Wa-Daisho Public Library
Owner: Government owned and operated.
Reputation: It is reputed by scholars and information lovers in Wa-Daisho (of which there are many...) as one of the greatest additions to the city, being arguably one of the greatest libraries on Earth.
Description of Establishment: The Wa-Daisho Public Library was built to compliment the already existing, and woefully inadequate High School Library. It is utterly huge, being a single story tall, 75' wide North to South, and 350' long East to West. The Eastern three quarters of the extablishment is one gargantuan library composed of rows upon rows of books, most of which amazingly are Pre-RIFTS in origin - copies, but Pre-RIFTS in origins. Copies of books, are photocopied - placed in a three ring plastic binder, and the pages are laminated, with a color coded cover and spine. These books are clearly marked as library books, and are coded so that if any are taken out the door of the library without being scanned (ie checked out) the thief will be detained. On the South wall of the building are seventy five computer terminals all hooked up to the WaNet, which in all practicality has most of the library scanned into it's database - perfect reference tools. The Western quarter of the building has two sections to it, one which is closed off from most people is the actual offices and location of the servers for WaNet. Given the technology level of today, compared with five years ago, the server there which is approximately the size of a refridgerator, is capable of supplying DSL speed service to ALL of the residents of Wa-Daisho, and never once have problems with bogging down. The other is on a raised platform away from the library, which is a shop. This shop supplies photo copies, staples, paper, pencils, pens, and various other office goods that would help with research and paperwork while in the library. They also have a separate desk in the same room, where a person may order a copy of a book, for purchase.
Description of Services: The Wa-Daisho Public Library offers a number of services. First and foremost it offers it's facilities to use, read, and optionally check out books if necessary. All that is necessary to check out a book is a Wa-Daisho Citizen's Credit Card. If a book is damaged or is missing, it is simply replaced with another copy of the original, which are all safely stored away in Wa-Daisho, Desert Star, or Lazlo - at cost for the person who damaged or stole the book in question. Given the security measures in Wa-Daisho, it is not difficult to track any person's card. An area called the supply room offers all sorts of office supplies that would be useful to someone making up a report or term paper, or just conducting research on a subject. In the same room, books may be ordered, to purchase. When replacing missing or damaged Books or purchasing one from the supply room, they cost .05 credits a page - so for a 250 page book it is only 12.50 credits. Books are available on a two week waiting list, provided that book is in Wa-Daisho. If it is in Desert Star or Lazlo, it could be as long as 40 days, and shipping expenses will be charged as well. (5 credits for Desert Star, 15 for Lazlo.) Books being purchased for the home are bound in a black plastic three ring binder like the standard library books, with a white label on the spine denoting the name of the book, and the date of it's reprint. The only other service, is in a far corner of the establishment, and that is the WaNet office, that offers DSL like speed net service to the personal computers of Wa-Daisho. Attached to a standard cell phone via a specialized cord and power adaptor (for a wall socket) (costs 15 credits for both) even a PC-3000 or PC-2020 can be used to access the WaNet. Cost is 15 credits a month, which includes access to the Library site, the Wa-Daisho Republican Council web site - which involves all important matters of business that are currently facing the council, the Import & Export/Akersley Trade site, that describes the trade processes, and current trades taking place, the Akersley Fishing Corporation web site - which gives a live up to date web cam from the bridge of any of the Akersley fishing vessels within 50 miles of Wa-Daisho (which is most of them at all times.), S-Mart Catalogs, Capos Industries Catalogs, Wa-Daisho Industries Catalogs, plus any number of personal web sites, and business web sites. Most of the vessels in the Allied Naval Fleet, and the Wa-Daisho Navy vessels have web sites as well. All WaNet members have free WaNet sites, it's simply up to them to put them up, which is very easy given the simple program packages that come with membership to WaNet. All told a third of the population of the Republic has web service, which means there are approximately 25,000 web sites. Discussion is currently under way between Wa-Daisho and Water Point Preserve to errect towers on two of the large islands between Wa-Daisho and Water Point Preserve to provide phone service to everyone in both nations - this would also mean that WaNet could expand it's Net there as well.
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