So where do you begin? You have to remember there are different kinds of socializing. Some people may want to join our adult book club. Our group meets the first Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in Meeting Room A at the library. Our next meeting is March 4 and the book is "A Thousand Days in Venice" by Marlena De Blasi. Even if you don't get the entire book read, you can sure show up and hear an interesting discussion, read a good book, and make some new friends.

We also have a teen book club that meets once a month and we have lots of FUN. Teens read a variety of books and share their ideas, and music, and graphic novels, and snacks of course. We don't all read the same book but in May, teens will be reading the teen One Book One Nebraska pick, "The Book Thief" by Marcus Zusak. We will have some interesting discussion about the Holocaust so any teen who would like to read this book prior may go ahead and check out our library copies. We will have 18 copies and one audio available in May.

Now, for Internet socializing, the No. 1 priority is safety! After raising three teens, I have had that talk with my kids, and fought a few battles with them about limiting computer usage, talking to strangers, appropriate sites, and giving out personal information. But things are a LOT scarier now. You can access the Nebraska State Patrol Web site and they have a flyer at www.nsp.state.ne.us/Docs/Safe_Surfin.pdf that has great safety tips for all ages.

Teen Tech Week is March 2-8 and on Thursday, March 6, at 7 p.m. the library will host a free program put on by the Nebraska State Patrol on Internet safety that will be open to families and the public. So this is a great opportunity to ask questions about Internet socializing and how to keep your family and yourself safe.

Teens and adults socializing on the Internet using MySpace (myspace.com), Facebook (www.facebook.com), are some of the most common social networks used by teens and adults. A new social network where people can only view a user's personal profile is www.piczo.com. If you are a parent, set up your own account and see what these sites are all about. Warning it can be eye-opening!

Two great books for parents with teens are "Logged on and Tuned Out: A Nontechie's Guide to Parenting a Tech-Savvy Generation" by Vicki Courtney and "Generation MySpace: Helping Your Teen Survive Online Adolescence" by Candice Kelsey. And for adults: "Love OnLine: Emotions on the Internet" by Aharon Ben Zerev.

Now, let me give you my own advice for dating online. I would set up a Web-based e-mail account. I have a free Yahoo account and I do NOT post my picture or any personal information even in my username. I know people who have used Yahoo Personals for dating and had pretty good luck. Yahoo has an awesome interface with music, movies, chatting, entertainment, news, sports, and it's probably the search engine I see used most by patrons. The URL is www.yahoo.com.

Social Butterfly, I think, would describe me. I love to talk to people. So if you are ever in the library and have a question, ask for me, Celine, or call the library at 385-5333 for questions.