San Pedro Branch Library | Computer Resource Center Grant Proposal
- algarant21
- Mar 8, 2021
- 5 min read
Table of Contents
San Pedro Library Branch Grant Proposal Purpose of Proposal
The San Pedro Library is proposing an expansion of the Computer Resources Center to include additional work stations with upgraded software. Additionally, the proposal includes the need for a more advanced printer to include a scanner. This expansion of the Computer Resource Center will better serve the surrounding low-income community in a variety of ways. With thoughtful analysis and research, the library would be able to make a considerable impact with the need of $5,000 to fulfill this plan.
Economic and Technological Need
Mission
“The San Antonio Public Library changes lives through the transformative power of information, imagination, and ideas.”
Location
TheSan Pedro Branch of the San Antonio LibrarySystem is located just north of downtown San Antonio, TX. With a central location in midtown, the San Pedro library is near San AntonioCollege, Great HeartsMonte Vista CharterSchool, and two Haven for Hope homeless shelters. The surrounding area is riddled with run-down, small houses. Although a there is a wealthy community within the Monte Vista Historical area, the majority of the surrounding area is low-income and impoverished.
Current Facilities
The current building was recently renovated in 2007. Within the building there is a small Computer Resource Center hidden behind the Reference Desk. The Resource Center houses five computers with a shared printer with the Reference Librarians.
On the main floor, there is no room for expansion, nor can there be an addition added to the exterior of the building due to its historical significance. There is however, unused storage space in the basement since the majority of the collections are housed at the Central Library location.
Problem
Unfortunately, the workstations available at the San Pedro Branch Library are outdated and limited. According to a personal communication with David Cooksey, the Performance and Innovation Manager for the entire San Antonio Library System, the computer usage is very high at the San Pedro Branch, averaging nearly 1,000 hours of library computer usage. Each month, the library is only open for 1,120 hours a month (eight hours a day, 7 days a week). With this comparison between the library operating hours and computer usage hours, the library has a clear need for this expansion. Additionally, time limits are in place for patrons using the workstation during peak business hours. The peak hours make the computer workstations unavailable to patrons, who then must wait the for a computer to become available or until a workstation time is up.
For a patron who is using the computers to research jobs and e-government resources, their time is often limited due to the time constraint from lack of computer availability.
Figure 1.1 shows the average hours of computer usage per day in conjunction with the number of workstations the library has available. The San Pedro Branch is compared to similar sized branches within the San Antonio Public Library System have more computers with either less usage or significantly higher hours of usage. Given the location of the San Pedro Branch Library, the trend for adding computers could be complimented by the Cody Branch Library data.
With the college and homeless shelters around the corner from San Pedro Branch Library, there is a need to use computer resources, including but not limited to, for email, job searching, and resume building using word processing software. With an area with a disenfranchised population, there is a strong potential, that a lack of computers at the San Pedro Branch, for a widening digital divide.
Kara Palmer reported with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
“Today, more than 95 percent of library buildings offer public access computing, and 14 millionAmericans regularly use these computers. This benefit has especially reached certain socioeconomic groups that are less likely to have access at home or work… Families making less than $15,000 annually are two to three times more likely to rely on library computers than those earning more than$75,000.”
Proposed Solution
To assist the library in filling the void of computer workstations, the library is proposing a plan to expand the computer resource center and increase the technology resources using the funds from the $5,000 grant.
The $5,000 grant will be broken down into purchase of technology resources, materials, tables & chairs.
The current Computer Resource Area would remain untouched with the 5 private workstations. Utilizing vacant space in the basement would require walls to be painted, and space cleared for tables with laptop lock cords. With a need for only a few tables (which can double as a collaborative space) the remainder of the budget would go towards a laptop storage cart (charging station), and laptops.
Since adding desktop computers and workstations can be very costly and take up significant space, the San Pedro Branch is requesting to put the money towards laptop purchases, with hardware to lock the laptops to tables to avoid possible theft. This will allow the renovated space to have a large table workspace that the patrons can either borrow a laptop from the library or use to hook up a personal laptop to the wireless internet. Currently the San Pedro Branch has public wireless capabilities and access but no workspace for patrons with their own personal laptop or tablet. According to Nancy Fredericks’ “Government and Employment Support Services” chapter in The Transforming Public Library Technology Infrastructure by the ALA Office for Research and Statistics, some libraries have moved to using laptops rather than workstations for those searching for jobs or e-government to avoid time limitations for these patrons.
Impact
Judy Hoffman stated in Transforming Public Library Technology Infrastructure that“public libraries area safety net for job seekers…libraries are increasingly on the front lines, connecting people with essential government resources. The increased demand on public libraries has brought additional stresses in a number of areas, including staff levels and computer availability.” With this being said, the San Pedro Branch and its strategic location of homeless shelters and education institutions, it is vital the branch remain relevant by adding these computers to continue working on closing the gap of the digital divide.
In San Antonio Public Libraries’ Strategic Plan, the outcome they look for in accomplishing their goals are that “lives are changed,” and that San Antonio is “a city where individuals reach their potential.”
With a new room devoted to computer and online resources, including the purchase of laptops, the prospect for citizens of San Antonio are open to a plethora of opportunities for individual and city growth. It is clear that the library has patrons using their computers, almost constantly during library hours, showing a strong need for this expansion of the Computer Resource Center.
Conclusion
With the help of receiving the $5,000 grant, the San Pedro Library Branch will be able to provide wider access computer and therefore internet and information access to the surrounding community. In Kim Palmer’s report, she referenced the Marist Institute’s study saying the public believes one of the three most important roles a library has is providing computers for public use. Computers connect people to people, information, knowledge, research, word processing software, resume building, and much more. This is the direction and future of libraries, and with only five current computers at the San Pedro Branch, it is a priority to upgrade our computer services.
Work Cited
ALA Office of Research and Statistics. (2011). Transforming Public Library Technology Infrastructure (6th ed., Vol. 47).
K. Palmer. (n.d.) New Report Finds Libraries Help Close Digital Divide but Struggle to Sustain Public Access Computing Services. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
San AntonioPublic Library (n.d).Mission and Values.Retrieved from http://mysapl.org/About/About-the-Library
San Antonio Public Library. (2016) San Antonio Public Library Strategic Plan 2016/2018. mysapl.org
San Antonio Public Library (n.d). San Pedro Branch Library History. Retrieved from http://mysapl.org/Visit/Locations/San-Pedro-Library#185781917-history
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