Category Archives: Public Access

Don Park’s demonstration of the future of blogging brings to mind a patron I was helping a few minutes ago to use our PAC. We have actually been at this for several weeks. This is a knowledge, intelligent well-read elderly lady. But she is lacking in the two skills our PAC is geared around: utilizing a mouse and entering information on a keyboard. There are so many features and capabilities there for those who know how to use them, but the learning curve is extremely steep for those without them. And I don’t think there is an easy answer. Hopefully, though, with time, the issue will fade. Last week, I helped a friend’s cousin setup her new computer. The most excited member of the family was their 3 year old daughter. She couldn’t wait for the computer to be setup. But she did keep herself occupied somewhat with the empty computer box while we finished getting everything in place. I learned last night that she has spent more time on the computer in the last week than her parents. Her two favorite things: Barbie.com and her SquareBob Spongepants screensaver.

bq.Columbus Metropolitan Library is a fantastic library. In fact, they were rated the #2 library in the U.S. in 2002. Their website has a great feature that I use frequently which allows library users to reserve titles from their catalog online. Those titles can then be picked up at my local library branch, just a few blocks north of my apartment. But there�s a small problem. The problem is that every single time I reserve an item or log into my library account, I have to enter my library card number. There is no �remember me� checkbox on the About You login page. – Joshua Kaufman

China has handed down sentences in the Internet Cafe Fire that occured last year.

As hard as it is for some people to believe, this Pew Study found more than 40 percent of Americans simply are not interested in the Internet. Not suprising to me.

Maryland is launching a new 24-hour reference service, AskUsNow! .

Andrew Mutch, once known for his customization tips for Netscape Navigator, has assembled a set of Browser Resources that let you take things much further.

Major League Baseball is going to begin broadcasting games over the Internet. Their primary concern, however, is using technological means to make sure that no one will be able to buy a game who does not meet the proper standard . What I would worry about if I were a baseball executive, is whether they can interest people in the product.

While Internet pornography may be a problem in some places, the historic Hannibal Free Public Library is not one of them .

How do you check your e-mail when on a cruise? There are ways to do it, although some are more cost-effective than others.

The Orangeburg Public Library has 18 Internet Stations and a two-hour per day time limit. My library has 6 stations and a one-hour per day limit. Dale Sengleman feels he is being singled out over the new Orangeburg policy.