New York Public Library offers help with e-readers
The library’s new “eBook Central” is an effort to assist the technologically illiterate.
a new website — nypl.org/ebookcentral — offers step-by-step instructions on how to download books and other media from the NYPL’s digital shelves.
and from Jan. 4-13, reference librarians will be available at the Stephen a. Schwarzman research library and mid-Manhattan library to walk befuddled patrons through the ABCs of e-readers, like the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook.
“We anticipate a lot of people getting these devices,” said Lauren Lampasone, who works with the library’s reference and research services. “And a part of our mission is to help people bridge the digital divide.”
Andy Pargh, who dispenses tech tips as The Gadget Guru, said that all Nook neophytes should remember to start with the on-board instruction manuals.
For gizmos of any kind, from digital cameras to iPhones, he suggests using reliable tutorials posted on YouTube. Take the time to leaf through the manual, and always hang on to the packaging, he advises.
When all else fails, he says, ask the kids.
“If you have a teenager in the house, they’re probably going to know how to use it quicker than an adult,” Pargh said.
