[Publib] Purchase of desktops for public use

[Louise Alcorn]

Patrons use our public computers all day, every day for any number of
tasks.  Related to small busines or employment:
 
job searching (more and more for the last 18mos)
job applications (you can only do this on the Net anymore for most co's)
email (home, work)
Facebook and all the 2.0 apps - this includes the small business folks,
by the way.  They sometimes run their businesses in part via Facebook.
They also update their business websites here, if their home Net access
is down or they're traveling.
Government websites - grants, loans, paperwork
resume and cover letter writing for job seekers
they use our print collection of small business help books constantly -
both when starting their business and as they struggle with challenges.
 
Again, we have every type of user, but if you're asking about small
business users, yes we have them.  They use the ReferenceUSA database to
create sales call sheets - we pay through the nose for this, but if I
ever cut it, .  They use our word processing capabilities to create
sales letters, etc.  They use our Internet access (vital!) constantly to
keep contact with customers, vendors and employees.  
 
*Everyone* is using our public computers in this recession - and our
printers and our study/meeting spaces and our business books and more.
We're busier than ever.  And small business startups have always turned
to us for information.
 
Louise E. Alcorn
Reference Technology Librarian
West Des Moines Public Library
4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
West Des Moines IA 50265
(515) 222-3573      louise.alcorn at wdm-ia.com
http://www.wdmlibrary.org <http://www.wdmlibrary.org/>    
 

________________________________

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Liz Gaebler
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 7:07 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Purchase of desktops for public use


What are the most popular/requested features of a desktop for public use
in your libraries?  Do you find small business owners using these
computers for business purposes in this recession? Rather than a typical
student or a citizen with a smaller need?   

Liz
Queens College
GSLI

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