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G2S Project Code: 2022-TX-92318
State: Texas
Fiscal Year: 2022
Grantee
EL PASO PUBLIC LIBRARY

Project Director
Director Name: Martha Toscano
Director Phone: 915-212-3240
Director Email: ToscanoMA@elpasotexas.gov
General Information
Title: Digital Skills @ Your Library
State Project Code: SPP-23007
Start Date: 09/01/2022
End Date: 08/31/2023
Abstract: The El Paso Public Library (EPPL) partnered with EveryoneOn to provide Digital Skills classes for the community library branches and at other local partner locations across the city. Grant funds were used to purchase laptop computers to create a mobile classroom to support classes. EPPL was able to hold to 70 classes to 562 students.
State Goal: Goal 3: Access to library services for early literacy, digital literacy, and lifelong learning
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$74,971.00
$0.00
$0.00
$74,971.00
Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Digital Literacy
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Digital Skills Classes
Narrative: Microsoft Skills offered the Library and other nonprofit organizations access to free curriculum and outreach tools through the Grow with Google Partner Program, LinkedIn Learning and Git Hub programs. One of their key partner's, EveryoneOn, seeks to unlock social and economic opportunity by connecting families in underserved communities to affordable internet service and computers, and delivering digital skills trainings. EveryoneOn is a national non-profit organization working to eliminate the digital divide through partnerships with the technology industry, content creators, libraries and other organizations to deliver free and affordable technology and training to all Americans. EPPL formed a strategic partnership with both agencies to offer in-person digital skills basic classes to community residents at several EPPL branch libraries using a mobile classroom set up with laptop computers. Each class was furnished with 25 laptops. The library provided Digital Skills Computer Student start-up kits to those that participated in the training courses, to include an organizer bag, folder, and pen. EPPL provided 70 Digital Skills Classes to 562 participants. Many classes were single classes, but the library held several rounds of a four-class Digital Skills Course which included sessions on Canva, Excel budgets, Google apps, Google Workspace, and Digital Connections. Upon completion, participants received their own refurbished laptop provided by EveryoneOn.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Program
Format: In-person


Quantity
Session length (minutes): 120
Number of sessions in program: 70
Average number in attendance per session: 8
Number of times program administered: 1


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: EL PASO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 501 N OREGON ST
City: EL PASO
State: TX
Zip: 79901
Question 1: I learned something by participating in this library activity.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 2: I feel more confident about what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 3: I intend to apply what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 4: I am more aware of resources and services provided by the library.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 5: I am more likely to use other library resources and services.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Anecdotal Stories: This anecdote is from Jaqueline Armijo, Customer Service Specialist: Mr. David Jurado attended my Wednesday Typing classes at the Blue Flame building during the month of August. He has been retired for years and had a yearning to improve his typing skills. Since he moved through the lessons at a slow pace, he said he appreciated my patience and kindness. After a few lessons, I was impressed by how much his typing accuracy and WPM (words per minute) had improved. He asked me for more resources that I could provide him, so he could practice his typing skills at home and help him continue to get better. I provided him with several websites, even one with games to make learning how to type more fun. I appreciate his motivation and willingness to learn! Another anecdote from Karina Salazar, Customer Service Specialist: Eternity Wallis has been attending our Google Workspace Computer class that we offer on Wednesdays at the HOME Blue Flame Building for a couple of months. She has been a very attentive and invested student. Through the class she has garnered an interest in getting better at navigating other parts of the Internet and how it can help her in connecting with people through a podcast that she has been wanting to start. Finally, an anecdote from Armando Salais, Library Information Service Specialist: Dulce has a business that is called Kchitos de Fresa. Her business is dedicated to selling chocolate goodies. She has taken several of our classes for small business owners and was able to do her own marketing material and also business cards and logo. She continues to attend classes to learn more computer skills. She has attended “How to make your business web page and also “Social media training for your business”. She is very grateful for all the classes she has been able to attend in order to help her with her business. She has stated she will continue attending until we no longer offer them. This is a quote from her "My name is Dulce, I would like to tell you about Kchitos De Fresa, when I started making strawberries with chocolate and desserts it was after losing my brother, it was something very hard for me, so as a therapy I started making strawberries and desserts and little by little I was helping and distracting me from what happened. 4 years have passed, what happened is very difficult, but learning something new fills me with joy and seeing that there are people who like what I do makes me very happy."
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
Not applicable.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
As you can see in our report not all of our classes are well-attended. Some of the classes we offer at our partnering agency locations don't have any students, but don't let that discourage you. You need to continue to provide the services and work on promoting the upcoming classes so that next time they are offered you may get students to attend. My staff go door-to-door at the HOME locations handing out flyers and encouraging residents to participate in our computer classes.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: Digital Access, Digital Literacy