Photo provided Technology Trainer Calvin Connor is on-hand to answer technology questions at the St. Clairsville District Library. He was hired through the Guiding Ohio Online grant, awarded through the State Library of Ohio.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — St. Clairsville District Library staff and patrons are welcoming Calvin Connor, the new technology trainer who will be helping the public with their technology needs. Connor, of St. Clairsville, was hired two months ago through a grant from Guiding Ohio Online, awarded through the State Library of Ohio.

Library Director Doug Walsh said with the holidays arriving people who have received new technology may want advice on how to use the new equipment.

“He just does a wonderful job. He’s so good with the people who come in with questions, and we’re just happy to have a service like this we could provide,” Walsh said. “Somebody acquires a new phone and they’re unfamiliar. Maybe they’ve never used a smartphone before. They stop in with a question.”

“Right now, I’m going to Belmont College. I’m graduating in the spring and I’ll have a degree in networking and cyber security,” Connor said. “I’ve been working on tech stuff pretty much all my life.”

Connor is meeting with patrons in “tech appointments” of about a half-hour each.

“Many people walk in or create appointments with me, want to sit down and they want to learn the computer more. They come in with certain applications they want to learn, like Word and Office,” he said. “We sit down and I help them out with that.”

He has also assisted people on writing their resumes and searching for jobs.

“We edit resumes and stuff like that. We help people work stuff correctly so a lot of getting back into a future job,” he said. “I’ve had people ask about certain computer skills they’ll need in that job … opening computer file attachments, learning how to use Gmail better. … Opening files throughout the computer and knowing where to go when you download something. Giving some more tech help so you’re more versatile on the job, so your skills don’t fall behind.”

He is also preparing a presentation on streaming at 12:30 p.m. Monday.

“I’ve put together a giant list of streaming services that people can use that I’ll be presenting next Monday. Lots of general tech things…that they don’t know are out there. … I get a lot of individual questions like how to work a USB device, so a lot of computer hardware questions that people come by and ask about,” Connor said.

“The goal is to actually start putting things out on the library’s YouTube channel. Courses that instead of me telling you in person, I’ll just record myself and that way people have library access to general techniques. The streaming and other presentation things I do will also go up on the YouTube or Facebook or just on the library website itself for instant access tech help,” he said.

Connor works with a wide variety of people of different ages and technology skills.

“There’s definitely a lot of younger people that come in and need help, but definitely a lot of the older generations. The fun part of my job is I have enough technical experience so I can jump in at pretty much anything they could need help with and further their skills in any way.”

Connor is available daily at the library information services desk.

“You don’t have to have a tech appointment to come on. I’ve available all the time to the public,” he said.

Walsh added that the library can also assist in downloading digital audiobooks and ebooks through apps such as Libby.

“Most people get a smartphone or tablet and not realize they can borrow ebooks. They may be buying them from Amazon not realizing they can borrow for free using their library card, and they can borrow them anytime day or night.”

The library is located at 108 W Main St. The website is stclibrary.org.