Library’s Digital Den offering adult technology classes

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New technology is exciting to young people. Each new advance is embraced and celebrated as the latest gadget or program promises to make life easier or more entertaining. But as people age, those new advances become increasingly daunting.

Last week, an eager group of seniors gathered in the Digital Den at the Kokomo Howard County Public Library for the latest installment of Spring into Tech, a four-week course covering the basics of computers, smart phones, scam prevention, and cybersecurity.

According to “Digital” Ben Rutz, the Digital Den administrator, the spring session is a smaller version of the successful series. It will cover just four weeks, as opposed to the eight-week series offered during the library’s Summer Reading Program. But the shorter series isn’t lacking for an enthusiastic response from the community.

“People have enjoyed the series,” said Rutz, as the latest participants filed into the Digital Den. “It's a great place to be able to start when it comes to learning your computer basics. With some classes, you have to have some understanding of technology. So, if you are hesitant or resistant to learning about technology, where do you even start?

“The point of these classes is to go over the absolute basics. We're talking about ‘What is a mouse?’ ‘What is a keyboard?’ ‘What is the desktop?’ We cover the basics of navigating the internet and staying safe. We talk about email. It is a broad class.”

Rutz explained that, without these basics, many people don’t even know what questions to ask. This is the beginning of their technological literacy journey. And it can be vital. As society increasingly removes itself from things like physical currency, mail correspondence, and print media, knowing how to access and use online platforms restores a connection to the world.

In the first session, which took place on March 5, Rutz walked the dozen or so participants through computer basics. The crowd was enthusiastic, and they came with concerns. Getting printers to work properly appeared to be near the top of the list for more than a couple of eager learners. And Rutz shared a time-honored tech secret with them: sometimes simply restarting the device solves the problem.

While not every tech problem can be solved with the power switch, it is this basic approach that seems to resonate. And it won’t be limited to the computer. The March 12 Spring into Tech class will cover smartphone basics.

“We’ll cover Androids and iPhones,” Rutz said.

He explained that other topics do get covered in the longer summer session. Past classes have covered 3D printing, artificial intelligence (AI), and Microsoft Office.

“But the classes that have been the most popular have been the smartphone basics, computer basics, the more general classes,” said Rutz. “Once we start getting into the really niche stuff, like using different programs, fewer people participate. That shows us there's a need in the community to be able to learn about the basic stuff.”

The final two classes in the Spring into Tech series will cover scam prevention with the assistance of Community First Bank of Indiana and cybersecurity with help from Elsewhen Technology. The classes take place each Wednesday in March at 3 p.m. in the Digital Den, which is located on the second floor of the library’s downtown location, 220 N. Union St. And everyone is invited to participate. A library card isn’t necessary, though it is simple and free to obtain one during any visit.

The Spring into Tech: Adult Technology Classes do require registration for attendance. To register, visit www.khcpl.org and click on Events.