Away out West...(well, actually east, but...)

Kansas City Public Library, Trails West branch
11401 East 23rd Street, Independence

802.11g
SSID: library

Unless you're the adventurous sort like I am, don't even think about bringing a laptop here without a fully-charged battery-and a spare if you've got an extended stay in mind. As of yet, there aren't any carrels save for those already occupied by their workstations, and the only ready-to-use power outlet I've seen anywhere in the building is in the corner by the windows to the left of the information desk. It's on the wall behind a couple of chairs, adjacent to the Kansas City wall map hanging next to the window. Trying to see your screen while contending with direct sunlight coming through the window , however, can be a problem at certain times of the day. You might decide to just find a darker spot and go cordless for as long as you can.

Then again, if you want to be adventurous, there are a couple of outlets in the floor by a maroon chair not far from the corner, and another pair next to the round table closest to the windows. The adventurous part is that they're covered by threaded bronze caps screwed into the floor plate. I'm writing this while plugged into the outlet near the table, having rather discreetly unscrewed one of the caps about twenty minutes ago, and no one's said anything yet. Should you decide to boldly go this route, please be polite and replace the cap when you leave. (I'd go for the table, by the way, at least during the daytime; the chair's back is toward the windows, which is good for reading a book, but not an LCD screen.)

Once more, they've done a good job of hiding the five access points and their antennas, but in such a small building getting a good signal shouldn't be a problem for a properly functioning adapter.