Details on wi-fi

Dear Editor:I agree with Eduardo Silva's contention that the Downey City Library should have wi-fi capabilities (Letters to the Editor, 9/9/10). In fact, Nancy Messineo, the retiring librarian, included a request for wi-fi services in her last five budget proposals. The City Council was not receptive. With budget cuts, cuts to staffing hours and cuts to other services, wi-fi became a non-issue. One of the problems facing the installation of wi-fi services in the Downey City Library is the fact that the building size, shape and structure present transmission problems for the wi-fi signal. Interior walls that were once exterior walls are full of steel. Another problems it that, unlike a coffee shop, the use areas in the library are widely separated. It has been estimated that the initial installation and boot up could cost as much as $25,000. Along with the rental of the lines and the upkeep of the equipment, a staff member must be assigned to monitor and maintain the system. These are all budget considerations that are hard to justify in our current economy. During 2008-09, Internet users went to the library's website 76,103 times and used various pages of the website 3.37 million times. Clearly we are an Internet savvy community and should have wi-fi services in our local library. Nancy Messineo was an outstanding librarian for the city of Downey. We miss her and wish her the best. Her effort to acquire wi-fi for the library came to naught. Maybe it's time for others to take up the cause. -- Colette Stallcup, Downey

********** Published: September 16, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 22