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Patron Computer How-To

How to sign up at an available computer

  1. Press a key or wiggle the mouse to clear the screensaver.
  2. If the word “Available” appears, click on it to sign up. If the word “Reserved” appears, you may sign up to use that computer for a short session if there are at least 20 minutes until the time indicated.
  3. In the window that appears, type your 14 digit library card number. Press the Enter key or click “Next.”
  4. The computer will verify your library card number and attempt to make a reservation for you. If successful, it will display an on-screen receipt. Note the time length granted for this session. Your time totals for the day are also displayed.
  5. Write down the reservation number. If your computer crashes, you can use this to log back in for the rest of your session.
  6. If you want to start using the computer for the time indicated, press the Enter key or click “Use this Computer.” If you decide not to use this computer, click “Cancel Reservation.”
  7. The library’s Computer and Internet Use Policies will display. You must click “Accept” to acknowledge them and begin your session. If you click “Decline”, your reservation is cancelled and the computer is rebooted.

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How to sign in to an Express station

  1. Press a key or wiggle the mouse to clear the screensaver.
  2. Click on the word “Available.”
  3. In the window that appears, type the word “express.” Press the Enter key or click “Next.”
  4. The computer will display an on-screen receipt. All Express sessions are 15 minutes. Press the Enter key or click “Use this Computer.” If you decide not to use this computer, click “Cancel Reservation.”
  5. The library’s Computer and Internet Use Policies will display. You must click “Accept” to acknowledge them and begin your session. If you click “Decline”, your reservation is cancelled and the computer is rebooted.

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How to sign up at the Signup station

  1. Press a key or wiggle the mouse to clear the screensaver.
  2. Click “Next Available PC.”
  3. In the window that appears, type your 14 digit library card number. Press the Enter key or click “Next.”
  4. If the library has more than one computer area, you will be asked to choose one. Click on the name of the area you would like. Press the Enter key or click “Submit.”
  5. If you already have a reservation, you will be prompted to either keep or cancel it.
  6. If a full session is not available within 5 minutes, you may be offered a choice of a shorter session that starts sooner (if one is available), or a full session. Read the screen and click the appropriate button.
  7. The computer will verify your library card number and attempt to make a reservation for you. If successful, it will display an on-screen receipt. Note the time length granted for this session. Your time totals for the day are also displayed.
  8. To accept the reservation, press the Enter key or click “Use this Computer.” If you decide not to accept the reservation, click “Cancel Reservation.”
  9. A receipt will automatically print. Take and keep the receipt. It contains your reservation number that you will need to start your session.

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How to sign in to your reserved computer

  1. At the time indicated on the receipt, approach your assigned computer. Press a key or wiggle the mouse to clear the screensaver.
  2. It should say “Reserved” and display your reservation time.
  3. Type your 4 digit reservation number from your receipt in the box labeled “Reservation #.”
  4. The library’s Computer and Internet Use Policies will display. You must click “Accept” to acknowledge them and begin your session. If you click “Decline”, your reservation is cancelled and the computer is rebooted.

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How to cancel a reservation

If you need to leave before you sign in to your session, please leave your receipt with a staff member, who can cancel your reservation and make it available for someone else.

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How to sign out

If you use your full time allotment, the computer will automatically sign you off and reboot the computer. If you want to leave early, click the “Done” button in the countdown window.

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How to lock the computer to step away for a few minutes

If you don’t type on the keyboard or move the mouse for 10 minutes, your session will be ended automatically and the computer will be rebooted. If you need to take a phone call, use the restroom, or look up a book, you should lock your session to make sure you are not timed out.

Note: Your session time will continue to count down. If you do not come back before the end of your session, it will end automatically, the computer will reboot, and your work will not be saved. Also, if you are gone for an extended time, staff may unlock and end your session to make it available for other users.

  1. Click the “Lock” button in the countdown window.
  2. In the window that appears, type a simple password of your choosing. Type it again in the second box. Click OK.
  3. When you are ready to resume your work, wiggle the mouse or press a key.
  4. Type the password you set in step 2 and click OK.

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How to start a new document

  1. Launch the program you wish to use to create your document. The program will open and a new, blank document will be started.
  2. Click the Save button, or, from the File menu, choose Save.
  3. In the window that appears, the drop down menu at the top of the window labeled “Save in” should say “My Documents.” If it does not, click the My Documents icon in the bar along the left of the window.
  4. In the box labeled “File name” along the bottom of the window, type a name for your document.
  5. Click the Save button.
  6. Continue to work on your document. Click the Save button every few minutes to save your work.

Note: At the 4 minute warning of the end of your session, make your final edits, save your document again, then close it. You must then copy your file to a floppy drive, CD, or flash drive, or email it to yourself if you wish to keep a permanent copy. The copy in My Documents will be erased at the end of your session.

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How to open and edit files on a floppy disk

Note: Floppy disks are not a reliable, long-term storage medium. We do not recommend keeping your only copy of an important document on a floppy disk. CDs and flash drives are much more reliable and our computers now support these options. The library also sells CD-R discs.

It is risky to save to floppy as you edit a document. We recommend the following procedure instead. However, you must remember to copy your document back to your floppy at the end of your session, or you will lose your work.

  1. Insert your floppy disk in the computer.
  2. Double click the floppy disk icon on the desktop.
  3. Double click on the icon of the file you wish to open.
  4. From the File menu, choose Save As . . .
  5. In the window that appears, the drop down menu at the top of the window labeled “Save in” should say “My Documents.” If it does not, click the My Documents icon in the bar along the left of the window.
  6. Click the Save button.
  7. Continue to work on your document. Click the Save button every few minutes to save your work.

Note: At the 4 minute warning of the end of your session, make your final edits, save your document again, then close it. You must then copy your file back to your floppy disk if you wish to keep a permanent copy. The copy in My Documents will be erased at the end of your session.

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How to save to a floppy disk

  1. Insert your floppy disk in the computer.
  2. Double click the My Documents icon on the desktop.
  3. Click once on your file so that it is highlighted.
  4. From the File menu, choose Send To, then 3 ½ floppy (A:)
  5. When the light on the floppy drive turns off, press the button on the floppy drive to eject your disk.

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How to open and edit files on a CD

  1. Insert your CD in the computer.
  2. Double click the CD drive icon on the desktop.
  3. Double click on the icon of the file you wish to open.
  4. From the File menu, choose Save As . . .
  5. If you try to save it to the CD drive, you will get an error. Click the My Documents icon in the bar along the left of the window.
  6. Click the Save button.
  7. Continue to work on your document. Click the Save button every few minutes to save your work.

Note: At the 4 minute warning of the end of your session, make your final edits, save your document again, then close it. You must then write your file back to your CD if you wish to keep a permanent copy. The copy in My Documents will be erased at the end of your session.

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How to save to a CD

  1. From the File menu, choose Save As.
  2. Click the My Documents icon in the bar along the left of the window.
  3. Click the Save button.
  4. CLOSE your document after saving.
  5. Insert your CD-R or CD-RW in the computer.
  6. Click once on the icon for Roxio CD Software in the Launch Bar to the right of the Start button.
  7. In the window that appears, click on “make a data CD,” then “data CD project.”
  8. In the window that appears, choose My Documents from the drop down menu labeled “Select source files.” Your files should appear below the menu.
  9. Click once on your file to highlight it.
  10. Click the Add button to add it to the Data Project list in the lower half of the window.
  11. When all the desired files are listed in the Data Project list, click the red Record button.
  12. In the window that appears, click “Start Recording.”
  13. A progress window appears. When the recording is finished, click the OK button.
  14. Remove your CD from the drive.

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How to open and edit files on a USB flash drive

Note: Unlike floppy disks or CDs, it is possible and safe to save files to a USB flash drive as you edit them.

  1. Plug your USB flash drive into one of the USB ports on the front of the computer. It may take a moment for the computer to recognize your drive. When it is ready, a small icon with a green arrow will appear in the lower right corner of the screen near the clock.
  2. Double click the My Computer icon on the desktop.
  3. Under the heading “Devices with Removable Storage,” look for a drive labeled (F:). Double click on the icon of that drive.
  4. Double click on the icon of the file you wish to open.
  5. Continue to work on your document. Click the Save button every few minutes to save your work.
  6. When you are finished, save your document and close it.
  7. To safely remove your flash drive, click once on the green arrow icon in the lower right corner of the screen near the clock. Click once on the message that appears: “safely remove USB Mass Storage Device – Drive (F:).”
  8. Pull your drive out of the USB port.

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How to save to a USB flash drive

  1. Plug your USB flash drive into one of the USB ports on the front of the computer. It may take a moment for the computer to recognize your drive. When it is ready, a small icon with a green arrow will appear in the lower right corner of the screen near the clock.
  2. Double click the My Documents icon on the desktop.
  3. Click once on your file so that it is highlighted.
  4. From the File menu, choose Send To, then the drive labeled (F:)
  5. To safely remove your flash drive, click once on the green arrow icon in the lower right corner of the screen near the clock. Click once on the message that appears: “safely remove USB Mass Storage Device – Drive (F:).”
  6. Pull your drive out of the USB port.

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How to print

Note: Printing costs 10 cents per page. You will be charged for all pages printed whether you take them or not, so previewing your printout as described below is highly recommended.

  1. Open the document you wish to print.
  2. From the File menu, choose Print Preview.
  3. A window will appear and show you what your document will look like when it prints. Somewhere along the top or the bottom of the print preview window will be a total page count, as well as the number of the page you are currently viewing. You can scroll through the pages with the scroll bar at the right. Take note of which pages you want to print.
  4. From the File menu, choose Print.
  5. In the Print window, you can adjust which pages to print with the Print Range options—all pages, just the current page, just the material you’ve selected (highlighted with your mouse), or particular pages.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Your file will print at a networked printer in a staff area. See a staff member for assistance.

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How to download a file

  1. If you click a link on a web site to download a file, a window will appear and ask whether you want to run or save the file. Click the Save button.
  2. In the window that appears, the drop down menu at the top of the menu labeled “Save in” should say “My Documents.” If it does not, click the My Documents icon in the bar along the left of the window. Click the Save button.
  3. Another window will appear to show you the progress of the download. When it is complete, you can click Done to close that window, or click Open Folder to open the My Documents folder and see the file you just downloaded.
  4. To take this file with you, you will now need to copy it to your own media. See the instructions for saving to floppy disk, CD, or USB flash drive.

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How to listen to audio CDs

You may listen to audio CDs using the CD drive on the computer. You may use your own headphones. The library also sells headphones. Please keep the volume low so as not to disturb others.

  1. Insert your CD in the computer.
  2. Double click the CD drive icon on the desktop. Your CD should begin playing automatically.
  3. Plug headphones into the headphone jack on the front of the computer.
  4. Adjust the volume by clicking once on the speaker icon in the lower right corner of the screen near the clock. In the window that appears, use your mouse to drag the slider up or down.

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How to view a DVD

  1. Insert your DVD in the computer.
  2. Double click the CD drive icon on the desktop. Your DVD should begin playing automatically.
  3. Plug headphones into the headphone jack on the front of the computer.
  4. Adjust the volume by clicking once on the speaker icon in the lower right corner of the screen near the clock. In the window that appears, use your mouse to drag the slider up or down.

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How to view web pages in a non–English language

Our computers are set so that they automatically detect web pages coded in different languages and appropriately change the fonts to display them.

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How to use Microsoft Office in non–English languages

Microsoft Office programs on our computers have several non-English language features.

Menus, Messages, and Help in Non–English Languages

  1. Make sure all Office windows are closed.
  2. Double click on the Office 2003 Language Settings icon on the desktop.
  3. In the drop down menu labeled “Display Office 2003 in,” choose the language you are interested in.
  4. In the drop down menu labeled “Display Help in,” choose the language you are interested in.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Open the Office program you wish to use.

Typing in Non–English Languages

  1. Make sure that the window you wish to type in is the active window by clicking in it once.
  2. Click once on the language icon in the lower right of the screen, left of the clock. It has a two–letter abbreviation of the language currently in effect. By default, it says “EN” for English. Choose the language you want from the list.
  3. Begin typing.

Note: The language setting is “attached” to the program or, in Internet Explorer, to the window. If you switch programs or windows, the new program or window will be in the default language (English) unless you change it using the language icon menu.

Displaying Non–English Keyboard

For languages with characters not on the English keyboard, you can display the On–Screen Keyboard to see which keys produce which characters.

  1. Open the On-Screen Keyboard by choosing these options from the Start menu: Start > All programs > Accessories > Accessibility > On-Screen Keyboard.
  2. Click once on the window you wish to type in.
  3. Swipe your mouse over the On-Screen Keyboard. The keys will change to reflect the language you choose.

If you switch windows, the On–Screen Keyboard will change to reflect the language in effect on that window.

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