BCNET News
PGPL is First Public Library in B.C. to Offer eduroam Service For Higher Education
Prince George Public Library (PGPL) has partnered with BCNET to offer eduroam (education roaming service) to higher education patrons making it possible for mobile students, faculty, researchers and staff to seamlessly connect to the internet.
PGPL is the first public library in B.C. to offer the education roaming service, providing free internet access for participating higher education institutions, including University of Northern British Columbia, College of New Caledonia and Northern Lights College. This service supports the library’s strategic plan of connecting people and ideas, while nurturing an innovative and adaptive organization that enhances the community’s well-being.
Prince George Public Library
eduroam enables staff, faculty and learners at participating institutions to connect seamlessly to any campus location while visiting the library. This benefits Prince George’s large student population, who require access on the move to information and services.
Closing the Gap in Access to Information
“PGPL values its role in being a vital community and learning hub and providing trusted information and services that are accessible for the community. One of our key strategic priorities is expanding access to information and ideas. That’s why we implemented eduroam –– a free, global Wi-Fi roaming service developed for the international research and education community,” said Ignacio Albarracin, manager of Collections & Technology at Prince George Public Library. “With eduroam, we can provide students from regional post-secondary institutions with seamless, free Wi-Fi, so they can simply connect just as they would at their home campus. The service removes barriers to internet access for students in the region.”
Expanding eduroam Free Wi-Fi Service for Higher Ed and Research
BCNET is partnering with municipalities, public libraries, school districts and airports to offer eduroam across British Columbia, extending the free, secure internet service for its membership of colleges, universities and institutes.
"The intent for expanding eduroam across the Province is to help bridge the digital divide, says Bala Kathiresan, president and CEO at BCNET. "It became even more important during the pandemic, allowing for online course delivery and improved connectivity for students. eduroam is now available at 188 locations in B.C. and 453 sites across Canada.”
eduroam Free Wi-Fi Service in 106 Countries
eduroam (education roaming) is a secure, global, Wi-Fi roaming service developed by the international research and education community available in more than 100 countries and 30,000 locations worldwide, including airports, train stations and even vending machines. eduroam is based on the most secure encryption and authentication standards in existence today, with security measures far exceeding typical commercial hotspots.
Operated by CANARIE - 10 Million Logins per Month
In Canada, the eduroam service is managed and operated by CANARIE, BCNET’s federal partner in Canada’s National Research and Education Network (NREN), which can support millions of eduroam logins per month. The connection comes as CANARIE and its provincial and territorial partners in the NREN, including BCNET in British Columbia, look to expand the reach of eduroam to more public spaces.
“Helping students, faculty, and staff stay connected is the foundational value of eduroam and making it available in more places amplifies that value,” says Mark Wolff, chief technology officer at CANARIE. “We look forward to working with BCNET and our other partners in the NREN to make eduroam available at airports, municipalities, libraries and other public facilities across the country.”
