Category Archives: Pretty Sweet Tech

If you have been looking for ways to get started with 3D Design and career exploration, this 3D Room Design Activity is for you! Learn how to use TinkerCAD & Thingiverse on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, March 30 at 10am CT.

Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.

This is a free set of activities I put together because I’ve been getting questions about how the metaverse is creating and changing jobs, and how kids and adults can learn these new tools. Here’s what we will talk about in this webinar:

• Introduce the VR, AR & Room Design Lesson Plan series for career exploration (adaptable for ages 12 to adult). I put it together, so it’s free!
• Demo of building a room in TinkerCAD.
• Overview of AR, VR & 3D Design tools for both classroom and everyday use for all ages.
• Overview of careers impacted and created by AR, VR & 3D Design

This activity can be adapted to ages 12 to adult to introduce new tech concepts, explore career opportunities, or brainstorm new community innovations. I hope to see you there!

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

• April 6 – Expanding the Health Information Landscape In Your Public Library
• April 13 – Tweak Your Library’s Social Media
• April 20 – Starting a Board Game Club at a Small Library
• April 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech – The 40 Day Challenge Initiative

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to revamp your library website? Learn how to use ‘WordPress Layout Templates Using Elementor’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, February 23 at 10am CT.

Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related ‘Pretty Sweet Tech’.

There’s not always a lot of time to design web pages from scratch in WordPress. Luckily, libraries tend to use variations of the same layouts across all pages on a website. To make life easier, I made a set of templates that can be used by any library using WordPress, paired with the free Elementor plugin.

By the end of this session you will:

• Explore the website templates that are available, and when to use them.
• Access pre-formatted Digital Skills templates that can be embedded on your website.
• Learn how to quickly customize and deploy these Elementor templates on your site.

This will be a great session for anyone who is looking for a quick and easy way to revamp their library website. I hope to see you there!

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

• March 16 – Can you see me? Collection Development for Marginalized Communities
• March 23 – If You Build it, Will They Come? Makerspaces Work in Small, Rural Libraries
• April 13 – Tweak Your Library’s Social Media
• April 20 – Starting a Board Game Club at a Small Library

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

Explore new ways to work remotely, connect with groups, collaborate, and innovate with ‘Spatial for Librarians: A 3D Meeting Space’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, June 30 at 10am CT.

Spatial, a 3D meeting space, is a new way for librarians to collaborate using the power of augmented and/or virtual reality (VR). With VR headsets (e.g., an Oculus Quest), a team can brainstorm using post-it notes on a large whiteboard, interact with digital 3D objects, conduct presentations on multiple screens, connect and use services like Google Drive, do screen sharing, and more. Everyone can walk around Spatial’s 3D digital space and work alongside one another as though they were physically in the same room. As teams continue to operate remotely, or partner with organizations from around the world, this shared experience is a game-changer! There is a desktop computer and mobile option for those without a VR headset.

The augmented reality (AR) experience adds a digital layer to one’s shared physical space. Similar to the VR experience, users can save both time and paper by sticking digital post-it notes to a wall, pulling up shared calendars, accessing web browsers, adding 3D objects inside the physical space, and more. AR is designed to complement the real world and help people build a shared vision that would never have been possible without this technology. All one needs is a smartphone or a special AR viewing device to see this augmented layer of the world. With Spatial there is no after-meeting clean-up: just close the app and the room disappears!

In this session, Chad and Amanda will introduce you to the Spatial app. Together we will explore new ways to work remotely, connect with groups, collaborate, and innovate! You will get a quick-start guide and some resources to get started with Spatial in your library. It’s time to try something new, so let’s do it today!

Presenters: Chad Mairn, Innovation Lab Librarian, St. Petersburg College and Amanda Sweet, Technology Innovation Librarian, Nebraska Library Commission.

Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

• July 7 – History Nebraska: Taking History Online
• July 14 –Finding Partners & Preparing Staff: Teaching Technology in the Library Series (Part 3)
• July 21 – Accessing Census Data
• July 28 –Marketing & Follow-Up: Teaching Technology in the Library Series (Part 4)
• August 4 – Small Libraries Will Save the World! Implementing Sustainability at the Library
• August 11 – The Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund: Grants to Nebraska’s Small-Town Public Libraries

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

Does your library need a website? Nebraska Libraries on the Web is a free way for Nebraska public libraries to get started with a WordPress website. Learn more on next week’s Pretty Sweet Tech NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 26 at 10am CT.

In this session you will:

• Learn the basics about WordPress and Nebraska Libraries on the Web
• Find out how to get started or revamp your existing website
• See some examples of new website layouts and design

It is free to use WordPress through Nebraska Libraries on the Web. The server and “behind the scenes” maintenance is run through the Nebraska Library Commission. All you have to do is add content and update the website after initial setup. One-on-one assistance is available to plan, learn WordPress, and troubleshoot along the way.

This session will be helpful for anyone who wants to learn more about the program, see website examples, or hear about WordPress updates.

Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

• June 2 – Who is Learning & Why?: Teaching Technology in the Library Series (Part 1)
• June 9 – Mental Maintenance
• June 16 –How Do People Learn?: Teaching Technology in the Library Series (Part 2)
• June 23 – Bedbugs in the Library?!
• June 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Spatial for Librarians: A 3D Meeting Space
• July 7 – History Nebraska: Taking History Online
• July 14 –Finding Partners & Preparing Staff: Teaching Technology in the Library Series (Part 3)
• July 21 – Accessing Census Data
• July 28 –Marketing & Follow-Up: Teaching Technology in the Library Series (Part 4)
• August 4 – Small Libraries Will Save the World! Implementing Sustainability at the Library

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

Learn ‘How to Make Tutorials with a Screen Recorder & Webcam’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, January 27 at 10am CT.

With the expansion of digital services in the library comes the need for more screen recorded tutorials. This session covers tools, tips and tricks specifically for making and editing videos with free screen recorders, free or low-cost video editors, and budget-friendly webcams. Basically, you will learn by watching me record and edit a video in live! By the end of this session you will:

• Know how to use Flashback Express screen recorder to make tutorials.
• Learn the basic functionality of Canva to edit videos together.
• Access tips and tricks for setting up your webcam in common scenarios.

You will gain access to my behind-the-scenes planning documents to see how I plan, storyboard, and script my videos. Feel free to review these as you begin making your own tutorials. With these resources will be off to a running start on making your own screen recorded tutorials in your library! I hope to see you there!

Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

• Feb. 3, 1pm CT – 2021 One Book One Nebraska: Prairie Forge: The Extraordinary Story of the Nebraska Scrap Metal Drive of World War II
• Feb. 10 – Education Programs Leading to Credentials in Librarianship
• Feb. 24 – Pretty Sweet Tech – How to Make Green Screen Videos Using Free and Low-Cost Tools

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

Explore ‘Technology vs. Human Values: How To Take Control’ on next week’s Pretty Sweet Tech FREE NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, July 29 at 10:00am CT.

Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.

Have you ever felt a knot of fear and uncertainty in the pit of your stomach while using certain technology? I do. The first companies that come to mind are always Facebook, Google, and Amazon. These companies set the gold standard for technology, then teach others to do as they do, using free or low-cost tools. You may have heard the phrase: “if a tool is free, it means that you are the product”.

In this session, we will explore what it means to be the product of the tech generation. Is this really such a bad thing? Do the actions of technology companies reflect their values? Do these companies reflect our own personal values, and the desired values of our community? Or is the world being re-shaped by technology tools? To find out, we will explore major tech companies, dive into our own personal values, and see how it all stacks up.

At the end of the session you will have access to a variety of activities, discussions, and book group options designed to help you and your community align big tech with your own values. Keep in mind that these tools are experimental. As tech grows, we must all experiment with how to best deal with this changing landscape. Attend this session if you want to try something new and take control of how technology is shaping the world.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

• Aug. 5 – The Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund: Grants to Nebraska’s Small-Town Public Libraries
• Aug. 19 – Drive-Thru User Testing

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

Learn ‘How to Make Digital Literacy Less Boring’ on next week’s Pretty Sweet Tech FREE NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, May 27 at 10:00am CT.

Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.

How would you describe Digital Literacy to a patron without making it sound dull as dirt? With more people turning to online learning and resources during the current crisis, Digital Literacy skills are more important than ever. Learning things like online privacy and security, how to effectively communicate online, and how to find and evaluate information online are all vital to our success in the world. Yet many patrons just don’t care. It’s boring.

In this session, I will provide some ideas of what has worked in libraries I’ve visited, and ask you what has worked in your library! We won’t cover all the topics in digital literacy, but you will get a general idea of how to convert a dry digital literacy category into an entertaining learning event! Instead of advertising a “How to Communicate Online” event, call it “What Are You Trying to Say?”

Don’t bring people together over privacy and security. Connect people through a shared desire to stay safe in the wilds of the inter-webs. Make it a game that parents can play with their kids. You are caught in the inter-webs! Avoid the digital obstacles to get you and your kids out safely. Make sure to end the session with a splashy handout they will want to stick on the fridge.

These are just a few of the tantalizing ideas you will encounter in this session. If you want to learn more, check out my Digital Literacy Guidebook. More resources and ideas are being added daily this month. If you’re in Nebraska, the course to Build a Digital Literacy Plan starts on May 25^th.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

• June 3 – Automating Virtual Student Library Cards
• June 10 – Identity and Impostor Syndrome in Library Makerspaces
• June 17 – Who are These People & Why are They in My Library? Using Empathy & UX to Understand Your Library Patrons

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.