May 2021 -- Computer & Technology News |
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TECHNOLOGY CLASSES
PPL regularly offers varied free computer and technology training classes. Whether for personal use or small business application, these classes are an opportunity for you to get savvy with the latest web technologies and tools.
Registration is required! To register online or for more information, visit www.provlib.org/calendar. If you need assistance, please call 455-8000.
Our classes have now transitioned to online sessions!
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Special Preview: Summer Technology Learning Circles
We're excited to let you know about a unique and exciting opportunity for summer learning that's coming soon!
Learning Circles are a way to learn a new skill in a more relaxed, self-paced environment than a traditional class. A group of learners comes together to meet once a week as peers and work through an online course together--without any formal instruction.
We've hosted a successful JavaScript programming learning circle this spring, using the Khan Academy Intro to JS course.
Essential Excel Classes for all Levels -- Sign up now!
Our Saturday Excel classes are back! If you've always wanted to learn MS Excel, or if you need to refresh your skills, you can sign up now for our free three-week Essential Excel class. The class meets Saturday mornings from 10 am to 12 Noon as live online sessions.
Essential Excel 1 - Basics
Learn the tools and vocabulary of MS Excel. Topics Include: Entering Data, Formatting, Basic Formulas & Charts. Registration required.
Essential Excel 2 - Formulas & Functions
Take the next steps with Excel. An in-depth class on formulas & functions. Registration required.
Essential Excel 3 - Data Tools
Explore data tools in Excel. Topics include: Pivot Tables, Pivot Charts, Sorting, & Filtering. Registration required.
These classes are recommended for anyone interested in enrolling in PPL's Data Pathway program. Registration for February and March is now available.
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Tech Topics: Upcoming Virtual Programs
Join PPL librarians for these upcoming information sessions, via Zoom. Registration required.
What Should I Read Next?
Wednesday, May 12
6:00 - 7:00 pm
Welcome readers! Join PPL librarians on Zoom and discover their review sources and tools for readers who are always looking for the next good book, and share your favorite sources for great reads. We are excited to be joined by Kathy Stewart from Novelist, an expert in Reader's Advisory, who will show you great ways to use Novelist to help you find and read the next best books for you. REGISTER to receive a Zoom link.
Getting Started with eZone, Overdrive, and Libby Online
Wednesday, May 19
6:00 - 7:00 pm
Did you know eZone gives all with a RI library card access to ebooks, audiobooks, and streaming video for free? In this session learn all you need to know about eZone and how to get started, as well as instructions on how to use the apps Overdrive and Libby, and how to use them on a Kindle. Bring any questions you may have, there will be a Q&A session. REGISTER to receive a Zoom link.
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Tech Tip: What is the "Right to Repair"?
Modern electronics are becoming more and more convenient, but they're also becoming harder to fix if something goes wrong. Sometimes, it’s actually in a company’s financial interest to make it harder to repair broken devices – after all, if it can’t be repaired, you’ll have to throw it away and buy a new one!
In recent years, a loose coalition of technology enthusiasts and consumer advocates have begun arguing for the “Right to Repair.” This movement fights for legal protections that would help everyone fix their own electronics, or have them fixed at a local repair shop rather than a company’s headquarters. They say this would cut down on waste, empower consumers, and help local economies.
You might agree with their goals or not! But as a consumer, it's always a good idea to be informed about your rights. To find out more, check out these resources:
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SLEEP MODE: a virtual exhibition with related events, focuses on the landscapes of sleep and dreams. Join us for six bi-weekly, curated emails with photos, audio essays, and prompts and six bi-weekly live, virtual conversations showcasing exhibition items from PPL’s Special Collections.
From April through June, we’ll be considering our relationship to sleep and dreams, states of being which encompass essential rest, but also intense – if often invisible – activity. Please join us to explore the history of sleeping and dreaming, hypnotism and trance, hibernation and introspection, dormancy and expectation, and the crucial role of dreaming in times of struggle and social upheaval.
Getting a late start?
Catch up with missed audio essays and curator's conversations!
Activate SLEEP MODE
Sign up for six bi-weekly, curated emails with photos, audio essays, and prompts, enabling you to engage with the themes of the exhibition and participate offline, even out of doors, on your own time!
Register for one or more of our bi-weekly live, virtual Curator's Conversations, showcasing exhibition items from PPL’s Special Collections. For each Conversation, curator Angela DiVeglia, PPL’s Research and Outreach Librarian for Special Collections, will be joined by a community member whose area of interest matches that event's sleep-related theme (see the full lineup of Curator's Conversations and scroll down to register). Viewers can ask questions during the event or submit them afterwards through the SLEEP MODE web page!
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Check Out PPL's cloudLibrary
We're happy to introduce a new resource: cloudLibrary from PPL. Now, with your PPL library card, you can enjoy this even easier way to access ebooks and resources from any device. You are sure to find your next good read with thousands of titles to choose from, and the option to browse through curated lists put together by your favorite PPL librarians. You can download the cloudLibrary app to your device (except Kindle) or it can be used on a browser. Check it out!
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Hours Update
Our open hours have expanded:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
9 AM - 4 PM
Wednesday, 12 - 7 PM
Sunday, CLOSED
Note: PPL will be closed on Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day.
Stay tuned for updates coming soon about increases in services.
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The answers to your questions...
Do you know about all the FREE online resources at AskRI.org? This includes World Book Online, Mango Languages, Ebsco Databases, Explora, NoveList, A to Z Databases, RI Resource Hub, Learning Express and Auto Repair Center.
AskRI.org and the Statewide Reference Resource Center are services of Providence Public Library. Funding for these services is provided by the State of Rhode Island and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (LSTA) through the Office of Library and Information Services.
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Are YOU a PPL Alum? We would love to hear your story! |
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If you have had an experience at PPL that you'd like to share, we invite you to join our PPL Alum ranks.
PPL welcomes individuals from all walks of life and each has a unique story to tell - stories that illustrate the positive impact our library makes in the lives of those we serve. We want to celebrate and share these stories of personal achievement and transformation with you. Each one exemplifies the Library’s mission to engage, inspire, and connect…whether through personal enjoyment or enlightenment, purposeful education, or professional development.
We consider everyone in our library community who has had a shared library experience to be a member of our family…a #PPLAlum.
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