WebJunction

I worked in the Base Library at Lajes Field, Azores from 1961-1964. It was very different from a Library of today however, given that I had never worked in a library, it was a challenge for me to learn what I needed to know so that I would get a raise from .75 cents an hour to $1.00 per hour. But I did learn because that was what it would take for me to work there and be around the books that I loved. I just decided I could do it and so I did. I look at the computers the same way. I had never used a computer before 1999. I purchased one for myself and it was love at first sight.
I have always been able to learn from books and on my own rather than with a group of people. So I purchased every book I could get my hands on and learned from the bottom up.
You can't let the computers intimidate you if you want to learn to maintain your public computers. Just remember that you can take it slow and not make hasty decisions as you work on problems. Learn one thing at a time - you don't need to know how to take one apart in the beginning, just learn more about the software each day. I always believe we can learn if we have the mind set that we are able to grasp how to follow instructions. We are never too old to learn. I can take a computer apart now and put it back together, I am able to diagnose most of the problems we have, which are not very many now that I learned how to use Group Policy to lock down the computers, be certain the have a good anti-virus program, a firewall (not what comes with Win XP) and a spyware program.
There are other things that I practice on maintaince but, I will leave you in peace for now.
I love working in a Library with the wonderful books, computers and our patrons.

What a great way to look at computers and technology! I also learn best by reading about things, but I was very frustrated trying to do that with technology many years ago. I finally came round to the "you have to just do it" approach. It was very difficult for me to learn that way, but now I find I really enjoy it. The first time our tech said to me "well, just open the case and pop it out" I nearly dropped the phone. I have been very lucky to have tech support (my network analyst brother) who doesn't just fix things. He walks me through step by step until I finally can do it myself. I have been trying to use that method to teach my staff some basic computer repair and upkeep. I also teach that in my basic beginning computer classes. Sometimes you just have to push the button to see what it does! Very hard for some of us to do that.

I really like the idea of not having to reinvent the wheel. I am always looking to other libraries for help and inspiration. That is why I think MaintainIT is such a good project.

Congratulations in a late sort of way. I am wishing you well and would love to hear the status of your move and how things are going for you. What is it like to have a T1 connection!

Just stopping by to say "Hello"!

Marian the Librarian