For the past two years, the St. Charles Parish Libraries have been offering free computer classes every week.
The classes are mostly taken by people in their 60s or 70s, according to Norma Bridges, the computer specialist for the libraries.
“Many of them have children and grandchildren who live away and want to email them and send them pictures,” Bridges said.
She also said that the classes are good for younger people who need to learn computer skills for the workforce.
“Some 30- to 50-year-olds take the classes if they are looking for jobs where computer knowledge is required,” she said.
Each month, Bridges sets a new schedule for the classes and decides which classes she will teach. The classes range from basic computer skills and basic Microsoft Word to internet and e-mail basics. There is also a more advanced class called Basic Computer Skills – A Step Beyond.
“I don’t assume that anyone knows anything in the basic computer class,” she said. “I also create extensive hand-outs in English, not computer-ish.”
The classes are currently offered at the St. Rose, East Regional and West Regional library branches in conference rooms using ten laptops.
“We don’t have any computer labs at present and we only have ten laptops,” Bridges said. “We can only have nine people in each class.”
However, Bridges said once the new library is completed in Destrehan in 2010, there will be a computer lab built in where many classes will be taught.
“That is going to be very nice because it’s going to have station set up already,” Bridges said.
To sign up for a class or find out the current month’s schedule, parishioners can call any St. Charles Parish Library branch.
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