Tonganoxie, the Little Library that Could (An Example for Some who Haven't but Ought To)

To call Tonganoxie in Leavenworth County part of metropolitan Kansas City is really stretching things, even though it's certainly grown quite a bit in the three decades since I used to pass through on old two-lane U.S. 24-40 on my way to KU (the turnpike toll would buy a couple of gallons of gas in those days). Anyway, I'm posting this from their public library, which now has Wi-Fi courtesy of Lawrence-based Sunflower Broadband, which has also unwired the public libraries in Lawrence and nearby Eudora in Douglas County. I happened across this momentous news on Google a few weeks ago and made a note to check it out when I got a chance.

And why mention this, you ask? Because there are still a few much bigger metro library systems closer in to KC that could take a lesson from what Tonganoxie and Eudora have done. For instance, what on earth is Kansas City, Kansas waiting for? They're now the biggest city in the metro without it. Come to think of it, I don't believe that, unless you count the networks in the motels out by the speedway-which like all lodging amenities are really intended for use only by paying guests even though they may not authenticate users-there are any free open hotspots in Wyandotte County except the library at KCK Community College (it's open according to the library's website; I'll try to verify that soon).

And what could be keeping the Mid-Continent Public Library system, that has branches not only in Kansas City but in practically every suburb on the Missouri side of the metro as well as outlying communities like Platte City and Smithville, from unwiring? If Kansas City, with its fiscal problems, could do it in four locations, surely Mid-Continent could at least make a start by going wireless at a branch where it would do the most good in taking pressure off their workstation usage, or would bring Wi-Fi to a community where no one else has yet.

What's that? Money, you say? Well, it didn't stop little Tonganoxie or even smaller Eudora, and it shouldn't stop any bigger community. It's all in how they approach the problem. If either of the library systems I've mentioned here genuinely feel they can't afford to unwire by themselves even with wireless networking's significant drop in costs over the last couple of years, I have a hard time believing that if they went hat-in-hand to their patrons or local businesses-particularly those from whom they purchase technology services presently-their entreaties would not meet with a favorable response.

By the way, in case you are out this way and want to try Tonganoxie's network yourself, the library is at Third and Bury Streets (look for a blue "Library" sign on the highway that will tell you where to turn). The SSID is "sbhsd" and there's no authentication or filtering, but there is a big sign by the door reminding you that their acceptable use policy applies to everyone, so it looks like they've been having some of those problems, unfortunately. I saw good signal strength at a table in back near the windows and-hallelujah!-a couple of power outlets.