Random Acts of Libraryness by James Laitinen at Salmon Arm Branch

As the great Austin Powers once said, “Allow myself to introduce myself”.  I am the new Branch

James & Roswitha at Roswitha's
Retirement Party

Head Librarian at the Salmon Arm Library.   Having grown up in Salmon Arm, it’s great to be back.  Thanks again to Roswitha Klawitter for her 18 exuberant years as Branch Head, and we wish her all the best in her new adventures.  We also bid a fond farewell to Colleen Smith, who worked 16 years at the Circulation Desk.

Random Acts of Libraryness

Maybe I’m being lazy with my first column, but I thought I would start off by highlighting some of the many services offered at the library:
• We’re more than just books (although we have a lot of those).  We have movies, TV series on DVD, audiobooks on CD, free Wi-Fi, workstations with internet access and Microsoft Office.  And people to help answer your questions (because Google and Siri just haven’t mastered the personal touch).
• Looking for something to read, but the library is closed?  You can download hundreds of magazines for free from our Zinio magazine collection.  Just a small sample of available titles:  Car and Driver, Rolling Stone, Knitters Magazine, Harvard Business Review, The Walrus, Shape, Us Weekly, Wood Magazine and many, many more.  Click on the ‘Zinio for Libraries’ icon on our homepage (www.orl.bc.ca), and start your own personal collection.
• If you’re having problems downloading eBooks or audiobooks to your eReader or tablet, you can make an appointment with myself or Alice, and we can show you the process from start to finish.  Just phone the library at 250-832-6161 or email us at salmonarm@orl.bc.ca
• Many of you audiobook-philes have probably discovered our collection of OverDrive downloadable audiobooks, but don’t forget our OneClick collection, which includes a number of Canadian titles
• Are you looking after kids yet in August, but have run out of reading ideas for them?  If you’re looking for advice, just head to the ‘Custom Booklist’ link on our website.  One of our librarians will create a booklist of 5 children or young adult titles
• Do you need to scan and email a document?  Our photocopier can scan and email a PDF copy of any document you need to send
• Did you know that we have books in other languages?  Our collection includes books in French, Chinese, Dutch, German, Japanese, Punjabi and Spanish.  We just got a brand new batch of books in Spanish.

Roots and Blues

If you’re going to Roots and Blues, and want to preview some of the performers, dig into our deep CD collection.  We have a wide range of titles, from headliners such as The Sheepdogs and Ian Tyson to emerging talents like Shad and MonkeyJunk.

Staff Picks

Ardie, our Youth Services Librarian, recommends Glimpse: The Dean Curse Chronicles by Steven Whibley, a Canadian author whose style is reminiscent of Gordon Korman and Sigmund Brouwer.    This is a thriller for ages 9-12 about, as the author describes “24 hours to save a life”.

And In Other Library News

• Saturday Afternoon Book Club:  Join Alice on Saturday, August 23 to discuss The Golden Spruce:  A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed by John Vaillant, which won the 2005 Governor General’s Literary Award for Nonfiction.  Check out our branch webpage for upcoming book club titles (http://www.orl.bc.ca/branches/salmon-arm)
• We will be launching a new version of our catalogue and website in early October.  If you have been using the Enhanced Catalogue, the new catalogue will be quite similar in look and feel. 

Column by James Laitinen, new Head Librarian for the Salmon Arm Branch
This column was first published in the FRIDAY AM Paper

You Have An eReader or Tablet …Now What?

Were you lucky enough to get an eReader or tablet for Christmas?  That's awesome! Now you can’t wait to download free library digital books from the library’s ORL eBooks collection to your device.  But before you get too far ahead, here are a few words of advice to make the process easier for you. 

You need a library card to borrow library eBooks.  Click here for information on getting a library card, or phone or visit your closest branch to make sure your card has not expired.   Also, you will not be able to borrow eBooks if you have fines over $20, so you might want to take care of that :)

Get to know your device as much as possible before getting library staff to assist you.  Library staff may not be familiar with all of the devices out there, so we’ll be relying on you to know your device!  Some things you should know before bringing your device to the library:

• How to access and change the Settings on your device
• How to download apps to your device
• How to close apps on your device

Check with your local branch to see if staff can provide assistance with your device.  You can make appointments in some branches such as Kelowna, Vernon, and Salmon Arm, and staff will sit down with you and show the basics of downloading library eBooks.  Some branches, however, may not always have the staff time to provide in-depth assistance. 

 

If library staff are able to help with your device, please ensure the device is set up before bringing it to the library.  Staff may not be able to assist if the device has not been set up or is ‘fresh out of the box’.  Consult any documentation that came with the device (‘Quick Start Guide’, etc).   You may have to search for the device User Guide on the Internet.

 

Again, please take time to learn how your device works first before asking library staff for assistance downloading library eBooks.  This will make the process much faster so that you will be downloading free eBooks that much quicker!

There’s also help online to help you get started.  Click here for our Help page, where you’ll find basic instructions on getting started with using eReaders and tablets with the ORL eBooks collection. You’ll find video clips for most devices, and additional instruction here (provided by OverDrive, the company that distributes digital books to this and other libraries).

If you have any questions, you can email us at info@orl.bc.ca or call us toll-free at 1-855-85EBOOK. And have fun!

Digital Books and More to Enjoy over the Holidays!

The library may be closed over the holidays, but you can always visit our online collections!

Stay cozy and warm inside while delighting in free music, magazines, eBooks, eAudiobooks, and more – all available through your library website with your library membership.

There are hundreds of popular fiction and non-fiction downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks available from the ORL eBooks collection.

Hungering for more eAudiobooks? Check out OneClickdigital, our newest collection featuring thousands of popular eAudiobooks.  It is a great way to find books to listen to while you are travelling to see family.

Catch up with the latest in politics, business, entertainment and wit your favourite hobbies by checking out the digital magazines available from Zinio for Libraries.

These collections may require the creation of an account to use the service or an initial software set-up. Learn how to get started with these collections on the eResources Help page of the ORL website.

But that is not all! There is more!

If you would like to enjoy books with your kids, check out the TumbleBook collections. There are no waitlists and the books play right in the browser of your computer. TumbleBookCloud is great for tweens and teens. There are even quite a few books for high school Language Arts curriculums -- just in case you have a teen who wants get a head-start on their school work over the break. The TumbleBook Library for Kids features animated, talking picture books as well as puzzles and games, based on books in the collection. The TumbleBook Library for Kids collection can even be enjoyed on tablets and mobile devices. 

Ready to explore the online collections? You can find quick links to access some of these collections right on the ORL homepage. You can also discover these and all the other online collections the ORL has to offer by clicking on the “View all Digital Resources” button on the library homepage, www.orl.bc.ca .

Enjoy your holidays – we can’t wait to see you when the library system re-opens on January 2nd!

The Gift That Keeps on Giving! Tablets and eReaders for Christmas this Year

The Gift That Keeps on Giving!

With Christmas approaching, are you thinking about giving the gift of gadgets?  eReaders (such as the Kobo Touch or Sony WiFi) and tablets (such as Apple or Android tablets) were popular gifts last year, and that trend will probably continue this year. Whether you are thinking about your retired mom, your jet-setting brother or a hard-to-buy-for teen, a gadget that allows access to all the treasures the library has to offer is sure to please!

The Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) offers thousands of eBooks for loan on various devices.  Here are some eBook tips from Reference staff at the Kelowna branch:

• If you are shopping for a device, check that it is compatible with library eBooks.  Visit http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/ for a list of compatible devices  
• Make sure your library card is up to date.   Please visit or phone your local branch to check the status of your card.   Branch location information is available on the ORL website (www.orl.bc.ca )
• For instructions on how to download eBooks to a particular device, email us at info@orl.bc.ca or visit our ‘eResources Help’ page (http://www.orl.bc.ca/online-resources/help) on the ORL website

Choosing which eReader or tablet is best for you is a personal decision.  Library staff cannot make specific model recommendations, but they can suggest where to look for consumer/purchasing information.  Contact your local branch for help finding consumer reviews and advice.

When it comes to deciding between an eReader and a tablet, here are some points to consider. 

You may want an eReader if:

• You will only be reading books (and not magazines or newspapers)
• You want something lightweight
• You plan to do a lot of reading in the sun
• eReaders have less glare than tablets
• You want longer battery life
• eReader batteries can last from two weeks to a month, much longer than tablet batteries (which may last only up to a week)
• You want to save money! ($100-$150 for an eReader versus $200-500 for tablets)

A tablet may be the way to go if:

• You want to access a variety of applications
• Digital magazines (the Zinio magazine collection, available via the ORL website)

• Email
• Video
• Games
• Apps (including different eBook apps)
• You want a larger screen size

Most electronics stores will have different eReader/tablet models you can test drive.   Some things to look for: 

• Which device is easiest to navigate?  Which device has the easiest on-screen keyboard to use?  Is one device’s touch screen more responsive than another? 
• Which device gives you the best options to change the print/font size?
• Which display screen looks the best?  Do you get too much glare from one screen?  Is another screen too dark?  What options are available to change the screen display?

Any questions?  Email us at info@orl.bc.ca, contact your local branch, or call our Kelowna Reference Department at 250-762-2800, Ext. 1416.  

 

by James Laitinen, Reference Supervisor, Kelowna Branch, Okanagan Regional Library