Week 4 of Express Play!

Can you believe it's the last week of Express Play?!?! Out month-long celebration of Teen Tech Week is coming to a close. Waaaaaa! Take a look at this final week of "Things" and don't forget to give a shout out to your favorite library.

Thing 9: StumbleUpon

Tired of stopping by the same old websites? Stumble on over to StumbleUpon, a bookmarking and social networking site that lets you discover websites based on your personal interests. How does it work? Simply create an account, install the StumbleUpon toolbar, check off your interests and Voila! You’re ready to stumble!

The StumbleUpon toolbar allows you to give each newly discovered site a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down,” and customizes future finds based on your tastes and preferences. Hitting the "Stumble!" button exposes you to some pretty crazy-interesting sites. It's addictive! StumbleUpon also bookmarks the sites you love on your profile, for easy access, anytime. No more bookmarks folder!

Don’t forget to share your best StumbleUpon finds with us. Post your favorites in the comments!

Thing 10: Google Docs

Google Docs is part of a growing trend – the availability of web-based applications. What does that mean? It means you’ll never be reliant on a flash drive or floppy disc again!

With Google Docs, you can type up a paper, make a slide presentation, or create a spreadsheet, and store all of your work online. Google Docs also allows you to share your documents with others. Anyone you choose can access your work from a computer with Internet access – at home, in the library or at school! So create that slide show for your Environmental Science presentation, share it with your study group, and let them add content and edit your work. Type your English paper on A Tale of Two Cities and save it online to complete another day! The possibilities are endless!

For this activity, navigate to Google Docs. Sign in if you already have a Google account, or click on the “Get Started” button if you don’t. Click on the “New” button on the left side and start creating! Share your work with others by clicking on “Share.” Tell your librarian or media specialist at school about Google Docs. They’ll be glad you did!

Well, that's all for Express Play. We hope you've learned a lot and that you've enjoyed participating!

Express Play! Week 3!

Week 3 of Express Play!, our celebration of Teen Tech Week, is here! Take a look at this week's "Things" and don't forget to give a shout out to your favorite library.

But first, take a look at one of the participants did with last week's image generator thing. Lolcats are the key to my heart!

Thing 7: Facebook

OK. We know you’re ALREADY on the most popular social networking site out there - Facebook! But did you know that the Library has an official Facebook account? For this activity, become a Facebook fan of Columbus Metropolitan Library. While you’re at it, post some fan photos to our Facebook page…we want to see our teen customers represented!

Don’t have a Facebook account yet? No worries! Go to Facebook and sign up! It’s FREE - all you need is an e-mail address!

Thing 8: Mango Languages

Struggling in French or Spanish class? Or just want to learn a new language? Try out Mango Languages - an interactive, online tool for learning everyday conversational skills in a variety of different languages. Simply click “Premium Resources” in the left-hand column and choose Mango Languages. Be sure to have your library card handy if you are using Mango Languages outside the library. Languages include Spanish, German, Russian, and more! You’ll need speakers or headphones for Mango Languages audio lessons.

Express Play! Week 2!

If you're new to Express Play! get up to speed by reading the first post about it. When you comment, don't forget to give a shout out to your favorite library!

Thing 4: Library Instant Message Service

When you can’t get a ride to your neighborhood library and don’t want to waste your minutes on a call, don’t fret! Contacting the library just got a lot easier! Use our Instant Messenger Service for all of your homework questions and information needs. You can even add us to your IM contact list and text us from your cell phone! Find this service by clicking on the "Ask It" link on the left of any of our pages.

Thing 5: Share your Photos!

Don’t know what to do with all those digital pictures? There are many photo sharing websites that allow you to organize your photos and share them with family and friends. For this exercise, choose one of the photo sharing websites below and take a tour to learn more. Create an account and download some photos.

Flickr is one of the most popular photo sharing websites. Flickr allows you to create an account, organize and share photos, and search for that perfect picture you need for a special project. Take Flickr’s virtual tour to learn more.
The library uses Flickr for the “Express It” photo-sharing feature on this website. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, upload a picture to share in our “Express It” slideshow!

More photo sharing sites that allow you to create cool things, like photo albums, calendars, mugs, and magnets.:
Photobucket
Picasa
Shutterfly
Snapfish
Tabblo

*** If you are sharing a photo of some one else, it's always a good idea to get their permission before you publish it online.

Thing 6: Image Generators

Do you like creating silly images of you and your friends? Have goofy pictures of your pets? Try out these great, free, online image generators. They’ll allow you take your photos and twist them around in hilarious new ways. You can even create new images from scratch!

After exploring the sites below, show us what you come up! Share your images with us on our "Express It" page or post them in a comment.

LOLCATS Generator
BabyMaker 3000
piZap
Soft Drink Generator
Mr. PicassoHead
Paint!
MORE Image Generators
Even MORE Image Generators