County libraries receive computers
Internet access, an encyclopedia, road maps and directions, resume writing, preparing a newsletter, working with photographs, foreign language features and children’s programs – these are all facets that are available on new computers that have been granted to four Fayette County libraries through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We are so pleased,’ said Christy Fusco, head librarian at Uniontown Public Library. “We feel so lucky and fortunate.’
“It truly is a marvelous machine,’ said Julia Allen, director of Carnegie Free Library in Connellsville. “It’s the Gates’ philosophy of conquering the digital divide to give everyone a level playing field.’
Uniontown, Carnegie, German-Masontown Public Library in Masontown and the Brownsville Free Public Library have all received grants for new computers from the Gates Foundation. The machines were recently installed and the staffs have gone through training. The Brownsville staff completed its training Friday and will make the computers available to the public soon. Librarian Barry Blaine said Brownsville will announce an open house to show off the computers in the near future.
Meanwhile, the computers are in use by the public at the other three libraries. German-Masontown will host an open house to demonstrate the computers on Wednesday from 3 to 7 p.m. The Friends of the Library will serve refreshments.
“They are marvelous,’ said Sister Ann Horvat, director of German-Masontown. “They have enhanced library participation and, hopefully, once we get the word out that they’re up and running, there will be more participation.’
The four Fayette County libraries received the computers and training through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s U.S. Library Program.
According to the foundation’s Web site (www.gatesfoundation.org), “Access to information is an age-old problem that has taken on a new urgency with the emergence of the Internet as a fundamental tool for learning. It is critically important that technology is available to everyone, regardless of race, gender, income or age.’
It also noted, “The U.S. Library Program works in partnership with public libraries to provide access to computers, the Internet and digital information for patrons in low-income communities in the United States. Technology training, ongoing technical assistance and additional support for grantees are provided as part of the grant because of the pivotal role librarians play in helping patrons use computers and navigate the Internet.’
Prior to the Gates Foundation grants, these four Fayette County libraries had computers but the new computers have greatly enhanced their ability to serve the public.
Fusco explained the Gates computers are more like machines used for business than the home.
“The software is tailored to the needs of the public,’ she said. “They are all preloaded with shortcuts and come with tutorials. Each computer comes with quick guides. They really spent a lot of time to make it easy for folks to make use of them. It doesn’t matter about competency,’ she said.
Blaine said, “They’re very nice. They have a lot of different programs for children and adults. I think they’ll be used a lot. It’s wonderful for the public to have this to use. We have the Internet on them. Before, the staff helped the people use the Internet. Now the public will be able to use it for themselves.’
Roy David, library aide at German-Masontown Public Library, commented, “One of the main things is access to the Internet. A lot of families don’t have computers for their kids and a lot of school assignments deal with the Internet. For smaller kids, we have games. We now have the Magic School Bus. We will be adding math games and reading games. … For the community, I think it gives everyone a chance to use and access the Internet.’
Allen noted that Thursday was the first day the computers were made available to the public at Carnegie Free Library.
“They were busy almost all day,’ she reported.
Specifically, through the Gates Foundation, Uniontown received four public access computers, a laser printer and a server as well as training for the staff. Value of the grant is $16,000. Carnegie also received four computers, a server and a laser printer as well as the staff training for a grant worth about $16,000.
Brownsville Free Public Library received two computers and one laser printer as well as training in a grant valued at $7,300. German-Masontown Public Library received four new computers and a laser printer as well as training from the Gates Foundation. The grant is valued at about $11,000.
Uniontown’s new Gates computers are located on the first floor of the library, which also has four other computers for youths in the children’s library and one computer in the Pennsylvania Room. The library had previously received computer funding through the Fayette Enterprise community funds and the Eberly Foundation.
The Brownsville library previously had two Macintosh computers though a Link to Learn grant it received through the Brownsville school district. When the Brownsville library received the Gates’ computers, the library turned the old computers over to the school district.
The German-Masontown library previous had three computers for public use. Staff is now using two of those computers, but one is still available to the public.
Within two months, Carnegie Free Library hopes to have a total of 13 computers available to the public.
That includes the four Gates computers, which are in the former adult reading room, as well as six new computers that were installed last October in the reference room. In addition, the library has on order, three new computers for the children’s room.