Technology at your fingertips
Public computers, in-house laptops, printers, and fast internet!
Library Computers
Whether you need access to a computer, or just a quiet place to escape from the home or office, pull up a chair in the Learning Commons. Our computers have mechanical keyboards and hardy mice, the latest version of Microsoft Office, all three major browsers, as well as other common software tools.
OUR COMPUTERS
- 4 Windows computers (1, 2, 3, and 7)
- 2 Apple MacIntosh computers (8 and 10)
- 2 Graphics computers (5 and 9)
- 2 Spanish-language computers (4 and 6)
BROWSERS
- Chrome
- Edge
- Firefox
SOFTWARE
- Word
- Excel
- Publisher
- PowerPoint
- Adobe Acrobat
- Media Player
- Games
MORE HELPFUL TIPS
- Sessions are two hours; additional sessions are permitted if others are not waiting.
- Computers are wiped clean between uses; you should have a plan for saving your work on a USB or cloud storage. We cannot recover lost work.
- Printing to our printer is available to 8 1/2 x 11 paper only; odd sizes require additional steps to release the job. There is no charge; donations are appreciated.
- Please refrain from large jobs such as graphics heavy web-pages or large multi-copy jobs.
Free Internet
Inside or outside: Pull up a chair, couch, bench, or parking spot. We don’t just let the wireless spill out of the building, we deliberately broadcast with outside access points. Our free wireless Internet service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Printers
Do you need access to a high-capacity laser printer, copier, or scanner? Look no further! Our Library printer is available to you from our computers, or your own device. Check with the Reference Librarian or Circulation Desk if you need help.
Printing to our printer is available to 8 1/2 x 11 paper only; odd sizes require additional steps to release the job. There is no charge; donations are appreciated.
How to Print from Your Own Device
The most important step is to connect to the library’s Wi-Fi, called “The Community Library” (no password is required). This is how the two devices find and communicate with each other.
Then try printing from your device as you normally would. Don’t forget that you will need to select the library’s printer, also called “The Community Library.”
The printer works with these personal devices:
- Apple iPhone or iPad
- Android phone or tablet
- Apple laptop
- Windows laptop
- Chromebook
If your document will not print:
- Check to see that you are printing a document no larger than 8.5” x 11” – the standard letter size.
- For laptop users: Go to your Settings and then Printers and add the library’s printer, “The Community Library,” from there. If you already see the printer, then delete it from your settings and try re-adding it. (The IP address for the printer is 172.31.1.5, in case you need to find it this way.)
- You can always ask for help at a service desk.
Online Games at The Community Library
Did you know we have gaming computers specifically for tweens and teens? Online games do connect to online services, so you’ll need to help your children get accounts. Here are the four accounts your child would need to play games at The Community Library.
Minecraft – Licensed
Minecraft is a juggernaut for younger children and tweens. Don’t get me wrong, teens and adults play too, but for the tween kids, Minecraft rules.
To play Minecraft, you need a Minecraft license. There are several license options. You can go to minecraft.net and check them out. Here at the library, on our gaming pcs, we are using Minecraft Bedrock.
Roblox – FREE
Your child will need a Roblox account to save their progress. Fortunately, Roblox accounts are free. You can go to roblox.com to sign up for an account. There are many games inside of the Roblox world that will appeal to tweens, teens, and adults.
Epic – FREE
Epic is another site that collects and sells licenses to players. Most importantly, this is the home of Fortnite. If you don’t know what Fortnite is, ask your child, they know. It’s a fun battle royale where everyone plays. You can get a free Epic account by going to epicgames.com.
Epic doesn’t have the quantity of games that Steam does, but there are some good games here. Like Steam, Epic skews to teens and adults.
Steam – FREE
Steam is a great repository of games. Some are free, and some are purchased. The Community Library has purchased a number of games that your children can play for free while connected to our wireless network, or on our computers. Your child will need a steam account (free) to play the steam games the library has purchased.
You can create a (free) account for your child at steampowered.com.
Steam has an almost unlimited number of games. While some of them will appeal to younger children, the store skews to teens and adults.
How to Use the Big Screen in the Idaho Room
- You Will Need
- Laptop with HDMI port (or adaptor to HDMI)
- HDMI cable
- HDMI-to-HDMI connector
- Basic Steps
- Connect your laptop via HDMI
- Turn on your laptop
- Turn on the white board (remote or wall)
- Use Source feature to locate your device
- Detailed Step-by-Step (in this order, preferably)
- Plug in your laptop via HDMI at either end of the table (using an HDMI adaptor, cable and connector as needed)
- Turn on your laptop; Log into Windows or iOS
- Disable sleep/hibernate on your laptop (if desired to avoid disruption/disconnection during presentation
- Proceed to the point of presentation such as Power Point
- If using websites, you will need need to connect to our wifi (Community Library; no password)
- Test an audio playback and address any settings on the laptop to assure it’s working
- Turn on the Epson’s screen using either the white box on the side or the remote control. Note: Ignore ‘Cortana’ and other screen messages.
- If needed, use “Source” button on the white box or remote to identify your laptop as source. The system should automatically identify your laptop and begin projecting.
- The Service Desk has laptops, HDMI and connectors for checkout. The adaptor and charger are unique to your computer, and you will need to supply those.
- For Assistance
- contact a Service Desk in the main Library. We recommend arriving 30-minutes in advance of your program. If you are new to the use of the system, please allow more time or make an appointment for a demo with reservations@comlib.org.
