ALA TechSource | Talking about the Maintain IT Project

The Maintain IT Project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is gathering information and success stories about Public Access Computers (PACs) in public libraries. Eventually, the project team plans to compile the stories and make them available to libraries as a troubleshooting resource.

Michelle Boule was intrigued by the project idea and wanted to know more—this could very well be an invaluable resource for libraries in the future—so she interviewed the leader of the project, Barbara Gersh. Read the interview and see the Oklahoma Library connection...

ALA TechSource | Talking about the Maintain IT Project

MB: Have you encountered any memorable stories at this early stage in the project?

BG: Yes, we're finding that because they're often forced to operate with very limited resources, rural librarians are developing many clever and practical approaches. For example, an Oklahoma-based librarian has computers custom built by a relatively nearby vendor for no more than a mass-merchandised computer would cost; the difference is the vendor installs all the software for the library and comes with local tech support. In five years, she's only had one hardware problem; the vendor replaced the bad part within a day.