County’s library branches provide one-on-one tech knowledge

There’s no question that technology is changing and evolving all the time.

At the County of Prince Edward Public Library, we’ve been providing help to accessing computers and the internet for decades. Library CEO Barbara Sweet has long identified access to technology and information as a key library service, and ensured that every branch of the library had public access computers, high speed internet and WIFI as soon as it was possible, and as new technologies become available the library stays up-to-date through special grants.

Free one-on-one tech help appointments have been a long-standing library service and are available at any branch of the library. Each appointment is targeted to answer your specific questions, prioritizing helping you do what you want to do with your device.

If you have a cell phone, tablet, or laptop, you can bring it to the appointment and library staff will help you learn how to use them, tackle any challenges you might be facing, and more.

We often start with the question, “What’s bugging you?” identifying things that might be able to be changed to make your technology work better for you. Sometimes simple fixes like enlarging the size of the text on your phone, turning off extraneous notifications on your tablet, or changing the brightness setting on a laptop can make all the difference and we’re happy to help.

Another popular tech service at the library is scanning, photocopying, and faxing. You might wonder if people really need to send faxes anymore, as it seems like an outdated service, but people do need to send faxes from time to time to doctors, legal transactions and more.

The photocopiers at the Picton and Wellington Branches of the library are both high quality Xerox machines that can photocopy and print in colour on letter, legal and tabloid (11×17”) inch paper. A charge applies to cover the cost of materials and more information about specific pricing is available at the branch or by phoning (613) 476-5962. Library staff are happy to help you and answer any questions you might have.

Borrow the Internet is another popular technology service at the library. These mobile WIFI hotspots are available to be borrowed for one week at a time and can be used anywhere you can get a cell phone signal. You can use them at home to connect to the internet as well as when you’re travelling – perfect if you need to access maps or find a good restaurant in an unfamiliar area and don’t have cell data.

These are just a few of the technology services at the library. If you have any questions, give the Picton Branch Library a call at (613) 476-5962 and book your free appointment.