Tech Tips: How to use keyboard shortcuts (beyond cut, copy & paste)

Close up of computer keyboard keys

By Digital Learning Specialist Amelia You might be familiar with the keyboard shortcuts to copy, cut, and paste (and if you’re not, check step-by-step instructions on how to use these shortcuts in Microsoft Word and on your smartphone). But did you know that there are more keyboard shortcuts you can use to navigate your computer … Read more

Tech Tips: Introducing the Media Preservation Station

Media Preservation Station

By Supervising Librarian of Creative Technology John Gargiulo Have VHS tapes, cassette tapes, or film negatives you’d like to digitize and preserve? The library’s new Media Preservation Station has equipment to help you do just that. Located on the third floor of the Main Library in the Creative Studio, the station provides a VCR, a cassette player, and … Read more

Tech Tips (Smartphone Series): How to find the menu in an app

Phone screen showing an app menu

By Amy Hofmockel, Creative Technology Librarian When using apps and programs it can sometimes be hard to figure out how to access the menu. It can seem like the icons you need to tap to open the menu are constantly changing, even between app updates! While apps are always updating, some basics will stay the same.  … Read more

Tech Tips: What is a URL?

Laptop sitting on kitchen table

By Amelia, Digital Learning Specialist Have you ever wondered what the letters “URL” mean or seen the phrase “follow this link for more information”? Maybe you’ve seen a URL or a website link in advertisements or on event flyers, product information, or even the news. In this Tech Tip, we’ll cover what URLs are and … Read more

STEAM Fest 2023 & more: Experience the wide world of STEAM at the library

Three students playing a coding game

By Eileen Saam, Children’s Librarian We are so excited to partner with Oak Park Elementary School District 97 and the Oak Park Education Foundation to bring you STEAM Fest 2023! On Thursday, March 2, families with students in grades K-8 are invited to come to the Oak Park Public Library to experience the wide world … Read more

How to listen to music with your library card

Person wearing headphones

By Rose Barnes, Health & Senior Services Librarian There are so many benefits to having an Oak Park library card, and checking out digital music on Hoopla is one of my favorites. Part of your digital library, Hoopla features ebooks, digital audiobooks, movies, TV shows, and more that you can check out instantly—no holds, no … Read more

Need help with school research projects? Library resources to the rescue! African-American History & American-Indian History (Part 3)

Three kids studying on a laptop

By Eileen Saam, Children’s Librarian  As the school year starts and school projects are assigned, know that the library is here to help! In addition to books, your Oak Park library card gives you access to a number of subscription-based resources that you can use to help you with your research. In my previous posts … Read more

Engaging & hands-on tech learning is here

Two middle schoolers disassembling a computer

By Eileen Saam, Children’s Services Librarian Thanks to grant funding from TechGirlz—a nonprofit program of Creating IT Futures that provides free, fun, interactive workshops—the library now offers new ways to support engaging, hands-on learning for middle school girls. Recent additions in the library’s new Creative Studio include 3D printers, toolkits to dismantle and assemble computers, … Read more

Creative Studio open for staff-led digital learning

Creative Studio space under construction

Open now for staff-led digital learning events is a shiny new Creative Studio on the Main Library’s third floor. Offering 3D printers and laptops today, we expect to introduce a laser cutter, a large-format printer for posters and other oversize print jobs, a sound booth for professional-quality audio and video content creation, and digital preservation equipment … Read more