The Yorktown Public Library (YPL) is a technology and printing hub for the 1800-resident community, transforming from a small one-room building with a covered concrete slab to the multi-room library today.
With the rise of technology, including computers, the internet, mobile devices, apps, verification and QR codes, and now AI, computer services have rapidly expand- ed. Librarian Director Jenni Diehl quickly realized that librarians needed to be tech-savvy during her first year in 2020, especially during COVID when many government offices, including the Social Security Administration (SSA), were closed.
“When I first started working here during COVID, the Social Security office wasn't open, so I had to assist people with setting up their ID.me profiles. Many older individuals were unfamiliar with the process,” she explained. ID.me is a secure online identity verification tool the SSA uses for users requesting information.
“I taught myself how to navigate it,” she added, crediting her mom for assistance.
Today’s technology has progressed with cellphone apps and QR codes. The library's Wi-Fi service allows cellphones to communicate with other electronic devices, such as printers, enabling users to print documents. However, the process is mind-boggling as described in the following story, where two innocents walk into an entangled world of authentication codes to print documents.
Two young visitors, Shaziana Scott and Shaley Scott, came to use the library’s printer to print an email, a PDF file, and a certificate from their cellphones.
While printing the emailandPDFfilewere straightforward, they faced challenges with the certificate, which required verification. The lack of a splitscreen option on their cellphones complicated the process; whenever they received a verification code and attempted to input it on a separate screen, it resulted in the initial screen prompting a new code. They ultimately resolved the issue by using the library’s computer to generate a verification code, which they then entered on their cellphone to instruct the printer to print the certificate.
It was very confusing. Unfortunately, they forgot to specify that they wanted two copies, resulting in them having to repeat the entire process.
YPL charges 20 cents for black and white copies and $1 for color.
YPL continues to be an important educational resource and a social gathering place for all age groups. The library hosts various programs, including “Toddler Time” every Tuesday, “Kids Klub” every Monday, “Lego Club” weekly, “Adult Craft Hour” monthly, along with “Adult Book Club,” “Senior Socials,” and Bingo.
“We have a large collection of books, audiobooks, e-books, and DVDs, as well as computer services,” she said. The library's reading program, funded by Friends of the Library, costs between $3,000 and $3,500.
“I have been a librarian for four years, and I absolutely love it. You get to socialize and help people when they need assistance,” Diehl said.
