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State-of-the-art microwave links for Council servicesTuesday 21 Oct marks the start of a major $490,000 program to dramatically speed up on-line computer links between Wellington Shire Council’s libraries, offices & local towns with the installation of state-of-the-art, high-speed microwave connections By Wellington Shire Council - 21st October 2003 - Back to News By the end of November a network of microwave connections – using externally located dishes - will be operating between Maffra, Yarram and Sale, connecting libraries, Council work depots, swimming pools and service centres. Importantly it means that the local communities in these towns will have convenient access to the information super-highway.
Microwave links are both faster and more reliable than dial-up lines presently available.
The intention is to extend the network to include Heyfield, Stratford and Rosedale within the next 12 months.
Officially launching this Rural Libraries On-Line project at Maffra Library on Tuesday will be the Minister for Science and Federal Member for Gippsland, The Hon Peter McGauran MP, along with Wellington’s Mayor John Jago.
Funding for the initiative is split between the Council (over $100,000), Federal Government (which has provided a Networking the Nation grant of $360,000) and the Victorian Government (through a Statewide Network Infrastructure Project grant of $28,560 to install a data link between Maffra Library and other Council communication transmitters in the town).
Major benefits of high-speed microwave connections to Wellington’s Library Services will include:
- enabling more Internet and database computers to be installed for public use – at present the number is restricted because of the limited capacity of slow dial-up lines;
- providing library staff with speedy, direct access to the Internet and government and business resources – so that they can respond quickly to customer reference enquiries;
- rapid access to online material subscribed to by Library Services, such as electronic databases covering health, science, biographies and current affairs (like the Statewide Gulliver project) – this will be a growing community resource at libraries.
In addition this technology will provide much enhanced Email and Intranet communication for Council staff not based at the Shire’s headquarters in Sale.
Said Wellington’s Mayor John Jago: "This is a significant initiative that will have substantial benefits for Council staff and many communities across the Shire, providing a real boon to communication. The Shire’s success in winning the necessary funding owes much to the hard work and commitment of all officers involved in driving the project forward."
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com

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