1. Is Ubiquitous Wireless Coming?
- Author
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Oder, Norman
- Subjects
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WIRELESS communications , *URBAN planning , *LIBRARIES , *INTERNET access for library users , *INTERNET , *EDUCATIONAL technology , *INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems , *INFORMATION technology , *MOBILE computing - Abstract
This article focuses on the plans of many cities in the United States to offer citywide wireless Internet access and how it may effect libraries. Philadelphia mayor John F. Street recently appointed a committee to determine how Philadelphia might become the first large city in the United States to provide citywide wireless Internet access. While citywide Wi-Fi might still be a few years away, the initiative in Philadelphia-as well as smaller efforts to extend wireless access in Seattle, San Francisco, and Maryland's Eastern Shore-suggests an opportunity for the library. Elliot Shelkrot, director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, said the library was very pleased at the prospect of citywide Wi-Fi, but staff are still working on a paper on how it might affect library services. While the Free Library has no members on the wireless committee, the Seattle Public Library's Information Technology Department has been charged by the city to lead a plan for free wireless in four downtown parks. Pat Wallace, assistant director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, which manages SAILOR, the state's public information network, said that the network has been able to leverage E-rate discounts to expand the bandwidth in the state, whatever the best path.
- Published
- 2004