WebJunction

I installed wireless internet into our library (Hopkins County-Madisonville Public Library in KY) back in December 2004, with a launch date in January 2005. I originally visited Henderson County (KY) Public Library, who had theirs professionally installed before us. They use a portal capture system that wireless devices go through (requiring a login and password) before venturing out to the net. I was interested in similar technology; however after discussing the idea with our library director, we decided to go as an ‘open system’, with no restrictions (but we agreed that if we felt the need to add anything like this we could at a later date).

I purchased D-Link DWL-2100AP units, which have the 802.11G capability (since I want to use the network to transmit 'cached' data, I wanted to get as fast a system as possible--and these units have backwards compatibility to B & even A standards). Three of these are situated in the main library, and two are at the branch. The first problem with the main library is the split levels that we have, added to the fact that only the ground floor, and not the mezzanine or the children’s floor, has a public access network.  We had the added problem of the network being in one corner of the building – a nightmare for trying to get a signal across the rest of the library!

The initial setup and testing consisted of duct-taping the units to walls and running around with a wireless laptop testing the signal strength.  Luckily, the units can be set up as signal repeaters, so I could put one in a weaker signal area, get it to detect another access point, and set it to send that signal further out--thus covering the far corner of the building and even over the street to the courthouse steps!  The branch library was easier to install, being only on a single level.  I nearly managed to cover the entire library with one access point, but the meeting room happened to be just out of reach so another repeater was set up to fix that dead zone. The signal there stretches across four lanes of parking lot--even over to the nursing home across the street. (One thing to note from past experience: a wireless system will not be happy in a room filled with steel roof girders!)

The main issue has been patrons who want to use the technology but have no idea how to make it work. I had one man come in with his laptop and a wireless card--in its box--wanting me to install it on his computer!  Another issue has been Internet Explorer trying to dial out instead of using the network (though that's simple to fix - go into Internet Options, Connections, and check Dial Whenever a Network Connection is Not Present). It took a few days to suss this out!  Also, on occasion our router has refused to issue IP addresses (since I managed to update the firmware on the router this has no longer been a problem). Other than that we have been pretty successful. On average we get about three or four patrons per day using the system, and about two or three a day at the branch. People have also come in from out of town and used the system.  Since I'm the only person in the library system who knows about the networking side of computers, I have had a couple of 'tech calls' from the branch asking about how to connect.

Overall, for an investment of $500 for the access points and $40 for cabling, there has been a very positive reaction to the new service.   We have purchased two laptops for use on reference questions (and we don’t have to be tied to a desk to answer these). The genealogy society (not a part of the library, but they rent a room from us) have invested in a computer to use in their area.  It will have a wireless card to access the Internet so that they can use the genealogy databases that we subscribe to. The best part of all however, was the speed that the director ran down the stairs to look at the wireless working for the first time!

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