1. The Dixon Public Library Presents: Searching the Internet and Using Email November 19, 2009

2. Connecting to the World Wide Web The Internet In order to get onto the internet you must pay for the service (ISP Internet Service Provider) that connects you to the internet. The service options are dial-up (very slow and when you are on the internet anyone calling you will get a busy signal) and Broadband. Information flows in and out of your computer via phone lines, cable, or satellite line. You need: A computer with a modem An ISP – Internet Service Provider A Security package 1

3. Internet Service Providers (ISP) They all have toll free phone numbers to call to set up service Your local cable or satellite provider The above are a few of the options of ISP. The least expensive options are the slowest connections. How fast do you need? In order to view photos, and videos or listen to music you need a faster connection or you will wait as long as several hours just to view a photograph on a website! Email does not need a fast connection as long as you don’t send anything but words. Dial-up DSL Cable or Satellite Broadband 2

4. Opening a browser window - Explorer Internet Explorer is a browser program that comes standard on most computers. Firefox is another browser. To open a browser window (to browse the internet) click on the Internet Explorer icon on your desktop or click on the start menu then Explorer 3 A general computer tip: Remember, if one mouse click doesn’t work, try a double-click!

5. Web addresses This is the address bar where you type the address of the website you want to look at. Just like a house, each website has it’s own address. This is an Internet Explorer Browser window. Congratulations! You are on the internet! 4

6. Finding websites on the internet when you know the address I know that www.dixonlibrary.com is the website address for the Dixon Public Library. When I type it in the address box and hit the “Enter” key on the keyboard, I will go to the website for the library. 5

7. Websites are many webpages - Searching the catalog on DPL site 6 Now we can “browse” the library website. A website is made up of many webpages. This webpage is the main webpage of the library website. To search for an item in the library catalog: either type your words in the box above and click on “Go” OR click on “Library Catalogs” and select the Dixon catalog.

8. Pages on DPL website These are two of the webpages on the library website This “search box” allows you to search the library catalog 7

9. Finding what you want on the internet using Search Engines www.google.com www.bing.com www.yahoo.com www.ask.com www.dogpile.com These are a few search engines. Dogpile is a meta search engine which just means that it searches many different search engines at the same time. You may have heard people say “Google it!” Google is a search engine. Search engines are a searchable database of webpages. The search engine goes out onto the internet and collects webpages and allows you to search through the webpages it has collected. Search engines never search the whole internet although some are better than others. 8

10. Google search for trains If you google “trains,” Google will display a list of websites having to do with trains. Usually the most relevant ones are at the beginning of the list, but not always. This list is a list of “links.” On the internet something that is blue and underlined is usually a link to another website or webpage. When you mouse over a link you get a pointing hand telling you that this is something you can click on. If you are searching If you are searching the Internet and a “Page Cannot Be Found” screen pops up it may be for several reasons: the address of the web page has changed, the website is temporarily not working, or you may have typed the address incorrectly. When searching a search engine for more than one word, and you want the search to keep the words together, use quotation marks. For example: “Atlantic ocean” instead of Atlantic ocean will give you more accurate results. Try it! 9

11. Email – Electronic Mail 10 Email is free and it allows you to send letters, pictures, documents, music, videos, etc. to people all over the world almost instantly. Any ISP you choose will provide you with an email address, but if you use a friends computer or the computers at the library then you can get a free email account from one of the companies below. There are other companies as well. The services are similar. http://mail.google.com www.yahoo.com www.aol.com

12. Sign up for gmail 11 To sign up for Gmail, free email from Google, simply click “ Create an account”. Read about Gmail features Once you make an account this is where you sign in.

13. Gmail application Fill out the application. Remember to write down your login and password and keep it in a safe place OR commit it to memory. The login you choose will be your email address @gmail.com. For example: [email_address] OR [email_address] 12

14. Gmail account screen This is what your email account will look like These are your email messages. To write a new message to someone click on “Compose Mail” 13

15. Gmail new message 14 To: where you put the email address of the person you want to email. Subject: The subject of the email message. This big white space is where you write your email. You can also paste images here. Click on “Send” when you are ready to mail your email. Compose a new email message

16. Gmail Forward/reply Reply to or Forward an email message Click on “Reply” to get a list of options. Forward allows you to send this message on to another person or persons who might be interested in the topic. Reply allows you to send a message back to the person who sent you this message – replying to his questions or comments. 15

17. Safety on the internet A Security package is worth the yearly fee if you don’t want people to gain access to your personal information – think Identity Theft. Norton (www.symantec.com) and MacAfee (www.MacAfee.com) are two companies that sell computer security software. Be Smart 1. Your computer and information can still be vulnerable if you visit untrustworthy sites especially some gambling sites and pornography sites. 2. Evaluate the validity of websites for security and valid information. 3. Don’t open email from addresses you don’t know. Some emails have viruses attached and your computer can catch a “deadly disease.” 4. If you had to log-in to the website (email, bank, bills, etc.) always, always, always remember to log–out. 4. Remember to respect others privacy by keeping their private information and photos private. .com = commercial .org = non-profit organization .gov = government .net = network (can be commercial) .edu = educational institution like a college 16

18. Try some of my favorite websites www.ipl.org – Internet Public Library www.lii.org – Librarian’s Internet Index www.amazon.com – Shopping for almost anything – very reliable http://images.google.com – search Google for images www.mapquest.com – map out driving routes, etc. www.youtube.com – view videos on every topic www.instructables.com – Do it yourself instructions www.weather.com - Weather www.thereporter.com – the Vacaville Reporter www.123greetings.com – send free electronic greeting cards www.stumbleupon.com – Click on “Stumble” to go to random websites www.flickr.com – a place to view photos and/or upload photos online for others to view 17

19. Remember to … Practice … Practice … Practice It’s the only way you will get better … at anything!! Don’t let it the computer get the best of you SMILE and be patient with it If you would like a free 30 minute tutorial, just you, me, and the computer, please call to make an appointment. Jennifer 678-5447 **These handouts are also available for viewing at www.slideshare.net/Dixon Click on “Beginning Internet and Email” to open Powerpoint presentation.