Computers in Libraries

March 2006

Tech Tips for Every Librarian

Free Finds for Frugal Libraries

By Rachel Singer Gordon and Michael Stephens

This piece highlights some wonderful ways librarians can implement and work with wireless, but we still need to serve the patrons who rely on us for basic computer access. Keeping software on public access machines current, given hefty licensing fees, pricey upgrades, and pervasive patches and updates, can be an expensive hassle. We're all under pressure to provide more services for less money. Here, find some free and lowcost alternatives that are both easy to install and popular with patrons.

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Dream It! Draw It!

In our multimedia society, patrons want to move beyond basic productivity software and work with graphics, audio, and photos. Luckily, there are some excellent free solutions for both adults and kids.

Children's departments and school media centers will want to look at the children's drawing program Tux Paint from Tux4Kids, which is both intuitive and easy to use. (Adults might not be able to resist playing with it too.) My 3-year-old son uses and loves this "drawing game," and it taught him how to use the mouse in a matter of days.

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From the March 2006 issue.

(Full article text available at an Internet Archive Wayback Machine snapshot of LinuxInsider.)