Laptops Unleashed

1. Laptops Unleashed Going Wireless in Your Library Carol Frost Peninsula Library System

2. What is “Wireless” • Allows a user to connect to the Internet or other networked resources without having to be plugged in to the network by a cable. • It uses radio waves, much like a cell phone • A user can roam around the library with his or her own laptop. All they need is a wireless card on their laptop. • The library purchases wireless equipment.

3. Who is Using Wireless Number of hotspots in…. • 4968 - US cafes • 1692 - California Cafes • 1037 - California shopping malls • 682 - California hotels • 882 - California restaurants Source: San Jose Mercury News

4. Who is Using Wireless? “Seattle and the Bay Area are the most ‘unwired cities’ in the United States – top spots for computer junkies who send e-mail and surf the Web at restaurants, libraries or public plazas.” San Jose Mercury News, June 7, 2005

5. Who is Using Wireless? “ An East Bay transit agency is looking to install free wireless Internet service on its transbay buses as early as this fall, a move that could make it one of the first mass transit agencies to provide the service to commuters….half of its fleet of transbay buses, about 40 buses focusing on commuters and rush-hour riders, will have WiFi access..” • San Jose Mercury News, July 5, 2005

6. Libraries and Wireless • 98.9% of all public libraries offer public access to computers and the Internet • 18% of public libraries currently offer wireless • Visits to public libraries have more than doubled to 1.2 billion annually in the past 12 years • 21% plan to implement wireless in the next year Source: American Library Association

7. Silicon Valley Library System – Wireless Inventory (9/2005) • Los Gatos Library– no • Mountain View Library – no • Palo Alto Libraries – in process • San Jose Public Libraries – • King library: SJSU students, full w/ authentication • Public at King: only library resources, like databases • Pilot project at 2 branches • Santa Clara City Library - yes • Sunnyvale City Library - no • Santa Clara County – in process

8. Why Wireless? • More demand for the Internet than can meet with wired network • Not just to provide ‘free Internet’ – libraries want patrons to use their many services, such as great databases like Morningstar and Consumer Checkbook for free • Inability to wire in old buildings • Staff wireless for roaming

9. Why Patrons Like It • Don’t have to wait for a terminal • Feel safe when performing personal tasks, such as online banking or reading email– no one else will use their computer • Can do research on sensitive topics without someone looking over their shoulder • Can work on any document on their laptop • It’s comfortable – can sit anywhere in library • It’s free - most cafes charge by the hour • It’s quiet • The network is fast

10. Pieces and Parts • Wireless antenna for laptop • Wireless access point for library 3. Access to Internet • can be via local network • can bypass local network by purchasing access from outside provider

11. A Typical Setup For Wireless

12. How Wireless Internet Access Works • Patron turns on laptop • Wireless signal goes to wireless access point • Wireless “request” is transmitted on library’s wired network to server • Patron receives a temporary network address on library network • Library server forwards patron “request” to Internet • Web page is returned to server • Server passes web page to patron over wireless network

13. Considerations • What is your budget? • What is your current network setup? • Can your current configuration support increased network traffic? • Do you have someone who can monitor the wireless network and troubleshoot it? • Do you have a technology staff? • How will you fund this – both the one-time and recurring costs

14. Different Philosophies of Wireless for Libraries • Wireless is a basic service and should remain free and open to the public. There is no charge or authentication needed for a patron to use wireless. • Wireless is a resource which should be limited to patrons. Patrons need to authenticate using their barcode when logging onto the library wireless network.

15. Peninsula Library SystemBackground • PLS is a joint powers, formed about 30 years ago. • There are 32 libraries, who all share one catalog. Libraries include public, 3 community colleges. • Network is shared with the San Mateo County Community College District. • Network decisions are made in collaboration with the College District. • One IT Department for the entire network which makes technology decisions system-wide

16. PLS Wireless – Nuts & Bolts • Use Cisco wireless product with advanced management features • 1-4 access points needed per library • 420 wireless users per month at large libraries • Patrons have unrestricted access to Internet • Wired and wired network bandwidth usage is • monitored • limited

17. Santa Clara County • 8 libraries in County network from Los Alto to Gilroy • One IT Department for network • Considering Blue Socket and Cisco • Will use external DSL line for the network • Patron will need to validate with barcode • Children’s room will be filtered (per their Internet policy) • Will limit by bandwidth and feature such a mass uploading

18. General Issues About Wireless in Libraries • Metal bookshelves may interfere with connectivity • Older buildings may present challenges with thick walls • Library budget reductions for last several years • May use City IT staff. Library’s projects may be lower priority than those of other city departments

19. Staff Benefits • Use handheld devices to walk into stacks • Use for inventory • Roaming catalog access to help patrons

20. Future of Wireless • More libraries will deploy wireless • Libraries will need to get creative in funding wireless • Libraries with less technological expertise will need to look to cities or other partner to help with design • Some library vendors are beginning to provide ‘out of the box’ solutions for wireless • Less than 10 public libraries in the US that charge for Internet. This could change if libraries partner with commercial wireless vendors

21. Promote New Services • Libraries will continue to offer unique services: loaning laptops, free wireless • First libraries offered the Internet, and now wireless. What if libraries created a home page for the wireless customer that listed all their databases? • Libraries will need to decide where the return on investment will be – with the public, or with their staff.