WebJunction

As more and more wireless-enabled devices become available to everyday consumers, the demand for available wireless internet connections grows.  No longer chained to a desk with phone lines and Ethernet cables, people are enjoying the ability to communicate anytime, anywhere.  And while public libraries in the United States have made significant progress in providing computer and internet access to more people than ever, it won't be long before wireless access becomes a technology that patrons will ask for.  Is the provision of wireless internet access feasible for public libraries - especially small ones - and if so, what do libraries need to know in order to implement this service?

This month WebJunction focuses on ten steps to getting started with wireless.  Many people think that allowing wireless internet access for patrons entails radically revamping your existing network by doing away entirely with wires.  This really isn't so.  In this Focus on Wireless, we will discuss what you need to consider when extending your existing wired network with a wireless local area network (WLAN) segment for your patrons and staff.

Ten Steps to Wireless Internet Access

1. Ask yourself - do we need wireless in our library?    Before devoting scarce library resources to a wireless installation, decide whether or not it's something your library really should be doing.  Erin Hawk offers some pros and cons to offering wireless hotspots in your building. 
2. Survey your building. What you discover in this step (and the following one) will help you proceed with installing wireless in your library.
3. Survey your existing network. Many of the decisions you need to make will depend on your current network setup. You need to have a clear understanding of how your existing network supports public access computing, and how it is configured in relation to your non-public local area network.
4. Understand wireless security in libraries.  Randy Nelson discusses some of the most pressing wireless security concerns and offers a case study of one particular wireless solution that addresses those concerns. We've also put together answers to some of the most frequent questions about security, safety, and wireless internet access.
5. Evaluate wireless hardware.  Once you know your building layout and your library's network, it's time to consider which items to purchase to make this happen. Read up on some of the features found in wireless hardware and start to decide which ones you need and which ones you don't.
6. Develop a wireless access policy.   How will offering a wireless connection to the internet in your building fit in with your overall policy on internet access and library use? How does this service fit in with your overall vision, mission, and service philosophy? Michael Sauers looks at one library's policy.
7. Develop a technical support plan for users.  Installing a wireless connection in your building adds a new set of technologies for you and your staff to support.  Ross Riker suggests using an FAQ sheet to answer your public's technical support questions.
8. Train your staff.  What will your staff need to know about this technology before you "go live" with it?
9. Educate your patrons.  Likewise, how will you inform your patrons?
10. Market your library as a wireless hotspot.  Once you have a wireless connection up and running, it's likely that you'll want people to come in and actually use it, right? In Kimberly Bolan and Rob Cullin's article on "Putting Free Public Wi-Fi Access into Action at Your Small or Medium Sized Public Library" includes some advice on promoting it to your patrons.