Tech Tips & Tricks: Scanning with An Android Phone

I love getting cookbooks from the library.  Cookbooks are my favourite non-fiction as it tends to be non-linear.  I can flip back and forth looking at sections or just flip until I find a photo of something I want to try.  However, I find that 3 weeks isn't usually enough time to try all the recipes I want, especially in the summer.  I also can't afford to buy books from the bookstore all the time, but I don't want to have to wait another 6 months to access the recipes.  As a result, I usually scan or type out the recipes that I want to try.

In this case, I decided to scan the recipes as I only have my Chromebook with which to work.  However, I didn't want to go through the effort of setting up the scanner on my father-in-law's computer as it is rather bulky.  I decided to see if I could find a way to scan the recipes I wanted without having to set up the scanner.

I just did a quick Google to see if I could find if it was possible.  Here's the link to the instructions:
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/3145835?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en

I did manage to do the "scanning" of the recipes, but it would definitely be better for smaller items like receipts and stuff of that sort.

3M CloudLibrary Express Review

I’m sure you remember that I was super excited when my library got the 3M Cloudlibrary service.  I’m decidedly less excited now.  I’m not sure what is going on but the catalogue is pretty much the same or worse.  There’s a total of 2 fantasy books.  The Romance section has around 40 books, most of which I’m either not interested in or I've already read.  One of the little add-ons that could really help out the service is a wishlist...if there were some books that I wanted to read.  I’m a bit disappointed, especially since I was living in the US and my library there subscribes to a service called Freading.  It has a wishlist and I put an item that said it was coming soon to the catalogue, which is great!  What I really like about Freading is that it has a good mix of older books, including bundles, and new books.

I'm really hoping that my library here in Canada wakes up and does something with the 3M CloudLibrary or it is going to be useless!

Review: The Last Dragon Slayer

The Last Dragon Slayer by Martyn Stanley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Author sponsored review
This was a really good book! I wasn't sure I would enjoy it, but once I got into it, I really did. Essentially, a dwarf and two humans are on a quest for the Empress to slay a dragon. However, they wish for Silus to join them as he was with the last party who killed a Noble Dragon. Along the way they pick up a dark-elf (gravian) Brael, saving him from the executor's block. After rescuing him, they are rescued from the resulting pursuers by a mysterious elf named Vashni. As a group, they then continue on their quest, helping those they encounter on the way. At the same time, Vashni takes Korhan on as an apprentice in order to help him build resistance to "whispering", which is a form of mind control. As they journey towards the dragon, Vashni also trains Korhan in swordsmanship. Will it be enough to slay the dragon? Read the book to find out!

View all my reviews

My Library Got Express E-Books!

I was so excited to see this!  Finally, I could read ebooks without having to wait in line FOREVER.  At first, I was really confused because this is a very new service provided by a completely different vendor.  We also had this vendor (3M) show up on our website a couple of years ago by mistake, but I realized that it was real once I looked at my limits for checkouts.

So I finally tried out the service.  You can download the app to both Apple and Android devices which I did while travelling.  The app is super easy to use on mobile devices and it was really great to be able to do this.  However, depending on settings like your screen brightness etc., it can really eat up your battery.

You can also install a separate program for Windows based systems in order to download your books onto the Kobo.  This is where I ran into some issues with conflicts between Cloudlibrary from 3M and ADE.  I kept getting an error saying that I needed to update ADE and that there were issues with Adobe authorization.  I am running ADE 3.0 because versions 4 & 4.5.4 are super unstable.  If you are having issues with CloudLibrary, try the following steps:

1.  Open ADE.
2.  Deauthorize your computer using Ctrl+Shift+D (you need to know your Adobe ID password & make sure you remember it because you'll need it again in a minute)
3.  Open CloudLibrary
4.  Authorize your computer from within CloudLibrary by entering your Adobe ID password(you should get a message telling you that you need to authorize your computer)
5.  Plug in your ereader
6.  Go to My Books in Cloudlibrary
7.  Transfer to Device

Hope that helps!

Also, it is really nice since unlike Overdrive, it does keep a list of your reading history (since I was playing around with the program, mine is a little messed up).  However, unlike ADE, you cannot simply return your books from within CloudLibrary on the PC once you have transferred it to a device.  You have to do that on the app.

In the app:
1.  Click on the menu (3 horizontal lines) in the upper left corner
2.  Click My Books
3.  Choose Return
4.  Select which book you would like to return

Easy peasy nice and breezy!

I'm really looking forward to using this program since it means that I will have less books on hold on my Overdrive account, in theory at least.  I have a couple of question for my readers though.  What services have you added to your library recently?  How have they been received?  I invite you to post in the comments below!

Review: The Bear and the Nightingale

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

This book was amazing! I actually don't know a lot of Russian fairy tales, although I am familiar with "East of the Sun, West of the moon". I wasn't sure exactly how this book was going to go because as the story progressed, it was entirely possible for the story to have used different tales at several points. It wasn't until the very end that the story took on a form with which I am familiar.
The story tells stories within the story. It is also interesting to learn about the different Russian fairy-tale helpers. The demovoi seems similar to a Brownie from other folklore. This is also interesting as it is a fairy-tale set in a historical real-world setting instead of a fantastical setting.
Although anyone who likes fairy-tales will enjoy this story, I believe that readers of Mercedes Lackey and Jane Yolen will especially like the writing style.

PS
Sorry about the late post as I seem to have contracted a cold or form of the flu.

March Break Vacay!

So, yes, this past March Break I lived up to the name on this blog.  My husband and I went on a road trip around Lake Michigan.  We made two major stops in terms of exploration.  I've always enjoyed architecture, so much so that while doing my MLIS, I took a class on Library Planning and Design.  It is interesting to see what current libraries are doing and if there are any historical precedents.

The first place we stopped over for a few days was Traverse City, Michigan.  It is a great foodie place and a fun place to explore by foot.  Since it is mostly a summer touristy town, we got a great price on the hotel.  However, while we were exploring on foot, we found a building that had a giant plaque on it that said "Ladies Library".  It is a beautiful red-brick building with gigantic windows!  Here is a picture of the front:

The original library was a wood-frame building bought by The Ladies Library Association in 1878 and was located on Front Street.  The current building was built in 1909 and used as a library until 1949.  After that it was used by the city until 1983 until it was renovated into offices in 1986.

Sources:
http://www.record-eagle.com/news/local_news/women-helped-build-traverse-city/article_917e7162-4e57-5b3c-ac73-888d0ed8e686.html
http://www.michmarkers.com/startup.asp?startpage=L1309.htm

I also had a look around the newer Traverse City library.  It is part of a community center.  I really liked the way that things were sorted.  For example, the AV collection was housed under a section titled "Sight and Sound".  They also had a poster up with Coming Soon for newer releases that the library would be receiving or are on order.

After staying a night in Kalamazoo due to lake effects hitting Chicago, we went to Chicago.  I have to say that the central branch of the Chicago Public Library is amazing!  I probably could have spent all day exploring and poking my nose into everything, but it was enough for me to simply go into the lobby.  It is gorgeous!  It takes up an entire city block.  Here is a picture of the exterior:

                                          

We actually drove by it and I couldn't believe it when my phone said that the gorgeous building was a library!

As nice as this building is, it has nothing on the beautiful former Chicago Public Library, which is now the Chicago Cultural Center.  The materials used were marble, mosaics and inlaid mother-of-pearl.  It is hard to believe that this was a library as the effect creates an incredibly fancy atmosphere.  Even I wanted to bolt out of there for feeling not worthy.  It also has a Tiffany glass dome, which is incredibly gorgeous!  Basically, beneath the Tiffany glass dome was the reception desk where you would ask the librarian for the book.  If you don't know anything about libraries, in ye olde days, the stacks were closed and the only people who had access to them were the librarians.  The patron would go to the librarian with the card from the catalogue, looking for a particular book and the librarian would go and get it from the stacks.

Tiffany Glass Dome in Preston Bradley Hall

View of the Tiffany Dome from the stairs

Stairs inlaid with mosaics

Are your libraries undergoing renovations or changes?  What are you hoping to see in your new facility?  Let me know in the comments below!

Review: India Black

India Black by Carol K. Carr








I really enjoyed this book! The characters are well written. The plot is very interesting and fast-paced, more of an intrigue or spy novel than a mystery. I also like how the author uses the Victorian setting. The language takes a bit getting used to, especially the Victorian slang, but it is interesting to read a book written in what is essentially another dialect of English.

The book starts off rather innocently with a regular patron, Bowser, of the brothel passing away of a heart attack and the girl he was with doing a runner. However, soon the madam, India Black, finds herself in a web of intrigue where nothing is as it seems and to save the British Empire, she needs to get the case Bowser was carrying with him back.

Review: Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

I love Neil Patrick Harris!  I first watched him in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, then in How I Met Your Mother.  I was so happy to find out that he published his own autobiography because although I love to watch him (I just started watching A Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix), I don't really know all that much about his life.
I read the ebook version. In the grand tradition of choose your own adventure, I died more than once.  I found that the links didn't work very well at first, but I figured it out eventually.  There are also pictures at the end which didn't show well on my Kobo because it is black and white.

I actually really enjoyed reading about him.  Even when I died, I found it entertaining because it was written in such a hilarious manner.  I would actually suggest reading a physical copy of the book if possible.  There is also an audiobook available read by NPH and although I love his voice, I'm not sure how the listener would choose the next chapter of the book.

Picture Book Reviews from Inhabit Media

It was my niece's third birthday recently and I wanted to get her something special.  My sister told me that she was really getting into longer more involved stories like The Balloon Tree by Phoebe Gilman.  She also really enjoys A Promise Is A Promise by Robert Munsch.  I wanted to get her something that I didn't think she would get from anyone else.  I found out about this Canadian publishing company based in Iqaluit while at the OLA Super Conference.  I saw the vendor booth on the trade show, but Akilak's Adventure was also mentioned at the talk about Diverse Books.

I went to Chapters and it was kind of a pain to find these books since they are filed in different sections of 3 - 5 year old storytime books, but I persevered and the results were totally worth it!  Although I was tempted to get The Owl and the Lemming, I didn't think my niece would like that one as much.  The books that I eventually chose were The Caterpillar Woman and Akilak's Adventure.

This is a really interesting story about a girl who gives her jacket to a strange woman and takes on the appearance of a caterpillar.  When hunters come to her tent, she helps them and one of them takes her as his wife.  Eventually, she becomes her beautiful self again and her husband becomes young and handsome in this fairy tale ending.  There are a lot of words that are a little difficult to pronounce, but there is an Inuktitut pronunciation guide in the back.  In addition to the wonderful story, the pictures are done in very muted colours and have a very smooth texture, similar to watercolours.  My niece actually preferred this book and after we read it once, we read it several more times that evening until my voice started to get all croaky.

This is a fun story about Akilak who sets out on an adventure to her uncle's camp in order to get more food for her grandmother.  I thought this was going to take on a Red Riding Hood kind of twist, but it didn't.  It is a girl who goes on a physical journey, but also embarks on a journey of self-discovery.  I really liked the illustrations in this book as they struck me as being similar to Martchenko's drawings in Munsch's books.  Although I read this book to my niece, she preferred the other, at least at the time.

I really am looking forward to other books with which this publishing house will produce and am definitely keeping on eye on them for unique wonderful stories that are Canadian.

Review: The Invisible Library

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is amazing! I really enjoyed it once I got going. Irene is a librarian for the Invisible Library. The Invisible Library basically is a hub at the center of of L-space (Pratchett fans will get this) which allows librarians into alternate universes to collect unique pieces of literature and where time does not pass.
Irene is a librarian who is sent on a standard mission of search and retrieval. However, this time, she has a student with her named Kai. The librarian who meets them, Dominic Aubrey, gives them the information they need to retrieve the book, clothes, etc. However, things soon go down the drain as Irene and Kai get caught up in the politics of this world and then find out that Alberic, the one librarian who betrayed the Invisible Library, is also in the world and determined to get his hands on the text. Events reach a climax as all the different factions in this world who are determined to get their hands on this book clash.

This book is a good mash-up of sci-fi (steampunk), fantasy (magic, vampires, fae, werewolves) and action/adventure.  Fans of steampunk, specifically Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, will enjoy this.  Librarians and archivists will also love this book as it involves trans-dimensional travel in order to save books.  Overall, I would say that the book isn't terribly gritty except in a few parts where it becomes violent and the descriptions get gory.