Orange County NC Website
SLNC Adapts Application Orange County Public Library Page 3 of 9 <br /> <br />moderate technology skills. The learning modules are available for free to anyone on their main site. By <br />purchasing a customized site the library will gain the ability to create custom content targeted towards our <br />patrons and their specific needs. During the grant period the library will create one new module every two <br />months covering topics requested by our community or specific to using library resources. A customized site <br />also allows librarians to create and assign curriculums and classes to patrons and track their progress. The <br />library’s previous iterations of computer instruction were mostly composed of one off classes, with a different <br />topic covered every session. Many patrons would attend every single class, whether the particular topic was <br />relevant to them or not. A more targeted, curated class curriculum will allow patrons to improve skills that will <br />directly impact them and have a sense of personal progress when completing a course. <br /> <br />The website’s courses will be helpful on their own but also enhance one-on-one assistance by providing a new <br />hybrid model of instruction. Like the flipped classroom model, instructors will be able to assign patrons <br />classes to work on between meetings, and spend face time addressing questions or areas the patrons <br />struggled with. <br /> <br />Reaching Residents in Need <br />The library’s primary communication tools are digital: e-newsletter, website, and social media. This project will <br />require the library to reach residents who have limited or no access to those communication channels. In order <br />to be successful, the library will seek to inform residents of this project through a campaign on local radio <br />popular in the areas highlighted by our needs assessment maps (Appendix A and B). Existing relationships <br />with other County departments and organizations will enable the library to spread the word through brochures <br />and fliers. These groups, like the Department on Aging and Department of Social Services work directly with <br />residents who may benefit from this project. <br /> <br />b. Why was this solution selected? <br /> <br />Access to Devices – Chromebooks <br />The library chose Chromebooks because there is already a process in place for managing and deploying them <br />which will speed up implementation. Their ease of updates and need for less support means more staff time <br />can be used for training. The library already has a small inventory of Chromebooks (5) that can be added to <br />this project to reach more patrons. Staff are already familiar with the devices and will need less training. Due to <br />all of these factors, after completion of this project Chromebook lending will be more sustainable and more <br />easily scaled up as needed. <br /> <br />Skills – Zoom United <br />Zoom Meetings are already used by library and CWS personnel and is the video software most likely to be <br />familiar to residents. It has been used successfully internally by the library to provide technology support and <br />training to staff. However, the United license was chosen as it offers an integrated voice over IP number <br />allowing users to place or receive calls like a regular telephone. This is important as the project seeks to help <br />technology learners who may struggle initially with using a video chat service. <br /> <br />Skills – DigitalLearn website <br />This website will serve as a force multiplier for our instructors by allowing them to create and share <br />customized classes that multiple learners can engage with. It will also allow staff to create customized <br />curriculum for patrons and track their progress, providing some of the benefits of individual instruction but <br />saving some time for instructors. <br /> <br />The website will also make the library’s technology instruction program more resilient and accessible. Recent <br />experience has shown that providing services exclusively inside the building makes them easier to disrupt. <br />Having an online component to our instruction efforts means we can still deliver benefits when our doors are <br />closed for any reason. Having an online option will benefit residents have issues with transportation, which is <br />more acute in the rural areas of the county that are the primary target for this grant. In person programs also <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: 799D10E1-6741-4B45-AA95-1D8D63F71D71