According to a 2011 Harris Poll created for the American Library Association, public computer and wifi use increased at more than 70 percent of U.S. libraries than the previous year.* When libraries can’t afford to upgrade their computers or increase their numbers, wifi access becomes even more critical. When the new Crowell Library opened in January 2008, it had a whopping 16 public access computers, up from the meager six if offered at the old library, but the wifi remained the same, six year-old Blue Socket technology that was pathetically slow and constantly going down, much to the dismay of the staff and patrons.
A city-wide service satisfaction survey conducted earlier this year complained about the library’s unreliable wireless service. But before the survey was even published, a generous donation from the Hal Suetsugu Family, the Montelongo Family, Robert and Grace Karkafi, Dr. Albert Cho and Dr. Della Fong, Raymond Woo and Kristina Fu Woo, solved the problem with new Zone Director wifi. As a result, Crowell Library has increased patron accessibility a whopping 245%. With the old wifi, the library averaged 47 logins per day and now the average is 115.
News of this gift was proclaimed on the consent calendar of the San Marino City Council on May 8, 2013: http://www.cityofsanmarino.org/downloads/CC5813.pdf. In addition, Crowell Library acknowledged the $5,000 donation with lettering on the entrance door to the building: “Wireless service provided by generous donations from…” which will be seen by the nearly 120,000 people who stream through those doors every year.
Thanks to these munificent benefactors, the Library can continue to proudly abide by its motto: “The 21st century Crowell Public Library provides a gathering place, an information center, a technology hub, and a book and media collection to serve the educational, cultural, and recreational interests of people of all ages.”
*http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/americaslibraries/publiclibraries
