During the Junction City Town Hall meeting conducted by the North Central Kansas Library System, a 90-year-old, retired military general spoke to his state representative regarding the necessity of broadband Internet for personal use. He couldn’t live without the high speed internet connection because every week he receives a “mail call” email from his World War II unit. He had to get that information so he could keep current on his men.
Education - A gentleman who comes to the Oswego Library when he visits family for the holidays, came to the Library with a special request. This VP of marketing doing some classes online by Skype for individuals in Russia. He needed a room for the classes and the Library accommodated him. At the end of his last class he took his computer around the Library and showed the student the Library were and explained how the Library works for the public. He introduced me to his student. Before he left he thanked me and said the Library is the one place in the town he knew he could get WiFi and the help he needed. Liz Turner, Oswego Public Library
Business- In my community, McDonalds claims they have free wireless, but you do have to go inside to get access. Can this really be considered completely free wireless, comparable to what is offered at libraries?
Sandy Wilkerson, Southeast Kansas Library System, SE
Employment- We helped a library user set up an interview on Skype.
John Long, Independence Public Library, SE
Education- The library is the only free WiFi in Chetopa. School work is done after hours by students using their school laptops. Students can also work for the GED or do catch-up work in the local A+ Program.
Tiffany LaPee, Chetopa City Library, SE
Medicine- My husband was able to use telemedicine from the Hays Hospital for his appointments with an oncologist at KU-Med. This saved us a six hour trip.
Kayla Kreller, Phillipsburg City Library, CK
A number of citizens use the library’s Internet for e-government services such as filing taxes, renewing driver’s licenses, applying for unemployment, applying for public assistance.
Cari Cusick, Hesston Public Library, SC
Business- The apartment building across the street from the library can easily access the Library’s wireless. So easily, in fact, that the owner uses this as a perk for potential renters. Ironically, we sometimes have difficulty accessing the library’s wireless signal from the Meeting Room IN the library.
Denise de Rochefort-Reynolds, Frank Carlson Library in Concordia, CK
Employment-Job seekers use the library’s Internet for free email, free social networking, information on jobs, and filling out online job applications.
Rex Cornelius, Wichita Public Library, SC
Education-I changed the settings on three public computers so a DeVry student could complete a lab project.
Derek Ray, Emporia Public Library, NC
Medicine-A man with a rare ailment was able to connect with a specialist in Australia, who could speak with him via video-conferencing. The specialist also received medical information and test results. He used the information received to adjust the patient’s medication.
George Seamon, Northwest Kansas Library System, NW
One night, I drove back into town at midnight to put away a Trojan team flag that had been accidentally left outside the library. Upon arriving at the library, I found the wife of one of our harvesters sitting in a lawn chair with her laptop and a blanket. She was making out-of-hours use of the library’s Internet.
Denise Smith, Stanton County Library in Johnson, SW
Business-We have a patron from Alaska who uses the library wireless to conduct his hardware business, while he is caring for his ailing father who lives in our community.
Janice Jones, Yates Center Public Library, SE
Employment-A local graduate came back after receiving an honorable discharge from the military. He used the library’s technology to complete on-line credits for criminal justice training and to apply for employment with the Dodge City Police Force, where he is working now. It was a great experience for the library staff.
Becky Heinz, Fowler Public Library, SW
Education-I had a student who attempted repeatedly to access a college website so she could download some assignments. She finally drove to nearby Newton to get the job done.
Rodger Charles, Peabody Township Library, NC
Medicine-Local citizens with defibrillators are able to have them tested at the library. The readouts can be sent online to Topeka.
Judy Burgess, Abilene Public Library, NC
Satanta was visited by a professor from Oakland, California. The professor had done some scholarly work on the use of Indian place names in America. He was interested in the town where all the streets were named after Indians. He discovered Satanta through the Internet and came to see it.
Lennet Froelich, Dudley Township Library in Satanta, SW
Business-The library sponsors classes on eBay to help the public learn to buy and sell online.
James Swafford, Pittsburg Public Library, SE
Employment-A successful job seeker was so pleased that he brought a big box of candy for the library staff and thanked them for helping with the job search.
Candee Jacobs, Beck-Bookman Library in Holton, NE
Education-I am working hard to let school students know that they can reach the school website and do their testing at the public library. The school is dealing with reduced staff and severe time limits. At the public library, they have more time and it helps.
Trinda Chase, Waterville Public Library, NC
Medicine-A friend who gets all her medication and nutrition through a line in her chest is in constant communication with NutriShare consultants in California. They monitor her test results every day.
Shannon Roy, State Library of Kansas, NE
Wichita Public Library has a service called Book-a-Librarian. The librarians can offer a variety of one-on-one computer help. It is very popular, especially with senior citizens.
Cynthia Berner-Harris, Wichita Public Library, SC
Business-AlyKat Designs in Richmond was launched on Facebook. A stay-at-home mother of five is able to help with the family income.
Connie Weber, Richmond Public Library, NE
Employment-Local social workers use the library’s Internet to help their clients do job searches, take personality tests, and file for social services.
Kim Priest, Mary Cotton Library in Sabetha, NE
Education-The local school has been dealing with budget and staff cuts. We have been trying to do outreach to pre-schoolers, kindergartners and first grade students. We don’t want them to fall behind and never catch up.
Denise Hull, Hope Public Library, NC
The library is going to have training sessions for the public on using Skype and using flip cameras.
James Swafford, Pittsburg Public Library, SE
Business-A young mother with a new baby uses the library computers to operate her small “home” based business. She is able to supplement her income and still remain a stay-at-home mother.
Charlene McGuire, Southwest Kansas Library System, SW
Education-Two 13 year old boys needed to research Lewis and Clark, but all the computers were full. I pulled down an encyclopedia and showed them how to look up each man. They asked what the books were and where I got them. I told them the books were the hard copy of the Internet information. They said, “Okay,” and did their homework.
April Read, Cherryvale Public Library, SE
Girl Scout leaders come in and get information they need from the library. This helps them run the local Girl Scout organization.
Pat Leibbrandt, St. Francis Public Library, NW
Business-A local company in Council Grove does heirloom seed sales exclusively through the Internet. The heirloom seeds are preserved stock, not genetically modified.
Lee Dobratz, Council Grove Public Library, NC
Education-With school finances being slashed, it is critical that our rural students have good Internet access at the schools and also at the public library. Some students don’t or can’t have Internet access at home.
Kay Lassiter, Delaware Township Library in Valley Falls, NE
A couple travelling through the state stopped at the nearest library when they were having trouble with their Ipad. They thought it was a good place to get help. I helped them with their problem and taught them how to connect to library’s WiFi, how to connect at home, and how to use it at other places.
Melissa Parker, Southeast Kansas Library System, SE
Business-A bridal shop has moved to Burlingame, to get away from the costs of doing business in Topeka. As a result, the shop is adding more online business via the Internet.
Donelda Sage, Burlingame Community Library, NE
Education-We have middle school and high school students relying on the library for their educational needs. We have a small contingent that meets at the library every day to “go to school.”
Leah Kulikowski, Wamego Public Library, NC
A woman moved to our town with her family. Her husband was serving in Afghanistan. She needed certain papers from the army. The army emailed the forms to her husband. He emailed them to his wife. She printed them off, filled them out, and we faxed them to the army. She got her authorization.
Liz Turner, Oswego Public Library, SE
Business-A former art teacher started a business painting photography backdrops about 15 years ago. The business is now almost entirely online. He now has about five employees and ships a variety of photography equipment all over the world.
Linda Nelson, Washington City Library, NC
Education-We have had several students taking college classes online. They needed to take proctored tests and used the library for this.
Kim Priest, Mary Cotton Library in Sabetha, NE
We helped a family use Skype to talk to a family member serving in Iraq.
John Long, Independence Public Library, SE
Business-A young man in Tonganoxie used the library’s computer to work on scheduling for his company. He eventually got a promotion.
Sharon Moreland, Northeast Kansas Library System, NE
Education-Our library is the only place in town that proctors tests. The High School used to do it, but the one teacher offering the service retired. We are trying to accommodate the crowd.
Holly Mathes, Grant County Library in Ulysses, SW
Our small public library has only five computers and they are too slow when all are in use. The adults would like to limit the use by children and teens. Their frustration is understandable, but the library must respect the equal rights of all. The only solution is more public computers and more bandwidth and that is going to be hard to finance.
Rodger Charles, Peabody Township Library, NC
Business-Greyhound breeders in Abilene are using library computers to do their research and conduct their business.
Judy Burgess, Abilene Public Library, NC
Education-Our school district uses para-professionals from Keystone Learning. They need to be re-certified each year. We had one employee use the library Internet to get the online continuing education credits needed for re-certification.
Katherine Jones, McLouth Public Library, NE
Rural residents can have real difficulty getting the services they need. When the Nook ebook reader first came out, there were only two ways to activate it. The user could go to a Barnes and Noble store or they could use a 3G network. The nearest Barnes and Noble store was over two hours away from where we lived. The nearest 3G network was 60 miles away. What we needed was an activation program that could be easily reached over the Internet using a home computer.
Kathy Rippel, Central Kansas Library System, CK
Business-A farmer had been using his “Farmer’s Almanac” for directions on castrating his cows. His new almanac didn’t have what he needed. The librarian was able to locate it for him with a quick Internet search.
Peggy Waldman,Overbrook Public Library, NE
Education-We help a lot of home schoolers in our area that don’t have Internet access at home. We are the first resource they think of for all Internet needs.
Adrienne Olejnik, Rossville Community Library, NE
Some residents buy tickets for trips or concerts or other entertainment using the library’s Internet. These are people who do not have effective Internet access at home.
Gwen Battis, Silver Lake Public Library, NE
Business-Plains has a large number of harvest crew members from South Africa, who use the library’s Internet to connect with home.
Carolyn Chase, Plains Community Library, SW
Many senior citizens cannot afford to have Internet access at home. They can use the library’s computers to communicate with friends and family as often as they wish.
Kim Priest, Mary Cotton Library in Sabetha, NE
Business-The area has a lot of custom harvesters who come in to connect to family and friends in South Africa and Australia.
Eunice Schroeder, Stevens County Library, SW
Some residents have no computer skills at all, but have to conduct various kinds of business on the Internet. The library is the place where they can get reliable help.
Carla Feisal, Jewell Public Library, CK
Business-Two local young men started their own agricultural company, using the library’s meeting room to meet with other businessmen and work on their laptops. This company is now the very successful Surefire Ag.
Pam Luedke, Atwood Public Library, NW
I live seven miles from the nearest town. I use the Internet to do online shopping, my mother uses it to check her email, my kids use it to read their school assignments, my husband uses it to telecommute across the county. We couldn’t live here without it.
Kim Rutter, Southeast Kansas Library System, SE
Business-My daughter and her husband run a coast-to-coast truckline and book everything online; plus they are brokers for other companies.
Janice Jones, Yates Center Library, SE
Two of my three adult children live overseas, in Germany and Argentina. Without Skype I wouldn’t have seen either of them for over a year. With Skype, I can “see” them nearly every week. I live east of Lawrence, near Linwood, and the connections haven’t always been perfect, though they are better than they used to be. But it has been much more successful than trying to communicate with my mother in Florida, who has only dial-up access.
Teri Nelson, Northeast Kansas Library System, NE
Business-The business community of Sterling, Kansas has bought Kindles loaded with small business ebooks and asked the Sterling Public Library to house them for businessmen to check out.
Lee Scott, South Central Kansas Library System, SC
Emporia has space for 17 public computers to serve a city population of 25,000 plus residents from Lyon and Chase Counties. We need more computers, which is an extra expense, and more space, which would need a library expansion. Laptops for checkout in the library are a possible option, but we do worry about theft.
Sue Blechl, Emporia Public Library, NC
Broadband Everywhere: Libraries Connect Kansans 