Monday, October 18, 2010

Free webinars - Tech Soup

Register online for our October webinars! Hope to "see" you there!

Cloud Computing
Thursday, October 14, 2010, 11:00 a.m. Pacific (Noon Mountain / 1pm Central / 2 pm Eastern)

The term cloud computing is being used more and more, but what is it and why should you make an effort to understand it? In this free webinar we will explain what cloud computing means, define the different types, discuss how it is impacting nonprofits and libraries, and outline some criteria for use. We'll discuss the challenges of using the “cloud," and if cloud computing can simplify your life and reduce software and IT staffing costs. Hear from Anna Jaeger, co-director, GreenTech at TechSoup Global, and Peter Campbell, nonprofit technologist at Earthjustice, who will help you understand this topic in order to better communicate with your consultants, staff, and board.

The Story of an Open Source Library
Thursday, October 21, 2010, 11:00 a.m. Pacific (Noon Mountain / 1pm Central / 2pm Eastern)

This webinar will cover specific open source tools (some of which you may not have heard of before!) that work well for libraries and the benefits and challenges associated with their use. Meadville Public Library uses open source software on 90% of their public access computers.

Cindy Murdock Ames, IT services director and Kyle Hall, the library's on-staff developer, will share recommendations for libraries considering open source software and how to get started successfully. Cindy has been using open source software for over 10 years, which has allowed the library to save licensing costs and have more control over its computing environment. The library uses open source tools for their websites, e-mail, Internet firewall, wireless router, proxying, filtering, and productivity software, and thin clients for Internet access and to run Koha for the circulation and public catalogs.

Security Basics: Keep your Computers Safe
Thursday, October 28, 2010, 11:00 a.m. Pacific (Noon Mountain / 1pm Central / 2pm Eastern)
When you have computers connected to the Internet or to any external device, you need to take precautions. Security threats can not only cause harm to your computers but could damage files on your network or put sensitive data at risk. This free webinar will help you understand what the threats are and how your computers can get infected.

Kami Griffiths from TechSoup will interview Marian Merritt, an Internet safety advocate from Symantec Corporation, who will explain what employees should know about this topic and which specific activities can be problematic. This webinar is ideal for anyone who seeks a basic understanding of security threats or needs a refresher course.

Regards,

Stephanie Gerding, TechSoup for Libraries