The library is now offering express equipment use by appointment. Appointments will be held in the Children's Library with equipment set up in a socially-distanced manner: a PC, Fax-24 machine, printer/scanner, and copy card machine will all be available for use. 

Reserve your 25 minute
session online

You can also call 734-397-0999 and select option #4 to book or reschedule an appointment. 

• Reservations are limited to two sessions per person per day. Early sessions (10:00AM-11:30AM) are recommended for those particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 for reasons such as age or chronic health conditions..
• Patrons are required to follow all of the library's public health and safety protocols: remain 6 feet away from other people, wear a mask, and don't come if you feel ill or have been in contact with someone who is ill. Patrons who refuse to comply with library policies will be asked to leave.
• You will enter the Library's main entrance and exit from the West Emergency door. You will be admitted at the beginning of your appointment time. Parking in the West side parking lots (near Heritage Park) is recommended. If you are more than 10 minutes late to your appointment, you will be asked to reschedule.
• A (cash-only) copy card is needed to release prints or copies. Library staff cannot handle cash or give change at this time, so please bring a copy card and/or $1 bills to purchase or add value to a copy card using the self-service copy card machine. The Fax-24 machine accepts debit or credit cards only, and is also self-service.
• Patrons are discouraged from bringing others to their appointments. If you must bring a someone, they must stay with you at all times. Please encourage guests to bring their own form of entertainment, as browsing for materials, iPads, and toys are not available at this time. 
• In-library browsing, wandering, or other in-person assistance not related to technology use are not available at this time. If you wish to check out materials, you may place items on hold via the catalog and pick them up using our scheduled holds pickup service. 
• Per the Library's Pandemic Reopening Policy, food and drink are not permitted in the library unless medically necessary.

We are delighted to offer PC and equipment access, and we ask for your patience in this phase of service. Staff will be available to assist you during your visit, and we look forward to seeing you once again. 

This is a lonely time, and though many of us connect with others through posting platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, it can be difficult to stay at home all day with the same people. Eventually, as we begin to miss our friends (and even our coworkers), and wonder: how can we gather while staying safe?

The answer is a virtual social hour, in which multiple people join a video chat to share an experience: a book discussion, playing a game, even chatting over an end-of-the-day beverage. Virtual social hours are a great way to see the people you miss while protecting public health.

3 Tips for a Successful Social Hour

• Keep it small - limit the group size so you are likely to hear each other. Video chats make it possible to see that someone is preparing to speak, so limit the number of participants so you can pay attention and not talk over each other. Depending on which software you use, try to select a view option that lets you see a grid of each person's video, instead of putting one person front-and-center while they talk.
• Set a purpose - Are you discussing a specific topic (such as the most recent Hoopla Book Club Hub selection)? Sharing tales of parenting in the trenches with your mom group? Perhaps you're hosting a virtual dinner party? Whatever the reason, setting a purpose can make it worth the trouble to change out of our "day pajamas" and into normal clothes (at least from the waist up).
• Choose a platform everyone can use - if you are gathering your entire family for dinner, don't choose software that will frustrate friends and family with a complicated installation or expensive subscription requirements. Choose something that will be easy enough for your most tech-phobic participant, and maybe do a practice run beforehand. 

Comparing Three Popular Options

There are MANY different programs out there to help you find a virtual space for friends to meet. Here are some popular options that accommodate groups of 10 or more; are available for Android, iOS, and Windows; have free options, and are helping friends and family come together across the country right now. 

Zoom 

Zoom seems to be everywhere recently due to its heavy use in online education (which has grown exponentially in the last month), and its newfound popularity in businesses. Anyone can use it to attend a meeting, though hosts must have accounts and their account status is what affects limitations on meeting size and duration. Tutorials are available here.  

Pros - High-quality video and an intuitive interface. Some fun and useful advanced features available in free accounts, including very fun Virtual Backgrounds. Multiple users can share their screens with the group. 

Cons - Groups meetings are limited to 40 minutes unless the host has a Pro account. (Host can immediately re-start a meeting if needed.)

Cost - Free for basic access, with Pro accounts available for $14.99/month

Google Hangouts

Google products are everywhere, even for people who aren't "power-users". Many of us use Google as our default search engine, or Google Maps to find directions. Google Hangouts, Google''s "everyday" video chat has been around for years, and its getting even more use these days. Tutorial available here. 

Pros - If you are a Google user, Hangouts easily fits into your other Google products, such as Gchat, Calendar and Gmail. The interface is one of the easiest to understand, too, if you aren't looking to use advanced features. It has no time limit on meetings, even for free accounts.

Cons - Google Hangout requires a Google login, which are free to create but may be a nuisance if you don't have one already. Though it limits free accounts to 25 users, for our purposes this isn't much of a drawback: we think 25 is plenty.

Cost - Free, though there are business-level upgrades starting at $6/month.

Skype

Skype has been around since 2003, and is one of the longest-running options for making calls on your computer. They're now owned by Microsoft, so if you have a Windows 10 computer it's possible you already have it set up on your device. Tutorial available here. 

Pros - Getting set up for a call is very simple with Skype. There is no time limit on calls, and the web feature allows you to blur your background so no one can see how messy your house is right now.

Cons - Skype is not known for its video quality compared to Zoom and Hangouts, and audio calls perform much better. Its free features aren't as fun as Zoom's.

Cost - Free for computer-to-computer calls, but paid options exist for calls directly to phone numbers, or international calls. Rates vary by country, but are generally under $10/month US, or Skype Credit (a pay-as-you-go option) can be purchased as well. 

The Detroit Radio Information Service (DRIS) is southeast Michigan's Radio Reading/Audio Information service for people with disabilities. It is a service of WDET 101.9FM and Wayne State University.

DRIS broadcasts 8,760 hours of continuous audio information programming a year, helping to offset the impact of vision loss and the inability to hold or comprehend print. DRIS engages local volunteer readers and offers the verbatim readings of more than 100 local and national newspapers and magazines a week. Special interest materials include this week's grocery and department store ads, senior citizen issues, hobbies, and literature. Rehabilitation programs focus on topics like adjustment, employment, education, and legislation.​

DRIS broadcasts its programming over a private, closed-circuit radio signal. Specially built radio receivers are loaned free of charge to qualified applicants.

Any person, who is unable to see, hold, or comprehend conventional printed matter because of a disability, including a learning disability, may apply to use DRIS.