Chicago Suburbs: "Libraries Teach Computer Literacy in This Digital Age"
Walk into most any suburban library and you’ll likely find not only rows of computers, but enclosed labs where lifelong learners discover how to search the Internet for a job, make friends on Facebook and use programs such as Excel.
“Libraries have always been committed to promoting reading and literacy,” said Roberta Stevens, director of the American Library Association. “You can’t promote a literate society today without them knowing how to use computers. So it seems to be the most natural thing for libraries to do – teaching digital literacy.”
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“Libraries have always taught people how to find information and use resources,” Carlson said. “That is especially important in this economy, because people need to go online to look for jobs and to create their resumes.”
The Downers Grove library has a full-time technology trainer who teaches the class. In recent months, the library has added intermediate classes on Excel, PowerPoint and Word to the basic classes it offers because of demand, Carlson said.
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.