Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

Re: Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

2007-04-28T19:06:33Z

Hi I was at the Rural Libraries Sustainability seminar in PA and can offer someone who can webhost and also make a website. On the card, it says,"Web design, technical support and e-commerce solutions". The email is don@spidelltech.com and the website is www.spidelltech.com. He is in the Harrisburg, PA area, but it is the web so he can access and help from anywhere. I hope this helps. He makes updating this library's website easy and is knowledgeable.
This is a side line, but his 9 to 5 job is also techie, fixing computer/computing problems for the company. Our county system pays for the webhosting, so I can't quote a price, but I know he was cheaper than other companies and more user friendly.
Jean (me) or fdcampbell (the library)

Re: Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

2007-04-24T19:18:20Z

Here at Springvale Public Library in Springvale, Maine our director spearheaded a new technology plan called "Future Access" in which we invited local businesses and organizations to 'subscribe' to our program for new computers. So far, it has worked out well and we're still going. See attached doc.

Re: Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

2007-01-10T22:32:25Z

Some Community Colleges are happy to help as well. A great way to find a partner for multiple programs too, even beyond this specific problem/issue (assuming local CC programs, profs and politics all mesh in this regard). Still, I've seen it turn into a relationship that was mutually beneficial and worth pursuing.

Re: Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

2007-01-09T22:22:49Z

I arranged with the tech support person at our local school district to be our tech person. She wants a good library for her family so she agreed to work at a much lower rate. She was going to volunteer her time but I would not go that route. Her time is valuable and it also prevents abuse by anyone in the library. She will work on an as needed basis. I am going to try and get her to hold some training classes for staff so we don't call on her for the little stuff. That way she won't cringe when she sees our name on caller ID.

Re: Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

2006-05-12T00:33:13Z

Now that I've stumbled across links to [url http://engagedpatrons.org/ ]Engaged Patrons[/url] in three places in two days, I think it's time to share it with everyone in this forum.

According to the LibrarianInBlack's [url http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/librarianinblack/2006/04/free_highend_we.html ]blog post[/url], the service offers "library event calendaring, blogs, feedback forms, RSS, and custom databases" for FREE to libraries with under $1 million/year in total income.

I'd be very interested to know if anyone makes use of this new site. It sounds like a wonderful example of library networking and sharing the wealth.

Re: Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

2006-04-04T18:17:32Z

In Indiana, a group of northern Indiana small libraries has shared technical support for quite awhile. They are called NICCL-Northern Indiana Computer Consortium for Libraries. The best person to contact would be Linda Yoder, director of the Nappanee Public Library.

Re: Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

2006-03-07T23:04:28Z

At the February 7 workshop in OK, the question was put about partnerships in technology support. These were the responses:
Local businesses
Literacy council
State library
Genealogy
Friends of the library
Local IT people

Ongoing Technical Support - Partnerships

2005-11-10T02:52:54Z

I know that it isn't realistic for many small and rural libraries to have a full time technical support person, but it may be realistic to share a technical support resource... Who has worked out an innovative or unique partnership in order to have ongoing and reliable support?