Love reading?  Meet other students who also do, at KM Media Center’s next Book Info Talk, scheduled once each month during all lunches.  Come talk to other book enthusiasts about what you are currently reading, or a favorite past read; or join us to listen and learn what makes others enjoy reading.
 
We discuss what draws us in to the books that we enjoy. Those interested in sharing may briefly describe a book that captures you, focusing on what makes it appealing to you personally.  Dr. Bryan suggests a different focus for each month's discussion, but the gatherings are very informal so the conversation will go wherever the group takes it.  Click on the Book Info Talk event on the KM Media Center calendar for details about the suggested focus for each month's conversation.

Please join us in the Media Center Conference Room, with your lunch at the beginning of lunch A, B, C, or D, and help us develop a community of readers, who share interests and information about books in all forms: print, ebooks, audiobooks. 
 
See Dr. Bryan in the Media Center for more information, or if you have any questions. 
 
Don’t miss out!  Add the next session to your calendar…
          Event:    Book Info Talk
          Date:     Tuesday, February 12
          Time:     Lunch Block A, B, C, or D
          Where:  Media Center Conference Room
                       (bring your lunch, tell desk staff you are going to Book IT)

Want an email reminder, so you don't forget?  Sign up at remind.com/join/bookinf
to receive messages about upcoming Book IT gatherings.  

Students and staff may use the CCSDWireless network for free internet access on their personal devices!  To get started ​

• go to your device’s settings
  • select the CCSDWireless network 
  • turn on airplane mode, if applicable, so you know that you are not using your data
• enter the initial password cobb2019
• when prompted for a user name enter your ID/lunch number or badge ID
• then enter your school computer password

​See the district's CCSDWireless FAQ webpage for device specific information.  Stop by the media center if you need assistance.  

Troubleshooting

• In a browser go to cert.cobbk12.org and download the appropriate security certificate for your device.
• Under the FAQs for your device find the video that shows you how to install and trust the SSL Certificate.  (If applicable, the video link is usually under the second bullet.)

We recently updated our magazine area with new display boxes that will enable you to quickly browse covers to find something that appeals to your interests.  The KMH Media Center subscribes to over 40 print magazines.  Current issues may only be checked out overnight, but you may check out back issues for three weeks at a time.   If you are interested in viewing digital copies of magazines on your phone or tablet, take a look at the eMagazine collection offered by Cobb County Public Library, which all students may access using their Library PASS account.

​Enjoy this special opportunity on Wednesday evening, October 10.  Thursday is a half-day, so don’t worry too much about being out on a school night.  Meet Nic Stone, NY Times bestselling YA author of Dear Martin, at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Arts Center.  It is a bit of a drive, but if you can make it, you will find the SM Library is an exceptional facility.  They have a special teen area, which includes audio recording booths, Mac computers with great software for creating projects, and much more to explore.  The pre-event reception, with refreshments and live music, starts at 6pm.

​Students can view the status of their KM library account by logging into the media center’s Book Catalog Search using their student number and KM computer password.  To view current checkouts and fines click on My Info at the top of the screen.  Extend the checkout period for a borrowed book by clicking the Renew button; this option will only be available before the original due date and will provide an extra three weeks from the date that you click renew.  After the original due date for a book, or using the renew option, the book must be brought to the library for further renewals, to extend the checkout period without incurring a fine.  

To check the status of a Cobb County Public Library account, students may use their Library PASS login.

​Audacity® is free, open source, cross-platform audio software for multi-track recording and editing.  You can download the version that we use on Kennesaw Mountain High computers from SourceForge, or find the latest version for your device offered through AudacityTeam.org.  Use the quick start guide from ManeMedia.info to learn the basics of recording, playing back, editing and saving project files and finalized WAV or MP3 files.  Become a pro by reading the manual or viewing tutorials to learn about advanced features, such as noise reduction, fade in, or studio fade out.  

With Audacity you can record narration for a multi-media project, edit out the narrator’s errors and then add a track with imported background music from your computer’s music library. The final audio file can then be used within other applications such as Windows Movie Maker,or a narrated PowerPoint presentation.  You may schedule a space in the KMH Media Center to record; or, talk to Dr. Bryan for assistance getting familiar with the basic features of Audacity.  

Find more ideas for using technology to produce creative digital projects on ManeMedia.info’s Technology Tools & Tips page, see the Online Presentation Tools & Digital Maker Spaces section.

Whether you enjoy reading informative magazine articles or just swiping through to look at pictures, the Cobb County Public Library eMagazine collection is sure to have a publication that will match your interests.  Students can use their student number to set up an account providing free access to over 130 eMagazine titles available on smart phones, tablets, or computers.  Both current and past issues are available; once you download an issue it is yours to keep, and it may be viewed offline.  We recommend that you checkout and download a magazine while on Wi-Fi to avoid consuming costly mobile data.  View our one page quick reference list of eMagazines offered through CCPL, and then search for the magazine of your choice in the CCPL’s eMagazine database.  Stop by the media center if you would like a demonstration or further information about accessing Cobb’s eMagazine collection; or contact the Cobb County Public Library offices by calling (770) 528-2326, or emailing contactus@cobbcat.org for assistance.  

For easy access to CCPL’s eMagazines, and other leisure reading and listening options, scroll to the bottom of the ManeMedia.info homepage.

For those who prefer to flip through the pages of a print magazine, stop by the KMHS Media Center to enjoy any of the 43 magazines listed below.  Magazines from the KMHS print collection are available for overnight checkout.

​Don’t miss it!  Ms. Garrett’s creative BHM display features ten of many notable black men and women who have made significant contributions to American history and culture.  Stop by the media center to see who you recognize and learn about those you don’t.  Next to each featured contributor you will find a biography or other books connecting their life to our history and culture.  The media center shelves have a variety of books available that highlight many other blacks who have made outstanding contributions to society.  Search the catalog and eBook collections on ManeMedia.info, or stop by the media center for help finding the right book for you.

Interested in writing fiction, do you hope that someday you will publish a novel?  Our eBook Collections have resources may help you reach your goal; take a look at the titles linked below.  These books are available to you through GALILEO, so you will need the current GALILEO password for access.

• The Language of Fiction: A Writer’s Stylebook, by Brian Shawver
• Elements of Fiction Writing – Characters & Viewpoint: Proven Advice and Timeless Techniques for Creating Compelling Characters by an Award-winning Author, by Orson Scott Card
• The Nighttime Novelist: Finish Your Novel in Your Spare Time, by Joseph Bates

If you would prefer to write for TV, look at Write to TV: Out of your Head and Onto the Screen, by Martie Cook, available as a preview through Google Books.  Cook offers strategies and insider's tips for writing smart, original stories and scripts for a variety of television formats and genres.  If you would like us to purchase a copy of Write for TV or other books for the KMH Media Center collection, please submit your suggestions for new titles. 

​Thanks to Katherine, Lucas, Matthew, Kehla, and others for completing the 1,000 piece “Best Sellers” puzzle on our coffee table.  It is nice to see one finished!  The next one is 2,000 pieces, we just put it out today.

The Cobb County Public Library System now provides an easy method for all Cobb County students to access the public library system's digital resources!  Login information and direct links to some of CCPL’s most popular electronic resources appear on ManeMedia.info’s Library PASS page.  Discover resources for learning technology or a foreign language, read today’s Atlanta Journal Constitution, or enjoy multiple options for leisure reading and listening.  Explore CobbCat.org Research & Resources to find more, items pictured below are under Downloads or Databases & Electronic Resources.  Stop by the KMH Media Center for assistance logging in or using any of the CCPL digital resources.

As things slow down towards the end of the semester, or during the upcoming holiday break, we hope that you will have time to enjoy reading, or listening to, a book.  Stop by the media center to browse our displays and shelves; books checked out now will not be due until January 2018.  We continually add to our collection, and KMH Media Center staff members are eager to provide assistance in locating something to capture your interest!  If you want more over the break and cannot get to a library, try some of our digital options for leisure reading and listening.  If you prefer to spend your extra time prepping for a standardized test scheduled for the upcoming semester, try our test prep resources.

Take a look at our list of Online Presentation Tools & Digital Makerspaces on ManeMedia.info’s Technology Tools & Tips page.  We link to multiple options that are available online, for free, that can be used to produce presentations, websites, brochures, videos, crossword puzzles, online exercises and more.  Using digital options for producing your project or presentation materials will help you to strengthen technology skills required for college and careers, and it may save you money because all of the resources that we recommend are free!  KMH media center staff members can provide support if you have questions about any of the resources listed on ManeMedia.info.

Feast your eyes on our display of new books and check out enough to keep you reading through the November break!  Let us know if you do not see something that suits your appetite, and we will either help you find it on the shelves or we will add what you would like to our next book order.  Remember you can recommend books for us to purchase at anytime by using our online suggestion form.

Thanks to Mrs. Garrett for creating the beautiful turkey for our display from an outdated book!  We appreciate all of her creative displays.

​West Cobb Regional Library is hosting a teen pizza party and author Skype visit on Tuesday, November 7th, from 1:30-2:30pm, to celebrate National Novel Writing Month (#NaNoWriMo).  This event provides a great opportunity for young writers or fans of YA fiction to chat with a New York Times Bestselling YA author.  Don’t miss out!  Registration is recommended, see the flyers below for more info.