[WEB4LIB] internet radio in libraries

[Daniel Messer]

Good morning, all!

    I always have to raise an eyebrow when staff start suggesting banning the
computers for anything.
    We too have Gates Labs scattered throughout 6 libraries. We have a version
of Windows Media Player installed on them to faciliate streaming audio and the
like. All of these computers have headphones for patrons if they want to do
anything involving audio, including listening to Internet Radio.
    I'm not getting on anyone for this, but one has to understand that I've
got a distinct passion for online broadcasting. I've done my own internet
radio before, and I listen to it all them at home and at work. Of course the
setting up and broadcasting of one's own "station" is educational in itself.
But I've learned a lot from listening to foreign radio over the net. I believe
that listening in to foreign and domestic radio can be just as educational and
informative as watching a documentary. And what is a library if it is not an
educational and informative facility?
    Streaming audio doesn't eat that much bandwidth. With the way streaming
audio is done, it's actually optimized to make efficient use of bandwidth to
deliver the best sound possible. Multiplayer games tend to use far more
bandwidth than streaming audio, but it all depends on the game. For instance,
multiplayer chess played via a Java applet on a web site uses less bandwidth
than streaming audio. But something like Quake III or Unreal Tournament uses
massive amounts of bandwidth. I'm sure most libraries don't have such software
installed, but I wasn't quite sure what was meant by "mulitplayer games." But
in the end, an audio stream is really not too much different from the
bandwidth required to load a web site. The only difference is that the stream
is always running.
    Streaming audio and video does use more bandwidth than an audio stream,
but not as much as one would think. I don't have any specific numbers or
anything, but speaking from experience we use a 128k connection to the
internet in Yakima and we experience no problems when people are using
streaming audio. As a matter of fact, during the week of September 11, many
people had it going constantly, including me.
    In the end, I think it's highly worth the bandwidth usage to allow patrons
access to streaming audio and the like. However, one recommendation is that,
if a lot of staff are complaining that the internet is too slow already, then
perhaps it's time to look into upping your bandwidth if possible. As time and
internet application progress, you're only going to have to do it anyway. May
as well stay ahead of the curve.

Hope that helps!
Dan

James B Lenze KC8NNU wrote:

> The Gates Foundation computers we got mainly to provide word processing
> and children's educational resources/games are increasingly in demand by
> patrons wishing to listen to internet radio stations and streaming audio
> files.  Some of our staff are recommending that we ban such use of the
> computers.  Others are recommending that we install headphones on all the
> internet terminals so patrons can access audio files on any of them.  My
> task is determine the pros and cons of either course of action.

--
Mondai wa
The subject in question...
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Daniel Messer, Technologies Instructor
Yakima Valley Regional Library
102 N 3rd St Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 452-8541 x712
dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us
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When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
                     -Hunter S. Thompson