[Michlib-l] Michigan Broadband Hero Award Goes To Melanie Bell of Chelsea District Library

[Bill Harmer]

Melanie Bell, of the Chelsea District Library, has been selected for the
2014 Connect Michigan Broadband Hero Award. Bell will be recognized by
Connect Michigan at this year’s 2014 Michigan Broadband Conference
<http://t.signauxtrois.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nMJW7t5XZs8pTd2PN5w6qJCRs1VsW1p7Y5W56dzg5f7Q6DWx02?t=http%3a%2f%2fwww.connectmi.org%2fbroadband-summit&si=5704799858196480&pi=b1060bd726ed44cdb8e249a25e4ef112>,
to take place October 29th at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing,
Michigan. The conference is expected to be attended by more than 300
participants including community leaders from economic development, state
and local government, education, libraries, healthcare, and technology to
discuss best practices for expanding broadband and technology access,
adoption, and use to revitalize Michigan’s economy.

The Michigan Broadband Hero Award recognizes individuals, organizations,
and companies working diligently to expand broadband and technology access,
adoption, and use throughout the Great Lakes State. Bell, the library’s
network administrator, has been instrumental in leading an effort with
local township supervisors, libraries, schools, and other key
representatives of townships in Western Washtenaw County to launch a common
initiative to improve the availability of broadband (high speed Internet)
service throughout the community.  Sponsored by Rep. Gretchen Driskell, the
group has been meeting since November 2012 and partnering with Connect
Michigan to develop and execute a plan to bring better broadband service to
residents, public institutions and local businesses.

According to Bill Harmer, Director of the Chelsea District Library,
“Melanie has been a leader in this effort from day one. She has served as
co-chair of the group and was instrumental in gathering and tabulating data
from thousands of area residents about the current availability and use of
broadband service across Western Washtenaw County.”

The group that Bell leads has also met to establish general guidelines for
possible new towers and antennas including placement, construction, and
modification of antenna support structures, towers and telecommunication
facilities used in support of Internet services, personal wireless
services, and other communications. In addition, Bell has been working to
address more immediate needs to expand Internet access to the public. One
of the projects the library is exploring is distributing Wi-Fi hotspots to
key locations within its service area so that the public may use them to
access both the Internet and its online resources. The Library has plans
this fall to use the Lyndon Township Hall as a pilot to test out this new
service. Specifically they are looking to setup a Wi-Fi hotspot on the
premises of Lyndon Township Hall.



Recently, Bell joined the steering committee for BroadbandNow, a newly
formed organization that works with local communities and Connect Michigan
to enable high speed Internet connectivity for unserved and underserved
regions of Michigan through a community-controlled open-access network.
According to Harmer, “providing equal access to information and resources
is fundamental to the mission of the Chelsea District Library. Access to
information empowers the community to learn new skills, explore new ideas,
find employment, discover new business opportunities, and contribute to the
community. With the *rural areas* of our service district poorly served by
high-speed *broadband*, the library faces a considerable challenge in
providing service to our patrons there.”

*About Connect Michigan:*  As the designated entity for broadband mapping
and planning in the state of Michigan, Connect Michigan is a public-private
partnership between the Michigan Public Service Commission and Connected
Nation to work with local governments, businesses, and citizens in the goal
of increasing broadband service in the state’s underserved areas. For more
information about what Connect Michigan is doing to accelerate technology
in Michigan’s communities, visit www.connectmi.org.
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