Library schedules computer classes

NORRISTOWN » The Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library Computer Lab announces that registration has begun for its Winter 2018 season of classes. This will be the library’s 15th year offering computer classes to the Norristown and greater Montgomery County area.

Classes cover a diverse set of topics, including computer fundamentals, Microsoft Office and the internet. Classes are “handson”: Each student is seated at his or her own computer, following along with the instructor, whose screen is projected at the front of the room.

Class difficulty ranges from absolute beginner to advanced. The introductory Computer Basics course starts from the very beginning, assuming no prior computer experience. It covers how to use the mouse and keyboard, as well as how to navigate around the Windows operating system. Our more advanced courses, like Microsoft Excel and Word require our students to have basic computing skills.

Class lesson plans have stood the test of time. Every season, they are improved upon by adding content and making explanations clearer. The entire collection of lesson plans and class resources are available for free online at www.mcnpl.org/class-resources. Classes range in length from two to three sessions. Each session is two hours in length, of which 1½ hours is dedicated to teacher-led instruction. Most classes end with a practice exercise that students complete on their own, giving them a chance to reinforce the skills they just learned and ask the instructor additional questions.

All interested persons are invited to visit the lab, where they can pick up the class schedule and interview the instructors to determine which class would best suit their needs. Classes are taught using desktop computers equipped with the Windows 10 operating system and Microsoft Office 2016 software. Each class holds up to 12 students. All classes except Computer Basics require students to demonstrate basic computer literacy before registration. Registrations must be done in person in the Computer Lab. Class fees must be paid at time of registration. Classes cost between $10 and $15. All students must have a library card that is in good standing in order to attend class.

For returning students, the computer lab has recently acquired brand new computers equipped with Microsoft Windows 10 operating system. Due to the user interface differences between our current and new computers, we require returning students to register and pass the Computer Basics course or successfully complete and pass the pre-requisite test.

The Montgomery CountyNorristown Public Library is located at 1001 Powell Street, Norristown. For more information, call the Computer Lab at 610-2785100 ext. 141.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

COMPUTER BASICS (2 SESSIONS) Tuesdays, January 9 & 16: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Fridays, January 12 & 19: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Provides hands-on experience with the mouse and keyboard. Also covers the basics of working in the Windows environment, including the desktop, start menu, opening programs and manipulating windows. INTERNET (2 SESSIONS) Tuesdays, January 23 & 30: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Fridays, January 26 & February 2: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Learn how to enter web addresses, use navigation tools, perform simple searches, create favorites, print, and more, using the Internet Explorer web browser. FILE MANAGEMENT (2 SESSION) Tuesdays, February 6 & 13: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Fridays, February 9 & 16 : 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Learn to use File Explorer to organize and manage your files and folders. Learn the difference between Save and Save As, create folders, move files, delete and rename files, and more. MICROSOFT WORD 2016 (3 SESSIONS) Tuesdays, February 20, 27 & March 6: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Fridays, February 23 & March 2, 9: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Learn basic word processing skills with Microsoft’s word processing program. Learn how to use the ribbon, create and save documents, print documents, highlight and format text, insert tables, insert headers and footers, use spelling and grammar check, and more. MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016 (3 SESSIONS) Tuesdays, March 13, 20, & April 3: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Fridays, March 16, 23 & April 6: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

This course provides an introduction to Microsoft’s spreadsheet program. Learn how to use it for managing numbers and equations, such as with budgets. Topics include formulas, charts, sorting, conditional formatting, and printing.

The Cloud (Not offered Winter 2018 term)

Learn how to create, edit, and share files in the “cloud” using a free, online platform called Google Drive.

Create a Website (Not offered Winter 2018 term)

Create a website for your business or personal use in this hands-on class. Learn about hosting, content, design, and editing using WordPress.

Intro. to Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 (Not offered Winter 2018 term)

Microsoft PowerPoint is used to creating slideshow presentations for small groups or large crowds. Learn how to use the software to make presentations that are entertaining and easy to understand.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Classes cover a diverse set of topics, including computer fundamentals, Microsoft Office and the internet, and each student is seated at his or her own computer, where they follow along with the instructor, whose screen is projected at the front of the room.