Dishing on Discord

Let’s have a chat about Discord! And before you ask, no, I’m not talking about the word generally meaning “disagreement” or “disarray.” Instead, I’m talking about the awesome and multifunctional platform used by millions to create and join communities online, chat with friends, and much more. We’re going to cover some of the very basics of what Discord is and what all you can do and find there! 

First things first—initial setup. Discord gives you lots option for getting “online.” You can use the mobile app, the browser version, or download the software to your computer and use the desktop version. Thankfully, you can hop between versions at your leisure; just be sure you’re logged in as yourself on your preferred versions. Creating an account is a breeze; you just need your basic information, plus an email address. You can choose to add a profile picture later on, once your account is fully setup.  

Now that your account is set up, and you’re all logged in, what do you want to do? There is so much you can do on Discord! You can:  

• Start your own server, where you can create individual and more specific channels. In these channels, you can chat via messages, voice, or video. The channels can be restricted, and you can set permissions for individual members. Servers can require new users to visit certain pages, accept rules, etc., before they are admitted to the server. Many popular servers and channels have moderators that maintain any channel or server rules.  
• Join a server. As mentioned before, there may be requirements you have to meet to join a server. There are a couple of ways to get into a server. You can search for public servers by name, topic, etc. You can also join servers by invitation (usually a link).  
• Direct Messages – You can add friends and direct message back and forth with them. 
• Watch a Stage. Stages are like live streams on many other platforms. You can lurk (just watch but not interact at all) without meeting any requirements, or you can join the Stage (meet the requirements). Stages are all over the place; they can be music, chats, game streams, and much more. 

So, there is a lot you can do on Discord. It's a great way to keep connected with friends and communities you love. It’s also a great way to get into new communities, find some awesome music, talk about your favorite things, hang out with like-minded folks, and more. If you’d like to learn even more about Discord and how to use it, check out the support/help page. Or, you can watch the Library’s YouTube video series covering Discord, beginning in August.  

Paige L.
Consumer Technology Specialist