To assist patrons with academic achievement, work, job seeking, and more, Carver County Library now offers mobile WiFi hotspots for checkout.  A mobile hotspot device enables users to connect to the Internet using a small box with a cell phone data plan that they can bring with them wherever they go. As long as the device can connect to the cell tower, users can access the Internet. 

They can be reserved through the library catalog. Log in to your account, then search “mobile hotspot” in the title and place a hold. Devices can be picked up in the hold area. They check out for two weeks. They may be renewed if there are no holds. You can check out one hotspot per library card. There is a replacement fee for lost or damaged hotspots.

Who do I contact if I need help?

Contact the Chanhassen Library at 952-303-0401 and hit extension 2 for the information desk during open hours. Some basic troubleshooting you can try:

• Try turning it off and and leaving it off for a minute, then turning  it back on again.
• You may need to enter the password that comes with it again on your device/s.
• If batteries are low, you can recharge them with the USB cable that comes with it.
• You may need to enter a password on your device when you sign on the network that comes with the hotspot when when you turn it on.

 Why is the library offering mobile WiFi hotspot?

Many studies document poverty and limited broadband access as the two largest barriers to high-speed internet access. By providing hotspots, Carver County Library can assist citizens in overcoming those barriers. In doing so, this project will contribute to more equitable library service to citizens of Carver County. In an increasingly interconnected world, the Internet is vital in day to day life. Offering mobile hotspot devices to patrons will help meet their information needs.

Carver County Library mobile hotspots are made available through: 

• Grant funds from the American Rescue Plan Act in partnership with Carver County Health and Human Services and CareerForce.
• A grant funds from the Minnesota Department of Education using federal funding, Library Services and Technology Act [LS 00-20-0024-20].
• Funding through MELSA (the Metropolitan Library Service Agency).
• Funding through the Charles Dahlke grant.