July. 10, 1998

The San Juan Island Library District (SJILD) provides expanded Internet services to library patrons.

The San Juan Island Library District today formally announced expanded Internet service and availability for library users. The library has added three 'non-reserved' Internet workstations, two for adults and one 'focused' station for children, to its existing inventory of one reservable station. All four workstations benefit from a high-speed dedicated Internet line leased from local Internet provider Rock Island Computers. "The addition of non-reserved stations for casual, walk-in Internet users, as well as a dedicated station geared towards the needs of younger Internet customers, greatly enhances the Internet services we're able to provide," said Kathleen McHarg, the library's director. She added, "Within the context of a public library, the Internet greatly expands the ability to make useful information available to patrons, and complements well the Internet's private sector role of supporting personal communications and commercial transactions."

"The station we've set aside for use by younger patrons helps alleviate parental concern regarding Internet content that might be unsuitable for children, by filtering out such material," said Carrie Eldridge, assistant director and Children's Librarian. She also noted that the remaining Internet stations do not filter any content.

The new Internet stations, acquired thanks to a Title II federal grant, became quite popular immediately upon installation early this summer. Patrons using them to conduct job searches, research colleges, pursue their special interests, and to read a wide variety of periodicals and newspapers not available locally. And as a bonus, the new stations also serve as on-line catalog stations, so that patrons may search the Internet one minute, and the library's own collection of books, videos, and CD-ROMs the next. For beginning Internet users, the library's home page provides a set of useful links to places around the Internet.

The library's Internet address is www.sanjuan.lib.wa.us. Their E-mail address for general delivery is sjlib@sanjuan.lib.wa.us.