In a message dated 12/5/2000 8:40:48 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
<< I'd love to get Wizard's, and others', take on what can be done to help
keep
the Internet area of Hosmer open longer hours... Any thoughts on what can
be done? Would there be a union issue if some of us with Internet contacts
recruited volunteers for weekend training sessions?
>>
If the community wants it, it can be done. Yes. Yes.
Get adjoining neighborhoods to pool some NRP funds to increase operating
hours, possibly provide volunteers to help keep the doors open, the building
secure and the computers accessible. However, the logistics of providing
'cost efficient' staffing, cleanup, etc. will likely prove daunting as the
community bumps up against ingrained library-system bureaucracy (i.e. who is
acceptable staff- training, janitorial, lockup- and at what rate of pay)--
may likely to be the biggest barriers to surmount, relative to finding some
money and volunteers.
After several years effort, SW neighborhoods (via a NRP and Community
Education alliance) were successful in opening up gymnasiums in neighborhood
public schools for community use during evening and weekend time slots
(rather than tear up a local park and spend several million dollars on a new
gym, while school gyms remained locked). NRP funds are used to pay Community
Education staff a reasonable rate to keep the facilities open. The MPS
bureaucracy and local bureaucracy (one in the same.. maybe) were the biggest
hurdle, even after the local NRP dollars were allocated. However, the
neighborhood, as taxpayers and voters, basically decided this would happen--
and it did!
Also after several years effort, SW neighborhoods (via a NRP and Community
Education alliance) succeeded in establishing a Community Computer Lab in SW
High School (a similar lab was also put in Fulton). The computer lab of 20
networked PCs, printers, scanner and overhead projection system is used by
day-school students during the school day, and by SW Community Education
classes and community residents during evening hours (possibly weekend as
well if demand warrants). SW Community Education is always looking for
knowledgeable instructors in numerous applications including MS Office
programs-- NRP funds may also be used to pay for staffing if memory serves me
(call Tom Neiman at 668-3100). Again, the bureaucracy was the biggest
obstacle in getting this effort on-line -- money and equipment sat idle for
months/years while appropriate policy decisions were made.
<<This is one of the best resources in the system for helping to close the
Digital Divide but when I was in Hosmer last Saturday afternoon....when kids
without access at home could have been using it for school work, or parents
using it for training, it was closed.
A great room filled with all those computers in a neighborhood with some of
the city's lowest Internet penetration....closed in prime time.
>>
Twin Cities FreeNet is also involved with digital divide issues and may have
something to offer in this and similar efforts citywide ( www.tcfreenet.org
).
I'm sure there are similar stories throughout the city... and hopefully these
efforts meet less bureaucratic resistance each new time they arise. The
challenge is meeting these 'changes' headon-- altering the
bureaucratic-systems so they work more efficiently for the people! We are
the voters and the taxpayers!
M.Hohmann
13th Ward
