Marriott Library mobile hotspot program extended

Note (7/10/2017): Funding for this service has been extended until at least July 1, 2018.

A three-month mobile Wi-Fi pilot program has been approved for an additional year, financed by student computing fees that are allocated by the Teaching and Learning Portfolio.

The lending program, sponsored by the Marriott Library and University Information Technology (UIT), makes 4G mobile Wi-Fi hotspots available for three-day checkout to University students, staff, and faculty. Devin Donaldson, technical support analyst in Marriott’s Student Computing Services (SCS), said additional three-day renewals can be requested in person on an ongoing basis, contingent on the library having more in stock.

A total of 25 hotspots are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the SCS desk on Level 2 of the library during regular hours.

Patrons can use a hotspot to connect laptops, tablets, and smartphones to the internet from any location with T-Mobile service (not limited to campus).

The program has been popular; the library issued more than 1,700 loans since the service started in February.

“Checkouts picked up quickly after introducing the service,” Donaldson said. “Even during summer semester, it’s rare for us to have more than a few hotspots in stock.”

There has been outside interest, as well. Representatives of Salt Lake Community College contacted Donaldson for more information on the service.

In other news, the library is expanding its laptop checkout program, from 44 to 88 units. Matt Irsik, head of Marriot’s User Support & Computing Services, said that students checked out laptops more than 10,000 times in 2015.

 

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