The document provides an overview of basic computer skills and hardware, including functions such as typing letters, creating budgets, and online research. It describes various computer components like the tower, monitor, mouse, keyboard, laptops, smartphones, and tablets, as well as essential functions of the mouse and keyboard. Additionally, it covers storage devices, the Windows desktop interface, and guidelines for starting up and shutting down a computer.

1. COMPUTER BASICS
Kearney Public Library
Fall 2013

2. WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A COMPUTER?
Type a letter
 Create budgets in Excel
 Make a slideshow
 Play games online
 Send and receive email
 Research or shop on the internet
 Connect with family and friends online
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3. COMPUTER HARDWARE
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The computer is the tower that contains the
electrical connections and the Central
Processing Unit (CPU), which is the major
computing chip inside that runs the
computer.
The monitor is a screen that provides an
image of what the computer is doing inside.
A mouse is a hand-held pointing device that
allows you to control the movement of the
cursor on the computer screen. The cursor
acts as a virtual finger that presses buttons
and selects items on the screen. A mouse
has one or more buttons and often features
a scroll wheel.
Keyboards come in various shapes and
sizes and are also used to communicate
with the computer.

4. COMPUTER HARDWARE

All of the computer components together are referred to
cumulatively as a desktop system. These computer
parts may also be called hardware (as opposed to
software, which refers to the programs that run on the
computer).
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Laptops are small, compact computers that can easily
be carried from place to place. Laptops combine the
computer, monitor, and keyboard into a single unit, and
they usually have a touchpad instead of a regular
mouse.

Smartphones are mobile phones that are built like
computers. They have more functions than regular
phones, including internet connectivity, and serve as mini
computers.

Tablets or tablet computers are mobile computers that
are larger than smartphones but smaller than laptops,
though they function similarly. Tablets are flat and
typically operate with a touch screen instead of a
keyboard or mouse.

5. USING THE MOUSE
As we already learned, a mouse is a device that
allows you to control the movement of the cursor on
the computer screen. The cursor acts as a virtual
finger that presses buttons and selects items on the
screen.
 The cursor may appear in several forms, depending
on where it is and what is on the screen.

Usually it appears as an arrow.
 When there is something on the screen to click, such as a
button or a link on the internet, the cursor turns into a hand
symbol.
 When moving the cursor over an area where text can be
entered, such as a word processing document or a text box on
a webpage, it turns into an I-beam.


6. USING THE MOUSE
A computer mouse may come in several different
forms. A traditional mouse is palm-sized, and is
attached to the computer with a cord. The mouse
typically has two buttons—one on the left and one
on the right—and sometimes a scroll wheel in the
middle.
 Mice may also be cordless or in the form of a
trackball, where the mouse itself remains
stationary and the user moves a ball on top to
control the cursor.
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7. USING THE MOUSE
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To select or press something on the screen, place the
cursor over it and click by quickly pressing and
releasing the left button on the mouse. Sometimes it is
necessary to double-click, or press the left mouse
button twice in rapid succession.
The right mouse button is used only occasionally. Rightclicking displays a menu with more options, sometimes
called a context menu. If the mouse has a
wheel, moving it scrolls up and down the screen.
For more practice on using the mouse, visit the mousing
tutorial and “mousercise” activities online at
http://www.pbclibrary.org/mousing/intro.htm and
http://www.pbclibrary.org/mousing/mousercise.htm.

8. THE KEYBOARD
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A computer keyboard is different from a typewriter
keyboard in that it has numerous functions. Besides
typing and entering numbers, it can be used to
move the cursor around a document. It can also
perform specialized functions when combinations of
keys are pressed. There are several types of
computer keyboards; shown here is a picture of a
common type of keyboard.

9. TYPES OF KEYS
There are many free online keyboarding games to help you improve
your typing skills. One website with useful games can be found at
http://www.freetypinggame.net/.

10. STORAGE DEVICES
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There are various types of computer storage
devices, which are items that can store and
transport files between computers. It is a good idea
to have at least one external storage method for
making backup copies of important files.
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All library computers automatically clear saved
files when a user logs out, so make sure to save
your work on an external device before logging
off of your computer!

11. STORAGE DEVICES
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Floppy disks are inexpensive, portable storage devices.
They are now considered outdated because they can’t hold
very much data and are not very stable.
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CDs are known as a means of playing music, but they can
also be used to store data. There are two major types of
blank CDs: CD-Rs (R = Recordable) and CD-RWs (RW =
Rewritable). Information is burned onto the CD using a CD
writing software program. CD-Rs can only be used once,
while CD-RWs can be erased and rewritten multiple times.
Blank DVDs can also be used for storage.
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To store a large number of files or back up an entire
computer system, consider getting an external hard drive.
These drives come in many sizes and are just like the hard
drive inside the computer.
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One of the best and most popular portable storage methods
used today is the flash drive (also called a thumb drive or
jump drive). These small devices plug directly into the USB
port on a computer.

12. THE WINDOWS DESKTOP
When a computer is turned on, the main screen is
known as the desktop. On the desktop are several
small pictures known as icons. Most computers
have icons along the left side of the screen. These
open programs or perform an action. Common
icons are:
 · My Documents, which is a folder to store
personal files.
 · My Computer, which contains all of the contents
stored on the computer.
 · Recycle Bin, which is a temporary storage place
for deleted files.
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13. THE WINDOWS DESKTOP
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Depending on the computer, the desktop may contain
many more icons. They can represent a variety of
things: a folder (containing documents), a hard drive, a
program, or a single computer file.
Double-clicking an image displays whatever that image
represents. For example, double-clicking on a program
icon launches that program, double-clicking a file icon
opens that file, etc.
At the bottom of the screen is the taskbar. Even if a
program or document is opened that covers the
desktop, the taskbar remains visible.
The taskbar displays how many windows are currently
open, as well as frequently opened programs.

14. THE WINDOWS DESKTOP
The start menu is also located on the left side of
the taskbar. This provides access to all of the
programs on the computer, as well as the shut
down command.
 To switch between windows, click on the icon in the
taskbar representing the open program or
document. The other windows will remain open, but
will be hidden underneath the one currently being
viewed.
 On the right side of the taskbar is the system tray,
which usually displays the day and time, as well as
several small icons that represent various behindthe-scenes functions.
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15. THE WINDOWS DESKTOP

16. STARTING UP THE COMPUTER
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When you visit the library, the computer is already
on and waiting for you—just type in your library
card number and you are ready to go! When using a
computer at home, it is important to turn it on and off
correctly. Every computer is different, but the process
should be similar:
1. If the computer is plugged into a power strip, ensure it is
plugged in and turned on.
 2. Turn on the computer and monitor. A green light usually
indicates that the computer is starting up.
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The computer may take a few minutes to start up as it
goes through all of the necessary processes of loading
Windows. The computer is ready to use when the
desktop is visible and the hard drive sounds have
stopped. Be sure to wait until Windows has loaded
completely before using the computer!

17. COMMON WINDOWS ELEMENTS

18. SOFTWARE
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By itself, a computer’s hardware is not very useful.
You can connect it and set it in place, but it won’t do
anything until you have some software to perform
tasks for you. Software refers to programs that tell a
computer what to do. Examples of computer
software are:
Microsoft Word for word processing
 Microsoft Excel to create spreadsheets and crunch
numbers
 Microsoft PowerPoint to create presentations
 Web browsers like Internet Explorer and Firefox to
display websites from the internet
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19. TOGGLING BETWEEN PROGRAMS
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It can be helpful to have two or more programs open at
the same time. For instance, you could be researching a
topic using the internet and want to take notes in Word
at the same time. After you have launched the two
programs, it is easy to switch between one program and
the other. To switch to another program (and send all
other open programs to the background), you can do
one of the following:
Click the application’s button on the bottom of the screen in
the taskbar.
 Click any visible part of the application’s window—including
the title bar for the application.
 Hold down the Alt key and then press the Tab key repeatedly
until the application window you want is selected. This cycles
through all open windows. When you are at the window you
want, release the Alt key.
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20. SHUTTING DOWN YOUR COMPUTER
Keep in mind that the library computers are left on
all day so they are always ready for patron use—
there is never a need to shut down a library
computer! After using a library computer, always
click Done in the bar at the top of your computer
screen and then click End Now. This will end your
computer session.
 The best way to turn off your computer at home is
to tell the computer to shut down. Do not turn off
your computer by pressing the button on the
computer case. You could lose data and settings
that are temporarily stored in your system’s
memory.
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21. SHUTTING DOWN YOUR COMPUTER
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To shut down Windows and turn off your computer, follow
these steps:
1. Save and close any files you have open.
 2. Click the Start button (Microsoft globe) in the lower left-hand
corner of your screen to display the start menu.
 3. Click the Shut Down button.
 4. Wait until your computer shuts down and turn off the monitor.
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22. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?
Matt Kovar
TLC Coordinator
(308) 233-3612
mkovar@kearneygov.org