by Avi Silberstein
You know that guy Socrates? He was full of wisdom. Start looking up his pithiest quotes and the next thing you know an hour has gone by. But as far as I’m concerned, this is his greatest:
“The only true wisdom is in knowing that I know nothing.”
(Let’s forget for a moment that he may not have said this after all).
There is so much we don’t know; so much we have yet to learn. Take a car, for instance. How do you put in a new pair of windshield wipers? You might be the type who can just tinker away and figure it out in a minute. Or you might want someone to show you how it’s done, either in person or by watching an instructional video online.
Everyone has their own preferred learning style. There are those of us who like to learn on our own, and those who prefer group learning environments.
The library has always supported those who enjoy individual learning: come borrow a book /magazine/DVD, use our online databases, or take an online course (such as LinkedIn Learning and Gale Courses). But if you’re the type who enjoys group learning, we’ve got a couple of exciting options for you.
This year the library is partnering with the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) to host a series of Digital Learning Circles to explore topics in technology. Three weeks before the workshop you’ll be emailed resources (online articles, links to podcasts, YouTube videos, etc) that you can explore. At the workshop we’ll discuss the topic and what everyone learned from the resources.
The first workshop will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 26 from 1-2 p.m. (on Zoom), and the topic will be Clouds (i.e. digital storage). We’ll discuss what exactly clouds are, and how they work, as well as the differences between iCloud, OneDrive and Google Drive, and whether you should pay for extra cloud storage.
The second workshop will be held on Wednesday, March 2 from 1-2 p.m. (on Zoom), and the topic will be Passwords. Learn about how to keep your passwords safe and accessible, and what makes a good password.
To register for the Digital Learning Circles contact Joan Exley at jexley@cbal.org or 250-505-2361.
The second group learning opportunity is one you might already know about: the library’s Podcast Club, which was launched a year ago and has been very well-received by the community. In short, the podcast club functions like a book club, but with podcasts instead of books. Every month participants listen to a curated list of podcast episodes on a particular theme and then meet (online) to discuss them.
The next session is on Memory, and will take place (on Zoom) on Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. We’ll be exploring how memory works and how it fails, making memories out of a pandemic haze, creating meaning out of our own memories, and how to be happier — with some tips on how to create and remember happy memories.
Those who have participated in prior sessions have offered rave reviews:
“The podcast club helps me learn new things and open up my mind. I find myself looking at things in a whole new way!”
“I loved receiving encouragement to listen to podcasts I might never have stumbled upon. And the discussions (the DISCUSSIONS!) pushed me out of my comfort zone by giving me a safe, welcoming environment to talk openly about my thoughts and opinions.”
To register for the Podcast Club email Heather Goldik at hgoldik@nelson.ca.
I’ll wrap things up with another Socrates quote. It seems like one we should all be reminded of, especially these days:
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Avi Silberstein is the Children’s Librarian at the Nelson Public Library. Check This Out runs every other week. If you’re interested in learning more about library programs and services, sign up for our monthly newsletter on our website or by giving us a call.