Working: Librarian Jessamyn West on Teaching Computer Skills in Rural Vermont

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3.9 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 29 May 2022

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week, host June Thomas talks to Jessamyn West, a librarian in rural Vermont who’s working to improve computer literacy and access to library services in her community. In the interview, Jessamyn explains her process for helping people to learn basic computer skills, like building a resume, setting up an online dating profile, or learning how to use a mouse. She also talks about her broader mission to make sure technology is intuitive and accessible to everyone who needs it. After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss mantras and understanding your strengths and weaknesses. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jessamyn talks about her experience editing Wikipedia pages. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	A lot of times people want to be like, why does the computer do this?
0:14.5	And it's like, why does your cat do that?
0:16.2	You can't know some things.
0:17.9	But knowing how to refer people, knowing how to say no in a way that isn't just kind of
0:22.8	a crappy, I can't be bothered, is its own skill.
0:30.3	Welcome back to working, I'm your host, Isaac Butler.
0:33.7	And I'm your other host, June Thomas.
0:36.2	June, this is like our fifth recording session in seven days.
0:40.6	So I almost feel like we're back in an office together or something.
0:44.1	Isn't it blissful?
0:45.0	If only there were free snacks and a freshly changed Wi-Fi password that we had to hunt down.
0:51.3	Yes, that's true, June.
0:52.1	Even long-time slate podcast heads might not know that Shasha Layanar,
0:56.8	most famous for reading emails on mom and dad or fighting,
1:00.9	who's also the head of IT at slate, used to change the password every month to something new,
1:07.1	and every time it was delightful and whimsical and would put a smile on your face
1:11.3	and make you happy for the first of the month.
1:13.0	Yeah.
1:14.0	But enough about that.
1:14.8	Who's voiced, did we hear at the top of this week's episode?
1:18.4	So that was Jessamine West.
1:20.0	She is a librarian and a rural tech evangelist.
	...

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