Big thanks to ER&L for inviting me to speak at there 2019 conference held in Austin. Never knew there could be so many varieties of tacos to eat! I was joined by a couple of colleagues to present vendor negotiation strategies. Something that isn't taught in library school, but is part of our day to day especially when dealing with databases, hardware, and software. One of the biggest takeaways conveyed is that always find out how they are getting there price. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Is it cost per use, cost per patron, based on demographic size, and so on. From there you can start the negotiation once you understand their pricing. If it's based on population, well say is that total population or library card holders? Why get charged for everyone in the community if only x number have cards and use the library? 

I had a great time at ILA2018 in Peoria! Big thanks to all the attendees as well as my panel co-hosts. We had a great discussion about how to stay creativity motivated during challenging times as a librarian. 

Thanks to Public Library Association Magazine (PLA) for a little love on a new resource I promoted. This was cool to see and appreciate the love by colleagues. Read all about it in the Jan/Feb issue of Public Libraries Magazine

Welcome to this week's debut Tech Blog. Periodically check back as we will feature useful information and tips for all things tech based. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more updates throughout the week.

Often in teaching classes and helping patrons, the topic of Smartphone tips is bound to come up. How can my phone do this, do that, save this, or have this? The most common topic, however, is battery life. What was an old rule of thumb - closing applications to conserve battery - has been debunked! Wired helped shed some light on why this is actually a hindrance to your battery life. Logic is that it takes the phone extra battery power to kill the app than it would if you just left it alone.

For our eBook readers, another question comes up regarding memory. Users with older model phones will often find themselves in a situation where they cannot checkout an eBook due to low memory. Instead of cursing outdated technology, look at ways to reduce memory by using Cloud storage. Syncing photos to Cloud storage can allow you to delete photos from your device, freeing up memory. Set up automatic backup of photos or use apps such as Flickr or Dropbox to conserve space on your device's hard-memory.

Love music? If you don't want to rely on streaming prices and or commercials, store your own tunes also in the Cloud. Either school of Smartphone (Apple or Android) offers apps that can store thousands of music for free. Look into Google Play music which lets you house up to 25,000 songs for free using the Music Manager app open to both iOS and Android. Use the app to play from your own selection or default to the radio streaming offerings.

For questions on charging, yes, some devices do take long to charge. To help speed the process, turn off Wi-Fi and, if you can withstand being disconnected for a bit, turn your phone to airplane mode. While the jury is still out on 3rd party chargers for any brand, using company certified chargers work best. Another myth was squashed in regards to 0-100% charging; PC Advisor has a great write up on why this isn't the best way to charge, especially as phone batteries develop. Keep all this mind in regards to your Smartphone, as with tips on conserving memory, charging can prolong the life of your phone and resist the temptation for pricey upgrades.

On November 9th I was part of a panel presenting book suggestions for the community. It was a great turnout as we had over 40 people pack in the writers theater stage. A wonderful introduction was given and I was honored to be part of the group. We will be doing these book discussion every few months, so keep tabs on the next one coming in late January. We discussed favorites and recent titles that are worth the read, as well as future releases. 
​

And so it began...The launching of a whole new website. Insert here the guesses for how many emails and phone calls come with that responsibility. Everyone is a editor these days ha! Glad to see the site is up and running. Now comes the fun part of adding new features that can bring interactions between the library and the community. First step of course is to hit the streets and this picture shows. Nothing like being on the front lines to tell Glencoe all about our new site.

So...In case you didn't hear the news through social media or just me bombarding you with images of co-workers saying goodbye's and wonderful sweets being eaten. I had my last day at Gail Borden in Elgin. I am taking on a new position at Glencoe Public. Network Manager. Handling of course the tech but still will do the librarian duties since we are a small library, we do it all. Kind of good change of pace to be part of something that can and will develop into a leading library. GIven the space and size of the community I look forward to making a grand impact not only on the library but also within the community. I look forward to improving the day to day operations, and of course instruction! I love to teach and see the rewards of students empowering themselves. It's what life's all about. Being a better person.

Hey all,

Glad to report that I will be the new collection manager for MyMediaMall youth materials. Awesome opportunity to grow my collection development skills, and also paved the way for our future! ha. Most libraries are part of a consortium to share eBooks and that's what Overdrive/MymediaMall offers. We have over 20 local libraries that pool together a budget for eBooks. As the youth collection manager I have the responsibility of choosing what eBooks for youth that these libraries will share. So, its like choosing a collection for a bunch of libraries! Big deal, big duties and big excitement. This is a great perk because I get to also choose young adult/teen novels as well. I read a lot in that genre so this of course means I am buying tons of my favorites haha just joking! Thrilled to be part of the collection team and looking forward to broadening my skills.

Stay tuned-  
Athens

The Courier News picked up the news about our team winning a grant from the American Library Association. They also interviewed me and a team member about the classes we are offering and how we are going above and beyond to make sure these patrons gain the skills they desire.