Charleston Co. Public Libraries focusing on digital literacy in community

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The Charleston County Library System wants to better teach the community how to use the internet, as it plays a major, and growing, role in everyday life for many.

Libraries are active resource centers for visitors in need of internet access. The internet plays significant roles in people’s day-to-day lives, ranging from telehealth to getting into the workforce.

The Charleston County Public Library was chosen, along with systems in Chicago and Delaware, to look at needs in adult and family literacy. This two-year program comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. The institute granted the American Library Association and the Adult Literacy Impact Network $400,000 through the National Leadership Grants Award to focus on literacy gaps in communities across the nation.

The National Center for Education Statistics found in a study that, from 2011 to 2014, one in five adults found difficulty in completing tasks in English. This means 43 million people nationally have low literacy skills.

The Charleston County Library System is focusing on digital literacy with about $30,000 in funding for the program. Digital literacy is important as it is the ability to use technology to find and communicate information.

The first year of the program will focus on looking at the current resources the library system offers. The idea is to find better ways to offer these support services and have a larger community outreach.

Adults can attend technology classes offered by the library system. These classes range from basic computer skills, such as turning on a computer, to advanced topics like artificial intelligence, including applications like ChatGPT.

Technology Coordinator for the Charleston County Library System Andrew Dombrowski says the class helps many adult learners understand internet concepts that many people take for granted.

“Our classes…some of them are very hands-on,” Dombrowski says. “We’ll set you up in a classroom with a computer or laptop and we’ll work through a program like on Microsoft Excel. We’re going to go through step-by-step instruction. Other classes that we have are more conversational based, we’re talking through issues you may be having with your phone.”

Dombrowski saw a great need for technological support from visitors during his time at the main library located on Calhoun Street.

“One of the things that’s really frustrating is so many jobs require an online application,” Dombrowski says. “Even if the end job doesn’t really use the computer, but there is this hurdle or a barrier to get a job because you have to use a computer to apply.”

Library leaders say some locations do not offer technological support, like the branch in Edisto. This gap will be targeted in the program’s second year as tutors will come in and teach library staff how to give support. The end goal is to improve support efforts that will expand at the national level along with Chicago and Delaware.

Adults interested in joining current support classes can visit their website.