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Library upgrades offer advanced educational tools

Rachel Vaughn, of Cooper, browses the internet on one of the new computers recently installed at the Commerce Public Library.
Rachel Vaughn, of Cooper, browses the internet on one of the new computers recently installed at the Commerce Public Library.

COMMERCE - The Commerce Public Library has recently installed a new computer server with six terminals, an integrated and more user friendly service for customers. 

Library Director Gayle Gordon says UserFul, a Canadian-based company, provided the computers through a grant from the Northeast Texas Library System, which includes three years of technical support. Gordon says the new equipment is years ahead of the older, donated computers that the library was using.  

“They [the new computers] really save a lot of time because we use to have to stop what we were doing to fix computer glitches for somebody. And these are so low maintenance that they pretty much run themselves.”

Unfortunately, this may be the last project to benefit the Commerce Public Library from the Northeast Texas Library System (NETLS) who, due to funding cuts, will close operations in fall 2012. The System serves public libraries in 33 counties in this corner of the state.

But Gordon says they’ve worked hard to help local libraries with the funding they had left, helping Commerce, Winnsboro and Balch Springs.

“Basically they tried to do well with what they have... so they got all three of these libraries upgraded with new computer setups,” Gordon said.

She says they also recently installed a new computer for children called the Early Literacy Station, loaded with fun and educational games for ages two to ten years.

The Commerce Public Library is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can learn more at http://www.commercepubliclibrary.org/.