South Lansing September-December Classes

We’re pleased to annouce that the South Lansing Library computer class schedule has been released.  Currently you may find a class schedule pamphlet at the South Lansing Library.

 We are featuring some  new classes this fall.  Blogging Basics is a class where you can learn how to make a blog just like this one, but with your own choice of colors and layout. 

Crafts and Computers: Scrapbooking is a special hybrid class where participants will learn how to make a basic scrapbook page and also learn about some websites that can help you create your very own scrapbook. 

South Lansing will also be offering a Digital Photograph Editing Workshop using a popular free basic photo editing program.  If you bring your photos on a portable media device, such as a flash drive, we’ll teach you how to do some basic digital editing to your favorite family photographs.  If you bring in a CD-Rom full of your digital photographs, we ask you to please bring in a blank CD-R so you can save your alterations. 

After an absence of a few years, we’ll be offering E-mail Basics again.  You’ll be creating you’re very own e-mail account in this class.  We’re also bringing back Online Family History Resources just in time for Family History Month in October.     

For more information or to sign up for a class, please call the South Lansing Library at 517-272-9840 ext. 202

Updates and Michigan Lit

Do you have questions about gadgets? Cell phones, flash drives, digital cameras, and MP3 players? Well, the Computer Center has 2 scheduled workshops: December 1st from 10-11:30 and December 3rd from 6-7:30. Sign-up by calling 367-6356.

Web site of the Week: http://mittenlit.com. Are you looking for books with ties to Michigan. Check out mittenlit. You can find author tours around the state, book reviews, emerging writers and more. A good book is great on a cold and dreary night or day!!

Scanners have entered the building

Great news in the Computer Center. The scanners and memory card readers are ready for use.  People kept asking for these devices and now you can check them out for in-house use. The memory card readers will read the following cards: miniSD, microSD, SD/MMC, MMCmicro, CF/MD, M2 and MS/DUO.

Plus… check the January-March 2009 schedule in November for the Photoshop Basics class! Learn to use basic manipulating tools such as cropping and resizing.

Teaching class

Monday started with teaching Microsoft Access Basics. Of all the classes taught, this is the most difficult. It is always a gamble, some students will “get” it and others will not. I like being an instructor. I enjoy when a students actually “gets” the material or the light bulb turns on. This is more difficult to tell with a class on Access. The class did emphasize key questions that an instructor is faced with: What do they want from class? What should/do they need to learn? How does one learn?  What is the point of having the class anyways? Before I develop a class, I always try to answer these questions and get feedback from the students. I find the feedback to be the best for improving the classes.

The library now has access to a wonderful database called CBT Nuggets. It is a collection of video tutorials on a number of programs. Some of the offerings are: Microsoft Access, Excel, and Word, but there are a lot of tutorials on certification exams such as A+, Windows Server 2008, SharePoint Server, CISCO VPN Specialist, etc. The list is huge so please check it out at http://www.cadl.org/answers/research-tools/cbt-nuggets-info .