my carpal tunnel is particularly bad tonight and i'm quickly losing feeling in my right hand, but that's not going to stop me from thanking jenny "the shifted librarian" levine for taking the time to say some nice things about the site. when i started the site over two years ago, i thought that maybe three people would find it worthwhile. it's rewarding to see that number grow beyond my wildest dreams to eight or nine regular visitors :-)

jenny also alludes to a cross-blog conversation we've been meaning to start ever since she wrote about wifi in libraries awhile back. at the time i was thinking about wireless community networks in general and the prospects for using wifi as a technology enabler for libraries looking to expand their role as "community information provisioners" in particular. certainly, while there appears be a growing interest in wireless libraries , i was questioning whether there was any way to subsidize the build-out and operations of networks. as a commentor to her original post rightly poins out, putting together a sustainable network is more difficult that just installing an access point:

"Don’t get me wrong the intention is admirable, just not stable. In the long run it often costs just as much per “usable” uptime minute, as a professionally installed system. Do the pros know more than the local nerds? Maybe yes, maybe no, but that is entirely beside the point. What will pay off in the long run are consistent designs, standardized equipment, and a comprehensive understanding of why each piece is setup the way that it is. I have yet to see this work well over the long term. Worse yet, many systems are built by a parade of three-hour philanthropists building next to, and not on a foundation."

but alas, in her most recent post, jenny points out that might i be getting ahead of myself. as with most things, it looks like education is going to have to be the first step:

" How do we get public libraries to recognize the benefits of public access Wi-Fi and then help them achieve it? Personally, I think the first step is an education campaign. The overwhelming majority of library administrations don't have the slightest clue what Wi-Fi is and why they might want it."

"We need a one-page who, what, where, when, how, and why for dummies."

i'm all for that. where do i sign up? how can i help? i'd be willing to bet that i'm not the only person with a laptop and wireless card who would frequent the library a little more often if there were wireless services available. i'd even be willing to pay for it.