Libraries Will Speed Internet Hookups

Students at city libraries will be able to hook up to the Internet in seconds, rather than the usual half an hour or so, because of new computer equipment approved by the City Council this week.

According to library director Rob Richard, students using approximately 10 computers at homework centers in the city’s main and branch libraries must now go through a modem at UC Irvine.

The city’s libraries have a cooperative agreement with the university, but at peak times it can take students up to half an hour to sign on the Internet, Richard said.

Approximately $82,000 worth of fiber optic cables and electronic equipment approved by the council Monday will allow students to directly access the Internet in about the same time it takes to withdraw money from a bank machine.

“[The new equipment] is far superior to dial-up phone connections,” Richard said.

The equipment, purchased with state funds, should be installed in about 30 days.

Also, the new equipment will expand access to the library from the Santa Ana Unified School District. As part of a pilot program, nine schools now have computer hookups to the library, allowing them to dial up library indexes, send e-mail and have books sent to the school.

Now, Richard said, all 45 of the district’s schools will be able to access the library via computer.

He said such access is especially important in a city such as Santa Ana.

“Folks with high-powered computers at home are very fortunate,” he said, “but the kids in this community don’t have many computers at home.”