October tech events for adults

Here are your October options from the Digital Media Lab – the last “normal” month before the winter holidays.

We received a grant to do a big series of digital literacy events, complete with snacks and a door prize (a 128GB USB/USB-C flash drive for one lucky winner) at each session!   I’d love to see either you or someone in your life who could be more comfortable using technology. Classes are in-person or on Zoom on Mondays in October.  Find details and register for these topics at icpl.org/DL : 

• Computer Basics with Windows 10
• Internet Basics
• Email Basics with Gmail
• Keep Yourself Safe Online

But that’s not all, folks!  We also have a full slate of interesting workshops:

Let's Talk About Artificial Intelligence
Thursday, October 5, 2023 - 6:30pm to 7:30pm
With the recent hype around ChatGPT, you might be wondering what is it and how does it work? Join Alyssa (ICPL’s web developer) to learn about the basics of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools, and try out ChatGPT for yourself.

Intro to Adobe Lightroom: Editing & Organizing Photographs
Thursday, October 12, 7:30-8:30pm OR
Tuesday, October 17, 10:30-11:30am
Adobe Lightroom Classic is your gateway to effortless photo editing and seamless organization. In this workshop, Charlie (DML intern and photographer) will introduce the basics of using Lightroom, making it accessible to everyone. No prior experience required!

Create Your Own Pumpkin Stencil
Thursday, October 19, 2023 - 7:30pm to 8:30pm
Have you always wanted to carve your own portrait into a pumpkin? Do you wish there was a stencil of your favorite celebrity or pop culture icon? Learn how to use Photoshop to create your own printable Halloween stencil from photographs or online images.

TikTok Tutorials for Adobe Illustrator
Thursday, October 26, 2023 - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Have you seen any of the TikTok videos where creators do a lightning fast recording of the way they achieve a particular effect in Adobe Illustrator? Let's try some for ourselves!  We'll watch a few selected TikToks, pausing after each one to replicate the project. Enjoy expanding your Illustrator skills with things like 3-D effects, gaussian blur, intertwine, and warped text.

Ebooks from the Library
Friday, October 27, 2023 - 11:00am to 12:00pm
The Iowa City Public Library has two sources for free ebooks and digital audiobooks: Libby and Hoopla. Join us for an overview of both!  (Libby and Hoopla are available to residents of Iowa City, University Heights, Hills, Lone Tree, and rural Johnson County.)

Then, in November and December, you can expect some gift-making workshops – using the Cricut or Adobe design software – and a repeat of the Windows 11 class for anyone planning to buy a new computer.

Send your suggestions and questions my way!

Stacey