September, 2008

Everything we do at MaintainIT is based on the experiences we gather from librarians and staff about maintaining public computers. We interview libraries each week, but another way we hear from libraries is through a link on our web site where we invite folks to share their experiences with us.

I just returned from the wildly successful Association for Rural and Small Libraries conference held in Sacramento. I have much to share about why I loved it, why I'll keep coming back, and why, like Brenda, I'm shouting enthusiastically to everyone I know: "this is my new favorite conference!"

A few years ago I worked for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s U.S. Library Program help desk, where I fielded thousands of calls about the peculiar difficulties of making a computer available for public use. Later when Microsoft released Windows SteadyState 2.0 (formerly known as the Shared Computer Toolkit), a free program that protects public computers and makes them easier to manage, I wrote some articles on how to install it and configure it. So when Microsoft released SteadyState 2.5 this summer, I was curious to try it out.

I just returned from Sacramento, where I attended the ARSL conference for the first time. It is now on my short list of favorite conferences to attend.  I'll list a few highlights... things that I am thinking about now as I return to "regular" life. 

Well, I'm certain many folks will be going west to the Association for Rural and Small Libraries conference--I'll be driving a bit eastward, but I love the pioneering spirit, the trailblazing moxie that "go west!" evokes.

Wow, Robin and Brenda did such a great job in today’s webinar. Robin Hastings from the Missouri River Regional Library provided interesting insider information on how her library has opened up two way communication and sharing with their community using 2.0 tools. As Robin said, “If it is a social media site where our patrons are, that is where we are.” How fantastic!

Every month MaintainIT and WebJunction collaborate to provide a 30-minute webinar related to public access computing and MaintainIT Cookbook content. I just finished "dress rehearsal" for tomorrow's webinar, starring Robin Hastings... and I can tell this is going to be one of the best webinars yet.

We're pretty excited over here at MaintainIT about a recent addition to our web site. We've added a fun and easy way for you and your library to spread the word about the project.

Brenda Hough facilitated a great discussion for the September train-the-trainer webinar focused on online training. This was a popular session with trainers from around the country participating and sharing tips and techniques.

Have you ever wondered how your library compares to other local libraries? Looking for ideas about design, layout and architecture? Do you want more information about PC reservation software? Just needed a little bit of library inspiration?

Each month, we host a MaintainIT webinar for trainers. The goal is to help people think about how to use the MaintainIT resources in the training they are providing. We're hosting a train-the-trainer webinar tomorrow and in this one, we will focus on ideas for using MaintainIT resources in training that you provide online.

What inspires confidence? Is it a well-used and dog-eared tech manual? Is it a patient techie? Someone from your unofficial support network? A common theme in our interviews is how perspectives change and comfort zones increase when librarians and staff become more confident with technology.

I've been listening to interviews from past Cookbooks, and I came upon these gems from our chat with Lyle Jacobs, Director at the Acadia Parish Library in Crowley, Louisiana, who, among other things, espoused that a technology plan is "not a decree from God on high, nor the only path to enlightenment." I think we can all agree with that!

This is great information that can be used to show the amount of technology access and support libraries are providing to their communities. Share with your stakeholders, city officials, and especially, your grant funders! I love seeing proof of all the library wireless access and technology training! --sg

The ALA Office for Research & Statistics and the Information Institute at Florida State University just published “Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2007-2008.”  The complete report is available for free at www.ala.org/plinternetfunding, and a copy of the bound report can be purchased through the ALA, www.alastore.ala.org/.