Dauphin County Library System, the public library for 234,520 residents in its Dauphin County, PA, service area, has chosen Comcast Business (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Ethernet for cloud-based administration and to support patron services. The fiber-based network is designed to handle the library system's approximately 1.3 million visits by residents in-person and virtually.
The Dauphin County Library System has a staff of 150 library employees across eight locations and is seeking opportunities to meld traditional library services with new technologies.
"We are dedicated to serving the community through reliable WiFi and Internet at each of our locations. Our patrons use our network to conduct research, play games, watch online videos, interact on social media, complete job searches and so much more. We needed a reliable network that would scale with our system as we increased our services to the public," said Jason Wickard, Dauphin County Library System IT director.
Dauphin County Library System implemented an Ethernet Network Service with 100 Mbps to each of its locations along with two 500 Mbps Ethernet Dedicated Internet lines at its two libraries in Harrisburg. Each library is interconnected, providing staff with access to the cloud-based collection management system while allowing patrons to connect to the Internet via on-site computers or the WiFi network on a personal device.
"With this high-performance network, we are able to offer a wider variety of programming and services to our patrons including technology coding classes, gaming clubs and community gatherings. Additionally, our staff can easily share large videos, files and designed graphic documents between locations," Wickard said.
"Libraries are much more than just a research location or reading nook - they are important community hubs that assist, educate and allow social interaction for individuals across all generations," said Toni Murphy, Comcast Business vice president for the Keystone Region. "Our goal is to ensure that public facilities like the Dauphin County Library System have the network infrastructure that not only supports their current activities, but allows for future expansion of services."