2812 Ask a Librarian

For years librarians have looked for ways to bring more people into the library. No problem now. The federal and state governments are increasingly sending them in to file forms via computer. I don’t have an answer, but I understand the problem. At our house, I’m the "Ask a Librarian."

My 68 year old husband doesn’t use a computer. I do all his documents for his business, search for information for him, accept his e-mail for meetings, send attachments, etc. If he wants to read my blog, I print it. The other night he asked me how long would it be before the ordinary person wouldn’t be able to function without knowing e-mail and the Internet. What’s spurring him on, I think, is his new digital camera. He needs a way to download and edit his photos.

So I said, "First you need to learn how to use a mouse. Let's start with the Solitaire game." Oops. He's never played Solitaire. I have to begin with plugging in the laptop and turning it on and closing it down. Doing it wrong, or getting impatient, I’ve learned the hard way, can erase everything.

Shirl Kennedy in reviewing an article in Current Cites about libraries being drafted for e-government in the current issue of Library Journal says:

"he problem is obvious. Among other scenarios, this article describes how, earlier this year, senior citizens signing up for the Medicare prescription drug plan "were encouraged to seek information and register online." As a result, public library staffers not only had to assist these folks in using the Internet, but they also had to become familiar with the ins and outs of this particular government program. Hurricane Katrina, in the areas affected, resulted in an influx of people who needed to use library computers to register for FEMA benefits. I've tried to help several people in my library sign up for federal financial aid for college online...or file their income taxes. Privacy issues aside, this stuff is time-consuming...and while I am tied up extensively with one customer, several others are being inconvenienced. "

I can’t even imagine the work load on public libraries for these tasks. There seems to be money for computers, but not additional staff for hand holding. Sometimes I don't understand the information that comes up and I use a computer everyday, so there must be a lot of anxious seniors who don't even know what "enter" means or how to move a mouse cursor.

Here's a school in Illinois that has 7th graders teaching senior citizens how to use the computer.