Library Hours

Winnetka Public Library

Northfield Branch

Maxims for the Modern Age

Posted by on Friday, April 13, 2012 at 2:28 PM

Seniors suck. At the library, we have a bowl of help-yourself lollipops at the Reference Desk. One of our librarians noted with a twinkle that it seemed that older patrons were the most common raiders of the sucker dish. Seniorita's ears flapped but soon realized that older people often suck (literally) because of bad teeth or sore or dry mouths. I guess it's self-evident that use of some of the technology gadgets might be difficult for people with poor vision, poor hearing, or physical problems such as arthritis or Parkinson's. My point: It would be a kinder world if everyone remembered that not all of us are nimble, quick, and graceful.

An apple a day... Apples once referred to chewy things, but today's usage probably has more to do with Apple (and other) technology products and customer service. Daunted by buying and setting up a fabulous new tech toy? Don't be. On a recent excursion to a local Apple store, for example, Seniorita and her trusty companion were wowed by the store's commitment to customer service. Seventeen (really!) store staffers circulated throughout the small retail space, answered every possible question about every product in the store and made each customer feel special. Even Seniorita didn't feel like a dolt. Moral of this maxim: As a senior, you have every right to be treated with dignity and enthusiasm. Expect and demand great customer service; you'll probably get it. If you don't, go elsewhere. Remember, too, that you can always bring your device to the library for some TLC. We often have drop-in clinics/petting zoos. On Friday afternoon, May 28, for example, you can try out popular eReaders, receive one-on-one assistance and learn how to download free eBooks and audiobooks from the library. Come any time from 3 to 5.

Why? Because... Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason for something, and it's useless to obsess (those who know me will find that most amusing!) about trivia. I cannot help but marvel at some of the tech nomenclature. For example, to me a python is a big snake (shiver), but I now know it's a popular programming language developed by devoted fans of Monty Python. If you're often bewildered like Seniorita, get yourself a good overview of technology. At the library we have many fine offerings. One of them is The Nature of Technology by W. Brian Arthur. The Senior Sleuth's Guide to Technology is another great overview. And, a series called Computer Books for Seniors addresses all kinds of topics. iPad for Seniors, for example, is scheduled for June publication. To give still more clues on tech topics, Best Buy's Geek Squad is coming to both libraries in July. Check our website calendar for details. The word is that the program is not only informative but hugely entertaining.

His head's in the clouds. Cloud technology has replaced the notion of daydreaming in modern tech speak. The ambition of the cloud is to liberate your computer from the clunky, terrestrial box sitting on your desk and to send data off to the ether of the internet. This is the modern equivalent of the old-school practice of sending cumbersome files away for offsite storage. In more concrete terms, the cloud shares computing resources across the internet, so that you can run programs and access files that are not stored on your local computer or device. This helps keep your device light in both weight and price, since intense computations and large file storage can be performed by powerhouse computers elsewhere. More on cloud technology is promised.

For now, gotta go. Dewey calls. TTFN.

Old Age is...

Posted by on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 3:46 PM

Seniorita confesses to being rather frivolous lately — with Christmas cruises and online dating on her mind. Reality set in, however, with the arrival of the January 23 issue of The New Yorker and Donald Hall's wondrous piece on aging, "Out the Window." Don't miss it!

Hall at age 83 speaks eloquently of the passage of the seasons, the passage of decades, and the passage into old age. None of what he says is a touchy-feely paean to aging; in fact, his observations are bittersweet, sans nasty bitterness. The piece is the most realistic and compassionate description of old age I've ever read. My favorite parts: "...old age is a ceremony of losses" and "When we turn eighty, we understand that we are extraterrestrial." The totality of the piece will break your heart. It also amazed me that technology never once came up!

I recommended the article to a friend who read it and called to say that Donald Hall had been one of his professors at the University of Michigan and, you Dumb Seniorita, that Hall is a distinguished writer and poet who was Poet Laureate of the United States in 2006! (Check out Hall's credentials in the Wikipedia.) No wonder he is able to sum up the enormity of old age in a little more than three pages.

"Out the Window" should be required reading for every person over 60. And, with a little luck, some under 60 may read it and look at us old goats differently, although that may be too much to hope for.

News flash (not to be confused with hot flash!) from Seniorita

Posted by on Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 3:24 PM

The North Shore Senior Center's e-newsletter reports on its tantalizing program that's coming up at its Morton Grove Campus:

Seniorita wishes she'd thought of this program first but promises to follow up with something equally fantastic at the Winnetka Library. In the meantime, one of our young librarians is willing to help anyone write an online dating profile. She's too adorable, so won't someone please take her up on her offer? Who knows, you might end up sounding like Matt Damon or Angelina Jolie.

Anyone willing to share online dating experiences??

Happy Valentine's Day in advance.

Ahoy, Mates: 14 Days of Endless Prose

Posted by on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 10:57 AM

Seniorita is spending two weeks on a small cruise ship in the Caribbean. Yep, it's totally decadent, but I'm enjoying every moment. Ever the Seniorita, I decided to check out how my fellow passengers are using technology. Keep in mind that most of us are over 60, with perhaps 25% of us over 70. Here's where I looked and what I found.

Poolside: I thought I'd see loads of Kindles and Nooks, particularly because we were intermittently at sea for four days with no shore excursions. So, my traveling companion and I took a stroll around the pool deck, each spying on half of the crowd to find out what passengers were reading and how. Much to our surprise, we found that printed books were the overwhelming choice . We estimate that printed books were used by at least 80% of those who were reading. Most of the books were best sellers, thrillers or suspense novels (Stieg Larsson, James Patterson, Kathryn Stockett, for example). I'm the first to admit that this little exercise was totally unscientific; the results, however, were not what we expected. Perhaps ereaders are not as popular as the hype has lead us to believe?

Public Areas and Open Decks: Here, too, we found very few Kindles/Nooks, but we did see iPads in use. Now I have to tell on myself. I brought along a copy of Robert Massie's Catherine the Great. It's over 500 pages, but, what the heck, I was sure I'd get through it in 14 days. Well, I got to page 200!! The warm air, sun, and gentle (mostly) rolling of the ship put me to sleep almost every time I opened the book — NOT because of the quality of the book. I'd feel shame, except it was too much fun to pretend that I too was a Russian grand duchess who could nap whenever.

Library and Internet Café: Books, magazines and newspapers ruled here, too. There were seven public Internet stations, never all in use at the same time. All were used to access email. A ship's staff person was on hand to help the needy. Not only did he speak several languages, he had to deal with various levels of proficiency. He did it kindly and intelligently. Everyone was happy! Customer service is customer service anywhere in the world!

How about sharing your experiences with technology when you're far from home. Do you go techless and revert to being incognito? Do you bring your Kindle and/or Blackberry with you? Incidentally, Blackberry users (mostly men checking business dealings) were able to connect about 90% of the time. What do you like to read on vacation? Do you keep in touch with family and friends at home on a regular basis?

Keep It Simple

Posted by on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 11:57 AM

One of my friends is a SuperSeniorita — she was head of Information Technology for 28 years for a large, national insurance firm until her recent retirement.

I asked her what she thought seniors should be doing with computers and technology in 2012. Her advice: "Learn one feature a week or month and get that one down pat. Also focus on only one way to do something and continually use that method. The old adage about 'keeping it simple' is very applicable to technology. Technology is only good when you use it to make a task easier or to enable a capability you did not previously have. Less is more!!!"

How simple is that? Why not carve out a few hours to learn Excel? The Library offers quarterly classes in both Basic and Intermediate Excel. The classes are announced in The Source, the library's newsletter, at the beginning of each quarter. You can also see the list of computer clases on the library's website and register online. When you register, you will receive a confirming email about the class.

If the class is full, you can work at your own pace through one of the tutorials offered on the library's website. Click on the "Research" tab, then on "24-hour Resources," then scroll down to the "Computers" section.

Seniorita (seniorita@winnetkalibrary.org)

All I Want For...

Posted by on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 10:33 AM

It could be two new front teeth, but a better bet is that someone in your family wants to give you an e-reader as a holiday present. You might want to drop a hint about which gadget you'd like — a Kindle, Nook, or something else. Scroll down for a comparison of the many available devices. Please keep in mind that some of the information may be inaccurate because the technology changes so fast.

You'll need access to a computer to do the initial setup for the device you choose, but once you're set up, it's a cinch to download books. If you're traveling this winter, you won't have to clutter up your suitcase with heavy books. Maybe you'll even have a new device before your grandkids do!! That would please Seniorita no end!!

The library has instructions for downloading to your new device or you can bring it to the library for hands-on personal assistance.

A word of advice: Be patient and read the device instructions carefully. Yes, you will be able to understand them! One of our library visitors brought in his disabled device, plunked it down on the Reference Desk, and said it was the worst present he ever got. Turns out too many helpers at home tried to fix a small problem and managed to temporarily hobble his device. (The solution was a simple hard reset!) If you get in a mess, trust your own good sense and don't for a minute believe the technology is beyond you. It isn't!

Have a great holiday.

Seniorita (seniorita@winnetkalibrary.org)

A Brief Comparison

E-Ink

Tablet

Greetings from Seniorita, the Technology Maven

Posted by on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 2:23 PM

Having worked at the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library for 21 years, I've watched technology transform the library world that we of a certain age fondly remember. I'm not always certain what the transformation means, and I'm not so sure all of it's a good thing, but change and technology are constant and ever-present.

If you're over 60 like me, you may suffer from varying degrees of bewilderment. Why in the world do I need the Internet, I-phones, I-pads, E-readers, MP3 players, Twitter, Facebook and so on? And if I have access to them, how in the heck do I use them? We're often stymied unless grandchildren or tech-savvy family members or friends have the time to explain what they've learned in school or at work.

And did I mention patience? I've seen those looks from grandchildren who make us feel so out of date when we don't know the most basic computer convention. One staff person at the Northfield Branch library reminded me, however, that many of us older library users have enjoyed wonderfully successful careers — before the Internet changed the world. We're all just a bit ahead of the times, not behind them!

To try to keep up, some of us have run to formal classes, to online demos, to books and to the Internet itself. Bravo, I say. On the other hand, some of us would rather crawl naked through a parking lot than admit we're clueless. I must confess, I'm often part of the latter group especially when I've fumbled around on my computer and done something I didn't mean to!

Hence, I'm trying to morph into Seniorita, the Technology Maven. My goal is to greet and welcome all of you who feel uncomfortable with technology. I invite you to share your thoughts and ideas on the Seniorita blog. I plan to share news of the tech world that is particularly exciting and relevant for seniors, to ask for your opinions and ideas, to report your triumphs and frustrations, to find answers for you, and so on. In short, to set up a dialog that anyone in our community can be part of.

Two caveats: As a library employee, I cannot and will not endorse one product over another, nor can I be responsible for any operating problems you may have as a result of something Seniorita says.

All that having been said, I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Seniorita (seniorita@winnetkalibrary.org)