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SpotlightLockhart Texas: The Shining Light of Community Networks April 1, 2002
RoseAleta Laurell, a Librarian at the Historic Library of Lockhart, has described the telecommunications infrastructure in use by the community of Lockhart as a "Dream come true."
RoseAleta conceived years ago of using the now renovated Historic Library of Lockhart as a center to provide computer services to the Lockhart community. She wanted simply to create a point of public access to Internet technology - a community space to perform Internet research, or simply to browse the web and send and receive email. Utilizing TIF Library funds, RoseAleta established the library as the only place in Lockhart to provide free, public Internet service. The community of Lockhart was not indifferent to this gift - at the Library's sixteen Internet stations, Lockhart community members often lined up and awaited access to Internet technology.
The process of completing a Community Wide Network is analogous to the creation and evolution of a community itself. Simply stated, each is the collective realization of the passion of an uncommon few, those who join together in the progressive realization of a common and worthy cause.
The project of uniting a variety of diverse citizen's groups, an Independent School District, as well as both the city and county can be a little overwhelming. Then, inevitably, comes the issue of funding, which in Lockhart extended to the expansion of an existing library. To further complicate matters, as if the task of expanding a library were not daunting enough, before expansion could begin the building first had to be purchased, and funds had to be raised for its renovation. Such were the obstacles that RoseAleta would have to surmount before we could get back to the matter of creating a computer network. Undaunted, RoseAleta scaled these obstacles…literally: She climbed on top of the Library and refused to leave until the money was raised. CNN covered her campaign, as did every other media outlet in the area. Needless to say, she raised the money to renovate her library.
During this timeframe, TIF (Telecomunications Infrastructure Fund) decided to allocate substantial grant funds for the development and implementation of community access points in rural towns. Here we go again: RoseAleta and Donnie Wilson (grant coordinator for the Lockhart ISD) decided to apply for a grant. After months of planning and working with community leaders, RoseAleta and Donnie applied for a TIF grant in September of 2000, and were subsequently awarded grant funds in the approximate amount of $500,000. Again, a lot of hard work by a dedicated few.
On the heels of successful fund raising came the time to design and implement the network. In May 2001, Rich Finney and Associates was awarded the privilege of designing and managing the Lockhart Community Network.
Because priorities had shifted since the original grant was written, we decided to redesign the network from the ground up. To begin, the library had an existing infrastructure with legacy systems, all of which had to be assimilated into the network design. Thus issues of sustainability and manageability became key factors. Additionally, TIF guidelines on usability of monies were a major consideration.
Despite the setback of redesigning the network from the ground up, coupled with the aforementioned issues of sustainability, manageability, and TIF guidelines, Rich Finney & Associates completed the design process in less than 60 days. Implementation was started in August and completed in February.
Currently, the network utilizes Enterasys 11 MB wireless equipment to connect 12 remote access sites. We chose Enterasys Systems because of their impending upgradeability (available in the near future, at minimal cost) to 54 MB wireless speeds.
The central facility of the Lockhart Community Network is located at the Library, which provides POP 3 mail services, as well as Web and DNS services for the entire community. Powered by Cisco and D |
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