The Mathews Memorial Library has been selected as a regional technology center.  The Library of Virginia has provided 8 Technology Zoos spread across the 6 VLA (Virginia Library Association) regions in the state. Mathews Memorial Library was selected to house the Technology Zoo for Region 3 which encompasses an area from the North Carolina/Virginia border north through Virginia’s Northern Neck including Hampton Roads, the towns and counties south of the James, the Middle Peninsula and the Northern Neck of Virginia.  The Mathews Library made a commitment to offer a number of training sessions throughout this region with the first training beginning in March 2012.  The Mathews library staff has already traveled to Poquoson and Gloucester for training sessions and will soon be putting on workshops in Newport News, Smithfield, Portsmouth, Hampton and elsewhere!

The goal of the program is to educate public librarians as much as possible about emerging technologies so that they may answer questions and better assist their patrons with using eBook readers, iPads, gaming consoles and much more.  The Technology Petting Zoo workshops allow librarians to test-drive new technology products so they can learn how they operate.  In turn, these librarians can train other staff and library patrons on the latest technology gadgets.

The Technolgy Zoo includes many e-book reader devices, tablet computers, video cameras and gaming consoles.

For more information, please refer to our Technology Zoo brochure and flyer.  To schedule a visit of the travelling Technology Zoo at your library, please contact Greg Lewis, Tech Zookeeper, at the Mathews Memorial Library at (804)725-5747.