LITTLE ROCK — Things that people are passionate about are what they “geek,” according to

a Rogers Public Library staff

memo - and the library wants

to be high on that list.

The Geek the Library

campaign, which kicks

off Saturday, is a program

designed to get the word out

that “whatever you’re excited

about, your library probably

has something or can get their

hands on whatever you’re

interested in,” says Jeanne

Besaw, technical services

supervisor at the library. This

is a national campaign funded

by the Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation and supported

by OCLC, which is a service

provider to libraries around

the world, she says. It will be

ongoing throughout 2013.

Besaw says a 7-year-old at

the library was asked what

he geeks, and he said he

geeks worms. Staff members

were able to take him to the

children’s section and find a

book about composting using

worms, she says. She adds that

there are all kinds of things the

library provides that people

don’t realize, such as being

able to check out a fishing

pole for the weekend. She

notes that anyone can walk in

and use the library without a

library card, and although they

can’t check out items, they can

use any amenities on site.

For the kickoff of the Geek

the Library campaign, area

vendors who sell technology

items will be at the library

to share a day of technology,

Besaw says. They will not be

selling anything, but they will

show people all the things

they can do with items such

as laptops, digital cameras,

smart phones or iPads. People

can bring in their gadgets and

ask the vendors how to usethem. The vendors will also have new products on display and have advance information about their sales on Black Friday, she adds.

The library also has iPads, laptops and eReaders that can be used on site, and these will be available for demonstrations Saturday as well, according to Besaw.

Teens have volunteered to demonstrate how to do original artwork on tablets and will also have Xbox LIVE and games in the teen area. Besaw says library employees will be showing people how to do story time using a Kindle Fire in the children’s area.

In the conference room, Walmart representatives will be offering some advance opportunities for people to check out the games and games devices coming out at Christmastime, Besaw says.

She notes that she heard many times last year that parents had purchased games that were not a good fit or too mature for their kids, so they can come in and see if these games are suitable for their children to play.

The library has bags, shirts,bookmarks and posters for the Geek the Library campaign.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave the library permission to use all of these items free of charge through 2015. Besaw says if the campaign goes well, the day of technology could become an annual event. Another one is scheduled in February.

Throughout the campaign, people can talk to anyone at the library about the campaign, and there will also be handouts and signs, she says. Besaw says that her favorite part of the campaign is connecting people with services in the community.

Whats Up, Pages 20 on 11/16/2012