August 30 – Two regional libraries recently received grants to help pay for digital literacy trainer positions.
The Andover and Kingsville Public Libraries received portions of a federal grant from the Library Services and Technology Act through the state of Ohio.
The Kingsville Public Library was awarded $23,587 and the Andover Public Library received $14,040, because both libraries serve rural populations with limited technology literacy. The grant covers the period from July 1 to June 30, 2025.
In addition to teaching basic technology to assist library patrons, digital literacy instructors will teach classes, answer questions about technology, and focus on topics such as social media, online safety, resume building, working with library databases, programming and coding.
Jessie Morgret, digital literacy trainer at Andover Public Library, says being able to use technology is important in an increasingly connected world.
“A lot of the world is connected through technology. I mean, think about the ability to connect through the world wide web,” Morget said. “We give [our patrons] the tools to connect with the rest of the world through technology.”
Martha Hazeltine, a digital literacy trainer at the Kingsville Public Library, says her job is to help visitors with a variety of issues.
“[The hardest part is] “I don’t know what the day is going to bring because most of what I get is panicked calls from people like, ‘I can’t log into my Facebook account anymore,’ or ‘My phone just turned off,’ and just the unexpected,” she said.
Morget says she is patient in her work with these clients and guides them if they are not comfortable with certain technology.
“There was still a point where I was at the same point as my clients, where I could say, ‘No, you’re just learning, that’s totally okay.’ That’s what the library is for,” Morget said.
Both libraries have many devices available for customers, including 3D printers. Hazeltine said she likes 3D printing because of the many possibilities it offers.
“With the [3D] printer, you’re only limited by your imagination. The possibilities for 3D printing are endless. It can be fun. It can be functional. You can print fidgets or replacement parts for … appliances, and it’s just a really fun resource,” she said.
Mariana Branch, director of the Kingsville Public Library, said grants are important to keep the library running when budgets are tight.
“There aren’t many opportunities in our county for someone to walk in and get free help with technology,” she said. “I’m very grateful that they see the need in our community when we write that grant because … our budget can’t support having a full-time staffer.”
Nancy Logan, director of the Andover Public Library, says a lack of digital literacy is hindering family communication.
“People are leaving, they’re going to bigger cities where they can find work. So, these seniors need a way to stay connected to their kids and Facebook and FaceTime,” Logan said. “I’ve worked with technology my whole career. It’s a given that families can’t teach each other how to use any kind of technology. It doesn’t work. Parents can’t teach their kids. Kids can’t teach their parents. It just doesn’t work — especially kids teaching their grandparents.”
Maria Firkaly, community relations coordinator at Andover Public Library, said libraries are important institutions for connecting rural communities to resources and technology.
“I shared an infographic that libraries had put out, and it was about usage … and Ohio was one of the largest populations that used libraries,” she said. “If someone needed help with a problem, they had to go to the county seat. They had to go to Jefferson or Ashtabula for services. Because here they can come here and say, ‘Hey, I need help with this problem. I have to apply. Can you help me?'”
