[Publib] Question

[Miriam Bobkoff]

>This question from a friend:  Does anyone know of any public library 
>that offers internet access to the public but does not help people 
>other than signing them in?

At the tribal library where I presently hang out, we help people as 
well as we can. The library's mission is largely educational, and the 
education world, like the employment world, is now in large measure 
online. It seems really hard for someone to have to learn a whole set 
of not necessarily pertinent internet skills--mousing skills, 
scanning the screen for the next choice, getting an email address-- 
before they can register for or learn something entirely different.

At the public library where I used to work, we helped people as well 
as time permitted. It was evenhanded: when it was quiet, a newbie on 
the net (or any person with any other kind of need) might be able to 
get quite a lot of help; and when it was busy, not so much. I would 
dart back by to check on them repeatedly, but hadn't the time to sit 
with them, since in fact I was supposed to be up at the desk, helping 
the next person...

Those whom we succeeded in getting started and launching on their web 
independence with this haphazard method were often grateful and 
remained fixated on their first helper, would ask for that person the 
next time they had a web problem (sometimes daily). But anyone who 
actually needed a sitdown one-on-one teacher-- and some people do-- 
we would have to suggest they bring a friend to coach them for a 
couple of sessions.

Miriam Bobkoff
Port Angeles, Washington
   speaking for herself