New UW-Madison kiosks provide Internet access on the go

Access to the Internet is getting even easier at UW–Madison. Eighteen new “communications kiosks” provide convenient access to the Web for the campus community and visitors.

The kiosks, installed and tested this summer, enable campus users to check find information on the Internet or use Web-based e-mail without having to go to an office, residence or computer lab.

“Not everyone has a laptop and a wireless Internet connection,” says Kathi Dwelle, coordinator of UW’s Student Information Technology Initiative, which is helping to pay for the new stations. “We wanted to provide some quick and easy Internet access locations for My UW–Madison users and for campus visitors.”

The kiosks are a mix of Sun Ray terminals and iMac computers. They provide only Web access and have no disk storage, but anyone can use them.

The kiosks are at Memorial Union, Union South, the Red Gym, Southeast Recreation Facility, Shell, Natatorium, School of Music, Social Sciences, Bascom and the McBurney Resource Center.

“Our pilot test this summer was aimed at measuring the use, reliability, suitability as an additional resource to the campus computer labs, and maintenance levels for each kiosk site,” Dwelle says. “People are certainly noticing the kiosks and asking about them.”

For more information on kiosks, contact John Staley, 263-3911.