A coworker pestered me to go to a worshop called Teaching Technology in Libraries. The whole reason is to hear Jessamyn West as the keynote. Am glad I went. She truly is a great speaker who captivated the audience of about 70.
There were 5 presenters speaking on various topics involving libraries and technology. How to structure basic computer classes? How to teach/deomstrate gadgets(ipods, kindles, etc)? Why are were technology trainers? Does New Horizon or the local con ed program handle that? Well, not for most of our patrons. And that was the theme. A chunk of patrons who cannot afford classes come to us and boy do we need all the help to get them past the beginning.
Jessamyn was able to put all the frustration and daily life of a librarian helping others with technology in plain yet hillarious terms. Helping one person with there mps player to cursing the computer for locking up and then ending the day with helping a person submit a resume online. Oh, they do not have an email. Need to do that first. have they used a computer? No! They were just told to do it at the library. SOmetimes you can help and other times they walk out frustrated.
Check out jessamyn’s blog at librarian.net. Many aspire to be as good and cool as her.
