The Chestermere Public Library is fulfilling its mission of getting information to people, by improving computer access, and providing new borrowable technology to patrons.
“There are so many reasons why this makes sense for us to do,” Chestermere Public Library Community Librarian Jackson Longworth said. “Borrowable technology and more public computers help us achieve our mission to help people get the information that they need in their lives.”
The public computers are one of the most frequently used services the library offers and adding more computers while also helping residents have internet access at home made a lot of sense for the library staffers.
“One of the things that the pandemic has made really clear is that computer and internet access are no longer a luxury. They are a basic necessity for modern life, whether that’s for school, work, or anything else,” Longworth said. “Computer and internet access are often most difficult for people with financial challenges, and we hope these services can help support the community.”
With more public computers at the library, and borrowable iPads and Wi-Fi hotspots, patrons will have more access to the internet. The Wi-Fi hubs and iPads are free to borrow with a free library card.
Longworth expects the borrowable technology will be very popular, and if what patrons want isn’t available, they will be able to put it on hold.
“It’s important to us that all our services are accessible to everyone,” Longworth said.
Since reopening last summer, library staffers have heard from the community that there was a demand for more public computers.
“These initiatives are things that we think will help meet the needs of Chestermere residents,” Longworth said. “Our new computers, Wi-Fi hubs and iPads will benefit residents in a lot of different ways.”
Longworth explained that if a patron lives in Rocky View County and is experiencing issues with reliable internet, a portable Wi-Fi hub with unlimited data could be a significant improvement, and they wouldn’t have to leave home to access the internet.
However, if a patron wants to go to the library, they now have the ability to serve more people who might need help printing a document, or who just want to relax after a day at school.
“iPads can be simple ways for seniors to do things online or help a family if their budget doesn’t allow them the number of devices that their family needs,” Longworth said.
