Windows 10...should I upgrade?

For just a few more months (until July 31, 2016), Microsoft is offering to upgrade your Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 computer to Windows 10 for free. But should you take them up on the offer?

As a IT Consultant that is constantly on the road fixing Windows computers at 54 public libraries, I know Windows OS. I know updates. I know reinstalls. I know building the thing back from a hard blue-screen-of-death crash. I like Windows 7. It runs well for Windows. It's stable.
I don't like Windows 8 or 8.1 and its made for touch screen setup. To me, Windows 8 in any version is just as bad as Windows Vista.

Windows 10 is better that Windows 8. It's almost as good as 10. So, if you have Windows 8.1, please upgrade to 10.
If you are happy with Windows 7, stay if you want. But know that you will eventually have to upgrade to 10, when your current computer bites the dust.

Things to know before you upgrade:
BACK UP ALL YOUR FILES! That means photos and documents and personal information. The upgrade should keep all your information, but I have had a couple upgrades "eat" files that I could not recover. It's just good practice to back up files when you are messing with an Operarting System (OS) anyway.

Windows 10 is set up to track you and your computer use!
But you can turn those setting off. After your computer has downloaded and initiated the upgrade, you are taken to a setup screen. From there you can turn off data sharing options.
Also, after 10 is installed, go to Start-->Setttings-->Privacy and turn off sharing there.

Teens in Winter

As the Holiday season approaches I like to get in the spirit for my teen department.

One way to celebrate-why with that holiday classic

That's right. Gremlins is a sure-fire hit for your teens.

TDay

Happy Thanksgiving from your favorite Book Geeks!

How Jennifer feels nearly every year....

International Games Day

The 8th Annual International Games Day @ Your Library is approaching this month on Saturday, November 21st. This is a global event sponsored by the American Library Association, Nordic Game Day and the Australian Library and Information Association.

And it's free!

Digital Libraries (ebooks, audiobooks and more)

Do you still have an eBook Reader? Or are you thinking about getting one? Do you still load your MP3 player with audiobooks? (Does anyone still have an MP3 Player?)

STOP!

Think instead of getting a tablet or using your smart phone for your digital library needs!

Did you know that you can use your tablet and/or phone as an eReader?

•  a Kindle app for Amazon purchases
• Audible for downloadable audiobook purchases

But you don't even have to BUY eContent! You can check it out!

• One Click Digital for State Library of Kansas audiobook checkouts
•  3M Cloud for State Library of Kansas ebook checkouts
• From the State Library of Kansas (must be a Kansas resident)
• http://kslib.info/128/Digital-Book-eLending
• Overdrive for participating libraries checkouts
• Must have a valid library card from a participating Kansas Library
• http://www.sunflowerelibrary.org/0B06C921-F882-45E0-8F6A-C0A6864FDC9B/10/50/en/Default.htm

Wedding Day!!

Well our Wedding Day is officially behind us.

And it went wonderfully!

Wedding Flowers

My bouquet is finally ready to go! In true BookGeek fashion they simply had to be from an old book, right?

And here they are

My Best Friend is Getting Married!

BookGeek1 has found her Mr. BookGeek!
And don't worry, he is just as awesome as BG1!

So what does a techie/book geek do to make her Bestie's day special?  Why, have a giant sleep over for her bachelor party, of course!

There was shopping for costumes as her wedding is on Halloween.

There was lots of food.
There were movies projected on the wall.
And, there was witch's brew punch.

Happy End of Single-hood, BG1!

FrankenToys

This is hands-down my favorite spooktacular teen craft!

FRANKENTOYS

So I present to you my very first creation from a few years back.

Care Po the Magnificent!

The Big Day Approaches!

I'm getting married this month!!!

And guess what?

It's on Halloween! And costumes are encouraged.

Comic Book Coasters

A crowd-favorite!

Comic Book Coasters are relatively low-cost, but they are a bit of a time-suck. So it's super important to have an alternate activity to occupy their time while they wait until their layers of Mod Podge dry. My suggestion: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World!

Based on the delightful graphic novel series, Scott Pilgrim is full of quirk and snark and should please the vast majority of your teens.

But I digress....

It Begins: Revamping a Teen Department

My new teen department desperately needs some TLC. I'm loving the nice furniture and computers in the space, but the programming needs a renovation. It is just so dull...

Thus begins Day 1 of creating an awesome action plan to boost those numbers!

Mr & Mrs BookGeek2 take on Wales!

In August, BookGeek2 and Mr. BookGeek2 adventured to Wales. I wanted to show Mr. BG2 my old campus at University of Wales Aberystwyth. So we returned after an 11 year hiatus.

We did see the sites in London.

We traveled to Aberystywth and saw the coastline

The Castle...

Road the Rheidol Train to Devil's Bridge...

2003 Trip to Devil's Bridge

2015 Trip to Devil's Bridge

and tried to find my old dorm....

alas, it was torn down.

But all was not lost. My friend Anna lives in Plymouth, so we traveled to see her, Mr. Anna, and her cute button.

And visited BookGeek1's plant, Steve, that she nurtured her year in Wales and left in Anna's great care. Steve has many children all over Plymouth and is living the pampered life of a house plant with a cat and a toddler as companions.

Internet Filters and Right to Access

The America Library Association has its own Library Bill of Rights that state the library professions belief in everyone's right to information. Libraries provide millions of people access to information through books, classes, digital media and, of course, THE INTERNET.

However, libraries receiving funding from the Federal Government through eRate must filter all public access computers that children can access. So, most libraries in my area are filtered. They are filtered minimally: pornography, bittorrents, adware are filtered.

Persons over 18 can request the filter to be removed. So, if you are using OpenDNS, here is how to temporarily disable the filter:

Be Aware, though, that viewing most filtered sites will violate your terms of use and computer use policies with your library. Meaning you can lose computer use privileges.

But why, you may ask, if I have a right to this information, am I being punished for accessing it. You have a right to access that info on your personal device. The library has a right to protect their equipment. Pornography sites and gambling sites come with lots of malware and viruses. BitTorrent sites that download movies (etc) illegally are tracked by Internet Providers and will charge users and abusers of copyright.

Day One!

It's BookGeek1's First Day at her new library...


As I wrap up my very first day at my new job only one thing springs to mind.

Pop Tab Bracelets

Pop Tab Bracelets are one of my favorite teen crafts!

They are cheap!
They are easy!
They are popular!

Love them! Love them! Love them!

Seriously, you need pop tabs (just ask your patrons to bring them in), black elastic cord (or ribbon), and scissors.

That's it!

Well, that and my handy-dandy step-by-step guide. I have two options here for you.

One option is a single sheet which works wonderfully if you want to create a make & take craft. Just pop the sheet and the supplies into a ziploc bag and you are good to go!

The 2nd option is a great reusable option. I print 2 per page, cut them in half, laminate them, and attach them all to a ring. This creates an awesome instructional flip-book.

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!

Greetings!

We are Jennifer & Maribeth and we are awesome!

On the Dells in Wisconsin

We have been buddies since college when we moved in across the hall from each other at the same time.

McPherson College Graduation (Maribeth Center, Jennifer 2nd from Right)

Since then we have been through a lot together.

We've seen the world (with our other trusty Panda friend).....



Studied abroad in Wales....

Jennifer finds Nessie in Loch Ness, Scotland

Jennfier finds the stone circle from Outlander

Jennifer gets hailed on at Uhquart Castle of Loch Ness

Went to the same Graduate School to study different programs.

After that we ended up working together at the only two county library in the state of Kansas. The same library that oversaw both of our childhood libraries.

A short time later, Maribeth was off to work for a library system and Jennifer was left behind....

But wait!

In true stalker fashion (kidding, it just kind of happened this way), Jennifer wound up working for the public library in the very same town.

That's right! We were back together again! Which was a great thing because Maribeth really missed Jennifer.

Since then we have continued our adventures.

We've continued to work in the theatre together.

"Enchanted April"

We were even together when Jennifer tried her very first pickle

Pickles are gross in Winnipeg, Canada

And then Maribeth had to finish it.

No, they are not...

Today Jennifer has left that library and is on the way to yet another Kansas library, but we are hoping that this blog will help others while helping us continue our adventures together.