I (Finally) Have a Smartphone! Now What?

iPhone 4SI have a love-hate relationship with technology. I enjoy the ways technology has democratized access to information and transformed librarianship. Yes, we still have books printed on actual paper (my preferred way to read), but we also provide downloadable eBooks, audiobooks and digital magazines, as well as streaming music and movies. I love being able to have something to read or listen to, any time and anywhere.

However, I don’t want to always have my face in a screen, and I don’t want my young children to become device addicts either, always clamoring to play Minecraft or Angry Birds. So I’ve resisted smartphone ownership (being ridiculed for my old-school cell phone with its slide-out QWERTY keyboard) until this Mother’s Day when I received a shiny new Galaxy S 5. Now I have to figure out how to make this device work for me and not become a slave to its many tempting features and functions.

I could start with a class. Every month or so the library offers a training session called Maximizing your Android Device. (We also have similar classes for Apple device owners.) The next class will be at 2:30 p.m. on June 9 at the Columbia Public Library. (Call 573-443-3161 to register starting May 27.)

Of course, there are books I could consult as well. We have a slew of books about smartphones, from the Missing Manual series to the Teach Yourself Visually books.

Book cover for Hamlet's BlackBerry by William PowersIn order to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the number of apps available for download, I’m starting with my library favorites, including our mobile catalog app from BiblioCommons, the OverDrive app for my eBooks and Hoopla for music and video. (All of these apps are featured at DBRLTeen in a handy guide that includes links for downloading.)

Finally, to make sure I don’t let this very seductive device ruin my real-life relationships with friends and family, I’m going to check out William Powers’ book “Hamlet’s Blackberry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age.” In hardback. :-)

photo credit: Jonas Tana via photopin cc

About Lauren

Mama, book maven, geek. Now reading "A God in Ruins" by Kate Atkinson.
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