Need a computer to write a paper on? Head to New Troy’s Book Room. Want to get online to do some research? Head to New Troy’s Book Room. That’s right, the Esther Steckelberg Book Room, located in the New Troy Community Center, now has online computers available for patrons’ use.

"This is really quite an achievement," says Book Room Chair, Kay English. "A recent visitor mentioned that to have a Book Room functioning just like a library in our community is wonderful and Friends of New Troy (FONT) is to be commended."

In 2007, more than 1,200 people were served by the Book Room and with the addition of online computers, that number is expected to increase.

Cameron Hanover, a graduate of River Valley High School and former New Troy resident now employed by the University of Michigan, secured the donation of four computers from the university, configured them, and then worked with FONT member Mike Metz to set up and network the units. Laser printers were donated by other FONT members.

The facility is also a "hot spot" — meaning that those with wireless laptops can bring their own computers and by sitting anywhere in the Book Room, get online. Currently, the computers are running Windows XP SP2, Office 2003, Firefox (for online browsing), and Norton Internet Security 2007.

The computers will help in other ways too. Volunteers Wendy Foster and Ron Schaffer are hard at work entering all of the facility’s books into the system. The books had already been catalogued according to the Dewey Decimal System, says English, "but now, with the help of the computers, we’ll be able to search out a particular title or author for our patrons."

Any Weesaw Township resident is welcome to use the computers during Book Room hours. For now, those hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 am to noon, and Monday and Friday evenings, 7 to 8 pm.

"We’d love to expand our hours," says English, "and as soon as more volunteers step forward, we will do so. In particular, we’d like to offer an after-school program so that kids could come in to do their homework assignments. All we’d need to pull this off is one or more mothers willing to come in and open the Book Room and just keep an eye on things. We’ll accept volunteers for anything from one hour a week to five days a week! This is one of those places where you can make your own schedule."

For more information or to volunteer, contact Kay English, 426-3194.