New Class Gets First Offering Today

Intro to RSS goes live today @ 3!


Around four months ago I got the bright idea to write a new class for adult technology offerings. We had gotten some feedback that patrons wanted a more advanced computer class- as all the ones we offered were on the basic level. So I designed a class around using RSS as a more advanced class for the internet.

RSS is a cool function of some websites that allows you to "subscribe" to information, much like how you can subscribe to a magazine. RSS enabled sites update, and send the content directly to subscribers, the same way a new magazine comes out and is delivered to your mailbox.

The new class in using RSS feeds today will be an introduction to subscribing to webpages. We'll show you how to identify, subscribe to, and make use of RSS feeds.

The easiest way to identify RSS is with the orange symbol at the top of this post. With the FireFox webbrowser, RSS enabled sites will have that tag in the address bar.

Websites that have RSS are typically ones that update constantly- like news sources. CNN, NPR and BBC all have RSS enabled homepages. Sports teams and leagues use RSS to follow the news on games, scores and trades.

You can even subscribe to this blog using RSS. Just click on the RSS symbol in far right of the address bar. I happen to thing the Freedom Library Blog makes an excellent addition to any RSS stream.


So come to the Freedom Library today from 3- 5 pm. I'll be teaching this class for the first time in the student lab on the second floor. Seriously, it's going to be fun.

Looking Ahead with Freedom 7/27 - 8/1

Monday

"Take The Stage Auditions" 4- 5:30 pm
- Take The Stage is a library system wide talent show for teens (age 12- 18). Auditions are being held at regional libraries where the top three will go on to compete at Imaginon on August 8th. Visit libraryloft.org to find out more, or check out the flyer here.

Tuesday

"Preschool Storytime" 9:30 am & 10:30 am
- For preschoolers, ages 3- 5. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30 pm
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.


Wednesday

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30 pm
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"Intro to RSS" 3- 5 pm
- A brand new class being offered for the fist time. This class will show you how to identify, subscribe to, and make use of RSS feeds. We'll cover what RSS is and how you can use it for news, entertainment, and job hunting.

"Mortal Kombat (1995)" starting at 6 pm
- July marks the return of the Freedom Film Series. This month, we will celebrate films based on video games.


Thursday

"Preschool Storytime" 9:30 am & 10:30 am
- For preschoolers, ages 3- 5. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"Basic Drawing" 7- 8pm
- A class for seniors and adults. No matter your skill level, join us for a class in the basics of drawing. This class will be offered again on August 6th.


Friday

"Mad Hot Ballroom" starting at 11 am
- A 2005 documentary film about New York City public schools and dancing. For a teen audience.

1st Place team from ALA Book Cart Drills

I knew this was something special when this video started showing on large, main-stream, non-library sites.

You see, librarians do strange things at the ALA conference. One of which is doing funny things with book carts. Once in graduate school, I designed a remote control book cart. (It didn't work very well, and never made it to ALA, but still.)

All that is to say, you should check out this video of the team that won the Book Cart Drills at ALA this year. It defies words.

I'm sorry the video is bigger than the frame.

The winning team is from the Oak Park Public Library in Oak Park, IL.

Looking Ahead with Freedom 7/20 - 7/25

Monday

"Rockband Tournament" 2- 4 pm
- Pre registration required. Teens only. For more information, visit the Library Loft page.

"Resume Basics" 3- 5 pm
- We'll walk you through the steps of using Word templates to create an attractive resume.


Tuesday

"Preschool Storytime" 9:30 am & 10:30 am
- For preschoolers, ages 3- 5. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30 pm
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.


Wednesday

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30 pm
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"Internet Basics" 2- 4 pm
- For adults with limited to no experience using the internet.

"Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)" starting at 6 pm
- July marks the return of the Freedom Film Series. This month, we will celebrate films based on video games.


Thursday

"Preschool Storytime" 9:30 am & 10:30 am
- For preschoolers, ages 3- 5. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

New Library Service - Make a computer reservation a day early

Before this service, the only way to get a computer was to show up and make a reservation. Very first-come, first-serve. You also could not make a reservation for the future, only whe a computer became available.

Not anymore!

Now you can reserve a computer at Freedom (and actually all other Charlotte locations) for a more specific time, and up to one day in advance.

How To: (from home)

Go to the system homepage (plcmc.org) and choose the "locations" tab at the top.

Choose the location where you want to reserve a computer. Click on the library's name.

You'll see a page that looks something like this. Right under the hours of operation, there will be a link to reserve a computer.

Clicking on the link will take you to a page that will ask for your library card number, PIN, and your desired time.

It's that simple.

You can also make a reservation in the library. Just go up to any Public Access PC, and find the "reserve a computer" button on the kiosk screen.

You will have to enter your desired location, time, and library card number.

Have fun!

Looking Ahead with Freedom 7/13 - 7/18

Tuesday

"Preschool Storytime" 9:30 am & 10:30 am
- For preschoolers, ages 3- 5. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"Excel Basics" 1:30 - 3 pm
- For adults with limited or no experience using Microsoft Excel. We'll show you how to open, and save Excel workbooks, and the basics of entering data.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.


Wednesday

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30 pm
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"PowerPoint Basics" 2- 4 pm
- For adults with limited to no experience using Microsoft PowerPoint. We'll show you how to open and save a PowerPoint slide show, demonstrate uses of PowerPoint, and create a simple slide show together.

"Street Fighter (1994)" starting at 6 pm
- July marks the return of the Freedom Film Series. This month, we will celebrate films based on video games.


Thursday

"Preschool Storytime" 9:30 am & 10:30 am
- For preschoolers, ages 3- 5. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

Librarian Adventures

So, there's this game show on NPR called "Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me." It's great. It's a weekly news quiz, where people call in and answer questions about the week's news and win Carl Kasell's voice on their home answering machine.

It may not sound like much on paper, but trust me, it's great.

And this is a library adventure because?


Librarians, as it turns out, travel far and wide to meet with each other and talk about their libraries. I kid you not. I've been to a few. They're oddly fun.

Right now, this very moment (if you are reading this blog post as I am writing it) a BIG library conference is going on. The American Library Association summer conference in Chicago.


Tie this together for me Devin.

'Wait, Wait' is taped before a live audience in Chicago. The fine people at ALA (specifically ALTAFF) reserved the entire auditorium for librarians for this week's show. If you listen to this week's show (episode airing July 11 @ 1pm) everyone in the audience is a librarian.

The librarians have taken and adventure, and found themselves at a game show in Chicago. I'm not going to lie to you, librarians are kind of cool.

Altered Books this Friday

Friday (7/10) from 11 - 12:30, we'll be doing a craft program for teens in altering books.

Altering books is an art form with it's own international society. Check out their website: alteredbookartists.com. They explain the art better than I can;

"It is any book, old or new that has been recycled by creative means into a work of art. They can be ... rebound, painted, cut, burned, folded, added to, collaged in, gold-leafed, rubber stamped, drilled or otherwise adorned ... and yes! It is legal!"


We will provide the books for you to alter. We'll also have tools and glue. The craft is free. All you need to bring is an artistic spirit.

Looking Ahead with Freedom 7/6 - 7/11

Tuesday

"Preschool Storytime" 9:30 am & 10:30 am
- For preschoolers, ages 3- 5. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.


Wednesday

"Resume Basics" 11- 1 pm
- How to write and format a resume using templates in Microsoft Word. Class is free, registration is not required.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"Final Fantasy (2001)" starting at 6 pm
- July marks the return of the Freedom Film Series. This month, we will celebrate films based on video games.


Thursday

"Preschool Storytime" 9:30 am & 10:30 am
- For preschoolers, ages 3- 5. Free and open to all, groups require registration.

"School Age Reading Express" 2- 3:30
- For children ages 5- 9. Activities and reading. Free and open to all, groups require registration.


Friday

"Altered Books" 11- 12:30 pm
- We supply the books, you supply the imagination. Altering books is an art form, where you are free to create. You can take pages apart and sew/glue them together. You can paint on the books. You can alter them in any way. This event is free and open but geared for teens.

Holiday Weekend

Don't forget, all libraries will be closed this weekend- Friday, Saturday and Sunday (yes, even the main library).

Have a fun and safe holiday weekend.

July Freedom Film Series

Through July, the Feedom Film Series will show movies based on video games.


July 1: Super Mario Bros., PG (1993)

July 8: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, PG-13 (2001)

July 15: Street Fighter, PG-13 (1994)

July 22: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, PG-13 (2001)

July 29: Mortal Kombat, PG-13 (1995)

In Jonathan's words (from the Film Series Blog):
The Video Game Adaptation series will be held every Wednesday night in July. All screenings will start at 6:00pm in the Community Room of the Freedom Regional Public Library. All screenings are free and open to the public. There will also be free popcorn for those who attend the screenings. Hope to see you there!