We've got new devices, available to check out at all 7 of your Wayne County Libraries. They allow you to bring the internet into a home where there isn't any. The Smart Spot devices are internet capable on their own with a pre-paid TMobile account powering them, and they can also be used as a mobile hot spot to run 5-8 other devices online. Patrons can check them out for 2 weeks with one renewal. There is a form to fill out, you'll need to agree to our checkout terms, and we do not require any form of payment, deposit or credit card guarantee. Checking out a Smart Spot works like anything else you check out from the library - but with a tiny bit more paperwork. The Smart Spots come in 3 sizes: smart phone size, e-reader size, and ChromeBook size. There are apps already installed on the devices or you can just use the Smart Spot to go straight to the internet. There are filters installed on each Smart Spot to prevent access to unsafe online locations (we don't want digital viruses!) and each machine is digitally wiped clean for the patron's privacy when it's powered down. The libraries are also disinfecting the devices upon their return to the library as our normal procedure during the Covid pandemic.
The WLA purchased 60 of these devices using the Cares Act Broadband Funding grant provided by the Wayne County Commissioners and the WLA is also paying the TMobile bill for all of them each month. Currently, each of the 7 libraries in the county has 6 devices to check out. We will put more out for availability as soon as we know where the need is the greatest. We also have a survey enclosed in case we hit some patches in Pleasant Mount, Lakewood, and Newfoundland where the internet hits a dead zone. T-Mobile says they have coverage - but we will alert them if someone says they can't get it to work.
This is an amazing opportunity for people who can't get internet access into their home, but they need to be able to get online to pay bills or do schoolwork or look for a job. Check out a Smart Spot device from the library, bring it home with you, and get unlimited access to the internet for 2 full weeks!
The WLA purchased 60 of these devices using the Cares Act Broadband Funding grant provided by the Wayne County Commissioners and the WLA is also paying the TMobile bill for all of them each month. Currently, each of the 7 libraries in the county has 6 devices to check out. We will put more out for availability as soon as we know where the need is the greatest. We also have a survey enclosed in case we hit some patches in Pleasant Mount, Lakewood, and Newfoundland where the internet hits a dead zone. T-Mobile says they have coverage - but we will alert them if someone says they can't get it to work.
This is an amazing opportunity for people who can't get internet access into their home, but they need to be able to get online to pay bills or do schoolwork or look for a job. Check out a Smart Spot device from the library, bring it home with you, and get unlimited access to the internet for 2 full weeks!
