GULF SHORES, Ala. — Patrons of the Thomas B. Norton Public Library in Gulf Shores will benefit from all the new technology that has been added, thanks to a grant received from the Wells Fargo Foundation.

In 2010, the Friends of the Library was the recipient of a generous $5,000 Community Partnership Grant from Wells Fargo to be used to fund the Exploring Emerging Technology @ Your Library information literacy education series.

With the money, the library was able to purchase several new E-reader technologies including several iPads,

“We applied for the grant so that we could purchase the E-readers to be used in an effort to teach the public how to use them,” said Wendy Congiardo, Library Director. “Wendy Readman, who works at the Wells Fargo branch here in Gulf Shores, called me back in the summer to tell me that the grant was available if we wanted to do an application.”

Congiardo said that the library was able to purchase five iPads, three Sony E-readers, a Kindle and a Nook, and they have wasted no time putting them to use.

“We have already started classes for the public and our intent, right now, is to use this technology for public education.”

During the months of February and March, the library is offering a variety of computer, E-reader and digital library introduction classes. E-reader classes begin at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays, and individual tutorials are always available by appointment.

“We are not really in a place, just yet, where we can afford to check them out,” Congiardo said. “But we do provide to the public, from our website, a service called CamelliaNet. We have a collection of E-books that we are building up, that many of the E-readers are compatible with. So if you have an iPad or a Nook or a Sony E-reader, you can download what we have on our website for free. That is the direction we are trying to go, so that everybody who buys an E-reader, doesn’t have to get everything from their provider such as Barnes and Noble.”

Congiardo said if someone received an E-reader for Christmas, or maybe they are in the market to make a purchase, this would give them an opportunity to learn and find out exactly how they work.

“If someone is considering buying one, they can come here to the library and see one and touch one and find out what they need to know about each one before they make an investment.”

A complete class schedule can be found by visiting thomasbnortonlibrary.blogspot.com and clicking on the computer class schedule link.