T-L Photo/ ROBERT A. DEFRANK
Ron Woods, left, and Anthony Johnson, computer and technical instructors at the St. Clairsville Public Library, will conduct a class for people wanting to build and repair their own computers.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The St. Clairsville Public Library is offering a “Do It Yourself Tech and Tinker” this month that will teach students how to build and repair their own computers.

The class will run from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Feb. 18.

“There’ll be learning how to update their computers in more of a cheaper fashion. If there’s a part that might need upgraded, some (random-access memory) or something, we’ll show them sites they can go to to do that, and basically other steps along the line,” said Anthony Johnson, a technology aide provided through the Guiding Ohio Online program.

“We’ll show them how to build one from scratch, from putting a motherboard in it to putting it together and turning it on and everything in between,” Ron Woods, computer services with the library, said.

Johnson said a high level of pre-existing skill is not demanded of people taking the class. He added that among other lessons with be how to locate inexpensive parts.

“We’ll teach them to use PC Part Picker to put their own system together and it compares prices from various vendors and you get the best price for stuff when you’re going to go out and buy,” Woods said.

Woods added that they will cover such computers as the standard ATX, mini ATX, and micro ATX motherboards.

“For desktop computers, we’ll have a few set up that they can look at, check them out,” Johnson said.

“We’re going to teach them to put them together, part-by-part,” said Woods.

They added that if interest is high, the class could branch off into other classes.

“We want to get into more DIY projects,” Woods said, noting a prior class focusing on television antennae. “It was very well-received, so we’re trying to do more hands-on building of stuff.”

They said the demand for such education is increasing.

“You get to put it together yourself. You made it,” Johnson said. “It’s yours. Odds are, when you build it yourself you’ll know what that part was and know in the future how to fix it.”

“You get a lot of pride in building your own computer,” said Woods. “It’s an accomplishment.”

Woods said attendees will also be taught what their computer’s error codes mean and what malfunctions are indicated.

“I’ll go over what those codes mean so people will know where to start if something goes wrong with the one they have at home … basic hardware issues that are most common,” he said.

In related matters, the next Minecraft class will be offered 7 p.m. Feb. 21 for kindergarteners through sixth-graders. Winter Wednesdays also offer board games, console games, movies and other activities for young people in grades 5-8 from 2:30-4 p.m. Wednesdays throughout February.