In a continuing effort to offer up-to-date, exciting technology to the Darien community, the Darien Library will add a TomTom One XL S global positioning system (GPS) device to its arsenal of circulating technology, beginning Monday, May 5. About the size and weight of a standard iPod, the TomTom is small and easy to use. With sharp 4-color graphics, the TomTom's LCD screen is clear and easy to read. Voice and visual instructions help you navigate to your desired destination, avoiding construction sites and accidents, as well. The unit comes with a USB cable--so you can install TomTom HOME on your personal computer, free software for managing your personal maps--a car charger, and a Quick Start Guide. We've added a Nav-Mat, a padded dashboard mount, which will keep the unit safe and steady inside a moving vehicle.

Darien residents, those who work in Darien, and non-resident Contributors to the Library at the $300 level will be eligible to take the TomTom out for a spin. The unit will circulate for 1 week, will be renewable once if no one else is waiting, and may be reserved. Those interested in checking out the TomTom must present a valid credit card in their name at checkout. We will keep a copy of your credit card on file while you have the device.

So, if you're considering purchasing a GPS device but want to try one out first at no expense, here's your chance. For more information on the TomTom or any other Library technology, contact Judy Sgammato at 655-1234 x136 or send me an email at jsgammato@darienlibrary.org.

April 22nd, 2008 will mark the 38th anniversary of the first Earth Day--April 22, 1970. For those of us old enough to remember, the first Earth Day was celebrated with spirited walks and demonstrations across our country, accompanied by promises to clean up the Earth. I first became aware of the environment after reading Rachel Carson's Silent Spring when I was about 10. Along with my classmates, I put on my earth shoes and walked the streets of Stamford, picking up litter and other debris. My friends and I were passionate about our mission to clean up the Earth. Over the years since, I have been a faithful recycler at home, separating paper trash from recyclable items, turning off lights when not in use, and keeping the heat to a minimum whenever possible during the winter months. But, back in the 70's, I didn't own even one computer, let alone several, and, like many of you, I'm now faced with the issue of what to do with old, out-of-date computers. It doesn't take a degree in environmental science to figure out that disposing of your old computer at the local dump is probably not the best idea. So, what to do? Well, here are some suggestions for those of you who, like me, remain passionate about preserving the Earth.

• Check with local non-profit groups in your community. Only good for computers with life left in them, charitable donations are a good way to give back to your community while taking care of Mother Earth. Here in Darien, organizations like Person-to-Person and the Darien Senior Center may be interested in your old computer, but be sure to call first.
• Check with your computer's manufacturer.
Many major manufacturers--Dell, Gateway, HP, and Apple for example--offer free or low-cost recycling programs. Recently, the Library discarded several unusable computers, all Dells, and I was able to return them to Dell for free.
• Check with your local environmental group. Darien is fortunate to have an active environmental group right here in town. The Darien Environmental Group does a terrific job of informing the community of special collection days and other issues relating to the environmental health of our community. Each year the DEG provides the dates for the Hazardous Waste Collection in Town and other electronics collections open to Darien residents.

If you missed the registration lottery and would like to check on the availability of a particular class or set of classes, just call me at 655-1234 x136 or send an email to jsgammato@darienlibrary.org. I will update the following information as it changes:

Current Openings

• It's Delightful. It's Del.icio.us! - Monday, May 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. - 9 seats available

Last month, I admitted to being a Google addict, and I was looking for ways to break the habit. I'm very happy to report that I recently found a new search engine that I feel has the potential to rival Google. The site is called Mahalo, and I am SO excited about it. Here's why:

Google, with its clean-cut image and results ranked by popularity among the masses, works by sending bots out into the wild, wild web to find millions of links for simple search queries. It's difficult to argue against choice; however, with so many results, it has become necessary for Google users to filter through pages and pages of inane hyperlinks in order to find a few that might be relevant and successful.

Mahalo, in contrast, employs real human beings to vet the search results for you. This means that a results list will never contain spam or unrelated links. YEAH! It also means that you won't get results ranked by popularity among the masses; rather, you'll receive suggestions for websites that have been researched by information professionals and are deemed authoritative, high-content, and well-established. And not only is the content high, but it's already sifted into sensible categories.

Let's say I conduct a search on my favorite tennis player, Pete Sampras. In only a matter of seconds, I receive the Mahalo Top 7 list of best Web sites, vital stats, timelines, news, videos, fan sites, blogs, merchandise, and links to related searches on Wimbledon, Andre Agassi, and others. Try gathering similar results in Google, and you'll find it takes much longer than a few seconds to have all of that information organized into a neat and pretty package.

Keep in mind that Mahalo is very new and still in its testing phase, which means that the number of search terms that yield search results is significantly less than Google. If you decide to give this new search engine a try and wander across a term for which results have not yet been vetted, you can request that a page be made and you'll be emailed as soon as its created. How hospitable!

Mahalo, Mahalo!

It wasn't until I took the GREs the second time that I bought a study book and worked my way through it, discovering then that there were many more tricks to getting a higher score than I had realized before. With all that a graduating senior has riding on their SAT scores these days, it really helps to study up and take practice tests before taking the one that counts.

The library has subscribed to two online study services so that you and your kids can prepare! Try them both out, and let us know what you think, and how you do on your tests!

Learning Express Library
Practice Tests for the SAT, GRE, MCAT and many more are available via this subscription database. Sign up using your library barcode and then log in as a returning user the next time. If you are interrupted in the middle of a practice test or course, it is automatically saved and you can return to complete it later.

PrepMe: The SAT Preparation Course
The PrepMe SAT preparation course offers 40+ hours of instructional content, practice quizzes, and full length tests.

All you need is your Darien Library Card barcode number to log in.

The Darien Library, in partnership with Stamford Hospital, will be offering a series of free health presentations and hands-on workshops for the community. Don't miss the chance to hear what experts have to say on important health topics. And gain hands-on experience in researching health-related information. Here's what we have planned:

PRESENTATIONS
Program Room, Lower Level. Free admission; registration required.

• Menace in Your Medicine Cabinet: Drug Misuse & Bad Outcomes of Good Medicines - Presented by Dominic Sammarco, R.PH., Monday, March 3, 6:30-8 p.m.
• Heart Disease: Prevention & Treatment - Presented by Dr. Steven Horowitz, Wednesday, March 5, 2-3:30 p.m.
• Gastroenterology: No Ifs, Ands or Buts - Presented by Dr. Richard Sheinbaum, Monday, March 10, 6:30-8 p.m.
• Peripheral Artery Disease: Everything You Want to Know - Presented by Dr. Ben Marsan, Wednesday, March 26, 3-4:30 p.m.
• MRSA: Scope as a Public Health Issue - Presented by Dr. Michael Parry, Monday, March 31, 1:30-3 p.m.
• Keeping Your Feet Healthy - Presented by Josephine Velazquez, D.P.M., Wednesday, April 2, 2:30-4 p.m.
• Dietary Supplements: What's It All About? - Presented by Dr. Joseph S. Feuerstein, Friday, April 11, 1:30-3 p.m.
• Joint Care - Presented by Dr. Peter Hughes and Debbie Valentine, Monday, April 21, 10:30-12 noon

HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS
Darien Technology Foundation Center, Main Floor. Free admission; registration required; seating limited.

• Friday, March 14, 1:30-3 p.m.
• Thursday, April 3, 1:30-3 p.m.
• Friday, April 25, 9-10:30 a.m.

If you have any questions or would like to register for one or more of the presentations and/or workshops, call Judy Sgammato at 655-1234 x136 or send an email to jsgammato@darienlibrary.org.

If you want to jump on the semicolon bandwagon, check out some of these websites; you'll become grammatically cool in no time:

Elements of Style

The Economist's Style Guide

Punctuation Made Simple

The Writing Center Handbook

Well, Yahoo has decided to turn down Microsoft's initial offer of $44.6 billion dollars. Although the possibility of a takeover is still very much alive, I for one am happy that Yahoo has held out. I like Yahoo and I like the fact that Yahoo is not Google. Yahoo's email, music, photo (Flickr), and podcast applications are terrific and easy to use. I'm a big fan of Google, as well, but at times I feel as though Google is becoming the Big Brother described in Orwell's futuristic novel 1984. While gmail, Google docs, and Picasa--to name just a few of Google's offerings--are undoubtedly cool to use, they do provide Google with a tremendous amount of user information and data, data that could be used to track our every move when online. Like Google, Microsoft is a giant in its chosen field--software development. And, like Google, Microsoft has given us great products like Office that have become a necessary part of our lives, both at home and at work. Microsoft has just begun to enter the world of online applications with Windows Live, and its purchase of Yahoo could improve its competitive edge against the likes of Google.

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life, and I like diversity in every aspect of my life, including my choice of Web applications. But that's me. Here's what some of the experts have to say on this topic:

• Bloomberg
• CNET
• CNN
• New York Times
• Wall Street Journal

What's your opinion? Send us your comments and let us know.

My name is Erica, and I am a Google addict. There, it's out in the open. I love Google. Who doesn't?! It's clean, neat, and always provides thousands, sometimes even millions, of results to my search queries. I even used it to help me write this post! Google is a great way to find information...but it's not always the greatest way to find the best information. After all, the web is deep. Google is just a wading pond.

Admittance. I've taken the first step. Now what?!

In the same boat? Here's an idea, courtesy of the New Yorker cartoon archive. Why not give up Google? If not for Lent, if not even for a day, then just for an hour. And instead, try finding information using the research resources we have listed on the Library's website. We have tons of databases just itching to be accessed, and they cover topics ranging from health information and financial data to photographs and literature. I'm confident that you'll come across answers to questions that you could have never found with our old pal Google.

Looking for another fun way to find information not accessible through Google? Take a trip down memory lane with WayBack Machine. I think it will help you break your Google addiction, as it did mine.

It seems like only yesterday that we wrapped up our fall 2007 classes, but it's already time for our spring classes! The registration lottery for our spring 2008 adult technology classes will open on our website at 9 a.m. on Friday, February 22, and close at 9 p.m. on Monday, March 3. Registrants will be notified of their registration status by Monday, March 10, the week the classes begin.

We’ve got an exciting spring planned. Here are some highlights:

Diane McKeever will introduce us to the new look and feel of Office 2007 with a full slate of classes, from Beginning Word to Creating Graphs in Excel. Virginia Ferrante-Iqbal will return with a reprise of her Beginning Illustrator class. We've added a fifth class this spring, to give students a chance to ask more questions and get more hands-on practice with the software. George Zariff will repeat his popular four-part classes on Photoshop Elements and full Photoshop. Web design expert Pam Barnet will conduct a one-day overview on web design, giving you all the information you need to set up your own site. And she'll also offer a four-part Dreamweaver class for those who want to create their own site from scratch. Yours truly will complete the offerings with classes on photo-sharing websites, del.icio.us, and backup options for home computer users.

A little something for everyone, don’t you agree? We hope you’ll join us!

On January 13th, PBS began airing The Complete Jane Austen, a collection of six film adaptations and one original feature, of Austen's novels. Whether you're studying Austen's classics in school, reading for pleasure, or a fan of period pieces, you won't regret spending Sundays with Jane .

The next movie on tap is Northanger Abbey and will premier this coming Sunday, January 20th.

If watching the movies has piqued your interest, I would recommend visiting the website that PBS has dedicated to The Complete Jane Austen series. It's a wonderful source of information on all things Jane - synopses, biographies, teaching guides, character analyses, social and historical perspectives, and recommended readings for both academic research and just for fun. Watch the interview with screenwriter Andrew Davies and learn how he worked the classic Austen themes of longing, betrayal, and redemption into brand new, trademark scenes for each of the four new adaptations.

Book Club-goers, you'll also find a downloadable kit for creating book clubs for Austen's novels; it includes discussion questions, activities, bookmarks...even recipes for food discussed in the literature! England isn't well-known for its hard-to-pass-up delicacies, but why not try A Perfect Cup of Tea from Sense and Sensibility, or White Soup from Pride and Prejudice? I think the recipe for Bakes Apples from Emma sounds delicious!

In addition to PBS's website, the Library has some great resources for anyone who is interested in Austen and 19th century British literature. If you're searching from home, remember that you'll need your Library card to enter our databases. For assistance in searching the databases or located any of the following items, please contact Information Services:

What Do I Read Next?
This database provides reading suggestions based on titles of books that you have enjoyed in the past, as well as on genre, author, time period, characters, setting, and even age of the reader. Let's say you enjoy historical romances set in England during the 19th century; you can input all of these factors and What Do I Read Next will customize a list of books for your next reading adventure. Try Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (my fav!) or Bleak House by Charles Dickens (long, but worth the 880 pages!)

Gale Literature Resource Center
This database allows you to search for "Austen" under "Authors By Type" and you'll find biographies, articles, criticisms, novel overviews, further readings by and about Jane Austen, and links to additional Austen-dedicated websites.

All Things Austen: An Encyclopedia of Austen's World
A two-volume set of writings about the settings of Austen's novels, these books discuss topics such as clothing, accessories, entertainment, military life, education, and business.

Jane Austen: A Companion
An entertaining guide to all of Austen's works and includes biographical commentary as well as essays on themes found in the novels.

Tea with Jane Austen
A lively presentation of the importance of tea in Austen's time and the presence of tea in each of her novels. Find recipes for Lemon Cheesecake for Fanny and Edward and Plum Cake for an Elegant Breakfast.

Calling all Jane Austen fans! On Sunday, April 20th at 2:00pm, the Library will be hosting the program, Appearance vs. Essence in Pride and Prejudice. More details coming soon, so keep checking our Events Blog or subscribe to our blog feeds!

Start the New Year off by exploring the latest in e-book technology: Amazon's Kindle. But before you spend your hard-earned money--$399 before shipping and handling--stop by the Library and spend some time with our Kindle. We're still exploring all of its features, but here's what we've learned so far:

About the size and weight of a paperback book, the Kindle is a big improvement over early e-book readers. Its high-resolution display technology, called electronic paper, works using ink, just like regular books and newspapers, but the Kindle's ink particles are displayed electronically. The reflective electronic paper display is easy on the eyes and can be read clearly even in bright sunlight, but the page flash you see when you turn pages (part of the ink placement process) is a little annoying. The Kindle includes six text size options, and the screen navigation buttons are large and easily accessible on either side of the unit. Below the 3.5 x 5-inch display is a full keyboard, which can be used for taking notes and performing searches on stored documents.

In addition to a built-in dictionary, the Kindle is designed to hold over 200 digital books, newspapers, blogs, and magazines. If that's not enough for you, you can purchase an additional SD memory card, which can be inserted under the battery cover on the underside of the unit. The Kindle uses Amazon's Whispernet wireless service, which works in much the same way as cell phone wireless service, allowing you to get content in most locations whenever you want. When you purchase the Kindle using your Amazon account, the device is automatically synced to your account for easy 1-click ordering. I purchased a digital book and a trial subscription to The New York Times for the Library's Kindle, both of which were received within seconds.

While the Kindle does not offer many of the cool features of that famous new touch phone, it would be an excellent device for students, commuters, members of the publishing industry, and anyone who loves gadgets. Have we piqued your interest? If so, be sure to stop by the Darien Technology Center at the Darien Library and spend some time with our Kindle.

Happy New Year!

Whew! After a very busy fall--we had almost 300 students in our fall technology classes, a new record--the holidays arrived with a whoosh! Once the craziness of the holidays subsides, you may find yourself with a new mp3 player, digital camera, laptop, or other e-gadget, and you might not know how to get started. Well, the Darien Library tech staff is here to help!

I know it's a cliche, but when working with a new piece of electronic equipment, remember to read the instructions and refer to the troubleshooting tips in the product manual. If you still have problems, go online and visit the manufacturer's website. (If you're not sure how to find the website, let us know. We'll have you online in minutes.) Many companies supply product manuals on their websites in pdf form for easy browsing and printing.

Lists of FAQs (frequently asked questions), also available on manufacturers' websites, are another good place to go when hunting for an answer to a product-related question. And, if you're in need of a more personal touch, give us a call and we'll set up a one-on-one session with you so we can take a peek and see if we can help. For more information or to set up an appointment with a member of our tech staff, contact Judy Sgammato by phone at 655-1234 x136 or by email at jsgammato@darienlibrary.org.

With all the talk of global warming and local temperatures above normal for this time of year (remember the 60-degree temps on Thanksgiving!), now may be a good time to consider adding some Earth-friendly green to your holiday gift list. Green Living's list of consumer-less gift ideas offers some great alternatives to traditional holiday gifts and their suggestions can get you started in the right direction.

If you prefer tangible, yet still Earth-friendly, gifts, check out these resources:

• The California Department of Conservation's Green Gift Guide - suggestions and links for green gifts and tips on green decorating, too


• The National Resources Defense Council Green Holiday Guide - great gift and book suggestions and advice for an environmentally positive holiday season


• Sierra Club's Green Life Blog - featuring a Shopper's Survival Guide with gift ideas for everyone on your list, including the friend who has everything


• Treehugger.com's 2007 Gift Guide - an extensive list with over 180 ideas for children, adults, geeks, and outdoorsmen

Happy Holidays!

Enter Google. While the long-awaited "gphone" may be just a fantasy, Google has made recent progress in its effort to enter the cell phone market. Last week, Google announced its Open Handset Alliance, a partnership with over 30 hardware, software, and carrier companies who have agreed to work together using Android, an integrated mobile operating system. This Linux-based, open-source platform will give mobile phone manufacturers the freedom to develop iPhone-like features on a broad spectrum of cell phones. For more on this recent development, check out cnet.com, engadget.com, and wired.com.