Created Manual

April 9, 2009 at 1:47 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Yes, last week I created a 16+ page manual listing directions of how to do things like use the scanners and wireless and troubleshoot various computer problems that crop up during my work hours at the public library.  I am a Computer Assistant but my official title is Library Assistant.  First and foremost, I feel giving excellent customer service to the patrons is most important.  Helping both patrons and staff members with any computer questions they might have is what I’m sitting at the Reference Desk to do.

Leave a Comment

Helping Another Staff Member

April 9, 2009 at 1:05 am · Filed under Teaching, computer

During our All Wired Up Freestyle project at the public library I work at,  part of our goal as a group is to offer up our knowledge and to help other staff members.  I helped another staff member learn some basics when using her computer.

Specifically, she asked me how to print a page from the Internet that was printing without some words on the right hand side of the page.  I showed her how to highlight, copy and paste in Microsoft Word.  I reviewed with her how to print in M.S. Word.   I explained the difference between the USB port and flash drive and showed her how to safely remove a flash drive from her computer.

This kind of assistance is truly rewarding for me and I feel like I’m making a difference when helping coworkers!

Leave a Comment

Teaching A Patron

April 9, 2009 at 12:46 am · Filed under Teaching, computer

One of the department managers at the library asked me to teach a Patron the basics of the Internet.   She mentioned that this person might be a slow learner.  I called the Patron, set an appointment time and met with the Patron in the Special Needs room where we have a computer and other electronic equipment.  This allowed the Patron to ask any questions he had and we wouldn’t be bothering any other patrons on the public use computers.

I taught the Patron how to get on the internet using the Internet Explorer icon.  I showed the patron how to do various things once on the Internet including; closing and minimizing a window, scrolling up and down and using the back button.  I explained links, the back button and we went surfing and backed thru various pages on the Internet.  I helped the patron do a search on one of his favorite subjects, bicycling.   

He seemed to like the lesson and asked if he could keep coming back to meet me for another lesson each Wednesday night.  I had to explain to him this was a one time lesson, but now that he’s been shown the basics, he could ask anyone at the service desks in the library, if he has a question in the future.

Leave a Comment

Helping Staff

April 9, 2009 at 12:36 am · Filed under Teaching, computer

I helped a staff member erase vast amounts of email in her Microsoft Outlook account.  I showed her how to create folders and we created 2 folders for her to sort her emails into.

Leave a Comment

Tweet and Response

March 29, 2009 at 9:25 pm · Filed under social networking software

So, I tweeted an actor who’s famous in Hollywood on my very 1st day on the website Twitter. I had become a “follower” of his on Twitter for this work assignment in learning new technologies and noticed the pictures he posted were really artsy and fun!  The actor uses artistic angles and took some cool pix of Nice in France. Oh, and I really liked his photos of food! He’s a pretty darn good photographer for an actor.

Basically, in my “Tweet” I said he lives a great life and it was cool that he was sharing it with all of us on Twitter. I thanked him twice. That was last Thursday. The very next day, when I signed into Twitter, the actor Ashton Kutcher’s response came up saying something like “love this thank you”. I think that was me he was referring to!

Leave a Comment

Twitter Experience

March 29, 2009 at 9:12 pm · Filed under social networking software

To be able to assist Patrons’ questions with “how do I …” I thought it was a good idea to learn how to use social networking sites and very popular sites that Patrons use and ask questions about including; Twitter, You Tube, and My Space.

So, I set out to sign up for a Twitter account. Besides creating an account, I learned that people have “Followers” on Twitter. (“Friends” to most other social networking software.)   A Follower gets regular updates from each person they follow each time that person posts a response to the question, “What are you doing right now?” 

Basically, if a person chronically posts on Twitter (like John Mayer the musician), you see up-to-the-minute reports by that person when you log onto Twitter.

I also learned you can “Tweet” famous and regular people alike.  A “Tweet” is a short message to a person on Twitter.  First, you have to be a Follower of the person.  You only have a limited number of characters/letters in which to “Tweet” someone.

I became a  “Follower” of Martha Stewart, one of the hosts on the tv show “The View“,  and the actor Ashton Kutcher.  (I’ve never seen any of the TV shows or movies he’s been in and am not a fan of his, but I heard he likes to post on Twitter.)

Leave a Comment

What I did this week

March 29, 2009 at 8:04 pm · Filed under computer, social networking software

Had a chance to get on one of the websites that Patrons ask about and seems to be “all the rage” at the moment. I signed onto Twitter.

Leave a Comment

2009 Welcome!

March 5, 2009 at 1:14 am · Filed under Uncategorized

‘Setting up a blog for the new, 2009 version of the All Wired Up program at work.  We work at a public library and challenge ourselves (with encouragement from our Managers and Administration Staff) to learn more and be better assistants to the Patrons who come into our library.

Comments off