Located on the third floor of the Laramie County Library, our computer center is—well—awesome. Our staff members are always on hand to monitor usage and assist with minor concerns. Because we’re often front and center, we see a variety of different things happening on the computers that often makes our space tucked away on the upper floor seem like a community hub.
So here’s ten reasons to use our center (based on things we’ve seen):
- It’s a place to meet your family. Social media (primarily Facebook) has made it incredibly easy to check in with family half way across the globe or right down the street.
- It’s a place to sell your goods or buy someone else’s. eBay? Facebook? Garage Sale? Craigslist? Half.com or Amazon Marketplace? Virtual transactions are happening, and that’s another dollar earned!
- It’s a place to catch up on tv shows. With Netflix becoming the ever popular choice (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-netflix-more-popular-than-tv/) for TV viewing, we see people catching up on Animaniacs, reruns, or House of Cards episodes. With Hulu, Plex, Amazon Video and YouTube offering a selection of viewing options…. Well, you may be sad that we’re not open 24/7!
- It’s a virtual playground. World of Warcraft, Minecraft, and other online RPGs not only provide an outlet for people to interact, they also let you brush up on some soft skills (like friendly competition, creativity, or problem-solving – http://www.parents.com/kids/development/benefits-of-video-games/#page=1). It’s only in lands of make-believe where we can be futuristic plumbers running from man-eating plants, riding green lizards, all while trying to save a princess (who’s always getting captured!).
- It’s a place to plan your next vacation. A trip to Washington, D.C. to see monuments? Turks and Caicos Islands to stretch out on the beach? Maybe a Disney cruise to the games and hang out with Goofy? Search Kayak.com, Hotels.com or your favorite travel site. There’s always a printer available to print off your itinerary or boarding pass, too!
- It’s a hoppin’ job marketplace. There are always people working on resumes, or filling out job applications. Do you need to take an exam? Or take an online course for your place of employment? You can do that here, too.
- It’s a place to learn about the newest [insert cool thing here]. Brush up on your Facebook skills. Learn how to use Windows XP. Learn about pivot tables in Excel, how to download eBooks to a portable device, or the differences between Mac and PC. With enough notice, our Reference Librarians can find you information on anything.
- It’s the world’s largest shopping mall. We have great stores in Cheyenne, but sometimes you just need the newest rug from Crate & Barrel, or a particular lumbar device to help ease aches and pains. Now with two-day shipping being affordable, it can be at your door in the blink of an eye.
- It’s a place to glean creativity (and steal fun décor ideas). Instagram. Instructables. Food Gawker. Houzz. The list could go on! Why have the same ol’ boring mac ‘n’ cheese when you can add panko, bacon and gruyere to jazz it up?
- It’s a place to start a business or get ideas about where to begin. You’ve got access to grant resources with The Foundation Center’s Funding Information Network (only available within the library); information about companies, funds and more with Mergent Intellect; and a front-and-center Business Services Coordinator (whose office is on the 3rd floor) who can put you in direct contact with fantastic small and new business contacts in town.
Whew. You’d think with everything going on in the Computer Center, that we’d run out of space, huh? We’ve got just enough room for you to take a peek at what we’re offering. Plus, it’s free to use if you have a library card—and if you don’t, then it’s just $1, or 100 pennies to get you started for the day. Talk about a deal!
~Jennifer W.