Community Centers

Issue: Winter 2024

The public libraries of Cashiers and Highlands are more than simply sanctuaries for browsing books, resources for online access, or havens for children’s stories.

No longer just about the written world, they serve as community centers, where people go to stay connected and educated. They’re hubs of knowledge, destinations for computer classes and places where everyday skills can be learned and honed.

Nowadays, our libraries play a crucial role in equipping individuals from all walks of life with essential tools to enhance their quality of life. Among the various opportunities for winter learning, the Fontana Library system offers two noteworthy resources: “Tech Time” and “Universal Class.”

At the Albert-Carlton Community Library in Cashiers, Tech Time will resume on January 17 and the twice-monthly sessions will occur on the first and third Wednesday of the month from 10:00 A.M. to noon. The Hudson Library in Highlands will return in 2024 beginning on January 10; and classes will be held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M.

During Tech Time sessions, Digital Navigators assist attendees in building digital literacy skills on Apple devices – iPads, iPhones, tablets, and laptops and on Android devices – tablets, phones, and laptops. The classes are freely available to everyone, do not require a library card, and teach basic skills such as getting started with email, navigating websites, commonly used apps, operating search engines, muting phones, backing up and storing files, and more.

Getting comfortable and gaining knowledge of these skills has been shown to improve everyday experiences in the workplace and at home.

As Hudson Library Branch Librarian Carlyn Morenus explained, “Digital Navigators’ goals are to expand digital inclusion and promote an accessible digital literacy toolkit that educates students, adults, and caregivers on the skills critical to remote learning and workforce opportunities.”

By partnering with churches, civic groups, and senior citizens the Digital Navigators hope to reach the underserved residents of the region.

Another ongoing opportunity, offered through the Fontana library system, is the Universal Class which provides hundreds of continuing education classes in an array of subjects from accounting and bookkeeping to arts, crafts and hobbies and writing help. Courses are self-paced and available at no cost with a library card.

For more information, call Hudson Library at (828) 526-3031, or Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library at (828) 743-0215.