For their time, typewriters were new, innovative and more efficient. Now we have computers that are even more efficient. Mistakes can be erased, undone and spell check makes the writing process easier.
Librarian Kate Lende has reintroduced typewriters to the library. She thought that it would be something different for the kids. The sensory aspect of the clicking and audible machine noises make typewriters more interesting than just a computer. Lende said “I know kids are really into fidgets and things that they can touch and poke and make noise with, and that’s exactly what a typewriter is.” She said a Lego typewriter she received as a Christmas gift got her thinking about how fun it would be to own a real typewriter.
Before long, Lende found two 1948 manual typewriters offered on Facebook Marketplace by an elderly woman who lived near Great Falls. This purchase soon led her to solicit donated typewriters from the community, and before long, her “fleet” as she calls it expanded to four machines. One had been found in a dumpster, one was an electric word processor from 1992, and the third was an aqua blue 1960s Smith Corona typewriter donated by special education teacher Terry Parker.
Immediately the kids passing through and attending classes in the library showed massive interest in the “new” old typewriters.
Hunter Case, a senior at Park High, said that he enjoys the deep history behind these machines and even went so far as to begin researching the four typewriters, finding that they were mainly from the 1950 and 60’s. Case found that the typewriters often came with no manual so learning to operate them was a task in itself. Typing was a struggle because more accuracy was needed;if a mistake was made then you had to restart. His interest stemmed from the fact that he’d never seen one in real life. He enjoys finding ways to work on and trouble shoot the many issues these relics are plagued with.
In the era of online gaming, A.I. and all the other distractions that come with computers, Lende thought maybe old fashioned typing could provide an alternative. Lliam Edwards, Ben Vermillion, Eric Uberaga, and Jasper Mahony all play Type Or Die on Roblox, which combines trivia questions with speed in typing. After observing this for weeks during their study hall, Lende suggested they give the actual typing machines a try.
