Library Gets Artificially Intelligent

Two new products have us hopping here in the library. Read more below to find out what we've been eating to get so smart:

• Alphasmart

The library has acquired an Alphasmart keyboard for a 30-day trial. The Alphasmart works like a word processor, but without the frills of MS Word or another program. It is a very basic tool, allowing the user to focus on his or her task, away from the distractions of email or Internet access. Files on the Alphasmart can be saved on the particular unit, or they can be uploaded to a computer via a USB cable. The main advantages to a lab of Alphasmarts seem to be twofold: first, they are far less expensive than laptops (a portable lab of 30 Alphasmarts will come to around $7,500, compared to close to $25,000 for a portable lab of 22 laptops); second, these things are extremely portable, making for easy outdoor writing assignments (to mention one possibility). So far, I’ve written this on the unit we have for the trial period, and it’s incredibly convenient. We’ll let you know more as the trial progresses. If you’d like to try out this product, stop by the CHMS Library to take a look and put it through its paces.

• Smartboard

The CHMS Library is now home to a Smartboard, an interactive whiteboard that hooks up to a computer. Since this device will most definitely require all kinds of training, we won’t jump to tell you all to run off with it. But do stop in to take a look, and let your imagination take off with the possibilities!