‘Janet’ Network to be Made Available at Public Libraries across the UK

Internet facility for library members has been prevalent in the UK for quite some time now. However, with a new announcement made by the government, library members will have enough reason to rejoice. As per the announcement, library members (or visitors) will be able to access the internet at much higher speeds - speeds that are higher than those provided by the smartest fibre-optic home broadband connection.

The Museum, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has recently concluded a deal by which city and town libraries across Britain can upgrade to the ‘Janet’ network, which a speedier connection that most educational institutions across Britain has been using for quite some months now. This connection will be funded by the government and will offer users speeds of up to 1GB.

This new 1GB speed will translate into better surfing experience, as it is ten times faster than existing speeds currently available at even the bigger libraries located in the major cities across Britain.

MLA chief executive Roy Clare sounded optimistic about the new upgrade and said that said that this upgrade will be a big digital leap for public libraries since internet made its foray into academia through the “People’s Network”, however, its nor compulsory that libraries should switch over to 1GB speeds. Yet Clare wants every library to upgrade to the Janet network for the benefit if the public.

Jane Finnis, publisher of the Culture24 website, said in this regard that the new service would be a boon for both students and academicians, as it will not only give users a better browsing experience but also make interactive learning and scholarly discussions possible in the library through interactive web sessions and social networking via internet.

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