 The British Library WiFi service leads the way
Opened in June 1998, the new British Library is the largest public building constructed in the UK during the twentieth century. Located in central London, it is one of the world's greatest centres of knowledge and houses collections ranging from the Magna Carta and Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks to the very latest scientific research journals. It is also a popular venue for conferences and events.
Every day The British Library receives between two and four thousand visitors and is committed to providing services that meet the needs of its various user groups. This means that advanced technology solutions inevitably play an important role. With a staggering 86% of its visitors owning laptops and many of them wanting to access the Internet while they work, The British Library commissioned a survey to understand visitors’ needs for wireless (WiFi) connectivity. The results showed an overwhelming demand for the service. Consequently, The British Library recently launched a wireless Internet connectivity service, principally to meet users’ requirements to access emails from their laptops while they work.
To develop the service, The British Library engaged Building Zones Limited, a leader in wireless services. "This project has set the standard for what can be achieved in public buildings in terms of meeting visitor needs", said George Bartley, managing director of Building Zones Limited. HP ProCurve was selected as the main technology platform.
As prime contractor, Building Zones designed the service and the system architecture, with ICM Computer Group responsible for implementation and The Cloud for Internet network services. The hardware installed included 17 HP ProCurve Wireless Access Points 420wl, which are connected to an HP ProCurve Switch 2650-PWR, providing Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) functionality. Initially available in the café-restaurant area and conference centre, the service is now being extended to all public spaces.
Progressive organisation
The superior capabilities of HP ProCurve technology translate into a better service for library users. Uniquely, the access points allow simultaneous access for IEEE 802.11b and faster 802.11g wireless devices without any degradation in performance for the latter. Also, the exceptional reliability of the products maximises availability of the service.
"A survey of users at the end of the trial period showed a high level of satisfaction with the service, which was commended for its ease-of-use and excellent performance," commented de Lucy.
The HP ProCurve solution is also exceptionally cost-effective. Its Power-over-Ethernet capabilities reduce installation costs dramatically because there is no need to install additional power points. In addition, the HP ProCurve next-day advance replacement warranty significantly reduces cost of ownership. To recover some of its costs, the library is now offering the service to users on a commercial basis, with considerable success.
Finally, the strength of the HP ProCurve product portfolio ensures that The British Library’s needs will be met both today and in the future.
"As well as being a success in its own right, the WiFi service helps reinforce The British Library’s image as a progressive, technologically aware organisation. With the help of HP’s technology, we shall continue to build on this service," concluded de Lucy.
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