Tooting our own horn

Now I'm sure that everyone has written down their New Years Resolution and is well on their way to slowly but surely dwindling on the enthusiasm.

But if learning a new language was part of that list - Annville Free Library has a fun way to keep on top of that!

We have recently gotten Pronunciator.  This will help you study from your phone and computer.  It also allows you to download and print items out.  And the complete bright side is - it's completely free for you!

Learn languages you never dreamed of knowing.
Simply follow the link and it'll ask you to enter your library card number and it would be who of you to enter your email address (for your sanity sake).

See or call a librarian if you have any questions and we'll be happy to walk you through it.


LET THE LEARNING BEGIN!

Robotics? Amazing!

Hi Peeps! Miss Bun was perusing the TED Talks this morning and just had to share this one with you. This is a fact meets fiction kind of thing. We had no idea about the advances in this field but we love it! Enjoy!

A Cyborg Composer? A Fascinating Article . . .

This article is from the March/April issue of the Miller-McCune.com online magazine:

Triumph of the Cyborg Composer:
David Cope's software creates beautiful, original music.
Why are people so angry about that? by Ryan Blitstein

is a thought provoking look at artificial intelligence, creativity and what that might mean to us.

 (You can also hear some segments of Emily Howell's music.)

Here is some info about the magazine in case you were wondering who they are and what they are up to: 

"The online magazine Miller-McCune.com harnesses current academic research with real-time reporting to address pressing social concerns. Each day, we offer you information and possible solutions to concerns in areas such as education, politics, the environment, economics, urban affairs and health so you can join our lively global conversation based on work by researchers, leaders and journalists."

Be sure to check out the other interesting topics to be found there! 

Librarian Chick Rocks!

Ok, Peeps, here is a good-to-know-about site that lists "links to the best of the Internet's FREE resources for those with big brains and small pocketbooks!".

Librarian Chick

There are 28 categories (like Books/ Audiobooks, College/Student Loans, Foreign Language, Lectures/Speeches/Podcasts) with tons of free educational resources to check out so don't delay!

The brain behind this site is Stacy Reed who, in her free time, reviews software and websites for Tucows. She also runs a sister site on free and open source software, web applications & resources: FOSSwiki; a blog: She Dreams in Digital & more! (Wow!)

Gotta love folks who like to share, right?

This is Papercraft Heaven!

 Hi Peeps! It's been a really busy week in Library Land ... hence the lack of posts ... BUT ... here is a site from Canon  (the technology company ... I'm sure you've heard of them?) that really is a bit of heaven for papercraft enthusiasts.

Canon Creative Park is an amazing site with amazing projects that are all free.

Here are their categories for all sorts of things to do and make with paper and a printer: Gift & Card, Paper Craft, Scrapbook, Art, Calendars, and Photo Gallery.

There is everything from the very simple to the complex, from one dimensional to 3D and beyond! I have to say there are some very talented people out there designing these projects.

Creative Park gives users a choice of five languages. Each project has author info, release date, recommended paper & printer settings as well as download-able pattern and assembly instructions. 

So limber up your phalanges and click on over to (the aptly named)  Canon Creative Park!



Enjoy!  

Technology and the New Literacy?

Check out this interesting article from Wired magazine:

Clive Thompson on the New Literacy

that sheds some much needed light (imho) on how technology just might be responsible for a new revolution in literacy and communication.

Evidently Andrea Lunsford, a professor of writing and rhetoric at Stanford University, has come to some enlightening conclusions in her Stanford Study of Writing project. Who knew?

Be sure to check out the comments and leave some of your own if you get the urge.

THE place to go for free computer training & more!

GCFLearnFree.org comes highly recommended by our in-house computer tech/YA Librarian person, Vicki.

She uses this site when teaching our basic computer classes at the library and has had only good things to say about it.

This is from their About Page: "GCFLearnFree.org® is supported by the Goodwill Community Foundation, Inc. (GCF®) whose mission is "to create and provide education, employment, and life enrichment opportunities for people who desire to improve the quality of their lives".

GCFLearnFree.org exists to serve the educational part of the GCF mission. We create and provide quality, innovative online learning opportunities to anyone who wants to improve the technology, literacy, and math skills necessary for them to be successful in both work and life. We believe there's freedom in the ability to learn what you want, when you want, regardless of your circumstances. That's why we're 'GCFLearnFree.org.'

So if you are in need of basic computer skills (0r know someone who is) this is the place for you (them)! (The site also offers a Spanish language option as well.)

Under the category of Computer Training you will find several courses for getting started: Computer Basics, Windows, Internet Basics, Email Basics, Internet Safety, Mozilla Firefox, and Facebook 101.

There are also courses on using Office software: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Office, OpenOffice.org, Outlook 2003, and Publisher 2003.

All the courses are free and it is beneficial to sign up for an account because GCFLearnFree will keep track of the courses you've taken & the progress you've made. Each class is self-paced so you can learn when you have the time.

Besides Computer Training they also offer classes in Everyday Life, Math & Money, Online Classes, & Work & Career.

There is a huge amount of good info to be found at this site so be prepared to take your time and check it out.

Make Your Own Music on a Simple Sinewave Synthesizer - TGIFF!

aM Laboratory
created by Andre Michelle (who is, as far as I can tell, a flash audio guru in Cologne, Germany)

This is entirely too much fun to play with!!!

All you have to do is to click points on the 16x16 matrix which trigger sound waves. After clicking multiple boxes, the sound waves interact with each other to create a sound sequence. Click points square by square and build a tone sequence. To clear the grid just hit the space bar.

If you are the adventurous sort try clicking on the "Audio Tool" button on the bottom right. What you'll get is the Hobnox Audiotool site where you can produce your own electronic music with this amazing tool. All in your browser.

(Miss Bun and I both agree that this broader application seems a bit beyond us at the moment but that will not stop us from jumping right in and playing around with it!)

Sign up for a free account and you can save your files, collaborate with other members and more!

What are you waiting for? Go forth and make some music!

Enjoy!

Everyone needs a little Martha on a Monday...

Click on this link for a Martha Stewart how-to on cleaning your computer (complete with video).

Clean Your Computer with Martha
(It's the least you can do for one of your best friends!)

Isn't Monday wash day?