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American Libraries: lnternet Librarian, 9/98 Page 2 of 3 <br /> <br />Those of us in areas so thinly populated that an excursion <br />to the library involves more preparation than a mountain- <br />climbing trip were thrilled by the debut at ALA Annual <br />Conference of Muncie (Ind.) Public Library's Cybermobile, <br />a bookmobile with six Interact workstations, funded in part <br />by LSTA dollars (AL, Aug., p. 73). <br /> <br />This is by no means the first bookmobile with online <br />services, but it's the first I know of with such a strong <br />commitment to Interact public access. This follows a <br />healthy trend in the libraries that aren't on wheels; last year <br />60% of all public libraries offered public access, and <br />according to the National Sur~.:~y on Public kibraries and <br />thc Interact, this year that will rise to 72%. i~iie <br />rummaging through a book on library history, I found that <br />the more things change, the more they stay the same: <br />About 100 years ago, public libraries were discussing <br />whether to open their stacks to patrons. Wonder what we'll <br />discuss in the next millennium?) <br /> <br /> Connectivity is easy: Bookmobiles just have to carry 75 <br /> miles of phone line with them, and connect to a router back <br />to the office. No, seriously .... Like similar projects <br />elsewhere, the Cybermobile also demonstrates creative use <br />of wireless Internet technologies. The initial request for <br />information goes out over a cellular modem. The files are <br />returned via satellite through a technology called the Direct <br />PC system. John Drumm, assistant director of Muncie <br />Public Library and co-conspirator with Ball State <br />University's Frank Groom on the Cybermobile project, <br />.dryly observed that this wireless technology "should work <br />xn theor--it works really well in practice." <br /> <br />Public-private partnerships on the Cybermobile project <br />were something else that worked well in practice, with <br />good communication with Ohio Bus Sales, excellent <br />support from Network Solutions Inc., and permission from <br />the PAWS Company (home of Garfield the Cat) to use <br />their Garfield logo on the Cybermobile. <br /> <br />Prehistoric Cybermobiles <br /> <br />Mobile wireless communications aren't new to libraries. <br />Duncan McCoy of Boulder City (Nev.) Library District <br />reminisced, "Whitman County Library in Colfax, <br />Washington, used packet radio years ago to transmit book <br />requests and reference questions from their bookmobile to <br />the main library." <br /> <br />httn://w~a~v.ala.or~/nlonline/netlih/ilOOR html ~/o ~/no <br /> <br /> <br />