Gadgets Galore!: Technology at your fingertips

As a library assistant, Lee Church works with technology on a daily basis. From educating others on computers to helping the public with database research, Church is constantly looking to learn about any new technologies available and to better equip himself for his job in the library system.

“I want to get to physically see what I’ve heard about,” said Church. “Here I am teaching about computers at the library, so when I hear about something new I want to know what it is so I can tell others.”

For those like Church, the Richmond Main Public Library holds monthly Tech Tuesdays, events that cater to the public’s desire for new information on technology.

Gadgets Galore!, this month’s Tech Tuesday, was held on June 10, allowing the public to participate in hands-on activities and ask questions of members of Best Buy’s Geek Squad. Ten participants were able to work closely with Jason Howze, deputy of counter intelligence and Danny Longbottom, double agent, members of the Geek Squad whose titles and badges are fashioned in CIA form.

“Our main focus is to bring people into the library and educate our patrons who are interested in technology,” said Donna Pletcher, manager of the Richmond Main Public Library.

This particular program focused on several technological devices including Bluetooth technology, global positioning software, iPod touch, iPhone, and WiLife, a wireless home security system that connects to a computer.

The participants in Gadgets Galore! discovered new ways to use these devices as well as ways to incorporate them into their daily lives by utilizing email and Internet functions.

Whether attending for job reasons or not, participants were given the opportunity to hold the devices and navigate through the various functions.

“The thing I found most beneficial about this program was getting to play with the equipment,” said Cindy Dickinson of Richmond, one of the attendees of the program.

According to the members of the Geek Squad, they offer program of this type every few months in various locations in Richmond; the library is one of them.

“We like to do programs like this so that new or repeat customers can come and ask questions for free instead of paying to ask them in a store,” said Howze.

The Richmond Public Library holds monthly technology workshops open to the public. For more information and dates of these events, visit the library website.