The Daring Librarian

(This is the full original version of the article I wrote for NEA Today Magazine - So, if your quote or mention doesn't make the mag or their webpage, you know it wasn't me! LOL) Do you sleep with the phone next to your bed?  Or worse, on or under your pillow with it pinging or vibrating with every text, Tweet, or notification?  Do you feel insecure if your device isn’t nearby or on your person?   If you say yes, to any of these queries, maybe it’s time for a digital detox.   If we are going to preach to our kids to be less dependent on technology in their daily life, to limit their screen time, then we should model balanced digital habits ourselves. To help with that, here are seven simple steps for a digital detox with no FOMO. FOMO or the “Fear Of Missing Out” is the “fear that others elsewhere are having more fun, or that you are missing out on a rewarding experience. It can lead to feelings of anxiety, envy, insecurity, and loneliness.”...

Choose the Twitter Dark Side Here's something cool I recently stumbled upon!  Just like I really enjoy the dark or reverse version of the Kindle App - there's a Night mode version for Twitter! It turns the screen a dark blue with reverse type. Both on the mobile version and the desktop. So easy on the eyes! So conservative for your batteries! So good for the environment! OK, so these days only one of those things above are actually true, and it's a personal choice.  Yeah, apparently - you don't really need Blackle anymore - though it still looks fab to me! I really just find the lighter text on a dark background restful and relaxing to read. Thus, my blog has always had a darker background.  Back in the day with CRT monitors some said it did help with headaches, eye fatigue, and saving on energy. Today, with LCD screens and different technologies this might not still be the same. (You can Google it, and there are reports on both camps) - I'm not here t...

Not if, but when your school turns to mobile learning, will your library be ready? Information technology presents librarians with an opportunity to facilitate the transition to mobile learning. Facilitators, which will include a student panel, in this hands-on, BYOT session will highlight strategies to virtualize library services for tiny screens. Participants will practice using tools for building virtual, hand-held libraries, and will leave this session with a toolkit to expand virtual library services. I'm both happy and sad to say that our Pre-Conference workshop at #AASL13 ( American Association of School Librarians ) is S OLD OUT! W00t! Sad because I feel in a way this blog post is a tease, 'cause if you're not already booked it's too late but happy because that's always the worry that no one will show up! Three years ago I blogged about this topic , but WOW...how things have changed since then! We can't wait to share some new ideas ...