Bold Great Idea for Adult Programs: TechRx: Our experts, your sick computer -a free computer help workshop

 

This is a great program for public libraries. At the Stillwater Public Library, we teach beginning level computer classes each week, where we instruct folks on software programs and internet, but we do not have tech staff on hand to answer questions about PC hardware. Holding a one-time two-hour program dedicated to one-on-one computer assistance filled this need that we cannot provide for on a regular basis.

 

I held the workshop on Saturday, March 10, 2007. In order to have computer experts, I tried to solicit help from local business owners who fix computers, the local IT departments from the university, the technical school and a local computer corporation, but the interest was minimal. Our library is part of the City of Stillwater, so the head of our IT department and one of his crew members agreed to come give their expert help.

 

The local newspaper, Stillwater Newspress, wrote an article about the TechRx program the Sunday before it was scheduled to occur, and I asked that if anyone else was interested in helping, they call the library. The next morning, a gentleman who owns a computer business in Stillwater, called to volunteer. Also present were an undergraduate student who works in the library in the circulation department who has interest in computers, and the husband of one of our librarians. The team of experts consisted of 5 people available to help.

 

The crew from our IT department brought diagnostic equipment of all sorts, and participants were encouraged to bring their own PCs for testing. A few people had problems that weren't hardware related, such as "how do I find a file" or "how do I delete this program"? The library provided monitors, power strips, headphones, floppy discs and CD-Rs, the meeting room, and refreshments (cookies, coffee and water). Each participant was required to sign a release form which dictated they would not hold our library or city employees responsible for anything that might happen to their computers, the experts gave follow up directions, each participant filled out a program evaluation, and received a copy of a glossary of computer terminology from Michael Miller's book Easy Computer Basics, with author permission.

 

The program was set to run from 11am-1pm, a come and go program, but we ended up staying until 2 because of great participation from the community. The experts were very cooperative, friendly, and professional, and the participants were very grateful that we could offer such a service free of charge.

 

I created flyers and posters for the program about one month before the program, and distributed them throughout the community in coffee shops, restaurants, etc. I also e-mailed library employees and city employees e-flyers, sent a press release to all local media, had an interview with the local newspaper, included the information in the library's newsletter and on our myspace page, which I am in charge of.

 

Even though librarians are not computer experts, we can still get assistance from other agencies in our towns to reach out to our community members. Some of the participants were library regulars, and some I had not seen before.

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