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Hotspot Lending for Rural Oklahoma Libraries

Dr. Brian Whitacre

Jacob Manlove

Department of Agricultural Economics Oklahoma State University

What is a Hotspot? • Connects to the Internet via a

cellular (wireless) service provider (i.e. AT&T, Verizon, etc.)

• Emits a Wi-Fi signal that users can connect their personal devices to (laptop, tablet, or smart phone) in order to use the Internet – Most can connect 8-10 devices

at one time

• Mobile – will work wherever the service provider has coverage

• Speeds based on provider signal • Similar to a data plan for a cell

phone – Unlimited plans available

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Why Loan Out Hotspots? • Bridging the Digital Divide • Lessening the homework gap for children • Providing Internet options to rural areas with poor

coverage • Offering connectivity to financially disadvantaged

patrons • Helping individuals with employment opportunities • Accessing health information, especially for seniors • Offering connectivity at community-wide events • Allowing individuals living with disabilities the option

to access the Internet from the comfort of home

IMLS Grant • Started as urban projects but now are gaining traction in

rural locations • In 2015, the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public

Library , and the Queens Public Library system piloted a hotspot lending program for New York residents without broadband at home.

• Lending 10,000 devices and receiving over $1 million in funding from Google and other sources.

• The NYPL partnered with 24 rural libraries in Kansas and Maine to see how the program might be different in more remote areas.

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Research Team • Dr. Brian Whitacre, Oklahoma State

– Agricultural Economics

– Rural Development

• Dr. Sharon Strover, University of Texas

– Regents Professor in Communications

– Broadband Policy

• Dr. Colin Rhinesmith, Simmons College

– Library and Information Science

Kansas Locations

Kansas

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Maine Locations

Maine

Different Management Approaches

• Kansas: Monthly webinars (required)

– Reported on monthly stats / patron surveys / device management

– Helpful for ideas regarding marketing, packaging, data limit issues

• Maine: No systematic follow-up

– Diminishing program use over time

– Lack of ‘sounding board’ for problems

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Early Findings from Kansas How likely is it that you will renew your

device after the current loan period ends?

Early Findings from Kansas How likely is it that you would recommend checking out the

library’s MiFi router, to a friend or colleague? 1=highly unlikely; 10=very likely

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Early Findings from Kansas Since checking out a device, how confident are you

in your own (or your child’s) ability to use the Internet?

Your Own Ability Your Child’s Ability

35% with MORE confidence

35% with MORE confidence

Early Findings From Kansas How likely are you to purchase broadband Internet service for your household in

the next 6 months?

53% Very Likely (for $10 / month)

43% Very Unlikely (for $50 / month)

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Who Else is Trying to Help the Disconnected?

OSU Fact Sheet

Early Findings from Kansas Devices Loaned:

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“How-to-Hotspot” Guide

• English and Spanish Versions available online

– Hotspot Basics

– Monthly Bill

– Implementation

– Outreach

– Challenges

Hot-To-Hotspot Guide

Costs

• Work with Local / National Providers

• A Great Option: Mobile Beacon!

– $200 / year / device for unlimited data

– Limited to Sprint Network

https://www.mobilebeacon.org/hotspot/ - User Guide / Getting Started Guide

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Tracking the Device

• MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier), MDN (Mobile Directory Number), SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) of each device to be noted somewhere to identify

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Packaging

Packaging (cont’d)

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Sample Checkout Form

Do We Need a User Agreement?

• Warner Library, Tarrytown, NY

• Roosevelt Public Library, Roosevelt , NY

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Training • Staff Training: The training is generally not

onerous as the devices themselves tend to be very user friendly.

– “Just turn it on, and find the wi-fi on your phone.”

• However, training staff in the use of the devices tends to aid in a speedier checkout process for your patrons who may need help.

Sample User Guide from Mobile Beacon

Short Term Loans

• Short-term loans for business and organization use

– Credit Card Transactions

– Marketing

– Social Media

• Personal Use

• Set Fee/Day (Coffeyville, KS $5.00)

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Sprint Coverage in My Area

Sprint Coverage

What Network??

• https://opensignal.com can show you what providers are in your area

• Make sure you ground-check this!

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Broadband Adoption in my Area

The FCC provides Census Tract-level household broadband adoption rates: https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/internet-access-services-reports/internet-access-services-reports

2013 Data

Challenges of the Program • Throttling

– If you do not have an unlimited data plan with your devices, users will be “throttled” when the limit is hit

– This can be VERY problematic: The first user in one month may use up the entire limit, rendering the remaining loans useless (and with frustrated users)

– Maine program had 2 GB limit / month • Focused on households with school-aged children (homework gap)

• Was not as successful

– Kansas program initially had 5 GB limit, moved to unlimited after complaints / discussions with Verizon

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Challenges of the Program • Damage, Loss, Theft

– Requiring patrons to fill out a user agreement before checking out that outlines library policies

– Charging a replacement fee (some asked for the cost of the device or up to $200)

– Figuring out if staff can fix devices or need to send out to be fixed

– Determining if/when it is appropriate to contact police

Challenges of the Program • Waitlist

– Adapting the process for book waiting lists

– Preventing renewals, once returned patrons can be added to list

– Using a shareable calendar to keep track or to allow specific check out dates

– Varying checkout lengths of some devices

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Community Engagement/Marketing • Making sure your community is aware of the

programs your library has to offer is integral to the program’s success! – An announcement on the library’s website (and by

the computers) – Hosting a community-wide hotspot lending event – Circulating flyers throughout your community – Sharing details of the program across social media

(Facebook, Twitter, etc.) – Email to public school students – An article in your local newspaper – A spot on your local radio station – Word of mouth (presentations at schools, churches,

Rotary Clubs, etc.)

Community Engagement/Marketing

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Case Studies from Previous Libraries

• Goodland, KS

• Stanton County, KS

• Peabody, ME

Goodland, KS

• The director estimated that roughly 50% of hotspot checkouts were wholly novel.

• 47% of the population using hotspots had never been library patrons in the past.

• Local 4-H volunteers checked out hotspots to use at the Stanton County Fair in order to provide attendees the option to pay with credit cards

Continued hotspot program on their own with help from library board; $40 / month / device from Verizon

Northwest Corner of State

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Stanton County, KS • At the start of the pilot

program, the Stanton County library had eight MiFi devices which were available to patrons with a library card.

• The library publicized the program via Facebook and their community calendar, but information also spread quickly about the program via word of mouth.

Continued hotspot program on their own with $7,000 grant: 15 new devices (for town of 2,000!)

Southwest Corner of State

Peabody, ME • With 13 devices total and occasional

wait lists, the director estimates about 40 to 50 families have taken advantage of the hotspot devices, with at least twenty families consistently relying on one.

• During the school year, students with school issued devices and their families are the first in line for the devices.

• Heating is expensive enough that residents cannot afford home based Internet during the winter – in order to pay for heating and fuel residents will sacrifice Internet access.

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Pilot Rural OK Program

• 3-4 sites (3-4 devices each):

Seminole

Elgin

Haskell Site Pop % Pov

Elgin 2,100 8%

Seminole 7,500 25%

Haskell 2,000 28%

TBD

Summer 2017 – Spring 2018

?

Thanks for your time! Questions?