Friday, March 30, 2007

Kitchigami Branches Provide Wireless Access!

Hail! Citizens all.
The Pine River Public Library has gone wireless. Is that at all like “unplugged”? Seems like it should be. That being the case, the first thing that comes to mind is “Unplugged” by Lois Grieman . After that, the wonderful missive, “Unplugged!: the bare facts on toilets through the ages/ Anna Ciddor” by, of course, Anna Ciddor and “Unplugged Kitchen: a return to the simple, authentic joys of cooking” by Viana La Place. Music? Sure. “Shakira, MTV unplugged” or “MTV unplugged EP” with Mariah Carey, or the very best, “Unplugged/ Eric Clapton”. Where, you might wonder, do I get all this information? Why, krls.org in the catalog section. All of this and more is available through your regional library. Just think of a title, an author, or a keyword and plug it in…The results will astound you.

But I digress. Actually, wireless has little and everything to do with unplugged. I received an email from Muriel, branch manager of the Pine River Public Library with the following news release:

Computer users at the Pine River Library now have another way to access the Internet. All branches of Kitchigami Regional Library now provide wireless access within the library.

Public demand for wireless access has increased over the last year. Muriel says, “For example, people who are taking courses or writing reports found our Internet access too restricted. Our library has a limited number of computers available for an hour or less. Now people can bring their laptops to the library and have the extended Internet access that they need – as long as their laptop has a wireless card in it.” Muriel also says that wireless users must agree to follow Kitchigami Regional Library Internet policies before their wireless connection is activated.

Of course you are now wondering how it is that I have email, and can you actually communicate with me using it. Naturally! Simply write to me at pineriver@krls.org and put “to Browser” in the subject line. I’ll get it. Have any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Let me know!

And lastly, don’t forget to file your taxes. Forms are available in the lobby of the library and patrons can still go to www.irs.gov to download any forms we don’t have or any information they may need. Better get right on that. It’s getting pretty close to spring-like weather and you aren’t going to want to be indoors with a pencil and eraser and calculator, chewing your finger nails – or claws, whichever the case may be.

Until next time,
I remain,
-Browser, the library cat

Printed in the Pine River Journal 29 March 2007