[OPLINLIST] e-mail

[Ed Rossman]

Hi,

Yes, at both library agencies I've worked for,
Lakewood and Shaker Heights,  email was always
allowed. In the last two years, many government
activities, like filling out FAFSA forms, require you
to do things online, and email is the primary method
they use to initially authenticate those activities. 

In my Information Literacy classes for Bryant and
Stratton, the curriculum requires developing email
skills within the first weeks. It's a required
proficiency as much as any other academic skill. 

At both agencies I've taught classes on a monthly
basis on email, and although we generally discourage
pushing commercial brands we make an exception for
Yahoo Mail. We use those for training accounts, and
help the patrons establish their own accounts. In my
opinion Yahoo offers a great range of personal
productivity tools with their email accounts, and
staffs at both agencies knew how to use their system.
Google and others came along later, and fewer staff
know all the nuances of those services, as opposed to
Yahoo's. So, Yahoo is easier to offer support service
too, as opposed to others. 

I find helping folks establish emails and giving brief
support can be extremely beneficial to refinforcing
the library's image as an educational service to the
community. Helping an older couple bring up pictures
of new babies across the country, or seeing a loved
one overseas is a great feeling. And seeing them grow
self-sufficient is also rewarding. There'll be some
annoyances, but those will be more than countered by
the positive instances you'll see. 

Feel free to contact me off list for more info!

Ed Rossman
Author, Castles Against Ignorance: How to make
libraries great educational environments
http://www.castles411.com



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