Wednesday, February 7, Workantile will be offering a two hour design/manufacture how-to for 3D Printing. You'll be able to see how it works, learn how, and walk out with your own design in the same night! The class will be taught by David Erik Nelson, author of Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred: Seriously Geeky Stuff to Make With Your Kids, and the world-traveling Maker vagabonds Bilal and Alex. The group will be making iPhone cases, belt buckles, jewelry--or whatever else you can design together. Just bring an idea and a laptop and you're all set.
Interested? More information can be found here.
or by emailing Dave at dave@davidericknelson.com
Happy Making!

You can pick up a new class brochure at any library location or review the schedule online.

Tuesday February 7, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, Downtown Library - New Class! Wall Street Demystified: If you've ever wanted to get a clear picture of your investments and qualified unbiased advice, take this class! Get independent and trusted stock and mutual fund analysis, research and ratings. Morningstar experts will be on hand.

Wednesday February 8, 7 - 9 pm, Downtown Library - eMedia: Learn how to download eMedia at aadl.org. Download audiobooks using Overdrive, eBooks using Adobe Digital Editions or Mobipocket, and MP3 songs using Magnatune.

Registration is not required. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. See you in class!

Tuesday December 20, 2011: 1 to 3 pm, Downtown Library Mac Lab

We'll help you edit digital photos using automatic enhancements, selection tools and filters. (PC user? We'll review the key differences between PC and Mac keyboard commands.)

Computer class brochures are available at any library location and online. Registration is not required. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and the rooms will open 15 minutes before the class begins.

You can pick up a new class brochure at any library location or review the schedule online. Here are a few of the classes that are available:

Etsy - Learn about the online marketplace from Kate Kehoe. Kate owns Chicalookate, and has been selling on Etsy for more than 5 years.
Wednesday, December 7, 7 - 9 pm, Malletts Creek

New Class! Writers' Resources on the Web - Are you an aspiring writer? Learn how you can enter writing contests, submit materials, and join writing groups online.
Tuesday, January 24, 3:30 - 5:30 pm, Traverwood

New Class! Intro to Buying & Selling Online - Learn the basics of making purchases and selling your items using the popular websites eBay and Craigslist.
Wednesday, January 25, 7 - 9 pm, Malletts Creek

Registration in not required. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and the rooms will open 15 minutes before the class begins. See you in class!

AADL card holders can now check out OverDrive ebooks onto Kindle. Read Amazon's announcement for the scoop.

To get started, browse the OverDrive collection. Find an eBook you're interested in and add it to your cart. While in your cart you’ll then click on “Get for Kindle” and will be directed to Amazon.com. (This requires logging into your Kindle account at Amazon, if you’re not already logged in.) You can then read the book on your Kindle device or the Kindle app for smartphones or computers! Use OverDrive's MyHelp if you run into any trouble, or contact us if you have any other questions.

For more information on eBooks at AADL, for Kindle and other devices, see our dedicated eBooks page, with links to where you’ll find answers to your questions.

NFBTRANS is an open source braille translator (BT). Due to a collaboration for the common good of blind people, NFBTRANS has been updated (the updated version is known as WinBT 2.0) to be compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit computers. The bad news is that NFBTRANS still does not translate HTML, Daisy, or Microsoft Word Files. (Check out the braille translator by John Boyer, part of the Braille Blaster project, that will translate HTML, XML, DAISY, or Word documents requiring little or no expertise.)

The NFBTRANS software is not officially supported by the National Federation of the Blind. Those interested may find support and stay informed by subscribing to the ProgrammingBlind listserve.

Click here for the Updated version.
Click here for the WinBT installer.
Click here for the zipped files.

umjobs.org: Join Kathleen McCollum, a Business Systems Analyst from the UM Human Resources office, to learn how to search and apply for jobs at the University of Michigan.
Thursday, August 11, 7 to 9 pm, Traverwood
Tuesday, September 20, 3:30 - 5:30 pm, Malletts Creek

Research Database Training: Need to support an argument or write a paper for school? Need a primary source? Take advantage of the research databases available @ AADL. Learn how to gather information beyond your personal experiences and observations, and explore what other people have learned.
Tuesday, September 13, 3:30 - 5:30 pm, Downtown
Tuesday, September 20, 3:30 - 5:30 pm, Pittsfield

Word Review & Edit: Learn how to track changes, add comments, compare two versions of a document, and restrict editing.
Friday, September 29, 1 - 3 pm, Pittsfield

Health Information on the Web - Finding the Good Stuff: Presented by UM Taubman Health Sciences Library. Learn which websites are the best resources for your health. From the library's databases to free online resources like the National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus, you will learn how to access this information and keep your family safe and healthy.
Wednesday, September 28, 1 - 3 pm, Malletts Creek

Pick up the latest computer class schedule at any library location, review the schedule online, or call 734-327-4555 for more information. Registration is not required. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and the classrooms will open 15 minutes before the class begins. See you in class!

June July Brochure The June/July computer class schedule is available! You can check out the schedule online or pick up the brochure at any library location.

We'll offer a new class for June and July named Etsy. What's Etsy? Etsy is a hip online marketplace for vintage goods, handmade crafts, and supplies. Etsy will be instructed by local artist Kate Kehoe, owner of Chicalookate.

All computer classes are open to the public. In other words, you don't have to have a Ann Arbor District Library card to attend a class. Registration is not required and classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

See you in class!

image by Adam Smith, Flickr.com
It’s every Internet user’s worst fear – to wake up one day find that someone has found your personal information, drained your online account, and ruined your credit rating. Identity theft is surprisingly common –the FTC estimates that up to 9 million Americans may be victims of identity theft each year. You don't have to be one of them!

Here are some simple ways to prevent identity theft:

1. Practice social network safety. – You may be sharing more personal data than you know. Check out this blog post for more information.

2. Be a skeptic. – When in doubt, it’s better to play it safe. This Lifehacker article provides some excellent suggestions for avoiding the most prevalent online scams.
For more on scams, take a look at There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute, which explains many online and offline cons, along with steps to protect yourself.

3. Make security a habit. – Safe Internet practices should be a part of everything you do online. This article provides some great suggestions for securing your online life from all angles.
USA Today’s book, Stopping Identity theft: 10 Easy Steps to Security, has more tips on everyday security practices.

4. Destroy! Destroy! – Make sure you know the right way to get rid of old credit cards and sensitive paperwork.

If identity theft strikes – you have resources! Take a look at The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Recovering From Identity Theft and Identity Theft For Dummies for suggestions on getting your life back.

For more information on identity theft and your options, check out The Federal Trade Commission’s identity theft website, with more information and resources on identity theft prevention and response.

image by furryscaly, Flickr.com
Do you shop online? Send e-mails? Participate in social networks? Then, like it or not, you have accumulated a substantial digital footprint. Controlling this footprint is a good idea, whether you’re worried about employers reading your disparaging remarks, salesmen finding your phone number or Big Brother tracking your un-American activities. Here are some resources to help you learn more about online privacy:

Get to know the issues:
Here's a roundtable on PBS.org about the recently-introduced Do Not Track bill, that would prevent businesses from collecting browsing data automatically from people who visit their sites.
You can also read Margaret Jasper’s book Privacy and the Internet: Your Expectations and Rights Under the Law, which includes a directory of consumer protection agencies, the real text of relevant acts, and suggestions for improving your online privacy.

Investigate your digital footprint:
Take a look at this series of articles from CNet.com, with techniques for finding – and manipulating – your online presence that go waaaay beyond Googling yourself.
And, to find out how your online persona may actually be damaging your life, read Virtually You by Elias Aboujaoude.

Privacy is holistic:
Online privacy, like love, is a many-splendored thing. No single magic bullet is going to perfectly cover you online behind. Look at this Lifehacker article to get ideas for diverse ways you can protect your information.

After you learn all about online privacy, you may feel like getting a new identity and vanishing off the face of the Earth. No worries! The book How To Disappear – by a man who was an investigator hired to find people who really don’t want to be found – will lead you, step by step, through the process of creating a brand new identity. Read this great summary online for the Cliff’s Notes version. (Note: Please return all library materials before burning your ID and moving to Fiji.)