FAQ

ISN’T THIS THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOLS? AREN’T THERE ALREADY COMPUTERS IN THE LIBRARY?
Unlike a school setting, this attendance at the Mediatech is optional, and entrance to the center depends on obeying the acceptable use guidelines established by the Mediatech board of Trustees. There is no preset agenda or no external pressure to complete something. Instead, it is a place to apply skills and concepts learned at school. Don’t think that the Mediatech has no educational agenda, however. The Mediatech will compliment the current library by increasing traffic and by integrating new media with books. It will also add significant library of CDs, along with the hardware needed to run them, to the library collection.

HOW WILL I KNOW KIDS WON’T BE DOING INAPPROPRIATE THINGS?
The Mediatech board includes educators who are well versed in child reality. The following steps are taken:

A membership card/number is also an “Appropriate Use” agreement. This card can be removed if is abused. The board of trustees will vote on such cases.

All activity that goes on in the center is public. The screens on each computer are selected at random and displayed on a large public screen. Screens face outward toward the center of the room.

Only games/software/video/web sites that has been assigned E (Everyone) or T (Teen) ratings are permitted in the Mediatech. The coordinator will be the judge; all cases in question will be determined by the board of directors.

The webcam will give anyone a public view to what is going on in the center.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE MEDIATECH? GIVE ME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
The Mediatech will be a positive, supportive, environment with positive role models. Here are some examples of activities in the center:

  • Access to the latest, most powerful technology
  • A new age library in a form that meets the objectives of Benjamin Franklin and Andrew Carnegie — where any person is welcome to explore the latest information resources, regardless of socioeconomic status
  • A place to view historical artifacts
  • A place to be discovered and perhaps win a scholarship to a college
  • A place to teach others who are less comfortable with technology
  • A place to encounter the latest technology
  • A place to create the Internet, rather than to be a passive recipient of the Internet
  • A place to develop a voice, to post ideas, feelings and passions; a place to be heard by public officials; a place to be active rather than just passive
  • A place for social interaction and the sharing of ideas that in the end can help Flemington develop as a positive, healthy community
  • Authentic meaningful projects to work on; plenty of people who need your help
  • A single mother working on her tax return, and, with the help of a student Intern, is enabled to download a PDF of an obscure tax form that she desperately needs
  • A place where kids can come and be engaged and creative; and also supported
  • A community center that is tied in with the Library; an increased interest in traditional books
  • Bustling activity and energy
  • A place to get some extra, informal support with a solar system project
  • University researchers studying the way kids use technology
  • A high school kid testing an writing a critical review of a program for an upcoming issue of Boys’ Life Magazine
  • Freely explore (and test) the latest educational software, games (ESRB ratings of Everyone or Teen only) and filtered Internet sites
  • A place to talk, socialize and share ideas
  • Compose music and print sheet music; complete a self paced piano tutorial
  • Sculpt 3D objects in space with an art program
  • Use a CAD program to plan out a garden, and then fast forward in time to see how the foliage will develop
  • Check e-mail
  • Do homework and multimedia projects
  • Learn from experts in education and industry