Library Internet speeds to get faster thanks to new provincial contract

Internet speeds at Western Counties Regional Library branches are getting faster thanks to the Department of Education’s new contract for telecommunications services.



“Our service is going to be much faster,” says Scott MacMullen, system administrator for the regional library.



Branch libraries in Yarmouth, Digby and Lockeport will be receiving fibre-optic connections which should be active by this fall.



MacMullen says the wiring and equipment is being installed or has been installed at those three branches.



Branches in Barrington, Clare, Clark’s Harbour, Shelburne and Weymouth have moved to cable, or co-axial, connections.



The only two branches which cannot access new services are Pubnico and Westport which is the result of a lack of broadband service in those areas.



Library regional director Trudy Amirault says the changes are a sign of the times as the need for greater speeds and the ability to transfer more data has become the norm on the Internet. The use of video and streaming content is widely used on the Internet and requires greater bandwidth.



“It’s a good thing,” she says of the upgrade. “We’re very grateful to the Department of Education for providing it.”



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