So you've got your computer, your modem and your Internet provider (does AOL ring a bell?). You've fooled around with e-mail, played some games and dipped your toes into the vast and sometimes overwhelming World Wide Web.

But let's face it. It's a jungle out there in cyberspace. At last count, there were 800 million Web pages, with the number growing hourly. Sure, huge numbers of them consist of information that's of interest to only a handful of people. Given the challenges and frustrations that even the most experienced online explorer encounters, you might be tempted to avoid exploring the Internet altogether. But that would mean missing the good stuff. And there is an amazing amount of good stuff if you know where to look--information that can help you on the job and in your school.

Where else could you find answers to questions about the U.S. Department of Agriculture's school meals guidelines, get information on school bus safety and drug and alcohol regulations for bus drivers (in English or Spanish), read the latest from the National Association of Educational Office Professionals, download a copy of a 1997 report on "Roles for Education Paraprofessionals in Effective Schools" or find a listing of K-12 schools across the country that have their own Web sites--all without even having to get out of your pajamas?

For anyone who wants to see what's available online for PSRPs, the best place to start is the AFT's Web site (www.aft.org) and, more specifically, the PSRP section (just click on PSRP in the upper left corner of the home page). The AFT's newly designed site is even easier to navigate, search and find what you're looking for.

"It really can seem like a jungle, but we've tried to pull together a lot of useful information in one place to help our members find what they're looking for," says Tish Olshefski, director of the AFT's PSRP department. "You'll find lots of information about the AFT and the publications we've produced, as well as links to interesting sites related to PSRPs." And if you've had one of those days where the best thing is getting to go home, you might want to click on "the good news about PSRPs," which is full of inspiring and entertaining stories about school staff all over the country.

The Internet can also be more than just a place to read information from other people's Web sites. More adventurous users often explore the world of "listservs"--basically electronic mailing lists or discussions on virtually any topic--which can be a stimulating venue for discussing something you find important or interesting, whether a hobby, a political issue or something related to your job. The PSRP section of the AFT site has instructions about how to subscribe to two listservs the department maintains: one is a bi-weekly newsletter with the latest news about the AFT and PSRPs, and the other is an interactive listserv (meaning subscribers can send messages to the whole list) for college and university classified leaders. In addition, the AFT produces a weekly electronic newsletter ("Inside AFT") that goes to subscribers of the PSRP list.

A tool for unions

For local unions, the Internet has become an ideal way to communicate quickly and inexpensively with members, especially younger ones who have grown up in the age of personal computers. The AFT's site includes a list of state federation and local Web sites (listed under resources), some from affiliates that represent only PSRPs and others from unions that include PSRPs and teachers.

Bruce Koldys, president of the Dearborn (Mich.) Federation of School Employees (DFSE), was responsible for establishing the local's Web page four years ago. "We wanted a site that would be useful in providing timely information on things that were not in our monthly publication," he says.

In addition to reading the latest news about the union and the district, DFSE members and others can use the site to link to the AFT and other union sites as well as to job-related Web sites. "We find that members like being able to visit sites that can keep them informed about what's going on in their field," Koldys notes.

Members can also leave comments and ask questions on the DFSE Web site, and there are items about the union's history and photos from various DFSE activities, such as its Christmas party. More and more of the 1,020 employees represented by the union are using computers both at home and at work, Koldys says, and many of them can be easily contacted through e-mail.

That ease of communicating with members is one of the chief reasons the Coast (Calif.) Federation of Classified Employees set up its Web site a little less than two years ago. "Most of our classified employees have access to the Internet," says Paul Wisner, president of the community college local, "and many of them tend to be pretty savvy when it comes to the use of new technology."

He says the union's site includes the local's contract, constitution and by-laws. In addition, the federation uses its site to keep members informed of state and local politics and to recruit volunteers for various union activities. "We put things on the site that are designed to mobilize people and to show them how they can participate with the union," Wisner says.

Rod Sims, the Coast federation's vice president for communications, says using the Internet has reduced both printing and mailing costs. "Membership recruitment and communications are our two top priorities, and the Web site ties those things together," points out SIMMs. "Having a Web site has helped us overcome the difficulty of getting immediate messages out to members."

Not surprisingly, DFSE has been able to use its Web site as a tool for reaching out to its younger members. "When I talk to new members, a significant number of them mention the Web site," Koldys says. He adds that DFSE is planning to put its contract online, with links that will make it easy for members to search for various clauses. A Web site "is not a substitute for personal contact with people, but it has made it a lot easier to communicate with members and others," he says.

SOME SWINGING SITES

There are literally millions of Web sites on the Internet. As a tiny sample, here are a few that are mentioned in the accompanying story or are included in the PSRP links on the AFT's site.

Dearborn Federation of School Employees:
www.rust.net/~dfse

Coast Federation of Classified Employees:
www.angelfire.com/ca2/cfce/index.html

National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals in Education and Related Services:
web.gc.cuny.edu/dept/case/nrcp

National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (school bus safety information):
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/buses

National Association of Educational Office Professionals:
www.naeop.org