Hampshire libraries hit the road and the information super highway thanks to XMA

Mobile libraries in Hampshire are now able to connect to the Internet in even the most remote areas of the county thanks to the work of computer solutions specialists - XMA.

XMA won the tender to develop two new state of the art library vehicles service after beating off competition from over a dozen other companies. mobile libraries connect to the Internet via satellites that are situated top of the vehicles. Each vehicle is equipped with up to 10 Toshiba wireless notebooks which library users can utilise whilst on the order to log onto the Internet to research subjects of interest.

Having a connection to the Internet also means that the librarian is able to link directly to the central Hampshire Library System, giving immediate access to the library catalogue and borrowers records. Any items booked out on this system are recorded in real time on the main library system. This also means that if the user wants a book that isn't on the vehicle, the librarian can order it from another of the county's libraries for that person.

Des Farnham, the library's Mobile Services manager believes that the new vehicles means that people in rural parts of Hampshire will be able to enjoy the same facilities that they would find in a main library. "The vehicles are designed to be used in areas where there are no libraries. We currently have a fleet of 19 vans that operate but these are the first two to utilise satellite technology and I am sure that they will prove to be very popular because of the great resources that we have on them - not only books, but also CDs and DVDs and of course, the computer facilities."

Another benefit of the satellite technology is that it means that ICT training can be undertaken at premises besides the vehicle, such as community centres, as the laptops can connect to the vehicle via a wireless bridge.

The BBC is also partnering with the library service with the new satellite vehicles as they see them as an ideal way of taking their services and information to the community. The two new vehicles have actually been painted in BBC Solent livery. "We have worked well with Hampshire County Council in the past," said Mia Costello, Managing Editor of BBC Radio Solent. "We have the same aims and objectives as them, gaining closer links with the local community and we will be able to use the vehicles to go out and meet the general public to run our 'BBC surgeries', providing 'What's on' and careers advice and getting their feedback about our programmes and services."

Richard Ward, Head of Library services for Hampshire believes that the new units fulfil all of the objectives of the service: "There were 2 main drivers for the satellite units. Firstly we wanted to take the Internet into the county to provide a free service for all of the people of Hampshire, and secondly, we wanted to offer the full range of library services to the community including books, CDs and DVDs and also to provide a fully computerised issue and reservation service.”

"This was an opportune time to upgrade the vehicles and include the latest technology, because our fleet was due for replacement anyway, as we have a policy of not having any vehicle older than 12 years. These new vans are absolutely fantastic and do everything that we hoped they would!"

The satellite equipped units for the Hampshire Library Service are just two of several that XMA have created for customers across the country. Other customers have included colleges, schools and local authorities. The satellite network consists of a dish, a satellite controller (which controls the dish), and a set of three boxes that pass the data from the dish to the internal van network.

Jamie Smith from XMA said: "The fact that this vehicle is able to be used in all parts of Hampshire is testimony to the reliability of modern GPS satellite technology. On the very rare occasions when the GPS signal is intermittent, simply moving the bus a few metres normally restores it to full strength.”

"What we have effectively created here is a vehicle that provides all of the services that a regular library would be able to offer, but the technology and facilities can potentially be used for other purposes such as for training or providing information services, which is why the BBC have become involved, as it is ideal for them to use to go out and meet the local community."