Library now offers hot spots for checkout

FAIRFIELD — Library card wielding residents of Jefferson County may now utilize the Fairfield Public Library’s latest resource available for check out.

The library now offers Mobile Beacon Wi-Fi hot spots with high-speed broadband internet.

According to library director Al Mickuna, this newest offering came after months of receiving requests from community members.

“Probably once a month for the last several months we have had someone ask us to provide these,” Mickuna said. “We know there are parts of Jefferson County that don’t have reliable broadband access and with these they can access reliable broadband internet.”

“Ideally this is for people who may be traveling and don’t get very good phone reception or a nonprofit doing outreach somewhere,” he added.

The library now has five hot spots available for adult library patrons to checkout for seven days at a time with a $20 deposit.

“We purchased these through a company called Tech Soup,” Mickuna said. “They offer these to nonprofits for a special rate and they have an agreement with T-Mobile for data.”

According to Mickuna, the library pays a fee for a years’ worth of data with the purchase of the devices.

After a year, the company could make up to 15 additional devices available.

So far, only one patron currently utilizes a hot spot, but Mickuna expects they will become popular.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com