This morning the Techmobile hosted third graders from Reynolds School onboard for an overview of the Library’s electronic resources for children, and then did a hands-on activity using Google maps alongside the Free Library’s digital collections of historical maps and historical images of Philadelphia.

Students used our laptops and iPads to explore these maps and historical images and to see how streets, buildings and places have changed over time.

These third graders are studying “Philadelphia: People, Places and Things,” and learning a lot about maps. In fact, they are wearing pedometers to help keep track of their daily steps, which they will eventually be mapping.

We also used Google maps to take a brief tour inside the White House! Check it out yourselves here.

To partner with the Techmobile, visit our webpages. 

Tags: Techmobile, databases, digital collections, maps

We are on the road today, visiting the Kingsessing Branch. Today is primary day, and many of our branches are polling locations.

The Techmobile is parked on South 51st Street, and we are inviting on board anyone with questions about their polling place or whether they are already registered to vote, and if anyone wants to find out any information about candidates before they cast their votes. In addition, we are registering people for Library cards and offering internet access. 

To find your polling place or see if you are registered to vote already, you can use the Committee of Seventy's webtools here.

To request a visit from the Techmobile at your organization or event, click here. For more information, see our Techmobile webpage.

Tags: Elections, Hot Spots, Techmobile

Today the Free Library launches our Techmobile, a state-of-the art digital literacy training vehicle. Sporting iPads and laptops, presentation equipment and mobile broadband, our Techmobile brings library services, computer training and internet access on the road. It serves Philadelphians not only in their own neighborhoods, but in the organizations and places where they work and study, strengthen themselves and their communities, rebuild or recover, and create better futures.

Mayor Nutter, Congressman Fattah and Free Library President and Director Siobhan Reardon will cut the ribbon on the Techmobile at the People’s Emergency Center, an organization that serves formerly homeless women and families through independent living facilities and community development. Then members of the PEC community will come on board for a computer training.

Offering workshops in email and internet basics, documents, and spreadsheets, as well as job search and resume trainings, the Techmobile will visit community organizations in the areas of the city with least access to broadband connectivity at home. In the coming days, Techmobile staff will offer trainings at a community service organization in North Philadelphia, behavioral health and developmental disability providers in West and South Philadelphia, as well as groups supporting grandparents raising children, daycare providers and PHA residents.

To request a Techmobile visit, fill out this form.

For more information, visit the Techmobile webpages or call 215 686 5372, and follow or fan us Twitter and Facebook.

Tags: Siobhan A. Reardon, Techmobile

Have you seen them around town? On subway concourses, sides of buses and within SEPTA bus shelters, KEYSPOTS ads have premiered. KEYSPOTS is a citywide initiative bringing internet access, training and technology to Philadelphia communities.

KEYSPOTS is powered by Freedom Rings Partnership—a consortium of government, higher education and non-profit entities that includes the Free Library of Philadelphia. Two of the library’s six Hot Spots (www.freelibrary.org/hotspots) are also funded by this federal Broadband grant (BTOP), as is the soon-to-arrive Techmobile.   

*The Free Library will continue to promote our BTOP funded computing centers as Hot Spots, because it ties them to our four Knight Foundation funded Hot Spots.   We want to alert you to the dual names, because the partnership publicity and the 311 call center will refer to our Hot Spots as KEYSPOTS.*

A new website (www.phillyKEYSPOTS.org) will assist you and your patrons in searching for FREE computer access and trainings at KEYSPOTS throughout the city. Even though the site has just launched and many additional programs and upgrades are still pending, it is the most comprehensive location for information about KEYSPOTS and the Freedom Rings Partnership.

If you have any questions about Free Library Hot Spots, please phone TOPSS at 215.686.5372. If you have questions about KEYSPOTS, please contact 311 or 215.851.1990.

Tags: BTOP grant, Hot Spots, Techmobile

The Free Library is acquiring a Techmobile, a 25’ vehicle outfitted for digital literacy training and outreach. Right now, construction is in progress and we expect you’ll see the Techmobile hitting the streets in April.

Trainings will range from computer and email basics, résumé writing and job searching to workshops about small business resources, parenting resources, social networking, e-books and more.

 The Free Library will partner with community organizations for these trainings. If you or your organization is interested in a visit from the Techmobile, please fill out the Partner Interest Form.

Techmobile Stop Criteria

• Organization’s mission must relate to the mission of the Free Library: “The Free Library of Philadelphia advances literacy, guides learning, and inspires curiosity.”
• Organization’s programs and services must target underserved populations. 
• Location must have adequate and safe parking for the vehicle (measuring 25 feet long).There are 6 training workstations, and each Techmobile visit will contain a formal training or workshop as well as open access time.
• Organization must provide staff or volunteer support to assist with class registration before our visit, arrival, set-up and security. Techmobile staff should also be able to use the facilities of a host organization.
• Participants must complete an evaluation at end of training
•  Event, workshop or activity must be free of charge to the participants, and must be open to all residents in accordance with the City’s Fair Practices Ordinance that prohibits discrimination.

This program is supported by the Federal Broadband Opportunities Program Grant. The zip codes identified in the BTOP Grant are: 19102, 19103, 19104, 19106, 19107, 19120, 19121, 19122, 19123, 19128, 19131, 19132, 19133, 19135, 19136, 19139, 19140, 19141, 19142, 19143, 19144, 19145, 19146, 19148, 19154. For more information about the BTOP Grant in Philadelphia, please visit the Phillykeyspots.com, the homepage of the Freedom Rings Partnership.

Please direct any other questions to Joel Nichols, Techmobile Manager, at 215 686-5372 or via email at nicholsj@freelibrary.org.

Tags: Hot Spots, Techmobile, digital collections