Libraries are like snowflakes! Each one is so different.

I love calendars! Staying organized and knowing exactly where I need to be and when. This totally must be an adult thing! When I was younger I could totally remember appointments and meetings without writing them down. As I have gotten older, and life has gotten busy and busier, I have to write EVERYTHING down. Including work schedules, appointments and family obligations. There are many different useful calendars to keep you on task. Our family used to use the Cozi online calendar, until we switched to a family Google calendar. I like the fact that everyone has access to the same calendar and any of us can add dates and we all can see the changes.  Using the Microsoft Outlook calendar this week for class came naturally to me. All online calendars are pretty much created equal with a few special features here and there. Knowing how to use a professional calendar in a large library setting would be very useful. The library I work at only has 4 aides and one director. We have one sta...

     It's 2022 and you don't have an email address?!?! This is a common situation for staff at public libraries. A patron comes into the library needing to register for a rebate or wants to message a distant family member but have no access to a computer or have never signed up for an email address. This is a tough line to walk as a library worker. A line between being overly helpful and keeping the patron's privacy.       I once had a patron come into our local library that needed to email a document to their credit card company to prove a fraudulent charge. They had never signed up for an email and did not have a smart phone. I patiently sat down with the patron and together we signed them up for a Gmail account. While setting up this Gmail account, it asks several personal questions. I would walk away and let the patron answer the questions privately and then come back when they were ready for the next set. The patron was so grateful and appreciativ...

This week in my Social Media & Technologies class we read about how to help library patrons with the internet and how to help them browse and get online, tell the difference between usernames and logins and how to perform a basic internet search. This all may seem basic or mundane for the avid computer user but for those that have a computer barrier and are not familiar with "jumping" online, these tasks can seem daunting.  One of our assignments was to choose an activity from what we read and discuss what we thought of this topic. I chose resetting a password from Chapter 3: Usernames and Logins. Making sure you have a solid strong password is a very important thing. Hackers prey on those who use easy to crack passwords. In our reading, they discussed turning weak passwords into strong passwords by switching the order of the letters, using numbers for letters, or inserting punctuation. Something as easy as changing an "e" to a "3", can strengthen a pa...

Hey! Hey you!!! Did you know there is a digital divide?!? What's that you say? What is a digital divide and why have I never heard about it before?!? A digital divide is the behavioral norms when using technology and the rights and responsibilities one has when using the internet. It's the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communication, and those that don't or have restricted access. Are you thinking... That's weird! I have never heard of this before. I too thought the same thing!! That's because you are probably on the upper hand of the digital divide. You are reading this blog right now, you probably checked your email multiple times today and maybe even scrolled on TikTok.  Libraries play a GIANT role in bridging this divide. Most libraries offer free internet to all patrons. They offer classes and instructions on how to use technology and how to become more comfortable using digital items in everyday life. Not every...

Hey! It's me!!  Kristina McGuire, free-spirit and fun-loving gal, finally finding what makes my soul happy, living my best-library life at a small rural Wisconsin library. When not at work or completing school work I like to spend time with my family, travel, crochet, quilt, organize my home and spend time with our 3 dogs.