Free broadband in public library
Locals can now pre-book by phone to use Takaka Memorial Library’s free internet. Photo: Gerard Hindmarsh.
It’s been just over four months since the introduction of free broadband and wireless internet facilities at TDC libraries, including Takaka’s Memorial Library.
While some internet café owners are crying foul about the council’s role in undercutting their business, TDC libraries manager Lisa Oldham says the move overall has been tremendously successful.
The uptake of Aoteoroa People’s Network (APN) through TDC libraries was initially phenomenal, especially in Motueka and Takaka, she said.
“As word spread about the free wi-fi, demand increased with the influx of seasonal workers and tourists becoming eager users. This did lead to overcrowding in these two libraries.
“Now you’ll find much of the PC and wi-fi use in the library is by local users, and this will grow as more people here discover it. Frankly, I’m not too surprised that we are experiencing some teething problems, but I suspect that in a year or two’s time, free internet in public libraries and elsewhere, too, will all be part of the fabric of our lives,” said Lisa.
“Certainly, we’ve been concerned that internet café owners have written to us with their complaints, but we have taken various strategies now to try to mitigate this, like the booking system for local people where they can phone in and reserve a terminal. We’ve also arranged a data cap on wi-fi sessions, we’v e capped the number of wifi sessions and reconfigured or restricted the areas for wi-fi use.”
Takaka’s library manager Tish Potter reported that the situation here had levelled out a lot now that summer had passed.
“We do strictly reserve two of the computers just for kids after school, and the third one is reserved for library cardholders only. The biggest trend we’ve noticed at the library has been the number of people bringing their own laptops along, and sitting around to get wi-fi connection.
That’s why we had to commandeer the newspaper room for them, so now they have their own private space. After we shut, you can see people with their laptops sitting on the steps outside still getting wi-fi reception.”
Takaka businesswoman Genevieve Wee doesn’t think the changes the library has made go far enough. Before the library started providing free broadband, she estimated she was turning over cyber services of several thousand dollars a month over all her twelve terminals - four at Channel X and another eight at Aubergine Café. Now most of her terminals sit idle, and she’s not impressed.
“The people who made this decision don’t know much about business. Council should be about protecting businesses in the community, not competing with them. What say council started putting in free motels, and took business away from the local motels? I’m sure we’d hear about it. I’ve got nothing against locals getting free broadband, but here the council has poached away all my tourist customers.”
Other e-café businesses in Takaka surveyed said they definitely noticed a downturn when the free internet was introduced. The Wholemeal Cafe’s Wayne Green said: “Guess I’m just lucky computers aren’t my core business. Anyway, having computers for people to use in your shop can be more trouble than they’re worth. More and more people are bringing their laptops for wi-fi anyway.”
Some Takaka library-lovers like Hannah Campbell have openly questioned why two terminals should be made available for anyone and only one for cardholders: “Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”
The funding for all the free internet and wi-fi access in libraries came not from ratepayers but from the part of central government’s “Digital Strategy”. This initiative will see free broadband and internet access installed in all public libraries and many marae within the next few years. It’s a first move to address the poor digital infrastructure outside the main centres, and is based on a UK model that provides access to broadband to people around the country via every public library.
So far in New Zealand, more than 100 public libraries, including metropolitan libraries in Christchurch and Auckland, now provide totally free internet access for anyone who walks through the door. Last October TDC took delivery of their 19 APN-supplied computers; 10 went to Richmond, 4 were installed in Motueka, 3 in Takaka and 2 in Murchison.
“Access to online information is now a core library business, and this means for travellers too,” explained Lisa Oldham. “Reciprocal use of libraries is the norm in many countries now. Providing online access in a culture of commercial internet cafés is exactly the same principle as lending books in a culture of commercial bookshops. We end up co-existing together and meeting often different needs.”
One thing is for sure; it hasn’t only been computers that have had the library buzzing this last season. Book borrowing (113,723) around Tasman this year to date has been up an average 4 per cent on the previous year. In Golden Bay that increase has been a whopping 9 per cent.
Gerard Hindmarsh
