Steven Abram (a librarian who travels more than I do and all around swell guy) has some thoughts on comparing hotel WiFi and library WiFi:
“Despite these nightmares, I think there’s much to learn for libraries from the hotel model. For example, when I use the hotel wireless they somehow highjack my preferred homepage settings and display local news, weather, and ads for other hotels in their chain. Hmmmm. How many libraries do this? Can we force a library homepage as recompense for providing wireless access in our spaces? Can we promote our services, localize information like weather and sports? Can we be so bold as to promote events in oter branches? Can we be so in their face as to blog library marketing?”
I’ve been talking about this one out loud to librarys for a while now. I guess I’ve never bothered to blog the issue. Hey, if you’re offering free WiFi, why not send the patrons the library homepage when they connect? (Read his whole post, he’s got some other thought-proviking insights as usual.)
