Skip Navigation

Location Closure The Light Street Branch is closed through Tuesday, July 1 due to a facilities maintenance issue.

Announcement The Pennsylvania Avenue Branch is operating on a reduced schedule with limited services 10 am–4 pm until further notice, due to a facilities maintenance issue.

Location Closure The Central Library will be closing Monday, June 30 @ 5 PM due to a speaker event.

Location Closure The Brooklyn, Forest Park, Govans, Hamilton, Herring Run, Northwood, Reisterstown Road, and Washington Village branches are closed for facility improvements. Learn more here.

Holiday Closing All Pratt Library locations will be closed Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

getting help with computer work at the library

Computer Software

The Enoch Pratt Free Library offers a number of software applications on the public computers. Specially designed PCs for children have computer educational games which help children learn and improve their math, English, and reading skills.

Each Pratt Library computer has the following:

  • The latest Microsoft Office Suite software:
    • Word: a full-featured word processing program which allows you to create documents such as letters, resumes, and reports.
    • Excel: a spreadsheet program for generating reports and analyzing data.
    • PowerPoint: a presentation program used to create slideshows.
    • Access: a database management system (DBMS) that allows users to create, manage, and analyze large amounts of data.
  • Web Browers for searching and browsing the internet:
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader: allows the viewing and printing of PDF files.
  • VLC and Windows Media Player: applications used for playing audio, video, and viewing images.
  • Fusion & ZoomText (ADA PCs only): a screen magnifier program designed for visually-impaired people. It allows people to see and hear everything on the computer screen as well as providing access to applications, documents, email, and the internet.

Saving Your Work

All Pratt Library computers have USB ports to save your work to your flash (aka thumb or jump) drive. If you do not have a flash drive, you can purchase a 2 GB drive for $6.50 at all library locations. Most library computers do NOT have 3 ½” floppy disk drives, and all our CD drives are read-only.

Some brands of flash drives (such as SanDisk, for example) have an installation module that attempts to write files to the host computer. Because the Pratt Library uses a security program which blocks this ability, these USBs may not work in our computers.

Other Equipment

Headphones

All Pratt Library locations offer headphones for sale for $1.50.

CDs & DVDs

To use a CD or DVD with a public computer, please request a portable USB disc drive from the Circulation desk.

Computer & Internet Access
More Information
woman using a laptop at a Pratt Library table

Computer & Internet Access


Enjoy free access to computers and the internet at all Pratt Library locations.

Public Computers
More Information
girl at Pratt Library computer, smiling

Public Computers


The Central Library’s Public Computer Center has computers available for research, job searching, and more.