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MARATHON: When one speaks with Mitchel Hatton, librarian assistant for the Marathon Public Library, it becomes very clear that he is passionate about offering so many important services to the members of his community, especially those that requires access to computers.
“A lot of our library electronic equipment is donated from organizations from the community. But they do come to us with outdated software which causes us to redo all of them,” explained Hatton. “The tech equipment is essentially used and outdated, some coming to us with Windows Vista which first came out in 2007.”
The global pandemic brought with it even more challenges. It made it hard for the staff to update the software of these donated used electronic items, to the current software standards because so many of the programs that the community depended upon and that the library offered, required built-in cameras and microphones. Without these software updates, they could not use programs like ZOOM or attend online classes which were a standard requirement because of the pandemic.
This acquisition was so important stated Hatton especially for the community seniors who may have internet access at home but not the computers to use with it. Furthermore, the pandemic required that so much of what people needed, like accessing their banking, making grocery purchases, renewing health cards etc., had to be done online.
Becoming a member with the national program, the Electronics Recycling Association, made it possible for the library to access more organizations who are willing to donate their electronics. ERA gave them the tools to access the organizations for donating their computers and once finished with these items and they no longer are able to be updated, the library can bring to a depot in Thunder Bay to discard them free charge.They don’t have a TEC person.
Everyday many low- income resident who are regular patrons of the library, come in to use internet and their facility. “We do also have lots of travelers,and tourists who use our meeting spaces for online classes. They come here because Marathon does not have a tourist information center right now; so they come to our library for all kinds of information about the region as well,” explained Hatton.
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