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JKPL upgrading technological services
Thanks to an $11,000 donation from the Hyatt Regency Saipan, the Joeten Kiyu Public Library will be upgrading its technological services under its Connect-Ed initiative, according to executive director John Gonzales on Wednesday.
Gonzales said the strategic information and communications technology platform will offer the community added services to advance educational interests.
The public library’s ITC coordinator, Omar Manacop, and technical library service technician Rosalyn Ajoste will spearhead the Connect-Ed program.
Gonzales said that Hyatt had told the public library to submit a proposal. He submitted two proposals: the Connect-Ed initiative and the expansion of its Bookmobile program. Hyatt chose Connect-Ed project.
According to Gonzales, Connect-Ed will introduce the community to 21st century technology through a comprehensive video teleconferencing equipment with real-time DSL connectivity to help take advantage of Web-based knowledge advancement.
“This will target not only the young community but also the older generation, and there is a big interest among the man’amko,” Ajoste said.
She said that Connect-Ed would also connect the Saipan library to the public libraries in Tinian and Rota via teleconferencing or videoconferencing.
Gonzales said they will soon be releasing the request for proposals for the project, and that Manacop will handle the technological placements due to his long years of experience as an ITC.
Gonzales said they will incorporate in the ITC a room where classes can be held.
“People will be more comfortable and we will have a soundproof room,” he said.
Gonzales said they want the project to be an “action research pilot project” that will used to beta test a digital village that the library plans to build.
“We are going to use this in order to write a grant next year for our multi-million digital village project,” Gonzales said.
