About the Webinar
This session will look at current activities by public library systems in attempting to extend Internet access to underserved communities and households. Many public library systems -- both large and small -- are experimenting with the loan of Wi-Fi hotspots. What have been the outcomes of such initiatives? How might libraries -- whether in urban or rural environments -- better support patron needs for access to the Internet in a world where the assumption is that everyone is mobile and constantly online?
Agenda
Introduction
Todd Carpenter, Executive Director, NISO
Learning from Keller: Best Practices for Lending Hotspots
Rae Cheney, Library Services Manager, Keller Public Library, City of Keller, Texas
Small Library budget, Big Library offerings: bridging the digital divide in a rural public library and keeping up with the big libraries is easier than you think.
Maria Meachum, Director, Wilmington Public Library, Wilmington, Illinois
Broadband with Curated Content; Queens Library’s Digital Outreach.
Nick Buron, Chief Librarian, Queens Library (NY)
Event Sessions
Learning from Keller: Best Practices for Lending Hotspots
Speaker
A Wi-Fi hotspot is a device that allows library users to access the Internet well beyond the bounds of the library building. The Keller Public Library has learned a great deal about how to successfully circulate Wi-Fi hotspots since June 2016, when they became the first library in Texas to offer them. Rae Cheney, Library Services Manager, will share firsthand experience and best practices for offering this exciting new technology to your patrons.
Small Library budget, Big Library offerings: bridging the digital divide in a rural public library and keeping up with the big libraries is easier than you think.
Speaker
You may think you can’t afford a Hotspot Lending Program, but actually this one is a lot easier to get going than you might think. Library Director Maria Meachum lays out how it’s cheaper than you think, not the loss prevention nightmare you predict and more popular than anything else you’ve tried in a long time. She will talk about Tech Soup, local sponsors, vacation rental units, and tech tricks to stop theft. Challenging questions welcomed and answered.
Policy Documents Available for Download, Courtesy of Wilmington Public Library District: Activating and Setting Up the HotSpots, HotSpot Agreement Form, HotSpot Check In & Out Procedure, HotSpot Connect, HotSpot ID Tags, HotSpot Kit Cost Breakdown, Hotspot Registration Information, Hot Spot Rental Agreement, Notes on HotSpot, Procedure for Rental Check-Outs.
Broadband with Curated Content; Queens Library’s Digital Outreach.
Speaker
In late 2014, the Queens Library was the recipient of a 5000 mobile hot spots gift from Google. The hotspots were the perfect complement to Google tablets previously given after Hurricane Sandy in 2013 and circulated with Queens Library’s curated content.
With terms of the gift over, the Queens Library has learned lessons as it looks to leverage devices, content and Wi-Fi with other partners to make sure all 2.3 million residence have full access to 21st century information.
Additional Information
- Registration closes at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday, August 9, 2017. Cancellations made by Wednesday, August 2, 2017 will receive a refund, less a $25 cancellation. After that date, there are no refunds.
- Registrants will receive detailed instructions about accessing the webinar via e-mail the Monday prior to the event. (Anyone registering between Monday and the close of registration will receive the message shortly after the registration is received, within normal business hours.) Due to the widespread use of spam blockers, filters, out of office messages, etc., it is your responsibility to contact the NISO office if you do not receive login instructions.
- If you have not received your Login Instruction email by 10:00 a.m. (ET) on the Tuesday before the webinar, at please contact the NISO office at nisohq@niso.org for immediate assistance.
- Registration is per site (access for one computer) and includes access to the online recorded archive of the webinar. You may have as many people as you like from the registrant's organization view the webinar from that one connection. If you need additional connections, you will need to enter a separate registration for each connection needed.
- If you are registering someone else from your organization, either use that person's e-mail address when registering or contact NISO Office to provide alternate contact information.
- Library Standards Alliance (LSA) members receive one free webinar connection as part of their membership and DO NOT need to register for the event for this free connection. Your webinar contact will receive the login instructions the Monday before the event. You may have as many people as you like from the member's library view the webinar from that one connection. If you need additional connections beyond the free one, then you will need to enter a paid registration (at the member rate) for each additional connection required.
- Webinar presentation slides and Q&A will be posted to the site following the live webinar.
- Registrants and LSA member webinar contacts will receive an e-mail message containing access information to the archived webinar recording within 48 hours after the event. This recording access is only to be used by the registrant's or member's organization.
For Online Events
- NISO has developed a quick tutorial, How to Participate in a NISO Web Event. Please view the recording, which is an overview of the web conferencing system and will help to answer the most commonly asked questions regarding participating in an online Webex event.
- You will need a computer for the presentation and Q&A.
- Audio is available through the computer (broadcast) and by telephone. We recommend you have a set-up for telephone audio as back-up even if you plan to use the broadcast audio as the voice over Internet isn't always 100% reliable.
- Please check your system in advance to make sure it meets the Cisco WebEx requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your system is properly set up before each webinar begins.