news-record.com

GREENSBORO - A small crowd of teen girls turned on their heels and left the main branch of the Greensboro public library as soon as they'd entered Sunday afternoon. It was the second day in a row they'd entered to find a large sign greeting them: "No Internet on any computers."

The problem began late Friday afternoon, according to librarian Belinda Lam.

"There have been a lot of complaints about it, but there's nothing we can do," Lam said. "We tell them that the computer programs like Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint are still working. You can still use the catalogues. But all weekend there's been no Internet."

Lam said the problem only occurred at the Central Library on North Church Street and it should repaired by today.

Until then, those seeking Internet access will have to look elsewhere.

That includes teens such as Rhona Miles, 15, who came with a group of friends Sunday to surf the Internet and catch up with friends on MySpace and Facebook. Miles said she doesn't have Internet access at home so she uses the library on weekends, when she can't use her school's computers.

"It's really one of the best things about the library," Miles said. "When you come just to use that and it's not working, that's really annoying."

It's more than an annoyance to some patrons, who said they can't afford access at home and use the library's computers to pay bills online or answer e-mail from friends and family.

"It's more convenient to use it on the weekends and catch up with all the online things you have to do in a week," said Stewart Davies, 46.

"But it's like they say about anything that's free - sometimes you get what you pay for."

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com