INFORMATION RELEASE

Media Contact: Heather O'Connell

(239) 461-2924 or hoconnell@leegov.com

Looking for a hot spot? Try your library.

Fort Myers, FL; November 8, 2007 - Nearly all Lee County Library System locations now offer wireless access; and the rest will welcome laptops before the end of the year.

Cape Coral – Lee County Public Library and Lakes Regional Library started offering wireless at the beginning of the year. Other libraries have been steadily joining the list since, with the latest additions just this week: Captiva Memorial Library and North Fort Myers Public Library.

“Our patrons love the ease of just bringing in their own laptops, finding a comfy spot and relaxing with all the books and information they need right there. They can also access all the library’s e-resources, like Rosetta Stone, a fantastic language learning program, without entering their library card information or waiting for one of the library’s Internet Access computers to become available,” said Heather O’Connell, Lee County Library System Community Relations Coordinator.

O’Connell says visitors especially love wireless access at peak times, when library computers are heavily used and they often had to wait to log on.

”Not only do those using wireless get to skip the line, but the wait for library computers has gotten shorter, because more people are bringing their own laptops. Wherever we’ve offered wireless, there’s also been an improvement in the speed and quality of the connection for library computers,“ O’Connell said.

The following Lee County Library System locations are currently up and running with wireless access. They also offer ports for wired laptop users to access the network.

Cape Coral - Lee County Public Library

Captiva Memorial Library

East County Regional Library

Fort Myers - Lee County Public Library

Lakes Regional Library

North Fort Myers Public Library

Riverdale Branch Library

South County Regional Library

The next libraries to go wireless will be Bonita Springs Public Library and Dunbar – Jupiter Hammon Public Library later this month, with the final installation at Pine Island Public Library before the end of the year.

And the new technology has drawn library users’ attention to other innovations at the library.

“Many computer users are noticing for the first time that we offer live chat to help them find reliable, authoritative information through our online resources, as well as the latest e-books, downloadables, and computer software. Some are signing up for our free computer classes so they can become even more comfortable with computer programs or learn to better protect their information online,” O’Connell said.

Not sure how to use wireless or operate your wired laptop from another network? Each library has brochures with easy step-by-step instructions and systems requirements. This information can also be found online at the Lee County Library System website: www.lee-county.com/library

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