Teens, Video Games, Civics, and the Library

For many adults, video games conjure up images of blurry-eyed, caffeine-addicted, young people in dark, damp basements, squandering their precious youth.

However, a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project – which surveyed 1,102 12- to 17-year-olds – suggests that teens who play video games may be more likely to be engaged in positive civic activities, such as following politics and current events, persuading others how to vote, contributing to charities, volunteering, or attending protests.

This is especially true of teens who play games with others in-person, and those who are actively engaged in the game, through such things as commenting on game websites or discussion boards.

Most interesting, teens in this sample were equally likely to report having civic experiences regardless of race, age, or income. This is in contrast to findings about teens’ civic experiences in high schools, which tend to be unequally distributed, with higher-income, higher-achieving, and white students experiencing more civic opportunities than their counterparts.

To view the entire Pew report, go to Teens, Video Games, and Civics.

Speaking of video games, the Troy Library will launch our own video game collection in October. Games across different platforms will be available for two weeks. For more information about this collection, contact Judy Franklin, the Library’s Teen Librarian, at j.franklin@troymi.gov.

The Library also sponsors free, monthly video game days for youth and teens. To register, go to our schedule of events.

Visit the Michigan eLibrary for One-Stop Information on the 2008 Election

Unless you have been asleep for the past 18 months – or have not turned on a radio or television, or surfed the internet or read a newspaper – you probably know that those of us in the United States are in the middle of a presidential election year.

To help get ready for Election Day – this year Tuesday, November 4 – the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) web site is featuring all the links you need to prepare yourself for casting an informed vote. MeL has links to an explanation of the voting process; information on where to vote and how to apply for an absentee ballot; how to find campaign finance statements; and resources on all the ballot issues and all the parties fielding candidates this year, complete with candidates’ biographical data, speeches, and positions on major issues. MeL also lists sites from non-partisan organizations providing election information.

For this one-stop election resource, go to the MeL website, and scroll down to the bottom of the page to the MeL News section.

And while you are there, check out the other free resources offered by MeL -- a service of the Library of Michigan.

The Power of the Microsoft Office 2007 Clipboard

The clipboard in Microsoft Office 2007 is one of the most under-utilized functions in the entire suite of Office programs. Many of us use the basic copy and paste, but we neglect the other power features of this tool. Today I will cover some of these power features and their uses.

Copy Multiple Items Into Your Clipboard

Much to nearly everyone's surprise, the clipboard can hold more then one clip at a time! To see for yourself, open up your favorite Office 2007 program (Word and Excel work best) and click on the Show Office Clipboard Pane button in the Clipboard grouping. Now, begin copying text from anything you like. I copied some things from Firefox, a favorite browser among the Technology staff here at the Library. You'll notice a small pop-up in the bottom right corner of your screen:

You'll notice that the clipboard says "3 of 24:" I've copied information into 3 of my 24 clipboard available slots. Go back into the Office program you have open, and you'll be able to see the items in your clipboard (right).

You'll notice that each piece of information includes either a mini-thumbnail, for images, or the first few words, for text, in the clipboard. Now, click on an item in the clipboard and it will instantly be pasted into your file.

The Paste Special Command

The paste special command is one of my favorites in MS Office. Frequently when searching the internet I come across text that I want to copy that has multiple types of formatting. When I paste the text into a Word Document I get a jumble of various word formatting that looks terrible.

Here is where the paste special command can help. Click on the drop down arrow under Paste and choose Paste Special. Now choose your selection. In this this example, I would choose unformatted text. Voila! You have clean, unformatted text added to your document.

These are just a few of the main features of this helpful clipboard tool.

The Rise of Cloud Computing: The Majority of Computer Users Now Store Data On-line

According to a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 69% of Americans who are on-line use “cloud computing,” even though most of them don’t know what the term means.

Cloud computing is an emerging technology in which data – documents, email messages, photographs, etc. – and applications – word processing and spreadsheets, for instance – are stored in cyberspace and not on an individual’s computer.

So if you use a web-based email, like Yahoo, Gmail, or Hotmail, or an on-line photo service like Flickr, or a video-posting site like Youtube, you are using cloud computing.

Web-based email is the most common form of cloud computing. Fifty-six percent of computer users access such services. Nearly 40% of computer users store personal photos or videos on-line. And nearly 30% use on-line application software, like Google Documents.

Why is cloud computing so popular? According to Pew: “Convenience and flexibility.”

Cloud computing allows you to access your data from any on-line computer, not just your own. You don’t need to have a lot of storage space for all of your large files. It is easier to share and collaborate on projects when the data is on-line. And you don’t have to carry around floppy disks, CDs, or USB flash drives, when moving between computers.

The downside is, as the Pew study points out, computer users are concerned that their data might be accessed by the companies that store the information, for marketing or other purposes.

Nevertheless, that concern has not stopped more and more Americans from enjoying the ease and mobility of cloud computing. And as information becomes even more on-demand and mobile, cloud computing is likely to grow.

To view the entire Pew report, go to Use of Cloud Computing Applications and Services.

Get Back Your Classic Microsoft Office Dropdown Menus with the Toolbar Add-In

Do you miss the classic Office 97-2003 toolbar in Office 2007? Do you want the familiar dropdown menus back?

Well, you just might be in luck. Computer geek Shah Shailesh has released the classic Office toolbar as an add-in for Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Access. The installation is simple: download the add-in, extract the file and run it. You'll instantly see a new add-in tab added to the top of the Office 2007 ribbon. Click the add-in tab and you'll be presented with the classic Office 97-2003 dropdown menus.

While you are there, check out the other cool add-ins Shah Shailesh has available.

Read a Banned Book Online

This September 27 through October 4, observe Banned Books Week – the national celebration of the freedom to read. First launched in 1982 by the American Library Association and others, Banned Books Week responded to a surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries.

Though many of us think of book banning and burning as from another time, sadly, attacks against freedom of expression continue today. According to the American Library Association, there were more than 400 books challenged in 2007.

During the last week of September every year, hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the issue of censorship by hosting a variety of events.

This year, why not celebrate Banned Books Week by reading a banned book? Check out DegreeDirectory, which summarizes 25 of the most controversial banned books and tells you where you can read them -- for free online.

(Thanks to iLibrarian for this tip.)

Learn How to Buy and Sell on eBay

You can buy just about anything online ... don't believe me? Check out eBay. You'd be amazed at what people are selling. For example: Scientist Purchases New Species on eBay.

According to eBay's website:

"With a presence in 39 markets, including the U.S., and approximately 84 million active users worldwide, eBay has changed the face of Internet commerce. In 2007, the total value of sold items on eBay's trading platforms was nearly $60 billion. This means that eBay users worldwide trade more than $1,900 worth of goods on the site every second."

If you haven't joined the 84 million eBay users yet, consider signing up for the Library's two-part Buying and Selling on eBay class. Due to popular demand we've added a second class on Wednesdays, October 22 and 29 from 6:30-8 pm in the Library Training Room. (The first class, on October 8 and 15, filled up in a few hours!)

I'll be instructing new users in creating an account and becoming comfortable with eBay's site. You'll learn the most effective ways to search for items as well as how to safely make online purchases with your eBay account. We'll also cover the basics of selling on eBay and how to set up a free PayPal account.

Register here for our eBay class or the Library's other programs.

I hope to see you there!

New Resources for Small Business Owners and Self-Employed

If you are a small business owner or self-employed, you probably have trouble finding accurate and timely information on a wide variety of government rules and regulations that affect how you run your business.

Our friends at the IRS have a new web site just for you. Billed as a "Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource," this site has information on, among other topics: starting a small business, applying for employer ID numbers, hiring employees, setting up trusts, and preparing for and paying taxes. There is industry specific information and links to small business resources by state.

If you have never visited an IRS site before, be prepared for a lot of text. But the internal search box and the links make it fairly easy to navigate. Plus, all the information is free and accurate.

Go to www.irs.gov/smallbiz.