By ELLEN MARK Special to the Daily Press
Kids in Santa Monica can now surf the Net, play DVDs or brush up on their computer skills thanks to a new technology center at the local library.
Every Monday through Thursday afternoon, eight new lap top computers are kept busy by students between fourth and 12th grades at the Fairview Branch Library. The new Youth Technology Center is designed for student access to computers to do word processing, play games and explore the Internet. Lots of educational and fun software is provided.
The computers, purchased with a $25,000 grant from Verizon, are available after school from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those hours may be expanded.
Nia Dawson, of the City of Santa Monica Community Services Department, provides supervision and homework assistance Monday through Wednesday.
Each Thursday, young adult librarian Catherine Ronan offers one of the following 45-minute computer instruction classes: The Library Treasure Hunt, which teaches library skills; Beyond the Internet, which explores why databases are better than the Internet; Advance Internet Searching and Know Your Computer.
“It’s not a homework center but a computer lab,” Dawson said. “The youth can be more autonomous with how they use their time. I try to make sure they do their homework but I’m not here to enforce it.”
On a recent afternoon Binh Le, a city computer systems specialist assigned to the library, instructed students as they took apart some old computers to learn how they work. A visitor observed one student chatting on-line with friends in Vietnam, while two boys nearby were researching Diego Rivera.
Andrea Cruz, a seventh grader at John Adams Middle School, who uses the technology center every day, explained what she likes most.
“We watch music videos and DVDs,” she said. “The people here are really nice. One day we took apart a computer. We learn to type better and to look up books in the library.”
For more information on the Youth Technology Center program, contact Ronan at (310) 458-8600.
The Fairview Branch Library is located at 2101 Ocean Park Blvd. The hours are: Monday through Thursday., 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The library is closed Fridays and Sundays. For more information, call (310) 450 -0443.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 23, 2003. Read the original PDF.