Yesterday I took the day off from work to move. In anticipation of the event, I spent the weekend packing boxes, the majority of which ended up filled with books. I loved spending a few hours reading excerpts and reliving memories associated with certain favorites. The move also gave me an opportunity to fix a few items I’d been ignoring, such as a picture frame and wobbly table. Other than realizing my mom’s advice that “one can never have too many books” needs a footnote stating one can never have too many friends to help move said books either, I also realized how any job is easier with the right tools.

In that spirit, I thought I’d share some quick fixes, or what have come to be my essential “Photoshop tools”. (Note: Continuing with the Photoshop toolbox metaphor, I’d say my Photoshop knowledge is equivalent to knowing how to use a hammer, nail, saw, Allen wrench, and drill. Please feel free to add any quick fixes to this post that you’ve found helpful while working with the READ CD software!)

1. Ever had trouble opening two images or files at the same time in Photoshop? Perhaps you have an image of your extracted reader and you’re now ready to pull the READ type file over on top, but for some reason it won’t let you open both side by side?
On the main Photoshop toolbar, select Window> Images> Cascade. Then place your cursor over the bottom, right-hand corner of one window. When the cursor turns to an arrow, manipulate the image until the other is also visible and workable side by side.

2. Trying to reduce or enlarge the size of your extracted reader or READ type file but having problems keeping the proportions right?
Hold down the Shift key while adjusting the image’s size using one of the corners to maintain the same proportions as the original.

3. Trying to add or subtract from part of your selected image using tools like the Magic Wand Tool or Lasso Tool?
A tiny (+) or (–) sign appears at the bottom left of the cursor to show whether you’re adding to or removing from the selection. Holding Alt will prompt the remove selection (-) option while holding Shift will switch to add to the selection (+). This makes it easier to toggle between the two options and fine tune your selection.

4. Trying to separate your favorite reader from the background using the Magic Extractor, and you’ve zoomed in but now can’t zoom out?
Using the same principle as before, hold the Alt key to switch to the (–) or reverse mode, allowing you to click and zoom out from your favorite reader’s nostril.

I can’t guarantee these tools will fix a wobbly table, but hopefully they’ll help!

Hello ALA members and friends! I’m excited to be a part of the READ CD online community. This is my first foray into blogging, and I’m looking forward to participating in a dialogue with you about the READ CD and all the inventive ways in which librarians are using it.

As Director of Products & Promotions for ALA Graphics, I have the wonderful opportunity to develop posters, bookmarks, and incentives to support libraries, literacy, and reading initiatives. It’s a really fun, creative job that I’m very proud to be part of. I love working with children’s book illustrators, such as Judy Schachner, who created original Skippyjon Jones art for both a poster and bookmark. Although it takes months of letters, emails, and calls, I do enjoy working to secure celebrities for our celebrity READ poster campaign. If only I could attend all of the photo shoots and meet the stars in person!

I’m also fortunate to get lots of ideas from our members and customers about what they need and want for their libraries, and I feel the READ CD community will be a valuable way to collect and share your input. Last year I worked on improving the READ CD Box Set to include Adobe Photoshop Elements. I’m currently working on revising the “how-to” instructions using feedback from users to make it even easier to make your own READ posters, bookmarks, and other items. Stay tuned.

Speaking of feedback, we’re always interested in knowing who you want to see on our celebrity READ posters, so I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you to please send any suggestions to marketing@alastore.ala.org. Please put “Celebrity READ Suggestion” in the heading so it makes its way straight to me.

While I know this isn’t the first blog created in honor of a piece of computer software, I do believe this is the first blog dedicated solely to the READ^® CD. We receive so many great ideas from users of the software, we wanted to create a forum where these suggestions could be shared and further developed. Through posts and comments, we hope this blog will serve as a community where we can all share, learn, teach, and inspire. Four regular bloggers and the occasional guest blogger will rotate posting to the blog each Monday on a variety of topics and matters all relating to the software that allows you to create your own customized READ^® posters. Thus, as you sit behind your mug of coffee or tea, bleary-eyed and missing the weekend, at least there now exists the READ CD blog to help you start your week off right.

I was first introduced to celebrity READ posters at Mission Trail Elementary school in Leawood, Kansas. Little did I know as a third grader wandering the library stacks, one day I would move to Chicago and work as the Administrative Assistant for ALA Graphics and Editions. Now one of my main responsibilities is assisting members and customers with all READ CD questions. Whether wanting to place a bulk order, installing the software, or making adjustments in Photoshop^®, if you have a question, I’m your gal (even the interweb agrees). Along those lines, if you have suggestions for topics or questions you would like to see answered on the blog, please feel free to send those ideas to graphicsmarketing@ala.org.  

So, welcome to the blog! I hope it’s helpful, entertaining, and one more way to start your week off right!