For the last month I’ve been playing around with an iPad from the SPLAT
Gizmo Garage.  Many of you who attended the ILA conference in Pocatello
saw members of SPLAT walking around with our various tablets and eReaders and
somehow I lucked out by getting the iPad.  I’ve been an Apple fan for many
years but couldn’t ever justify spending the money on an iPad because I have a
newer MacBook Pro and an iPhone 4s.  However, using the iPad for the past
month has changed my mind, now I can’t wait until I get my new iPad for
Christmas.

I know many people have seen or heard about the iPad and a good number of
you have probably played around with one.  The iPad is the current king of
the tablet world and a number of your patrons already have one (beware many
more will be coming in with them this holiday season).  The iPad, in its
various sizes, colors and capacities, is a versatile tool with many capacities
to fill voids in your professional and personal life that you didn’t know
existed.  Listed below are a few of the
apps that I find most helpful my duties at the library, please leave comments
for apps that you find useful (and no, Angry Birds does not count as helpful).

Useful App

Reason to use

Useful App

Reason to use

Good Reads

Keep track of what you’ve read and want to read

NOOK

Buy and read books from Barnes & Noble

OverDrive

Read eBooks or listen to eAudiobooks that your library has purchased

YouTube

Watch how to videos, funny videos and music videos

OneClickdigital

Download eAudiobooks your library has purchased

Facebook & Pages

Connect with your friends, co-workers and interest groups.  Manage your pages to update library info.

Kindle

Buy and read books from Amazon

Twitter

Stay current with any developing news in 140 or less

iBooks

Buy and read books from Apple.

IMDB

Database for movies, TV shows and celebrities

Bluefire Reader

ePUB and ePDF ebook reader

G-Whizz

Access to your Google apps, Facebook and Twitter

Dropbox

Share and access documents, photos
and videos

Notes

Built in program to take quick notes that can be emailed to your work
computer (best if you have a keyboard for the iPad)