A Coveted Combo: Get a Chromebook and a Hotspot Bundled Together at the Library

A very astute man once pointed out that “2 in 1” is a…ahem…bogus term, as 1 cannot hold 2; that’s why 2 was created. It’s hard to argue with that impeccable logic, but at BPL, we’ve been in the lab, feverishly attempting to concoct a way to overcome the reasonable-yet-constricting laws of oneness. After multiple … Continue reading →

Use Your Library Card to Take Technology Home

If you’ve watched TV lately, you’ve probably caught a series of commercials in which a family is comically struggling to survive without access to the internet. While the commercials’ solution to an internet-less existence is to buy their product, BPL is offering a better, free-er means of bringing the internet to you. We’re proud to … Continue reading →

Keep Playing Your DVDs for Free

I’ve owned a number of computers in my day, both desktops and laptops. All of them, excluding the Commodore 64, which was mostly just good for playing Zork, played DVDs automatically and with no hassle. I could pop in my copy of Varsity Blues, kick back, and enjoy without a second thought about the technology … Continue reading →

Do Not Compute? Come to the Library

  I’ve been using Microsoft Word in some capacity for around 16 years now. I was introduced to it in my middle school’s computer lab, along with Oregon Trail, Number Muncher, and Spellevator. While I tragically no longer use those latter three first ballot members of the ‘90s Kid Software Hall of Fame on a … Continue reading →

Confession of a Computer “Expert”

As a professional library guy, I’m called upon to provide basic computer help and general low-level tech support on a daily basis. While I’m usually able to solve the problems presented to me by patrons, I’m by no means a computer whiz, genius, or hacker. My dirty secret, and that of most librarians, is shrewdly … Continue reading →