New Computers for Kids at Lower Mac Library

If you follow us on Facebook, you already saw part of the news: our new Children’s computers are so much fun!! But there’s more to the story on the new computers installed earlier this week!

On Monday, [lucky number] 13 brand new shiny computers arrived!!! You may wonder how we were able to afford 13 new computers, when we’re frequently telling you about libraries facing budget cuts at the state level of funding.

Well, that remains true and we’ve had to make cuts; however, I’m proud of how the staff of this library has not “rolled over and played dead”… numerous staff members have not allowed government funding to have the final word on our budget and have sought after grant money, . And that’s exactly what we did again to help make these new computers a reality!

Library Director Kathee Rhode and Assistant Director Natalie Arnold applied for and received a federally funded Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant earlier this year. This, along with a generous donation from the Friends of LML specifically towards the new children’s computers, is why we can turn around and offer all of you the use of new computers.

The 11 “regular” computers run Windows 7 and hopefully run much faster for everyone. There are a few differences, but it should be comfortable enough of a switch for anyone who already has a basic understanding of computers.

The two new kids computers… well those are just plain fun! They have a completely different look and feel, designed for kids to explore. Colored keyboard and mouse, education and entertainment software broken up by age range is pre-loaded… oh, and touch screens!

Navigating on theme may take some getting used to, but I learned something having played with them myself the past couple of days to get used to them. The staff and parents have honestly had a harder time adjusting to them than the kids! We want to figure out how they work before we use them, how to get out of something, what the point of the game is. That’s all great, but remember these computers were designed for kids. Kids just explore!

Yesterday morning, one of my regulars came in, a toddler who always makes a beeline for the computer, and I was wondering what I should show him how to do so he could use the computers. But he didn’t need my help! He just started touching the screen, trying different things. He didn’t always do what he planned to do, but he didn’t mind! He could have sat there another hour! These computers were designed and tested for kids.  So come in and try them out… but let your child show you how it’s done ;)

Thanks for your patience on Monday when the computers were being set up, but we think the wait was worth it! Come check out the new computers!