July 30, 2014

Question

Scott Dermont (IA)

I’m trying to figure out how we count wireless sessions. Are we counting total wireless or are we just counting wireless sessions to patron owned devices? I’m asking for just patron owned on my survey, but now I’m wondering if this is wrong. It appears that the listing is not on the administrative entities list on the Wiki yet, so I’m not sure what the “official” definition is.

Thanks for the help.

SDC Comments

Diana Very (GA)

In Georgia we count the number of hits that the libraries receive to the WIFI connection. This is done by requiring a password, usually a common password, that is prominently posted in the library. Some require the library card number as the password. If the library does not count hits, I also have a question about the hours that the wireless access is available. Some answer 24/7 and some are only on during library open hours.

Hope this helps.

Scott Dermont (IA)

What I’m really trying to figure out is what the new federal definition is asking for. Are we trying to get the total number of wireless sessions, including library owned computers, or are we just trying to get wireless use by patron owned computers.

Katrice Stewart (FL)

My interpretation was that we were going to report all wireless sessions regardless of who the owner may be.  If I’m wrong I’m hopeful others will chime in to set me straight J

Joyce Chapman (NC)

My interpretation (and what NC is reporting) is all wireless, doesn’t matter who owns it.

Cathy Van Hoy (OK)

Same here in Oklahoma – all wireless sessions.

Juan Lee (UT)

In Utah I am using the same interpretation of ALL wireless sessions regardless of who owns the device.

Ann Reed (OR)

Ditto in Oregon. All wireless sessions.

Joseph Hamlin (MI)

In Michigan, we are also reporting all wireless sessions regardless of what or whose device is used to gain access, as long as the library provides the wireless.

Cecilie Maynor (TN)

I am glad this question came up as I had a similar question from some of our libraries last week. I guess I wasn’t sure as I thought the intention of the question was to (eventually) get an overview of a service libraries offer to the public that we aren’t capturing already in computer usage.

Liz Babbitt (MA)

And, Massachusetts is reporting all wireless sessions too.

Diana Very (GA)

Ours will be all wireless sessions, but all will have to use the password to connect. This won't matter which type of device is used.

Diana Very (GA)

Just received new information from my IT Director. The computers in the library are hard wired and will not count on the Wireless count. If they own a mobile lab with laptops, those will count on the Wireless. There are two types of connections working here. The wireless and the hard wired.

So, in Georgia, we will only count the number of hits that use the wireless and not the uses of the hard wired computers in the library.

Susan Mark (WY)

I'm not sure it's even technically feasible to split them out. It's going to be hard enough getting them to count wireless sessions, period.

And I see nothing in the definition that differentiates.

Joyce Chapman (NC)

That’s what NC is doing too. Nothing hardwired would be counted in the reported wireless sessions. But if the library lends laptops or tablets, their use is counted alongside patron owned devices for wireless hits.

Scott Dermont (IA)

I think it is really clear that most of you are counting total wireless. I need to fix my definition. I agree that it would be really hard to separate total from patron only. I’m not sure what I was thinking. Well, actually what I was thinking was that we could say “Internet computer use” + “Wireless Use” = “Total.” But really, I now see that these are two completely different service measures. Maybe we should clarify the federal definition a bit so we don’t need to interpret what is being asked for.

Cecilie Maynor (TN)

We have libraries (not many) that run all their computers on wireless. We also have some libraries that use wireless cards in their stationary PCs for the public. I might be confusing these questions, but should these be counted as wireless instead of computer sessions?  Or…are these separate?