Gadget Daddy: Library to offer help to socially (media) challenged

<p>Time was when the office water cooler served as today's "social media."</p><p>If nothing else, office workers would talk about the weather.</p><p>The other night, I listened to the TV weatherman roll off ways viewers could talk to him about the weather: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.</p><p>So much for the water cooler as an information-dissemination station.</p><p>If you wonder about those social media outfits, the Bartow Public Library offers a road map in the form of a two-hour course.</p><p>The course is part of a weekly series held each Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. There is a class on Monday to discuss tablets and e-readers, but our focus today is on the class a week beyond that.</p><p>In either case, seats are limited. Call 534-0131 for availability and to register.</p><p>The class on social-media sites will touch on how to set up accounts and why you need to be aware of terms of use and pr ivacy policies of the sites.</p><p>In addition, the class will also explain blogging. The term has come to mean a lot of things -- and has evolved far afield from its original form.</p><p>When it started some 20-odd years ago, the term for it was "weblog," and referred to a daily posting on the Internet by one person that was about daily life or confined to narrow subject matter.</p><p>"Weblog" was broken into the phrase "we blog" and then shortened to "blog."</p><p>Now, blogs can be the work of a team or company. They can be used to educate, or promote a business or event.</p><p>The library's class will cover the use of WordPress, a free blogging service that can be used for personal or professional use.</p><p>Bartow isn't unique in Polk County with its computer and technology offerings. Check with yours.</p><p>Local libraries: They aren't just lending anymore.</p><p>— Contact Lonnie B rown at ledgerdatabase@aol.com.</p>
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