free. 

Shop Savvy
ShopSavvy app is less about making lists, and more about finding the best price available for your item. This app will search online and in stores to find the very best price available. You can search manually or by scanning the bar code. It also allows you to browse similar products and see local sales.
Cost: Free

For the Family

This app allows you to create accounts for each child and assign them chores. For each chore completed, points are earned. Those points can be spent on rewards of your choosing. Like a chore wheel for the digital age. 
Cost: Free


We'll let the website for Mom Maps explain their service: 
Mom Maps helps you find family fun places, kid friendly locations on the go! Search our extensive list of kid's parks, kid's playgrounds, kid's restaurants, kid's museums and kid's indoor play areas. Search by category or zip code, and you're good to go! In addition to a comprehensive kids play guide, you'll find contact information, reviews by parents, for parents and directions.
This app comes in handy whether you're looking for something close to home or while traveling.
Cost: Free


And of course...

We always recommend the Overdrive and Hoopla Apps. These services are free with your Bossier Parish Library card and allow you to borrow eBooks, Audiobooks, Music and Movies! 
Take some time for yourself to enjoy your favorite book or band. Visit our website for the links! 
Cost: Free. 

    

















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

You can also now follow Bossier Library on Instagram and Pinterest!

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Digital Spring Cleaning

4/24/2015 04:08:00 PM Amanda, End User Support Technician
It's spring (even though it sometimes feels like summer around here) and that means Spring Cleaning! While you're cleaning out closets and scrubbing all those hard to reach places - don't forget to do some Digital Spring Cleaning!

Just like your house, your digital devices can become cluttered and need yearly maintenance. This maintenance can be done any time, but there's something about spring that makes us want to get things in order.

Image source.

Reset Your Passwords

It can be tempting to just set a password and forget it, but not changing password over time can lead to compromised security on your accounts. It's a good idea to reset your passwords at least once a year. This includes email, online shopping and online banking. If you'd like tips on creating secure password checkout our blog post on the subject here: Staying Safe Online ... With Passwords

Update Your Computer

It can also be pretty tempting to just ignore all those alerts for updates to the software on your computer, but skipping those updates can sometimes mean security risks. Often software is updated to protect itself against malicious attacks. 


Make Sure Your Computer is Secure

Another way to make sure your computer is protected is to ensure that your antivirus and firewall are up to date. Don't have an antivirus and firewall? Get one! This is the simplest way to ensure that your information is protected. 


Delete Unnecessary Files and Apps

Files, programs and apps can use up the memory on your computer or device, so make sure you only have the ones you need! Take time this Spring to go through the documents, photos and apps on your smartphone and you might notice everything moves a little faster! And as an added bonus: the battery on your phone will last longer without all those apps running! 



Clear your Web Browser

Have you noticed your web browser, like Internet Explorer or Google Chrome, is moving a little slow these days? Believe it or not, browsers can get slowed down with files too. You can delete these unnecessary files and still not lose your data. You can find instructions for this on the TrendMicro website: Digital Cleaning Checklist.  You'll also find some other helpful times on that checklist. 



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