Staff

Writer

Computer

use is on the rise at the Peachtree City Library, but

it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with the

skyrocketing demand.

The library

has scheduled computer classes beginning July 12, with

119 people signed up as of June 10 - and that's just

senior citizens. The general public hasn't been allowed

to register yet for computer labs.

Right now

there are six stations in the lab to accommodate these

students, and with five-week classes scheduled on a

first-come, first-served basis, there's a bit of a wait

for some folks.

But the

library is constantly looking for ways to expand the

capacity and take on more equipment, according to library

technology manager Jill Kuhns.

That

includes donations of old computers, since the classes

will not require the latest equipment. Anything above a

Pentium 75 will be accepted as a donation, Kuhns said.

Each

session, consisting of one class per week for five weeks,

costs $25. The library hopes to be able to run two

classes simultaneously to better meet the demand.

The

workshop starts with the absolute basics of a computer

- what's inside it, how to shop for one, and other

important things to know for those who have little or no

experience in front of a terminal.

"We

get a lot of calls from people who say, `I don't even

know how to turn one on,'" said Kuhns.

The classes

also will cover Windows 95/98, Microsoft Works, and the

Internet.

Speaking of

the Internet, the library is still making progress toward

having greatly enhanced access for all of its patrons,

with 11 terminals to be online very soon.

Right now

there are only three with Internet access for the public,

due to security reasons. But Internet use has still

soared to a high of 165 hours the week of May 22.

The library

is awaiting the installation of software that will allow

patrons to log on themselves by simply typing their

numbers on the screen, instead of having to find a staff

member and write on a signup sheet.

The new

security features could be installed this week, Kuhns

said.

The

addition of technology in nearly every facet of the

library, from computers and the Internet to books on

tape, have created a slight decline in the number of

actual books being checked out, she said.

Along with

the World Wide Web, customers have a number of other

electronic reference tools at their disposal which allow

them to print out the information they need and take it

home with them instead of lugging a number of books,

Kuhns said.

And use of

the technology at the library is being spread throughout

the age spectrum, from senior citizens in the computer

labs to elementary school students using the Internet for

research projects.

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