According to several recent news articles, libraries across the country are reporting significant increases in circulation and usage – primarily attributed to the country's current economic woes.
Outpacing the increase in book and music checkouts is the use of library computers. Being used by everyone from college students who've canceled their Internet subscriptions to older individuals re-entering the workforce, these machines are getting a more strenuous workout than ever. Since libraries rarely have their own IT staffs, librarians are tasked with maintaining their public computers. How do they do it? With a little help from their friends – fellow librarians.
Three years ago a nonprofit called TechSoup started the MaintainIT Project with a Gates Foundation grant. As a hub of the program, they initiated "cookbooks" -- a free online resource, written by librarians from around the country, featuring current ideas and best practices for planning, building, and managing library computer technology. Librarians also contributed their knowledge on topics ranging from security solutions and strategic maintenance practices to community-building experiences involving Web 2.0 tools and vital partnerships. MaintainIT has just launched its third and final cookbook, entitled "Joy of Computing — Planning for Success." Within it are contributions from several South Carolina librarians, including Beth McNeer, Allendale-Hampton Jasper Regional Library; Dee Albritton, CTC Fast Forward; Donna Johnson, ABBE Regional Library; and Drusilla Carter, Chesterfield County Library.
You can learn more about the cookbooks here: http://www.maintainitproject.org/cookbooks
For more information, please contact
Krista Van Lewen
for the MaintainIT Project
kvanlewen@gmail.com
303-963-5530
Three years ago a nonprofit called TechSoup started the MaintainIT Project with a Gates Foundation grant. As a hub of the program, they initiated "cookbooks" -- a free online resource, written by librarians from around the country, featuring current ideas and best practices for planning, building, and managing library computer technology. Librarians also contributed their knowledge on topics ranging from security solutions and strategic maintenance practices to community-building experiences involving Web 2.0 tools and vital partnerships. MaintainIT has just launched its third and final cookbook, entitled "Joy of Computing — Planning for Success." Within it are contributions from several South Carolina librarians, including Beth McNeer, Allendale-Hampton Jasper Regional Library; Dee Albritton, CTC Fast Forward; Donna Johnson, ABBE Regional Library; and Drusilla Carter, Chesterfield County Library.
You can learn more about the cookbooks here: http://www.maintainitproject.org/cookbooks
For more information, please contact
Krista Van Lewen
for the MaintainIT Project
kvanlewen@gmail.com
303-963-5530
