From:	Stan Pokras [stan@communitymagic.org]
Sent:	Tuesday, February 09, 2016 4:08 PM
To:	CJRhoads@HPLConsortium.com
Subject:	Bio and photo
Attachments:	Stan Formal 2.jpg

Stanley R. Pokras
 
Stan Pokras studied electrical engineering in the 1960's, and created a community 
information "store" serving the information and referral needs of an artistic and 
entrepreneurial community on South Street, Philadelphia, in 1970. This service could 
be characterized today as "Craigslist" on 3" x 5" cards. Thousands found collaborators, 
employment, housing, and friends. Some found mentors and some found their spouse.
 
From 1980 to 1989 Pokras published a newsletter called "Other Networks" devoted to 
the study of networks of people and the tools for group communication over distance.
As the founding (1985) Vice President of the Electronic Networking Association, 
Pokras is nationally recognized for his expertise in computer conferencing and has 
helped to create several local telecommunication projects and served as coordinator for 
a number of international computer and face to face technology conferences.
 
As the Internet became available to the public, in the mid 1990's, Pokras, as the director 
of Nonprofit Technology Resources (NTR) worked closely with LibertyNet to establish 
the first computers available for public use in a Philadelphia library and a training 
program in Internet use for library staff and patrons.
 
From 1985 till his retirement in 2013, Pokras designed and coordinated NTR's broad 
spectrum of consulting, training and computer access services, including a computer 
thrift store. Over 20,000 low cost or free refurbished computers and laptops were 
distributed serving hundreds of local agencies and thousands of low-income 
individuals.
 
Pokras' calls himself an Instigator for his current project, Community Magic, which 
now operates a "Wiki for Philly" called Wikidelphia. Community Magic is also working 
to design a "CrowdHelping" web site to enable helpful people to work together to 
better serve their communities as a public information and referral service. Pokras' 
motto for crowd helping is "Helpfulness brings people into focus." He believes that 
people remember receiving help and they also remember being helpful.

-- 
 
 . . . 
Stan Pokras, Instigator 
Community Magic 
http://communitymagic.org 
http://wikidelphia.org 
267-968-0407 
stan@communitymagic.org 
twitter.com/s_pokras