Learning - Toward Gigabit Libraries Toolkit
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Toward Gigabit Libraries Toolkit
At TSLAC, we recommend using the Toward Gigabit Libraries Toolkit to help public libraries assess and improve their broadband connectivity to ensure they’re meeting and will continue to meet community needs.
(The source for the materials on this page is the Towards Gigabit Libraries Toolkit (TGL) Project . The toolkit was developed by Internet2 and funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS).)
The Toward Gigabit Libraries Toolkit is a free, open-source technology learning, diagnostic and advocacy tool designed for public and tribal libraries in the US. The toolkit will guide you through a series of questions about your technology environment -- and provide you with all the information you need to answer the questions.
- The toolkit is an excellent way to diagnose and fix library technology problems. Some libraries have found it especially useful in preparing for E-rate requests, budget cycles, and even in helping open up lines of communication between library staff and tech workers! Finally, in libraries with high staff turnover, copies of this inventory could be very helpful to future library staff.
- While it's best to do the toolkit with someone with IT experience, the toolkit was designed to be used by non-techie staff. If you need help and can block out some time for a phone call or web conference, drop me a line and we can set up a call.
- The toolkit is divided into 10 sections covering 60 pages. It also has a handy glossary section at the end for quick lookups of technical terms.
- The toolkit is designed to address the most common technology issues in libraries, so it does cover a lot of ground. Feel free to complete the sections that are the most important to you and skip the rest. Sections that might be most helpful to your library are:
- TECHNOLOGY INVENTORY
- Broadband Connection
- Network Devices
- Wired Network and Power
- Wireless/WiFi Network
- Computer/End User Devices
- BROADBAND SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES
- BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY AND OPERATIONS
- BROADBAND FUNDING
- TECHNOLOGY INVENTORY
After you’ve completed the toolkit, you can use another document called the Broadband Improvement Plan to create your own long-term and short-term strategies to improve your technology! It would also help me to help you in the future if you sent me copies of your toolkit and Broadband Improvement Plan.
These are the two official documents to do your inventory and write up your Broadband Improvement Plan.
- Towards Gigabit Libraries Toolkit - This guided questionnaire will help guide you through an inventory of your technology and internet access while teaching you useful information.
- Broadband Improvement Plan - This fill in the box document may help you take near and long term steps towards improving your internet speeds.
Estimate how much broadband speed your library needs
- Your library's need for broadband depends on how many devices (public internet terminals, library owned computers and tablets, patron owned phones, laptops, tablets, etc) and how you want it used (basic web surfing, video streaming, Esports, Minecraft, distance learning, etc). If you're only interested in providing e-mail and basic web surfing, a good rule of thumb is 1 Mbps per connected device. So if you had five library owned computers and five patron owned devices connected to the library network at a time, you'd want a 10 Mbps connection.
- For other considerations, either check out the Broadband Connection section of the Toolkit, or click on one of the links below.
- Broadband Speed Guide (FCC) Offers suggested download speeds for suggested activities.
- Estimating Broadband Needs (Alaska State Library) A 15 minute, interactive tutorial designed to help you understand how much bandwidth is needed for your library.
- Internet Bandwidth: More computers = less for everyone A short blog post from the Alaska State Library explaining how adding more devices to a library's network can slow down the experience for everyone.
- Measuring Your Broadband Speeds
- Because Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are only responsible for delivering a purchased speed "To the wall of your library", It is best to test the speed when no one else might be using it, perhaps early in the morning before the library opens for the public and before other staff might be using the connection. It is also best to test the connection using a computer connected by an Ethernet cable (i.e. using a wired connection instead of wireless) connected computer, as close to the broadband router as possible.
- For more information on checking your speed, review the Texas State Library and Archives Commission speed testing instructional video.
- Note that the bandwidth or speed of your connection is dependent on many variables, especially depending on the type of technology being used. Distance from the “last mile” broadband facilities is the most important. The further away, speeds decrease.
- The speed of your connection can also be impacted by your “middle mile” provider that works with your “last mile” broadband service provider. Check out this great article from the United Kingdom for more information on what can impact your broadband speed.
- Now that you have an idea of how to test and what might affect your speed, here are two speed test tools suggested by the TGL toolkit:
- Speed Test by Measurement Lab Open source, public data system that measures your download and upload speeds, plus latency and retransmission rate (packet loss).
- SpeedTest Run by Ookla, a speed test used by many.
- Wifi Analysis Tools
- These software tools can scan the immediate area for WiFi networks and provide information such as signal strength. Useful for finding WiFi blind spots in the the library, as well as possible sources for interference. For more on wireless networks, see section 4D, Wireless Network and Power of the Toolkit or see Alaska Public Library’s guide Customizing Your Wireless Network.