Free Library of Philadelphia www.freelibrary.

org
Introductory Computer Skills for Adults
Getting Started

1. Turn on the computer by pressing the power button on the front of the computer unit (not the screen) with
the symbol . This button also appears on the monitor, which also needs to be turned on. When using a
computer at the Free Library it will already be turned on so you do not need to press the power button.
2. If the screen is off it may be in "sleep mode" or turned off. Press any key on the keyboard to wake it up if it
is sleeping. If it does not wake up after a few seconds, press the power button on the lower right-hand
corner of the monitor.
3. At the Free Library you will need to type in the PIN number on your PC Reservation Receipt.

Computers at the Free Library

PIN – what you type to start your Computer time is one session per day
computer session per location.

PC – The computer you are A computer session the Central Library

assigned to. is 60 minutes.

Time – The time you can start A computer session at the Regional
your session. and Branch Libraries are 30 minutes.

Location – Where your It costs $0.25 per page to print, and the
computer is located at. printers take coins only.

The Mouse

A mouse is “a pointing device used to provide input for the computer…when you use the mouse on your desk,
the mouse pointer on the screen mimics its movement” (p.194, Illustrated Computer Dictionary for Dummies).

Directional moves: left ←, right →, forward ↑, backward ↓, diagonal , and everything in between.

Left Mouse Button: Click this when you want to select something
on the computer screen.

Right Mouse Button: This button opens a brief menu of choices.

The menu changes depending on what
program you are using on the computer.

Scroll Wheel: This is one way to scroll the computer screen up

and down. Roll it towards you to move the screen
down, and away from you to move the screen up.

Single-Click: One click of the left mouse button.

Double-Click: Two clicks of the left mouse button in rapid succession.

Hold the mouse still when you click.

The lighter you click the better clicking works!

Mouserobics is an excellent tutorial for learning how to use a mouse.

When the arrow turns into a pointing hand you have found a link.
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Using Windows

H
I

E
J

B A

G C D F

A. Icons represent files, folders, or programs.

B. Folders can hold more than one file or folder.
C. Microsoft Internet Explorer icon
D. Microsoft Word icon.
E. A window. Windows display programs. They can be any size including as large as the screen.
F. The taskbar. The taskbar displays programs that are currently running though they may not appear on the
screen.
G. Start Button. Click to see a list of programs and folders available on the computer.
H. Windows buttons:
The button minimizes a program so that is only visible on the taskbar.
The button maximizes a program so that the window fills the entire screen.
The button (not pictured) shrinks the window so that it does not fill the entire screen.
The button closes (turns off) a program.
I. The title bar. Displays the title of the program and/or file. A window can be moved around the screen by
placing the mouse pointer over the title bar, holding down the left mouse button, and dragging the mouse.
J. To enlarge or shrink a window position the mouse pointer over the edge of the window so that an arrow
that points in two directions appears. Hold down the left mouse button, and drag the mouse.
K. A scroll bar. Click on the arrows at the bottom or top of the scroll bar to move the contents of the window
up or down and view parts of a document or website that are not on the screen. A scroll bar can also
appear at the bottom of the window. This moves the contents of the window left and right.
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Creating a Microsoft Word Document

Click on the Start Button

in the lower left

corner of the screen. Then click your left
Move your mouse over
Programs, then over mouse button on
Microsoft Office Microsoft Office Word 2007

After the title screen a blank page will appear in a window. This is your new document.
The blinking line on the top left-hand corner of the page is your cursor. When you type, characters will appear
wherever the cursor is positioned. You can move the cursor to different places in the text by using the mouse
pointer and clicking the left mouse button. To move the cursor to a blank place on the page use the Enter key
to skip lines and the Spacebar, Tab key, and Backspace key to move forward and back.

The Keyboard
The keyboard is used to type characters (letters, numbers, and symbols), and to command the computer to
perform certain functions.
Keys to Know
1. Space Bar: Adds an open space between words.
2. Enter Key: a) When typing, it returns the cursor to the beginning of the next line.
b) When filling in forms it submits information to the computer.
3. Shift Key: a) When held down while typing a letter key it will capitalize the letter.
b) When held down while typing a number or symbol key, it will produce the symbol in the
upper left-hand corner of the key.
4. Arrow Keys (↑ ← ↓ →): Moves cursor (blinking line) around the screen.
5. Backspace Key: Deletes the letter directly behind the cursor. Example: a|
6. Delete Key: Deletes the letter directly following the cursor. Example: |a
7. Insert Key: Turns on and off the ability to insert letters. When on, typed characters appear between
already existing characters. When off, typed characters replace already existing characters.
8. Tab Key: a) When typing, makes the cursor skip ahead 5 spaces. It can be used to indent a line.
b) When filling out a form, moves the cursor consecutively through series of buttons or fields.
9. Caps Lock Key: Turns caps lock on and off. When caps lock is on, letters automatically appear
capitalized. A light at the upper right hand corner of the keyboard is lit when caps lock is on.
10. Control (Ctrl) and Alt Keys: Performs various functions when pressed with different letters.
11. Page Up and Page Down Keys: Scrolls a document or website up and down on the screen.
5 7 11

9 2
6 11
3 3

10 1
10 4 3
 Saving your Work
At the Free Library of Philadelphia you can save files to either a Floppy Disk or a USB Flash Drive.
Floppy Disk: A way to save data. It has 1.44 MB of space. Floppy Disks are older
storage devices and they have a limited amount of space. They get worn out with
use, and eventually you will need to get a new disk to save documents. You insert
your floppy disk into the Floppy Disk Drive. This is also known as the A Drive.

USB Flash Drive: A way to save data. Flash drives sold at the Free Library of
Philadelphia have 32 MB of space. Other flash drives have a lot more storage space.
Flash drives are more reliable than floppy disks because they don’t get worn out with
use. You plug the flash drive into the USB port on the front of the computer. Your flash
drive will be either the D Drive or the E Drive.

Click on the Office Button

Move your mouse over

Save As Click on
Word 97-2003
Document. This will
allow your documents
to be opened with
older versions of
Microsoft Word

The computer should automatically know which device you want to save to.
If not you will need to type A:\ before your file name if you are saving to a floppy disk. You will need to type D:\
or E:\ before your file name if you are saving to a flash drive (depending on what letter name your flash drive is
given when you plug it in).

Type a name for

your file in the
File Name Box

Click on
Save to save
your file.

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Opening a Floppy Disk or USB Flash Drive

Click on Floppy Disk Drive (A)

to open a floppy disk.

Click on the Start Button Click on USB Drive D or

USB Drive E to open a
in the lower left
flash drive.
corner of the screen.

Opening a File on your storage device

You can double-click on the name of the

file you want to open.
OR
Click on the name of the file you want to
open, then click on
Open

Deleting a File from your storage device

Click on the file name you want to delete.

Then click on Organize to

get the menu.

Select Delete from the

Menu

A window will appear asking if you are sure you want to permanently delete the file you have selected.
Click Yes if you want to delete the file. Click No if you do not want to delete the file.
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The Internet

The Internet is "a collection of computers all over the world that send, receive, and store information. The
Internet is not a single computer. It is not a software program. It's merely lots of computers communicating
with each other." (p.156, Illustrated Computer Dictionary for Dummies).

The World Wide Web (www) "is a way to access the information on the Internet for both text and
graphics…Each document on the World Wide Web—a Web page—can contain links to other Web pages
displaying additional information" (p.333, Illustrated Computer Dictionary for Dummies).

A website is "a collection of Web pages closely linked to each other" (p.326, Illustrated Computer Dictionary
for Dummies). Every website has a unique address so it can be found on the World Wide Web.
The Free Library of Philadelphia's web address is www.freelibrary.org

A Web Browser is “software designed to view documents written in HTML, which includes all pages on the
World Wide Web…Web browsers display information on the Internet using text, graphics, sounds,” and so on
(p.325, Illustrated Computer Dictionary for Dummies).
The Web Browser used at the Free Library of Philadelphia is Microsoft Internet Explorer.

To Access the Internet

Click on the Start Button

Move your mouse arrow over
in the lower left Programs and click on
corner of the screen.
Internet Explorer to
access the Internet.

: Takes you The Address Bar is

back one page. where you type the
website address with
no spaces.
: Takes you
forward one page
: Takes you
to the website
typed in the
address bar &
Takes you back refreshes the
to the current page you
homepage are on
: Print a
webpage, select : Click to Stops loading
save webpages, the page
the arrow to use
Print Preview zoom in and out, &
before you print. change the text size.
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The homepage is "the initial World Wide Web document you see when you first start your Web browser"
(p.144, Illustrated Computer Dictionary for Dummies). The homepage of individual websites is often the first
screen you see when you go to a website. It typically displays introductory information along with links to
details about services or more information.

A search engine is a special Website that is designed to help people find information stored on other
websites. You type a word or phrase describing the information you are searching for in the search box, and
the search engine will return a list of websites that contain the search terms you used.
Three popular search engines are Google www.google.com, Ask www.ask.com, and
Yahoo www.yahoo.com.

Email, or electronic mail, are messages that are created, sent, and read completely on computers (p.103,
Illustrated Computer Dictionary for Dummies).
You must have an email account in order to send and receive email.
You must create a unique email address. This can sometimes be frustrating because the free email sites are
used by people all over the country.
Two popular free email sites are Yahoo www.yahoomail.com, and Gmail www.gmail.com.
An email address looks like the following: johnsmith@yahoo.com. The @ symbol means “at” when it is used
in an email address.

Electronic Books and Databases

Electronic Books, or ebooks, are books that are available in digital format. The advantage of having the book
accessible via the Web is that you don't have to come into the library to read it. The ebooks owned by the
Free Library are in the NetLibrary database and the Gale Virtual Reference Library.
The Free Library of Philadelphia subscribes to many periodical databases that catalog articles from a large
number of journals or magazines. There are also databases that allow you to search for information about
companies, artists, music, and so on.

The Find Box on the Free Library of Philadelphia’s homepage: www.freelibrary.org

Click on the word databases or Advanced to

access the Free Library of Philadelphia’s
electronic books and databases.

Click on the word catalog to begin searching the

Free Library of Philadelphia’s online catalog for
books, magazines, music, and videos.

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Searching the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Online Catalog

These are Brief Records.

To find out which branches You can

own the book click on the refine your
title of the book. search by
selecting
links from
this column

The detailed record tells

You can place a you which branches
hold and have the own the book. The call
book sent to any number will be the same
branch of the Free for every branch.
Library. You need
your library card
number and PIN
to place a hold.

The Location tells you if a book is

available, and where it is located. If it
is currently checked out a due date
will be listed.

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Books About Computers at the Free Library of Philadelphia

General Computer Books:

Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Computer Basics (2007) by Michael Miller, 004.16 M616a4
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Computer Basics (2007) by Joe Kraynak, 004.16 K869c3
Teach Yourself Visually Computers (2007) by Paul McFedries, 004.16 M167t
Absolute Beginners Guide to Microsoft Windows Vista (2007) by Shelley O’Hara, 005.4469 M583o3
Microsoft Windows Vista Simplified (2007) by Paul McFedries, 005.4469 M583mcf4
How Computers Work (2006) by Ron Whie, 004.16 W585h6
Illustrated Computer Dictionary for Dummies (2000) by Sandra Hardin Gookin, 004.03 G643i

Internet Books:

The Internet for Dummies (2007) by John R. Levine, 004.678 L578i33

Rule the Web (2007) by Mark Frauenfelder, 004.678 F866r
Google Powered: Productivity with Online Tools (2007) by Jerri L. Ledford, 658.84 L498g
The Internet Book (2007) by Douglas Comer, 004.678 C734i2
Cyber Rules (2006) by Joanie Farley Gillispie, 004.678 G416c
Find it Online: The Complete Guide to Online Research (2004), by Alan M. Schlein, 025.04 SCH37f3
Web Search Garage (2004) by Tara Calishain, 025.04 C129w

Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Word 2007 Books:

Microsoft Office 2007 Simplified (2007) by Sherry Kinkoph, 005.369 M5835ki42

The Unofficial Guide to Microsoft Office 2007 (2007) by Paul McFedries, 005.369 M5835mc3
The 2007 Microsoft Office System Plain & Simple (2007) by Jerry Joyce, 005.369 M5835jo2
Word 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual (2007) by Chris Grover, 652.5536 M583gr
Word 2007 All-In-One Desk Reference for Dummies (2006) by Doug Lowe, 652.5536 M583lo5
The Unofficial Guide to Microsoft Office Word 2007 (2007) by David J. Clark, 652.5536 M583cl

Programs Available on Free Library Computers

Internet Explorer – Web browser to access the Internet

Microsoft Office – Word: type a document, PowerPoint: create a presentation, Excel: create a spreadsheet.
Publisher: create brochures and flyers, and Access: create a database.
WinWay Resume Deluxe – Fill in a template and create a resume.
Microsoft Encarta – Encarta Dictionaries, Encarta Kids 2008: online encyclopedia for kids, and
Encarta Premium 2008: online encyclopedia
The Learning Company – Reader Rabbit’s Math and Spongebob Squarepants Typing
Microsoft Kids – Scholastic’s The Magic School Bus Whales
Nutcracker Game 2.3 – a Music Game
Scholastics Clifford – Clifford Phonics Game

Free Library of Philadelphia

1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-686-5322 www.freelibrary.org

AL&PL May 2008