CHECK IT OUT:

The term “hacker” used to refer to a person who would illegally gain access to your computer system for nefarious purposes.

No longer! Nowadays, the term is more often used to refer to someone who pushes his or her computer to higher than normal performance levels or utilizes his or her PC for strange and unique purposes. A hacker has a strong do-it-yourself personality.

If you fall into this category, or simply want to find out what new and exciting things people are doing with computers, you will find some interesting books at the Newport Beach Public Library, and online at www.newportbeachlibrary.org.

If you are interested in building a computer on your own from individual store-bought components, or if you need a primer in computer technology, you would be wise to heed the instruction of Scott Mueller, the author of the long-running “Upgrading and Repairing PCs” books. Mueller is an authority on all manners of computer technology, new and old, and his book is considered a bible among PC enthusiasts.

Perhaps you have a nice system up and running but want to breathe some new life into it.

If you want to learn the basics on adding a cooling system for overclocking your PC, add a window to watch your computer whirl away or even add custom lighting so you can bask in the neon glow of your fired-up system, you may be interested in “PC Modding for Dummies” by Joel Durham Jr., a nice introductory book on these and many more subjects.

If you are more interested in turning your computer into a media center, the library has a few offerings that may help. “Practical MythTV” by Stewart Smith and Michael Still is a recent book on how to use your computer to record live television and store media of all sorts.

“Build the Ultimate Home Theater PC” by Ed Tittel and Mike Chin takes a more detailed approach on how to go about constructing a system with video recording in mind.

A book in a different vein is “Car PC Hacks” by Damien Stolarz, which details how to add computer functionality to your vehicle.

There are ideas on how to better incorporate MP3 audio to your car, such as controlling your iPod with your existing stereo knobs. Or, why settle on a simple DVD player for the kids when they could be playing the latest PC title, or even a retro game of “Galaxian” on an Atari emulator?

If you can’t get enough of those classic old game systems, you might enjoy a walk down memory lane with “Digital Retro,” a wonderfully nostalgic book by Gordon Laing detailing computer systems from as far back as 1975, complete with company histories, system information and lots of pictures.

So, if you have some time this summer and you are feeling like broadening your PC knowledge, you might want to see what the library has to offer.

Maybe it is finally time to lock down that unsecured wireless network, or brush up on your Microsoft Office skills. The library has the books that can help.

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library. This week’s column is by Andrew Kachaturian. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at www.newportbeachlibrary.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.