Throughout this semester, we have talked about the digital divide and how prevalent the problem remains. We have seen citizens turning to their local libraries in search of computer and Internet access. Sewell Chan wrote about how the New York Public Library is trying to lessen the digital divide in his article "Library Expands Wi-Fi Access and Will Lend Laptops" published July 22, 2009.
Chan writes about the New York Public library and their plan to give computer and Internet access to the public. Since 1998, the NYPL’s central building on 5th Avenue has provided a reading room with 50 seats for people to use their lap tops and plug in to Ethernet ports. Because they have so many people vying for Internet access, the library is outfitting another large room with free Wi-Fi access. 128 seats are available in the new Wi-Fi room and the library has 46 laptops that they are going to loan out to patrons.
I think this is a great venture for the NYPL but a few questions come to my mind as I read the article. First of all, how are they going to loan out laptops? Does a customer have to give a drivers license or a credit card to reserve a lap top? How do they control lap top theft? I tried to find answers to this on their website, but did not see anything after a quick search.
I also wonder how much of their budget is allocated to maintain Internet access, Wi-Fi, and lap tops for loans. I am sure that the NYPL has a pretty large budget, but how can the library afford to make this investment in such a hard economic time?
While I think the new Wi-Fi and lap top loan services are great, I am curious about how they are implementing the program. Maybe the NYPL will be a model that other public libraries can look to.
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9 comments:
Here in western, rural Michigan, there was recently a news story about a man who was complaining that he has no internet service covering his home. It's not that he doesn't have money to pay for the service or purchase a computer, he does. It just doesn't cover. I think it is imperative that all americans have access to the web, or they are disadvantaged.
I think it is awesome that the NYPL is increasing access capabilities for their patrons. The junior high school in my town just appropriated lap tops for every single student. Each laptop comes in a carrying case with identifying information. The money came from a grant. How they will control theft/loss is a great unknown at this point, however, I highly commend them and the NYPL for giving it a try.
I think it is the same with anything. When books were first lent out, librarians worried about damage and loss. We still do. Then came books on tape -- the tapes will break! -- books on CD -- they will scratch! -- and videos and DVD's -- they will break and scratch!
Any new thing that comes along will have bugs that have to be worked out. The things we do routinely today had to go through a period of trial and error before uniform rules/laws were created and obeyed (driving on the right side of the road, for example).
I agree that this is an awesome model to follow, and hopefully in five or ten years we won't be amazed by it, it will be a routine thing in all public libraries.
This is very ignorant of me, but I was actually surprised to hear the NYPL is just doing this now. I've gotten very spoiled as someone with a lap top in expecting free Wi-Fi if I bring my computer somewhere. Most of the libraries I've been to already provide this service.
I think this is a great addition to the library, especially with the economy the way it is. I'm sure families looking to make some to their budget have to cancel their home internet service.
As far as the lap tops go, I'm not sure that I think this is the best use of funds. It just seems like asking for trouble--between breakage, theft and other accidents. I think a library should offer as much technology as possible, but I would probably be more in support of increasing the number of desk tops a library has over lap tops.
I can't imagine anyone having an issue with this, except potentially, the taxpayers of NYC. Even for them though, this is a very worthwhile endeavor. The more people who are able to find jobs using these machines and the WiFi being offered, the more money the city will make. Jobs=income tax and disposable income after all.
I assume the folks who run the library have researched and developed a plan to finance all of these laptop purchases and have looked into anti-theft devices to ensure these new assets are protected. I know you can get lo-jacks for laptops, as well as put some devices in them so that if they're taken beyond the security gates, an alarm goes off.
Whatever they do, I say kudos to the New York City Library for implementing a program that has the potential to really help its patrons.
I tend to agree with Jenny on the point of how the library is allocating its funds. Sure, they may be able to afford laptop computers but that does not necessarily make them the wisest choice. Make no mistake, I think the idea behind the program is great. The library seems to understand the needs of its patrons and they are attempting to make accommodations to meet those needs. Still, if desktops are more cost effective, why not buy those and use the funds that would be spent on costly laptops on something else worthwhile. Too, it is important to consider that damage to a laptop can be more costly to fix than it would be with a desktop. Take for example the screen on a laptop computer. If a patron damages the screen, even accidentally, it can cost more to fix the screen than it would to replace an entire monitor on a desktop.
I tend to agree with Lynn here.
I think what the NYPL is doing is wonderful. We just recently had a discussion board conversation about different libraries loaning out tools; why should this be any different? And what good is offering free Wi-Fi access if patrons don't have laptops to make use of it?
I think this all comes back to what we think the purpose of libraries is. As we've seen and discussed throughout the semester, the purpose shifts with cultural shifts and community needs. I think we can all agree that there is a widening digital divide, and if the library spends some money to purchase laptops in an effort to bridge that divide within their community, then kudos to them.
I am so glad that the library is doing this. In times like these-people need to be investing money!! It will only make the economy better. People deserve information and goodness there is a lot of information (both good and bad) on the internet. This could help people enroll or go to school. It could help them find a job. I know this well because it now seems as if the paper application has completely gone away. i am sure that they will have to take a credit card for the laptops, they aren't cheap! (Unless they get a PC). I am glad that a grant was issued for the start up money. I agree with Jackie when she says that she hopes that in later years it will not be surprising to see this.
This is a great way to combat the digital divide and give access to those hwo have little or none.
I think this is an awesome move by the NYPL. Making internet more readily availbale to more people will hopefully close the gap between those who have interent access and those who don't. This will really benefit anyone searching for jobs online who don't have computer access at home. Most libraries I have visited have both desk top computesr and laptops to rent out, so I am a little surprised that NYPL invested so much in the laptops, but any computer with internet access is a plus. They are a very reputable library, and if they think laptops are a good idea, I'm on board. I realize this new update costs a lot of money, but if the library has money to spend, this is a great way to do so.
I find it odd that this story is newsworthy. A library the size of NYPL loaning out 46 laptops is a very small step in closing the digital divide. I don't think that 46 laptops make much of an impact on the numerous patrons that visiit the NYPL. Maybe I am looking at this the wrong way but I don't feel that the article provided enough information about how this will work. When I first read the article it seemed to me that the laptops would be loaned for use within the new Wi-Fi room. Will that really help a patron who does not have a computer at home? Why couldn't they just use a PC that the library already has or purchase more PC's for a lower cost?
Additionally, if the laptops are indeed available for patrons to take home would that patron have internet access and how much of and again how much of an impact will 46 laptops really make on the city of New York? I need more details to readily buy into this.
I think it is an wonderful idea that needs to be implemented on a larger scale in such a huge city in order for the impact to be seen and carried over into other cities.
My thoughts ran along the lines of what Shannon said. Doesn't seem to be so groundbreaking, especially for a library the size of NYPL. All the kids at the high school and junior high in my county get laptops now, I don't really think it's a big deal.
I wonder what the deal is with the lack of power in that room, though - from what the reader comments said, the NYPL will provide laptops, but electricity is ...extra? not available? must one trade in their laptop every couple of hours? This seems strange.
I would like to see this lending process extended to the lending of mp3 players with audiobooks and perhaps not so eventually, Kindles with eBooks already on them. We must mitigate the 'preciousness' and exclusivity of technology. This can be achieved by looking at technology primarily as a means to an end, and making it available with the information or item; the two are inseparable nowadays.
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