Public Internet Services at ICPL

Because October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, I wanted to provide some information about using the Library's WiFi and public Internet computers.  The Library has 43 public Internet stations for general use as well as Internet access computers in the Teen Center and the Ellen Buchanan Children's Room.  We also have a 802.11ac WiFi service.

The Library leans toward openness over security for it's public Internet service.   Although we do scan for viruses and malware, we do not limit the network for particular kinds of use.  This is due to the Library's commitment to intellectual freedom and open access to information.   Because of this, there may be benefits in terms of increased privacy. Public Computers are wiped clean after each session (Remember, always log off after you use our public computers). No information is stored on the system that could be used by someone later. The Library does not log the activity for each public computer. Also your activity is anonymized in the sense that to the outside, our traffic is all lumped together into one IP address. For example, our upstream Internet provider might be able to know that someone visited a certain website, they wouldn't be able to know which computer in the building it came from.  Also note: because of the Library's emphasizes on openness, parents should always monitor children's use of computers in the library.

Our public WiFi is not encrypted and it does not employ a splash page.  We wanted to make the network extremely easy to use for everyone.  The network is open so use with caution. There is no privacy or security from others using the WiFi if you are not visiting a site with SSL (https).

One final reminder: it is against ICPL policy to use our WiFi network or our public computers for any illegal activity.