TECHNOLOGY TRAINING IN LIBRARIES

Mission of the Mobile Laptop Lab

The Mission of the Mobile Laptop Lab is to ensure access to technology and technology training to all surrounding communities within our counties.

The Mobile Laptop Lab is designed to improve access to technology for the residents of our communities. The lab strives to offer on-site information literacy training sessions and give students the experience of wireless technology. The goal of the library is to "provide educational access and opportunity for success" and the mobile lab is an extension of this mission.

Funding, Purchasing, Maintaining

The Mobile Lab is funded in large part to a Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) grant for the librarians at Adams State College. Brooke Andrade and Paul Mascarenas wrote an LSTA grant in 2007 & 2008. However, after receiving funds for the FY 2008-2009, librarians at Adams State College were instructed to find alternative funding for this outreach program. Sustainablilty will be sought in-house through various means of budget and support. In some cases, it may be enough to just getting the librarians started on the path to start their own computer instruction class. Handing off the baton is another option librarians are considering at Nielsen Library.

Maintaining computers at Nielsen Library has also been a collaborative effort. We have been fortunate to receive help from Computing Service. They helped us clone our computers and help us when problems occur. Also, we have work-study students that will clean out the computer on a monthly basis.

Mesa County Libraries purchased its 8 Dell laptops through the typical budgeting process.  The laptops are maintained through the library's contract with Marmot Library Network. External mice were purchased for the laptops for ease of use for laptop students. A Dell projector was purchased to aide in instruction and demonstration of computer lessons.

Classes Offered

Nielsen Library offer classes at public libraries in Alamosa, San Luis, Center, Saguache, Fort Garland, La Jara, & Monte Vista. We schedule evening classes and morning sessions. Topics covered include Microsoft Word & Excel, Basic Computers, Introduction to Internet, Advanced Internet, Photo Manipulation (Irfanview), Social Networking. Classes length is approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. We try to have at least two librarians to teach computer classes. 

Mesa County Libraries offers laptop classes at 4 library branch locations; Palisade, Fruita, Clifton, and Orchard Mesa. Classes are offered approximately twice a month at each branch. Typical classes topics covered include: Basic Computer Skills, Email Basics, Internet Searching, Google Searching, and Microsoft Word. A team of 2 instructors typically travel to each branch and teach as a team. Class sessions normally last 1 1/2 hours.

Mobile Lab Checklist

Laptops
External Mice
Projector
Laptop Cart/Storage
Power strip
Extension cord
Wireless access
Pens and/or pencils
Handouts