Friendly Summer Reminder!

We hope you all had a great Memorial Day Weekend!

As Summer has officially started, we'd like to remind you that Hampton Falls Free Library is now on Summer Hours. This means that we will be closing at noon on Saturdays instead of 1pm, so us librarian-folk can hit the beach!

Also, as we draw nearer to school's summer vacation, keep an eye and an ear out for Summer Reading Programs. Check the calendar for more details!

Digital Audio - An Overview

What is Digital Audio?

Unlike cassette tapes or CDs, which are prone to breaking and skipping, digital audio is a file that can be read by a computer or another electronic device and converted into sound.

How do I listen to Digital Audio?

There are several different ways to listen to digital audio - in fact, it's best feature is its versatility. Digital audio can be played on any computer that has speakers. It is also very popular to load the audio in the form of .mp3 files into an MP3 player. Once on the MP3 player, it can be listened to through headphones. Or, if you like listening to audio in your car, a simple cassette adapter can play digital audio through your car speakers.

Ok, sounds great... but why does a library care about Digital Audio??

Well, audio isn't just about music anymore! Hampton Falls Free Library now has a subscription to OverDrive, which allows patrons of our library to download and listen to HUNDREDS of audio books (in the form of Digital Audio, of course!) for FREE.

Tell me more.

Well, if you're an audiobook junkie like I am, this is a great way to expand your options. The OverDrive library adds audiobooks to their collection faster than we ever could! In addition to Adult Fiction, OverDrive also has a large amount of Children's and Young Adult Fiction.

Does it get any better?

Yes! You never have to worry about returning digital audiobooks! Each book has a 7-day license. This means that in the 7 days after you download the book, you can listen to it on your computer, burn (some) books to a CD, or transfer it to an MP3 player. After the license is up, you will no longer be able to transfer the files, but if they are already on your MP3 player, you can continue to listen to them.

Alright... but... what if you're not the most technologically capable person? I mean, it's not ME, but I have this friend...

Everyone has to start somewhere, right? If you have any interest in Digital Audio, any interest at all, stop by the library and we can discuss whether or not it is right for you. Although, with the versatility of it, there's bound to be a solution for everyone.

Just bought an MP3 player and need a little help figuring it out? Bring it down to HFFL and I'll show you the ins and outs of it.

Or do you want to check out the OverDrive website to see what all the fuss is about, but you're a bit of a technophobe? Stop by! I'd be happy to walk you through it!

--Kate

Open-Source: Be Free!

I have long been a proponent of the Open-Source/Freeware movement. Instead of AOL Instant Messenger (better known as AIM), which has become increasingly inundated with flashy advertisements and features that become more of a nuisance than a help, I have been a user of the newly-renamed Pidgin. This program works like AIM, but it is open-source, and therefore not affiliated with a major company (like AOL). This tends to yield programs that have all the features you need with nothing you don't (or at least the option to turn off certain features), and (joy!) no pesky advertisements!

What could be better than that, you ask? Well! These days, nearly any program you might buy in a store can likely be found as freeware. These programs aren't necessarily identical, but when you want to use a program like Photoshop, and can't exactly find the $650 to pay for it, the slightly less user-friendly Gimp starts looking a lot more appealing.

I recently been exposed to other wonders like OpenOffice, which has programs extremely similar to MS Word, MS Excel, MS Paint, and MS Access. Another blessing, as the Standard version of Microsoft Office can run you $240.

I've also learned about AVG, free anti-virus software that (I hope!) works as well as Norton. I installed it on my laptop about a week ago, so time will tell!

--Kate