Technology Planning for Libraries : Toward Gigabit Libraries

What is the Toolkit?

The Toward Gigabit Libraries toolkit and Broadband Improvement Plan is a powerful, free tool to help libraries improve their current broadband infrastructure and internal information technology (IT) environment.

Using the Toward Gigabit Libraries toolkit, library staff will be better equipped to improve broadband services and become stronger advocates for their libraries’ broadband infrastructure needs. The Toward Gigabit Libraries toolkit project was made possible through three grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) RE-00-15-0110-15, RE-246219-OLS-20, and RE-256732-OLS-24

[Their] most recent award “Toward Gigabit Libraries for Tribal, Native Hawaiian, and Native Alaskan Libraries” (RE-256732-OLS-24) aims to partner with communities to scale the adoption of the toolkit to support Tribal, Native Hawaiian, and Native Alaskan library staff as informed consumers, advocates, and providers of technology, Internet access, and digital services. Using the toolkit, the project will provide free, accessible tech training/professional development for all Indigenous library staff. Tribal, Native Hawaiian, and Native Alaskan libraries, organizations, and communities will help other libraries leverage landmark infrastructure and E-rate funding opportunities to make technology and connectivity advancements.

While it's best to work through the Toolkit with someone with IT experience, it was designed for non-tech staff. If you need help and can block out some time for a phone call or web conference, drop us a line, and we can set up a call.

The entire Toolkit is 118 pages long. Its handy glossary section at the end allows for quick look-ups of technical terms.

The Toolkit addresses libraries' most common technology issues, offering a wide range of solutions.  You are encouraged to focus on the sections that are most relevant to your needs and skip the rest. The purpose of the Toolkit is to help you get a handle on your technology needs and to solve problems.

After you've completed the Toolkit, you can use the Broadband Improvement Plan (included in the Toolkit) to create your own long-term and short-term strategies to improve your technology. Feel free to send us copies of your Toolkit and Broadband Improvement Plan if you need advice or assistance. Remember, the main goal of the Toolkit is to help you understand and manage your technology needs effectively. 

Whether or not you use the Toolkit (and we hope you do!), there are some valuable and quick tools that you can use to estimate your bandwidth needs, measure your bandwidth, and get information about your wireless service. These tools (and many others) are available inside the Toolkit.

Your library's broadband needs depend on how many devices (public internet terminals, library-owned computers and tablets, patron-owned devices, etc.) and how you want it used (basic web surfing, video streaming, E-Sports, Minecraft, distance learning, etc.). If you're only interested in providing email and basic web surfing, a good rule of thumb is 1 Mbps per connected device. So, if you had five library-owned computers and five patron-owned devices connected to the library network at a time,  you'd want a 10 Mbps connection.

For other considerations, either check out the Broadband Connection section of the Toolkit, or click on one of the links below. Remember, understanding your library's device usage is key to determining your broadband needs.

Because Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are only responsible for delivering a purchased speed "to the wall of your library," it is best to test the speed when no one else might be using it, perhaps early in the morning before the library opens for the public and before other staff might be using the connection.  It is also best to test the connection using a computer connected by an Ethernet cable  (i.e., using a wired connection instead of wireless), which is as close to the broadband router as possible.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has an instructional video for more information on checking your speed.  

It's important to note that the bandwidth or speed of your connection is influenced by numerous variables, with the type of technology being a significant factor.  However, the most crucial factor is the distance from the 'last mile' broadband facilities.  The further away you are, the more your speeds decrease. The TGL Toolkit defines "last mile" as:

A colloquial phrase widely used in the telecommunications, cable television, and Internet industries to refer to the final leg of the telecommunications networks that deliver telecommunication services to end-users (customers). The “last mile” is the internet connection from the library to the larger fiber network. It is often the most expensive part of connecting to the internet. (TGL, 103)
 

Compare this with "middle mile":

The “middle mile” is the connection between the “last mile” and the greater internet. For example, the middle mile may connect your town’s internet to a larger metropolitan area where it connects to the major carriers (TGL, 104)

Another factor impacting your broadband speed is your 'middle mile' provider, which works with your 'last mile' broadband service provider. For a comprehensive understanding of what can affect your broadband speed, we recommend reading an informative article from the United Kingdom.

Now that you have an idea of how to test and what might affect your speed, here are two speed test tools suggested by the TGL toolkit:

From the Internet2 Site

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