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.)
Michael Sauers is the Director of Logan Library in Logan, UT. Prior to this he was one of the founding staff and Technology Manager for Do Space in Omaha, NE. After earning his MLS in 1995 from the University at Albany's School of Information Science and Policy Michael spent his first 20 years as a librarian training other librarians in technology along with time as a public library trustee, a bookstore manager for a library friends group, a reference librarian, a technology consultant, and a bookseller. He has written dozens of articles for various journals and magazines and has published 14 books ranging from library technology, blogging, Web design, and an index to a popular horror magazine. In his spare time, he blogs at TravelinLibrarian.info, runs The Collector's Guide to Dean Koontz website at CollectingKoontz.com, takes many, many photos, and typically reads more than 100 books a year.
Unless otherwise stated, all opinions are my own and are not to be considered those of the City of Logan, UT.
View all posts by Michael Sauers
