Kajeet recently hosted a webinar to provide some tips and best practices for managing a hotspot lending program for library patrons. We were joined by Jennifer Kirman, the Library Director at Walkerton-Lincoln Township Public Library, along with Eric Grubbs, an Account Manager at Kajeet. You can watch the recording here or keep reading to get some of the best takeaways from our discussion.
According to ALA’s 2023 Public Library Technology Survey, almost half of libraries (46.9%) offer hotspots for checkout, an increase of 14.4% from 2020. Now that hotspots are an E-Rate eligible solution, it is expected that this number will continue to rise in 2025 and beyond.
During our October 2024 Library Hotspot webinar we surveyed 64 library professionals on where they are at in their hotspot lending journey. Here are the results:
“From the librarians I have talked with, I believe that we all can agree that we all feel like there is a responsibility to help our patrons stay connected.” - Eric Grubbs, Kajeet Account Manager
If we agree that the digital divide continues to be a challenge in communities across the country, now we simply need to find ways to make it easier to support those individuals who need it most. We want to give you some actionable takeaways to help you get devices into the hands of patrons, while also making it easy for your library to deploy and manage.
Are your patrons aware that your hotspot program is available? If you already have something in place, you most likely had a large effort initially to spread the word to patrons. You may have even distributed a survey to find out exactly how many patrons were in need of connectivity outside of the library. If it has been a few years since you launched your hotspot program, or if you are just getting started, consider the following:
“I think our biggest advertising is social media, which I think is the biggest for everyone right now. But the other thing that we did is communicate with the school corporation directly.”
Jennifer Kirman, Walkerton-Lincoln Township Public Library Director
Jennifer also shared a great idea she used when first launching her hotspot program. In a town of only 3,000 people, she was able to advertise the program on the back of the utility bills. While this might not be feasible in your community, it shows that getting creative is encourage when it comes to marketing your library’s programs and offerings.
Devices not being returned is a common challenge libraries face with their hotspot lending programs. Here are some things you can implement to help prevent lost devices.
Make patrons sign a user agreement before checking out a hotspot. It is up to your library what contingencies you want to include, but some common ones are fees for lost or damaged devices, or not allowing other materials to be checked-out until the device is returned. Here is an example of a Hotspot User Agreement that Jennifer Kirman shared during our webinar that she uses at her library.
Work with a provider that allows you to remotely suspend service on your hotspots. Kajeet service includes access to a device and data management platform that allows you to suspend (and unsuspend) service on any device with just one click. We found that when you cut the service, patrons will feel more inclined to return the device. Here is what it looks like in our Sentinel platform.
When thinking about building a sustainable hotspot lending program, it is important to be able to access meaningful user data and reporting. Here are just a few real-life scenarios to consider:
These are just a few examples of why being able to quickly access data about your program is important for the effectiveness and sustainability of your library’s hotspot lending. Some providers have this information, but you need to request it. These requests can often take a few days, if not weeks.
All Kajeet solutions include our Sentinel platform with real-time device information and reporting on device groups — allowing you to pull the data and insights you need, when you need them. Plus, we can set up recurring reports that get sent right to your email.
Federal funding is often critical to support library technology needs: almost half (52%) of libraries applied for the E-rate program in 2023 either individually or as part of a consortium for their building needs. During our webinar, we gained some insights on how many libraries are planning to leverage E-Rate to fund hotspots. Here are the results:
If E-Rate isn’t right for your library (lack of staffing, low discount rate, etc.) ensure you have another funding source in place. If you are a K-12 school library, you can leverage Title funds for your hotspot program. Here is our Title Funding Guide.
Would you like to talk to someone about your hotspot lending program? Kajeet is here to answer any questions about device management, coverage, funding, and more.