Noah Johnson Daily Press Escanaba Adult Services Librarian Monique Ciofu works with a patron during Tech Tuesdays at the Escanaba Library

ESCANABA — The Escanaba Library offers a free service to help residents understand technology each week.

Every Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Escanaba Library hosts Tech Tuesdays, a day for residents to ask librarians anything from how to use Zoom to printing from a cell phone.

“We help with a variety of things,” said Escanaba Adult Services Librarian Monique Ciofu.

At the most recent Tech Tuesday, Ciofu assisted a man who wasn’t sure what type of technology (phone, computer, camera, tablet, etc) he wanted to use.

The man likes to take pictures of important moments and is considering getting a digital camera.

“He was talking about these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that come up, but he can’t capture them. So (we’re) just suggesting that (there) might be a way he could consider going with a camera within a phone,” Ciofu said.

The man made a follow-up appointment with Ciofu for more guidance and information.

“He’s just looking for some guidance, someone to help him sort out his thoughts and which direction should he go,” she said.

With the library’s assistance, individuals who are lost in a world of ever-changing technology can learn how to operate in a digital world.

Ciofu shared a story about one person who had a meeting in Detroit and was anticipating making the round-trip from Escanaba for the meeting.

“So somebody suggested video conferencing, and knowing that we did the tech stuff here, she brought that to us, and we set her up, and it was done in about 20 minutes, and she was off,” she said.

What would have been a day spent in a car turned into a video call from home because Ciofu and others were able to help set up a Zoom call.

The library can also assist with using a hotspot, online work that requires tech assistance, creating an email address, transferring, uploading, and downloading files, connecting to wifi, using keywords in Google searches, and much more.

Librarians can also help install Libby – a virtual library app with books, ebooks, audiobooks, and more – on a personal device.

Ciofu and company have helped patrons with various devices, including phones, laptops, computers, tablets, and even GPS devices.

Note that the library does not work on or fix devices with issues, but it can help the user navigate its operations and functions.

Librarians or information specialists may not have all the answers, but they are willing to search for them.

“I don’t always have a snap answer because sometimes it’s something I haven’t dealt with before, but I, hopefully, express a willingness to explore a solution for them,” Ciofu said.

Technology can be overwhelming, especially for those with little to no experience with it, making resources like Tech Tuesdays very valuable.

“It’s important because there’s a digital divide here. It’s the people that have the skills and the people that don’t. If you don’t have the skills, you can’t participate, you can’t do things. Everything’s online nowadays. You know, everything is digital,” she said.

She tells patrons there are a lot of similarities between different technological devices, meaning if a person can learn one device, they can likely use another.

Not only does the library help patrons with their devices, but it also tries to teach them how to use them independently.

“I’m always explaining what I do to people, so I give them some technical literacy if I can. That’s part of the bargain; you have to listen to what I’m doing if I’m going to help you do it,” she explained.

While Tech Tuesdays take place every week from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Ciofu said those looking for assistance but can’t make it on Tuesdays can call the library to schedule an appointment with Ciofu or another library staff member.

“We want to make it convenient for people,” she said.

The library may be contacted at (906) 789-7323.