If Netflix and Hulu are boring you with crass, lowbrow content, if you gravitate to arthouse and indie movies, if you're less into Song of Ice and Fire and more into India Song, it might be worth checking out your local library. But no need to get up from the couch and potentially spill your can of Pabst over your perfectly manicured beard you can now stream these movies directly to your device.

Public libraries might be fighting with Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu for your eyeballs in the online content wars.

Last Friday the New York Public Library let patrons stream videos and movies for the first time. The service, which is run by online video-streaming service Kanopy, includes a collection of arthouse, independent and classical films on demand. Users can browse content on the Kanopy website after logging into the NYPL online. "This content offering is so unique and worth presenting and logical to us that it makes absolute sense to do so," said Christopher Platt, chief branch library officer of the NYPL.

Platt says offering movies for streaming is part of the library's perpetual goal to offer formats patrons need.

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It's also hard to argue with a service that's free. Derek O'Donnell, senior analyst at Gartner, said the library's service might hit smaller players in the streaming space, like Amazon Prime, which has a thinner selection of streaming movies compared to larger competitors, like Hulu and Netflix. The library's offering may also find a niche with audiences seeking content inaccessible anywhere else, O'Donnell said.

The launch also reflects changing trends: mobile, connected and oftentimes younger users. A Fall 2016 Pew Research Center survey found 53 percent of millennials used a public library or bookmobile in the last 12 months, compared to 45 percent of Gen Xers and only 43 percent of baby boomers.

San Francisco-based Kanopy sees itself as an alternative and not a competitor to more mainstream services, like Netflix. "Many users come to watch films that aren't available on other platforms," said Kanopy CEO Olivia Humphrey. The emphasis, she says, is on "thoughtful entertainment" and focuses on independent films that touch on topics like immigration, diversity and LGBT rights. "It's really a different reason for coming to watch Kanopy," said Humphrey.

Kanopy founded in 2008 in Western Australia previously partnered with universities such as Yale and the University of Cambridge to make Kanopy's collection of films available to students for study. The company most recently launched their service to patrons of the Los Angeles Public Library and other regional libraries, in Illinois, Connecticut, California and other states, before the NYPL rollout. The company has partnered with local libraries across the country in the past and says other, smaller libraries are to be added soon.

The NYPL, which serves more than 17 million patrons across Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, launched the service with Kanopy collection last Friday to offer "quality, literate" movies to its patrons. The service is available now to all NYPL patrons with a valid library card.

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Public libraries offering free streaming to rival Netflix, Hulu - CNBC

The Farmington History Museum Committee is taking the Farmington Public Library to a new dimension with a Moon Shadow Party in honor of the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse.

The event is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. on Aug. 20 the day before the big event and is for students in grades 3 through 8. The cost is $2 per youth. Sign-up is required at the library, located at 101 North A. St. and space is limited.

The library and committee want to give young people their own space for the solar event.

There are many activities going on in the area for research and education on the solar eclipse, Committee Chair Jessie Williams said. We felt it was important to include children in some activities related to learning and having fun with the solar eclipse.

We really wanted to transform the library conference area into a space for youth, Committee member Nancy Cozean said. The Moon Shadow event will be fun, beginning with a short discussion on the Solar Eclipse. We'll also introduce our own Space Commander, Steve Slinkard, who will discuss another extraterrestrial event that occurred during the Civil War when a large meteor careened from space into the Ste. Genevieve area."

The incident was described in a book by local author Robert Schmidt.

To the sounds of Cat Stevens' Moonshadow and other sonic tunes, the event will feature galaxy events including a costume contest of an outer space being. Contestants are also encouraged to create a poster of "my favorite alien and bring it to the event. Plus, the classic modern movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still will be presented by Jon Cozean.

Prizes will be awarded for the best space costume and best space creature poster. All contestants will receive a certified Space Cadet certificate and solar eclipse watching survival bag.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Farmington History Museum, scheduled for a future opening. Sponsors for Moon Shadow include Plummers Ace Hardware, Prairie Farms, Save-A-Lot and Cozean Funeral Home.

For more information, contact the library at 573-756-5779.

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Museum, library 'lift off' on solar eclipse special - Daily Journal Online

SAFFORD - The city of Safford, and the entire Gila Valley, suffered a tremendous loss this week with the unexpected passing of Safford City-Graham County Library Director Leanne McElroy.

Sunday evening, McElroy was flown from Mount Graham Regional Medical Center to Banner University Medical Center in Tucson after suffering a massive heart attack at home. After what her brother-in-law, Paul David, called a valiant effort by hospital staff, she was taken off life support on Wednesday and died that afternoon.

It is with a heavy heart that the library announces the passing of our leader, our inspiration and our dear friend, the LIbrary said in a Thursday morning press release.

She leaves behind the legacy of a library for everyone, the release continued, nurturing of knowledge and growth for all ages. Bringing her experience from Habitat for Humanity and her travels across the world, she set the library on a path toward becoming a centerpiece of learning and compassion in the community. We will dearly miss her smile, her guidance and her loving kindness.

McElroy, who earned a Masters degree in Russian Studies from Georgetown University, started as Library Director in November 2012. Her legacy includes a rich variety of educational and community activities including ScienceCity, Star Wars Day, the Library Coding Club, Library-Con and the Local Author BookFest, which debuted this February. Under her direction, the library also made its childrens book section easier for young readers to use and planned to expand its large print collection.

She was an amazing woman and an amazing director, said Senior Library Technician Brandon Nite. It was a pleasure to work with her.

Services for McElroy are tentatively scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14 at the Safford Stake Center, 515 Catalina Dr. The library will close that day in her memory.

Her interment is tentatively planned for Tuesday the 15th, at a family ranch near Douglas. She is survived by her husband Philip McElroy and daughter Lydia.

David Sowders is a member of the Safford City-Graham County Library Advisory Board.

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Library director McElroy passes - Eastern Arizona Courier

Editor-In-Chief Scott Peterson's take on life(Photo: Matt Colby/Now Media Group)Buy Photo

I had forgotten how much joy I could get from looking up a word in the dictionary.

But I did that surprising thing when I was out of range ofcell phones and beyond the Wi-Fi frontier, and was desperate to understand a word in the book I was reading.

I dusted off a 1956-vintage Webster's dictionary that probably had not moved from the shelf in this cottage since the day it was published. But there it was, page after page of words, new (well knew to bobby socksers) and old alike, ready for me to browse and discover new things.

As a certifiable word nerd,I own literally dozens of dictionaries, but as the Internet turned my brain into oatmeal, I almost never get them out anymore. Who wants to go to "all that trouble" to look up a word when there is a tool in your pocket that makes it so fast and easy.

Northern Wisconsin has always been one of my favorite getaways, a state of mind where you can sample the best of how things used to be before modern life steamrollered over them.

But even the great indoors has new adventures, too, when you free yourself from the shackles of technology.

I saw my wife actually laying out kings and aceson the table to play solitaire with real playing cards. It was like I was reliving my childhood on days when I was sick and needed to entertain myself. No buttons, no flashing ads, no music. Just tactile and visual nourishment.

In a restaurant on the lake, it was the same thing. Back at home, couples would be staring at the little slabs from their pockets, conversing only to share the occasional Facebook post, if they talked at all, but here was a dining room filled with people talking to each other! The din from a roomful of chatter was invigorating.

Out on the lake, when we ran out of gas in the boat, I could have grabbed my phone and tried desperately to reach someone, but we did the old fashioned thing. We flagged down a passing boat, and met a friendly couple who gave me a ride back to our cottage, where we picked up gas and refueled. This is what people did back in the day.

I played Yahtzee with my wife. I got to know my future daughter-in-law better. I listened to the Brewers game on the radio. I sat by the lake and watched the sunset. I watched them make fudge through a storefront window in Minocqua. I bought groceries in a story that did not have 10,000 choices. I saw an otter swim past our boat. I went out for an ice-cream cone. I browsed in a book store (and it was crowded with other people doing the same thing). I meandered into an antique store, another place that has timeless treasures.

There are a lot of great reasons to escape in Wisconsin, but the ride in the time-machine is the most underappreciated part. You have the time to go back in time to remember the things that mattered. Sometimes, you have to go backward in order to find the way forward.

Read or Share this story: http://www.lakecountrynow.com/story/opinion/columnists/scott-peterson/2017/08/10/going-off-grid-life-really-ever-relaxing/556610001/

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Going off the grid: Was life really ever this relaxing? - Lake Country Now

It wasn't THAT long ago that it was a big deal for a college student to have their phone in their room. Of course I'm probably dating myself, still college students have always needed some small comforts of home to make their dorm room their own space. While smart homes have been kind-of-a-thing for the past few years, smart dorms are arriving on college campuses this fall.

Here are some of my favorite gadgets for college students:

The Nox Sleep Light from Sleepace connects to your smartphone and will help you start and end your day in a peaceful way. At night, the light gives up an amber glow which has been proven to help people relax. It also plays soothing music or relaxing sounds that gradually silence once it determines that you've fallen asleep. It does that by picking up and reading your breathing patterns. In the morning, rather than jolting you out of bed with an alarm sound or loud music, the Nox slowly raises the light in the room to simulate the rising sun. I have it set to chirping birds at 7 a.m. The Nox attempts to sense when you're at your lightest moment of sleep and will begin waking you up with the sound of birds chirping louder and louder and the light becoming brighter. In addition, the Nox Sleep Light is designed to monitor, track and improve your sleep quality through the app. It's $150.00

The Sound Oasis bluetooth speaker will help drown out noisy neighbors or roomates with several 'soothing' sounds that are stored on an included SD card. There are sounds of waves, a brook, music, white noise and a heartbeat (yep, it is a little creepy sounding, but it works for some people). The 360-degree speaker also connects to any smartphone device to stream music from Pandora, Spotify or any other music app on the phone. The BST-400 Stereo Bluetooth Sleep Sound Therapy System is $130.

The Amazon Echo Dot and Tap are two of the more popular Amazon Alexa products. Both these devices will answer questions, read news and audio books, set reminders and control smart home devices. The Tap has an included 360-degree speaker while the Dot should be connected to an external speaker for great sound. The Amazon Tap is $130.00 while the Dot is $50.

If you do get an Echo Dot you'll want a bluetooth speaker to go with it. The Vaux speaker has good sound but it also turns an Echo Dot into a wireless device by keeping it charged even when the speaker is not connected to a wall outlet. The Vaux is like a 'puck holder' cradling the Dot and providing power. It has a mini-audio plug that connects to the Dot's external audio plug and can hold a charge for hours.

The Vaux Cordless Portable Battery and speaker for the Amazon Echo Dot is $50.

A printer is something that doesn't immediately pop into your mind when moving into a dorm room, but it can certainly make a difference as the semester begins. Rather than running down to the library or another building to print out a paper the student will have it in their room connected to their computer. Printers are small enough to keep on a desktop now and prices have dropped to below $50.

Wish I had been able to do that when I was in school.

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What the Tech? Smart dorm gadgets - WRCB-TV

Posted: Aug. 8, 2017 9:49 am Updated: Aug. 8, 2017 9:58 am

Don't mind me. I'm just taking a bath/cleaning the tub. I just flipped the camera for a picture to illustrate something we moms do every day. Today it's the bathtub but sometimes it's using the toilet while scrubbing boogers off the wall and reviewing the words of the week that I've taped up. I bet they haven't even glanced at them twice. Maybe the booger on the wall is some sort of protest.

And this my friends, is why we are tired. We think about everything there is to do and then multitask as much as possible. Why? Because it just makes good sense, and I think deep down we think the quicker we get all our jobs done, the quicker we can get some me time. It's fun to make believe. I mean I'm holding a disinfecting wipe and chipping away at spilled nail polish while taking what's meant to be a relaxing soak. Maybe I have a problem. Let's review. Every day I combine looking for missing items with cleaning the mud room. I still use baby wipes. First to clean faces, and then clean up the spilled cereal. I listen to reading assignments and stories of who touched who while tying shoes and packing backpacks. I've perfected drinking my tea (aka my sanity in a cup) while physically running my people to school. I spill a lot but it's a big cup.

None of this should wow anyone because we all do it. Every day we try our best to do as much as we can until it's safe to sit down, and by the time we get there, a lot of times all we can do is quietly stare into the distance. Sometimes I black out while doing the dishes. This glazed over spaced out stage can unknowing last long periods of time.

I call it the sock zone.

My dad used to sit on the edge of the bed half asleep and put one sock on, then take forever to put the other one on due to the lack of ambition to get out of bed. I feel like I've gone off on a tangent here and possibly wondered onto another blog subject. Stay tuned for sock zone

Anyways, I feel this spaced-out time is very much needed. It's us part recharging and part having a planning period for our next hour, day, week considering everything that needs to be organized to make it all happen. Me time. It looks a little different with four very different children firing different problems my way, requiring me to respond in different ways. I space out a lot these days.

So yeah, I'm taking some me time and having a bath. There are no candles -- don't want anyone to get any ideas. There's no relaxing music. God knows, I can't play music or the children might find me. Also, I need to be able to hear what's going on, in case all hell breaks loose. What I am doing is Cloroxing grubby fingerprints and cleaning up my bath salts that one of the minions has spilled all along the perimeter of the tub. I will then review my bathing situation. Do I have time to shave before someone needs me or will I be very rudely interrupted with one leg in the air? Ugh! Whatever. I'll go for it. I can always combine this with a good healthy body image talk or any other overly informative talk that makes watching the TV downstairs seem like a better option.

Because I can multitask like a mother!

Jen Reekie was born and raised in Quincy and received a communications degree at the University of Kansas, which has come in quite handy as she communicates every day with four children who don't hear a word she says. This stay-at-home mom enjoys the challenge, though, and shares her experiences in this blog, "Mum's the Word." She welcomes your feedback, questions and stories about staying sane while raising kids.

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Multitasking me time - Herald-Whig

Kkiftlik Park ontinues to present various types of music in its very unique atmosphere.

A free spirit swirls around the %100 Urban Music series at Kkiftlik Park's Kkiftlik Bahe. The festival brings together many local and international bands in a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere.

The first event of %100 Urban Music starts on Aug. 27 with Asian Dub Foundation, the famous figure of reggae in Turkey, Sattas, and favorite rapper Sansar Salvo in addition to Ais Ezhel, who combines different styles.

Combining dub bass, punk rock guitar, jungle rhythms and traditional Indian music with dance hall lyrics, Asian Dub Foundation has performed at many music festivals, including Exit Festival in Serbia, Rock For People in the Czech Republic and Couleur Cafe in Belgium. The band has also shared the stage with bands such as Rage Against the Machine, The Cure and Radiohead.

Sattas, and the popular rapper Sansar Salvo will warm up the stage after sunset.

A promising artist that broke through with the latest album combining new school hip-hop and rap, Ais Ezhel, will add color to this selection and motivate people to move to the dynamic sound.

%100 Urban Music bringing together different music genres at Kkiftlik Bahe, starts with one of the few dub bands of Turkish underground electronic music, Alphadub, which rose to fame with their "Beton Orman" (Concrete Jungle) program at Ak Radio.

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Eclectic styles at %100 Urban Music series - Daily Sabah

Westfield State holds second annual farm-to-table fundraiser dinnerAugust 8, 2017By: Laura Phelon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 8, 2017

CONTACT:Laura Phelon413.572.5201lphelon@westfield.ma.edu

WESTFIELDThe Westfield State University Department of Communication, in partnership with the Division of Institutional Advancement, will hold a farm-to-table dinner in honor of the late Dr. Henry Wefing, professor emeritus of Communication. The event will be held on Sunday, August 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. on the grounds of the Horace Mann Center.

Wefing served as a professor at Westfield State for 30 years. The dinner honors both his commitment to Westfield State students and his passion for organic and locally grown food. The events proceeds will benefit a journalism scholarship established in his honor.

The scholarship supports Westfield State Universitys commitment to graduate future journalists who embrace the values of fairness, accuracy, and good storytelling that were taught by Professor Wefing, said Dr. Tom Gardner, professor of communication. Gardner said that there are plans to increase the number of scholarships awarded as the fund grows.The menu will feature locally-sourced ingredients. Menu options include beet-cured salmon on Westfield seeded bread and miso-ginger meatballs with house-pick vegetables for appetizers; herb-grilled chicken, and grilled corn with feta, herbs, and cream for dinner; and summer berry tart with honey cream for dessert among other selections.Diners can enjoy relaxing music by Westfield State alumnus Tyler Cook 16 while sitting at a long table located next to the garden Wefing planted in 2007. When he cared for the garden, Wefing donated all the gardens bounty to the Westfield Food Pantry. The garden is now tended to by volunteers, including Westfield State faculty, staff, and students, who are committed to keeping Wefings legacy alive.

Wefing began teaching at Westfield State University in 1985. Prior to his passing in 2015, he taught in the Communication Department, specializing in journalism and writing courses. The Henry Wefing Journalism Scholarship has been awarded annually since 2016.

At the Aug. 20 event, food will be prepared by Westfield State University Executive Chef Mary Reilly and Catering Chef Simeon Bittman. A portion of the dinner will be prepared outside at the event and both Reilly and Bittman will be onsite to meet the guests, answer questions, and discuss the food and the importance of using locally sourced ingredients.

The event aligns with the universitys mission to provide local, sustainable food to its campus community. In 2016, Westfield State launched its own self-operated food services program based on a farm-to-fork model. As a result, Westfield State Dining Services now partners with more than 25 local farmers and food producers.

The farm-to-table dinner is sponsored by The Westfield News Group. Tickets are $45 and must be purchased in advance as space is limited and last years dinner sold out quickly. Purchase tickets or view the full menu.

Contact Suzanne Boniface, adjunct professor of communication, at 413-478-2652 or sboniface@westfield.ma.edu for more information or to discuss special dietary needs.

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Westfield State holds second annual farm-to-table fundraiser dinner - Today at Westfield

Sun, music and laughter welcomed visitors as they arrived at the Western Regional beach access on Emerald Isle, Thursday during the Emerald Fest Free Summer Concert Series.

More than 100 beach goers gathered to enjoy a live performance by Pure T Mommicked, a local rock band who played a lineup of all-time favorite covers.

I am loving it. The band is really good and they are locals, said David Mitchell, an event participant who has been attending the concert series for several years. They have great acoustics, and this event is a great free concert; it utilizes the newly renovated parking area and beach access for the town of Emerald Isle, putting it to great use. Events like this, inspire music talent and the creation of music through all age groups.

What started nearly two decades ago as a Beach Jive After Five has gained great popularity and according to Frank Rush Jr., Emerald Isle town manager, it draws a regular crowd of a few hundred people each week.

I think everyone enjoys music, and everyone enjoys the beach, said Rush. We combine the two together, and its a good chance to come out, relax and meet new people.

If you are ready to get your musical fix and enjoy a relaxing evening listening to great musical talent, grab your beach chairs and head to Emerald Isle. The next concert in the summer series will take place today at 6:30 p.m. and will feature music by Scearce & Ketner. The concert series will wrap up the season on Aug. 17 with a performance by Naked Knees.

For more information about the Emerald Fest, visit http://www.seasideartscouncil.com.

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Emerald Fest brings fun, live music - Camp Lejeune Globe

Don't Miss Upcoming Chapter Events

Needs Assessment: Getting What You Really Want

Presented by:Ryan Watkins

The earliest decisions that lead to projects or programs are among the most critical in determining long-term success. This phase of project development transforms exciting ideas into project proposals, thereby setting the stage for a variety of actions that will eventually lead (if all goes well) to desirable results. Decisions ranging from a propose a sanitation project in South Asia or North Florida to selecting approaches that strengthen school management in South America or Eastern Kentucky, are the early decisions that form the starting place of evaluation results.Needs assessments support this earliest phase of project development with proven approaches to gathering information and making justifiable decisions.

This event will take place at:

Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch Library,

111 West Ocean View Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23503

Light Refreshments and networking from 6:45- 7:00

Program from 7:00 - 8:30

Members attend for free. Guests are welcome; suggested donation is $10.

REMINDER: September is annual membership renewal month. Membership fees will be accepted at the meeting.

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