T.B. Scott Free Library has taken the next leap in bringing technology to the Merrill community – mobile WiFi HotSpot devices are now available to check out.

WiFi HotSpots enable you to connect up to 10 mobile-enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones or tablets, to the Internet. They’re as portable as you are – so you can be online at home, in the park or on vacation.

Library Director Stacy Stevens explains that, “The new Mobile WiFi Hotspots are an extension of the free WiFi available at the library for years.” Four of the devices are available to check out for a week at a time, while one unit is being used for library outreach.

Public libraries across the country are now making mobile WiFi available to the public. It’s part of a national trend of public libraries expanding their services beyond traditional lending of books, DVDs and CDs.

According to a recent National League of Cities report: “These lending programs perform a critical role: in addition to providing basic broadband access to low-income residents, they allow patrons to access free e-books and other digital library resources, and they enable users to complete online job applications and perform other critical web-based processes at home. Outreach efforts are also aimed at the elderly and disabled, who often need access to healthcare information.”

Visit or call the library at 715-536-7191 for more information about checking out a mobile WiFi HotSpot.