Computers Awarded to Two Morgan County ECO Participants

Two of the 12 Every Citizen Online computer giveaway winners received their new laptop computers yesterday during a short media event at Kate Love Simpson Morgan County Library in McConnelsville. Doris Buchanan of McConnelsville and Becky Obrien of Stockport were selected as winners of the computers in a random drawing following their participation in the Every Citizen Online free statewide basic computer and Internet training program. 

As often heard from many new Internet adopters, Obrien wanted to learn to work a computer and navigate the web in order to communicate with loved ones.

"The training was very helpful," said Obrien. "My husband and I are trying to keep up with our grandkids."


According to Buchanan, she already has a computer and Internet service at home, but took the Every Citizen Online training to learn the different things the computer and Internet can offer.


"The training definitely helped and I want to take more training," said Buchanan. "I want to learn to type letters and documents. I like to e-mail and Facebook."

Pictured left to right: Doris Buchanan, winner, Blythe Schubert, library director, Becky Obrien, winner, Heather Delany, Connect Ohio state operations manager

Congratulations Doris and Becky!

Every Citizen Online participants who completed an online survey at the end of training between April 5 and June 20, 2011 were registered for the computer giveaway. Details about the computer giveaway can be found at http://connectohio.org/consumer_training/computer_giveaway.php.

For more information on the Every Citizen Online free basic computer and Internet training, visit http://connectohio.org/consumer_training or call 1-855-NOW-I-CAN (669-42260).

ECO Location Receives Help From Area Students

When the Kate Love Simpson-Morgan County library received 20 large boxes, each holding a new computer to enable their Every Citizen Online (ECO) training, library director Blythe Schubert knew just where to turn for help to get the computers from boxes to public use.

John Robbins, teacher of electronics and networking at Morgan High School in McConnelsville, had a class full of juniors and seniors eager to learn. The students build computers daily in class. They even repair computers for those in the community at no cost.

The students jumped at the chance to utilize their technology skills to help set-up the new laptop and desktop computers for their local library. They also connected the devices to the library’s network.

“They build old computers over and over in a lab,” said Robbins. “Rarely do they get to build new computers.”

Robbins, accompanied by 22 students, visited Schubert at the library and had the task completed quickly.

“It was an immense help,” said Schubert. “Each student unpacked a computer. They were unpacked and ready within about an hour! It saved us about 22 hours of work.”

Schubert says the students plan to help with the library’s future IT needs. Robbins continues to keep the new laptop computers current with the library’s network.
The students have plans to reformat about a dozen older computers no longer being used by the library, in order for them to be recycled to others in the community.

“It’s an opportunity to show the students the world is a little bigger than just themselves,” said Robbins.

Kate Love Simpson-Morgan County Library received 10 new laptop and 10 new desktop units as a sub-recipient of the ECO program. The laptops enable the organization to provide a mobile computer lab, which it utilizes to offer ECO training at its branch in Chesterhill. It plans to utilize the mobile lab further, with hopes of visiting county senior centers and fire stations, making the Internet available to those who cannot conveniently travel to the library locations in Chesterhill and McConnelsville. When the laptops are not being used for ECO training, they are open to public use at the main library branch.

The library can train 8-10 participants per ECO class and have been steadily full since the launch of the program. Adults from neighboring counties are even driving to McConnelsville for the training. By the end of March, nearly 50 adults have completed the free computer and Internet training offered by Kate Love Simpson-Morgan County Library.

To view additional photos of the students' help at the library, visit our Facebook page by clicking here.

Every Citizen Online Program Sees Early Success

The Every Citizen Online (ECO) program providing free basic computer and Internet training to Ohio adults launched in late December 2010, with many sub-recipients’ classes beginning in January 2011. The instructor-led and self-paced training is being offered in more than 180 locations throughout the state with the help of libraries, community colleges, and education centers.

The initial response to the ECO program has been quite positive. Many classes are full or near-full for each training session.

“We have 8 to 10 participants per class and can hold 11,” said Blythe Schubert, director of the Kate Love Simpson Morgan County Library in southeastern Ohio.

The Columbus Metropolitan Library received more than 600 phone calls inquiring about the ECO program within the first few weeks of starting classes.

“That huge number tells us in a quantitative way that there is a great need for basic computer training in our community,” said Steve Hipes, ECO project manager for the library.

Through the end of February, nearly 1,000 Ohio adults have completed the ECO training and gained the skills to communicate with friends and family members through e-mail, apply for jobs online, gain knowledge of favorite topics and hobbies, and more.

“Online bill pay would be very convenient for me,” shared Barb Queen, ECO participant at the Pioneer Career and Technical Center in northern Ohio. “I wouldn’t have to drive 15 minutes to pay my bills like I do now.”

Connect Ohio and the ECO training partners continue promoting the free program through local and state media outlets, word-of-mouth, promotional fliers and bookmarks, as well as the ECO public service announcements airing on television and radio stations and printed in 95 newspapers throughout Ohio.

To view photos from the ECO program, visit our Facebook page by clicking here.