Overview
Libraries have historically played a critical role in providing a wide variety of informational, civic, and educational services to communities. In recent years with the mass adoption of the internet and other information communication technologies (ICT’s) they have become increasingly responsible for providing citizens with computer and internet access as well as training, support, and technology-oriented education. Indeed, in small towns and inner city areas the library may in fact be one of the only places where reliable computing and technical information resources are to be found, especially for disadvantaged persons living in the area. Establishing relevant, diverse, and encouraging technology services in parallel to other traditional services is now key to the success of modern libraries.
As a result of the information age, other sites of public computing, beyond that of the library, have become commonplace. Community Technology Centers (CTC’s for short) have taken up residence in community organizations, schools, living assisted homes, internet cafes and more. While all of these CTC’s—libraries included—provide critical physical access to computers as well as the internet, they do not always offer adequate support and training for the use of these technologies. Disadvantaged patrons needs to have the opportunity to develop a wide variety of skills required to participate in the modern workforce, understand and join virtual communities, and communicate digitally. One barrier to the acquisition of skills is the lack of free and widely available technology education. Community groups, librarians, and other CTC operators may not be able to offer classes or tutor patrons due to lack of time, funding, knowledge or other resources.
This is the role of this Prairienet Technology Training Development website. Historically, Prairienet has been a Community Networking Initiative, which means it has provided internet and computer services to local (state) community organizations in the form of computer labs, internet access (dial-up), email, listservs, technical support, community message boards and more. With Prairienet’s recent merging into the research area of Community Informatics in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign their objectives have been altered and revitalized.
Previously Prairienet provided computer training sessions to many of the local organizations—non-profits, churches, libraries, schools—around Illinois. Now they strive to serve community organizations anywhere in the nation, starting with emphasis on sites within the state.
The Prairienet Computer and Internet Training Program is a collection of resources and training guides intended to provide instructors and self-led learners at CTC’s with the curriculum to teach and learn vital digital literacy skills.