1. Senior Techies
SELCO/SELS
Minnesota Library Association
St. Cloud 2006

2. Senior Techies II
Goals
• Boost confidence
• Establish email accounts
• Introduce digital
photography
• Encourage continued use
Supported by an LSTA grant from IMLS
administered through the MDE Library
Services and School Technology, the
Minnesota state library agency.

3. 14 libraries—70 classes

4. There were 243 Techies in the classes

5. Attendance 1,047
• Ages ranged from 47 to 95
• Average age—71
• More women than men
• Many couples

6. Among them were Mayors

7. SELCO Board Members

8. Wives of SELCO Board
Members

9. The Skeptical

10. The
confused

11. The
Studious

12. And two guys claiming to
be the same person!

13. The Classes
●
Basic computer
●
Email 1
●
Digital Camera
●
Email 2
●
Internet
Searching

14. Everyone learned something
●
“We (my husband and
I) have been
struggling with email,
but after these
classes, I've made a
breakthrough, I'm
going to be able to do
this.” - LaVerne in
LaCrescent

15. About email, cameras, the
Internet
●
“I'm glad I came, I
learned a lot about
email, and I think I
can do it now.”
-Wanda, Olmsted
Historical Center
●
“It's falling into
place, I'm starting to
see how email
works.” -Forrest,
Rushford

16. Many positive comments from
students
●
You make it easy to
understand this
camera. I know I
can get my pictures
on the computer
now.
●
I hope to buy a new
camera soon.

17. What went well
• Limiting class size to
two to a computer
• Publicity—all the
classes were full with
waiting lists
• Class topics were what
seniors wanted
• Email support by
instructors

18. Stayconnected@yourlibrary
• Email newsletter sent to
all participants
– 10 issues
– 1 article reviewed class
topic
– 1 article expanded on topic
– Mystery Links
http://selco.info/resources/srtech/is

19. StayConnected Web page
• Encourage libraries to link to
page on SELCO Web site
• Additional resources for
Techies
• Consolidates
– Handouts
– Newsletter archives
http://selco.info/resources/srtech
/

20. Why it worked
• Funding for equipment,
staff, travel
• Planning groups
• Staff dedicated to the
project
• Publicity
• Collaboration with
Community Agencies

21. Wonderful library staff

22. What we would do differently
Add a pre-basic
class for those who
have never
touched a mouse

23. More changes
•
Re-order
classes: group
computer
classes and
camera classes

24. Buy laptops to supplement
libraries’ computers

25. What the seniors want next

26. MORE!
• More Internet
• More digital photography
• Advanced eBay selling
• On-going support and classes
• More newsletters

27. Senior Techies