One key issue in determining location is hours of operation. Therefore, it is usually best to consider public facilities that have extended hours of operations such as libraries, police stations, or fire stations. Other locations that normally have limited hours or operations may agree to extend hours as a public service. Each community network will have to make an evaluation of the needs and opportunities in its service area. As the community network considers community needs what citizens or groups of citizens have need for public work stations it should think in terms of the economically disadvantaged, elderly, mobility impaired, and others that may not have computer access.
Specific locations are highly dependent on community resources.
Some places to consider include school computer laboratories, libraries, city hall, court houses, public agencies, senior centers, community rooms, shopping malls, or other places accessible to the general public. Whatever the community network decides upon in terms of location of public workstation locations, several questions should be considered. Think of your community information network as a social location rather than as a classroom for technology skill acquisition. Missouri Express is sponsored by the Office of Administration, State of Missouri and is a joint project of MOREnet, University Outreach and Extension, Missouri Department of Economic Development, and the Missouri Association of Councils of Government.