Cyber library styles
By Markus Sawyer
Local libraries are experiencing greater demand for internet access, and some librarians are even witnessing people queuing up to use a computer. Hutt City Libraries recently doubled the number of computers available to the public at their eight locations to cope with the higher demand. Petone Library Digital Services Co-ordinator Shane O?Connor says the afternoons are when demand for computers is usually at its highest. ?School finishes and the children come down to use the computers to check their emails, logon on to their Facebook and Bebo social networking sites, download movies and play online games. ?It?s great to see them making use of the services on offer,? he says. But it?s not all fun and games according to Mr O?Connor, ?The library computers now feature a wider range of study applications as well?. ?We?ve upgraded the services to include not just word processing and spreadsheet programs, but tools which teach website design, digital photograph editing and music recording too,? he says. It?s all part of a Connect initiative launched this year by council, which is proving popular with the older generation as well. ?We had a group from Senior Net in the Hutt Valley come through last week for a session on familiarisation with computers and use of the world wide web.? Wellington City Libraries have also noted an increase in demand during the afternoon. Johnsonville Librarian Wendy Jacobs says they?re managing the increase in demand by prioritising computer use. ?We have six computers on site here in Johnsonville. If a member of the public needs a computer for research or work on a school project, we?ll ask someone playing computer games to pause the game and come back to it later. ?People understand this and are happy to oblige,? she says. The cost to use a computer at the library ranges from $2.00 to $6.00 per hour, which is competes with internet caf? rates whose rates are $4.00 to $6.00 per hour.
