Blog: Computers and Technology

Small Business Launch: Building Up Seniors in Tech by Alondria Wright

Before becoming a small business owner, Alondria Wright fielded support requests for a local technical service provider. “People were upset and frustrated, and I felt like as I listened to more and more senior citizens to call into my line, I felt rushed to get them the help that they needed.” Feeling limited by the extent to which she could help seniors in that role, Wright got an idea…

Great YA Books for EFL Students, Part II

Curating this booklist brings back many fond memories of mine as I used to teach EFL (English as a Foreign Language) while living as an ex-pat overseas. If you’re an educator like I am, you are well aware that finding suitable reading material can be both arduous and heartbreaking. I hope this list makes it a bit easier for you.

Get Unplugged with a Day of Play

Why not choose a just one day a week to get unplugged? Encourage your family to take a digital diet away from all devices, just for a single day! A one-day “fast” from technology is a great way to refresh your senses, add spontaneity to your life and reconnect with your family!

Gamers Guild: Jackbox Party Games

Are you looking for a fun way to connect with your friends? One week each month Toledo Lucas County Public Library offers Jackbox Games as a way for teens to unwind and enjoy playing party games together! Bring your friends and make new ones!

Start Coding

From creating video games to designing web pages, from programming robots to developing apps, coding is the superpower you need. The Library introduces free software and classes to get you exploring this exciting field.

Gamers Guild: Animal Crossing Crew

Do you own a Nintendo Switch and the popular game Animal Crossing: New Horizons? TLCPL wants to be your Nintendo friend! Learn more about our new virtual library program series, Gamers Guild: Animal Crossing Crew.

Podcasting for Everyone!

Maybe you've listened to some podcasts. Maybe not. But did you know you can make them yourself? The Library has all the information you could want about putting your voice onto the world stage.

Who Wants to Play Video Games?

Most people love video games, and librarians are no exception! Let us lead you on a quest to learn more about the medium and direct you to where you can play some classics.

The Digital Public Library of America

Learn more about a wonderful free resource for finding more ebooks, helpful school resources, improving your genealogy ability, and just exploring what libraries across America have to offer for free.

Spend Your New Year – At the Library

Happy New Year from your Library! Make 2020 your best year yet by taking advantage of the many resources, materials and programs we offer. We hope to see you often!

New Options for Interacting With Our Digital Content

The Local History and Genealogy department of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library has loaded a number of digitized books onto Internet Archive as an alternative means of accessing them. We also shared all the metadata about our digital collections as open data, which is now accessible through GitHub.

Become a Part of Toledo’s History!

The Toledo Lucas County Public Library has launched a program to collect photos from the public to be preserved as part of our local history collections. Contribute your photos (physical or digital) to become a part of Toledo history.

Toledo Library Program Gives Customers Device Advice

As part of its continued effort to address the digital divide and provide free technology training to customers, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library (TLCPL) is hosting a series of Device Advice programs this fall.

Making Memories That Last: Low Cost Gift Giving with the Library

Looking for a low cost, yet heartfelt gift for that someone special? Look no further than your Toledo Lucas County Public Library. The tech tools available at King Road, Oregon and West Toledo Branches will help you convert VHS, Super8, Slides and Negatives to a truly memorable gift.

Net Neutrality: The Price of Silence

Net Neutrality ensures that the internet stays open and safe. It is important to realize that if we do not take action, we are agreeing to censorship, throttling, and in my opinion, immoral practices.

Training on Web Literacy

Over the course of the last 12+ months and 8 training classes later, I without a doubt have a more informed knowledge of how the World Wide Web operates and what it can offer.

To Tech or Not to Tech

Is your smartphone becoming your go-to brain? (Did you use your smartphone to answer that?)

Participating on the Web

The last leg of the web literacy triangle is participating on the web. This involves aspects of sharing, contributing, attributing, open practice, protecting yourself, and connecting.

Writing on the Web

Building off of the last Web Literacy blog, writing on the web takes a deeper dive into creating the web.

Reading on the Web

Building off of the last Web Literacy blog, reading on the web takes a deeper dive into exploring the web.

Mozilla Web Literacy

Did you know the Library has received two $10,000 grants for training staff on Web Literacy?

Squishy Circuits Kit

Kate McGowan, one Librarian at West Toledo, pulled out the Squishy Circuits Kit and Play-Doh to stimulate imagination and creativity by connecting wires with Play-Doh to light bulbs, buzzer sounds, and fans with a few customers.

Stop Motion Video Production

This stop motion LEGO film is a perfect example of what people can create! Made with the help of a librarian, teens get hands on experience with hardware and software that they may not encounter on a daily basis. Did you know that the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library is part of the Maker Movement? Our program – Make U – helps people create, make, and learn with new technology and activities.