Welcome to Express Play!

Express Play! is an online program that celebrates the third annual Teen Tech Week! Teen Tech Week is all about connecting teens with technology. Express Play! encourages you to explore a variety of fun, new Internet sites and Web 2.0 technologies.

What the heck is Web 2.0? Simply put, this term describes the growth of technologies that promote online creativity, collaboration, information and media sharing, and social networking. If you’ve used Facebook, YouTube, or this blog, then you’re already a Web 2.0 user!

How to participate: Whether you’re a tech guru or the last-to-know about the latest tech trends, Express Play! has something for you. Throughout the month of March, check this blog for new “things” and follow the links provided. Explore, play, and let us know about your experience by sharing your comments, linking us to your blog, etc. And be sure to give a shout out to your favorite library location! What are you waiting for? Start playing!

Thing 1: Register on our new Gaming site – GPX Crew @ CML!

Time to show off your skills in a Teen Gaming tournament at your neighborhood library! You can check out our tournament schedule AND register to participate at our NEW Gaming site – GPX Crew at CML.

For this activity, create a GPX Crew account by following the links on the left of the GPX page. If you’re feeling competitive, sign up to participate in one of our Teen Tech Week tournaments. Your scores at future competitions will be recorded by staff so you can track your progress on our system-wide leader boards!

Thing 2: Blogging

Millions of people worldwide maintain blogs, with thousands more joining the blogosphere daily. So what is a blog? Depends on the blogger! Basically, a blog is an online journal that can be easily updated as frequently as the blogger wants. Blogs are a great form of self-expression: some are private and function like a diary, while others publicly chronicle everything from their creators’ pop culture obsessions to their commentary on daily events. Blogs are multimedia forums, allowing bloggers to post pictures, videos, podcasts, and links to other sites, as well as their own musings on whatever. And blogs can connect users to others around the globe who share their interests. Got something to say? Blog it!

For this exercise, read through these safety tips for bloggers and then create your own blog. Try using one of these free blog hosting services: Blogger or WordPress.

(THIS is a blog, by the way, so practice your blogging skills here by commenting about your experience! Commenting on blogs is part of the fun!)

Thing 3: Twitter

Bored with MySpace and Facebook? Try Twitter -- a micro-blogging site where you answer the question “What are you doing?” in 140 characters or less. It’s a way to share information and find out what your friends are up to, without reading long emails. It’s kind of like texting on the Internet, and you can even have “tweets” sent to your phone! Once you set up an account, you can follow other users’ “tweets” and they can follow you. Visit Twitter, and click on the “Watch a video link” to learn more.

For this activity, go to Twitter and set up an account. Click on “Find People”, search for “columbuslibrary”, and start following us to find out what's going on at the library! If you enable columbuslibrary “tweets” to be sent to your cell phone, you can find out about our teen events no matter where you are!

Check back here throughout March for more "things!"

27 Days 'Til Spring!!!

Raise your hand if you're sick of winter. I know you're out there. I see you walking around with flip flops on the moment the temperature rises above 40 degrees or so.

While I am so ready for the cold, dark days of winter to be gone, I won't be breaking out my flip flops until it's about 70 degrees or so. After all, I'm not as invincible as a teenager. My toes get cold and I need two pairs of socks. Hmmmm....I wonder what Meals on Wheels will bring me for dinner this weekend. JK.

Anyhow, I am encouraged by the (no pun intended) budding signs of spring. There's a crocus flower peeking out of the ground. I can hear more birds chirping. It's getting lovelier by the day (besides the cold today and the bit of snow we're supposed to get tonight...SOMEBODY MAKE IT STOP!).

But perhaps you are one of those weirdos who prays for the cold and snow to last as long as possible so you can spend every weekend possible snowboarding at Mad River Mountain? Overall though, even for the snowboarding obsessed, don't you think this winter has been hard on us? Surely, you have some make up snow days. Has your spring break been stolen from you -- do you have make up days over spring break or at the end of the year? Man, it sucks.

What is your favorite season? What are you most looking forward to this spring?

Valentine's Day: Love it or Hate it?

It seems like everyone loves Valentine's Day if they're in a relationship but hates it if they're single. Is that how you feel?

While there is some history and story behind why we celebrate Valentine's Day, doesn't it really just seem like an excuse to spend too much money on flowers, candy, and decorations? Don't get me wrong, I could buy every Valentine's Day inspired household item at Target, but only because it's SO CUTE. I would happily decorate with hearts and red and pink YEAR ROUND. But I digress...

Do you have plans this year? Or do you plan to boycott? Is it the Holiday you love to hate? This Valentine's Day, do you plan to cheese it up like this, or do you plan to "celebrate" in a slightly different manner? The choice is yours and we want to know! Please share!