Software, Hardware, and Network Services at Neva Lomason Memorial Library

The Neva Lomason Memorial Library in Carrollton, Georgia, is one of the seventeen libraries in the West Georgia Regional Library System, which covers five counties in west Georgia. (West Georgia Regional Library, n.d.) It is associated with the Georgia Library PINES (Public Information Network for Electronic Services) electronic online library catalog, which provides patrons with access to books and other materials in 140 Georgia counties. (Georgia Public Library Service, 2014) In addition to loaning books, audiobooks, ebooks, and emagazines, the Neva Lomason Memorial Library also provides patrons with access to genealogy resources, educational programs for adults and children, electronic databases, and computers with Internet access.

The Neva Lomason Memorial Library has 24 HP Compaq computers with Internet access for their patrons to use during normal business hours. The computers are equipped with the following software:

• Microsoft Office 2010 – Microsoft Office is a suite of office productivity software, which includes word processing (Word), spreadsheet (Excel), presentation (PowerPoint), and database (Access) applications. The 2010 version also has a note managing application (OneNote), an e-mail client (Outlook), a project managing application (Project), a publication designing application (Publisher), and a collaboration and web publishing application (SharePoint). (Microsoft Corporation, 2014)
• Personal Ancestral File 5.2 -- The Personal Ancestral File 5.2 is a genealogy management software, which allows users to organize their family history. It was provided by the Church of Jesus Church of Latterday Saints. (Crume, 2009)

The computers in the Neva Lomason Memorial Library offered very little software on the public computers. The library staff may consider adding SAT/ACT preparation software for their teen patrons and a resume software package for their adult patrons.

The public computers at the Neva Lomason Memorial Library have several peripheral devices, some input devices and some output devices. The input devices include a keyboard, a mouse, and a CD/DVD drive. Input devices allow commands and information to be entered into the computer. A keyboard allows key strokes or commands to be entered into the computer. A mouse manipulates objects on the computer monitor by clicking the object, which provides instructions to the computer. (PC.net, 2014) The CD/DVD drive reads information on a CD or DVD. The output devices include a monitor and one networked HP laserjet P3105 printer. Output devices produce information processed by a computer into a readable or retrievable form. A monitor displays characters that are entered using a keyboard, images that are entered using a scanner, and movies or songs entered using a CD/DVD drive. A printer transfers graphic or text information from the computer to paper. (PC.net, 2014) The peripheral devices provided by the library are the typical input and output devices used on a computer system. It may be beneficial for the library to provide the patrons with a microphone to input sound, headphones to output sound, and a flatbed scanner to input images.

The peripheral devices can be replaced. The average cost of a USB keyboard is approximately $15. A USB optical mouse typically cost approximately $8. A laser printer typically cost approximately $200. The average cost of a monitor is approximately $100. (Best Buy, 2014)

In the Carrollton area, the Internet service providers include AT&T, XFINITY, and HughesNet Internet. AT&T offers DSL high speed Internet or U-verse high speed Internet. There are four options for Internet service using U-verse high speed Internet, which is based on downstream speeds. The elite option (6 Mbps) cost $51.00, the pro option (3 Mbps) cost $46.00, the express option (1.5 Mbps) cost $41.00, and the basic option (768 K bps) cost $33. The equipment needed for U-verse high speed Internet is a wireless Gateway modem and a battery backup. There are four options for Internet service using DSL high speed Internet. The fastest option (6 Mbps) cost $49.00 per month, the faster option (3 Mbps) cost $44.00 per month, the fast option (1.5 Mbps) cost $39.00 per month, and the basic (768 Kbps) option cost $31.00 per month. The equipment needed for DSL high speed Internet is a Netgear DSL Gateway modem/router, a Motorola DSL modem/router, or a PACE DSL Gateway modem/router. (AT&T, 2014) Comcast XFINITY Internet has four Internet subscription options. The Economy Plus option (3 Mbps) cost $29.95 - $39.95, the Blast option (50 Mbps) cost $58.95- $76.95, the Performance Starter option (6 Mbps) cost $49.95, and the Extreme 105 option (105 Mbps) cost $99.95 - $144.95. Comcast provides a list of compatible DOCSIS devices that should be used to access the Internet with a Comcast XFINITY Internet subscription. (Comcast, 2014) HughesNet Gen4 broadband satellite Internet has four Internet subscription options. The Connect option (5 Mbps) cost $49.99, the Power option (10 Mbps) cost $59.99, the Power Pro option (10 Mbps) cost $79.99, and the Power Max option (15 Mbps) cost $129.99. HughesNet will install a satellite dish and a modem. The lease fee is $9.99 per month for the equipment or the purchase price is $299.98 for the equipment. (Hughes Network System, 2014).

References:

AT&T. (2014). AT&T high speed internet. Retrieved from http://www.att.com/shop/

internet.html

Best Buy. (2014). All printers. Retrieved from http://www.bestbuy.com

Best Buy. (2014). Mice & keyboards. Retrieved from http://www.bestbuy.com

Best Buy. (2014). Monitors. Retrieved from http://www.bestbuy.com

Comcast. (2014). Deals and offers on xfinity from Comcast.  Retrieved from http://www.comcast.com/corporate/shop/productoverview.html

Crume, R. (2009). Personal ancestral file. Retrieved from http://www.familytreemagazine.com/

Georgia Public Library Service. (2014). PINES. Retrieved from http://www.georgialibraries.org/

public/pines.php

Hughes Network System. (2014). HughesNet plans and promotions. Retrieved from

Microsoft Corporation. (2014). Office. Retrieved from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/buy/

PC.net. (2014). Input device. Retrieved from http://pc.net/glossary/definition/inputdevice

West Georgia Regional Library. (n.d.). Branches. Retrieved from http://wgrl.net

West Georgia Regional Library. (n.d.). NLML. [Photograph]. Retrieved on May 4, 2014 from http://wgrl.net