About Us
The city of Menasha (population 16,785) is centrally located in the Fox Cities, approximately 100 miles north of Milwaukee, and 30 miles south of Green Bay. Menasha is in Winnebago County, one of the oldest counties in Wisconsin. Menasha was named by Governor Doty's wife in 1848. Menasha means, "the island." It features a unique historical downtown set on a canal linking Lake Winnebago, the Fox River, and Little Lake Butte des Morts. A landscaped river walk and an 87-slip Marina provide easy access to water recreation and downtown businesses.
Menasha is home to the UW-Fox Valley campus, the Heckrodt Wetland Reserve, and, a recently completed Trestle Trail Bridge. Officially opened on August 27, 2005, the trail has proven to be extremely popular with local residents and visitors to the Fox Cities. The trail is open year round and is a valuable transportation and recreational trail link between the City and Town of Menasha. The 1,600-foot long, lighted pedestrian bridge is the longest in Wisconsin and includes a center pavilion area with seating, and several fishing platforms along the way.
Menasha is also known for its annual outdoor New Year's Eve celebration and the Otto Grunski Family Festival, both held downtown in Curtis Reed Square. The city also joins Neenah every 4th of July for Communityfest. Besides traditional fireworks, this event also hosts a parade, games, water-ski show, music, and concessions at two of the areas most beautiful waterfront parks, one of which is Jefferson Park in Menasha.
The City also has the unique status of being a public power community. Menasha Utilities is one of this country's 2,200 public power systems - a utility owned by the people and the community it serves. On an average, the electric rates for MU customers are about 25% less than neighboring investor-owned utilities.
Paper production and processing, publishing, and packaging are still a major part of the area's strong economy today. Menasha has encouraged continued commercial and industrial growth. Our industries, along with the recent completion of the Tri-County Freeway and the recreational opportunities, beautiful parks, and small town atmosphere of the area, make Menasha part of one of the fastest-growing areas in Wisconsin.
For more information about our City, click here.
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The Menasha Public Library offers FREE wireless access (aka "hot spots" & "WiFi" ) at several locations for library patrons to use with their own personal notebooks, laptops and other mobile devices. These access points are unsecured, accessible only during normal library hours and filtered to comply with CIPA regulations. A patron's use of this service is also governed by Menasha Public Library's Internet Policy.
Due to the proliferation of WiFi networks, Library users may also be able to access other WiFi networks within the branch that are not provided by Menasha Public Library. Use of these non-MPL wireless networks within the Library's facilities is also governed by Menasha Public Library's Internet Policy.
NOTE:
- As with most public wireless "hot spots," the library's wireless connection is not secure. There can be untrusted parties between you and anybody with whom you communicate with, and any information being transmitted could potentially be intercepted by another wireless user. Cautious and informed wireless users should choose not to transmit personal information (credit card numbers, passwords and any other sensitive information) while using any wireless "hot spot." Please take appropriate precautions when using this service.
- Library staff can provide general information or handouts for connecting your device to the wireless network, but cannot troubleshoot problems related to your wireless device or assist in making changes to your device's network settings and/or hardware configuration. The Library cannot guarantee that your device will work with the Library's wireless access points.
- All wireless access users should have up-to-date virus protection on their laptop computers or wireless devices. The library will not be responsible for any information (i.e. credit card) that is compromised, or for any damage caused to your hardware or software due to electric surges, security issues or consequences caused by viruses or hacking.
- Printing access is not available via the wireless connection. If you need to print, please save your work to a floppy disk or email files to yourself, then login to a wired library workstation and send jobs to the public printer.
- All users are expected to use the library's wireless access in a legal and responsible manner, consistent with the educational and informational purposes for which it is provided.
Use of Menasha Public Library's wireless network is entirely at the risk of the user. The library disclaims all liability for loss of confidential information or damages resulting from that loss.
Wireless FAQs:
What do I need to access the wireless network?
To access the Library's wireless network, you need a laptop (or suitable PDA or other portable device) equipped with an 802.11 b or g compatible wireless card. Some portable devices have wireless cards built-in while others may require you to purchase a compatible card to plug into it. Installation of the card and its associated software will vary depending upon specific device, card and operating system. Your device must be configured DHCP and you cannot have a proxy configured on your browser. Library staff cannot assist you in making changes to the devices network settings and/or hardware configuration, nor can the Library provide network cards for your use.
How do I connect?
In most cases, you should be able to connect with the wireless network by simply scanning for the network and opening up a browser to start surfing. Details on configuring your portal device for a wireless network may vary depending upon specific models, operating system, and wireless card. For specific information on how to configure or troubleshoot your wireless connection, you will need to refer to your device's documentation.
Can I print from the wireless network?
No, there are no printers configured on the wireless network. To print, you will need to use one of the Library's public access computers.
Is the wireless network secured?
Like most public access "hotspots", the Library's wireless network in not secured. There can be untrusted parties between you and anybody you communicate with, and any information being transmitted could potentially be intercepted by another wireless user. Cautious and informed wireless users should choose not to transmit their credit card information, passwords and any other sensitive personal information while using any wireless "hot spot." Please take appropriate precautions when using this service. All wireless access users should have up-to-date virus protection on their laptop computers or wireless devices to assist in protecting them from harm.
Can I access the Library's catalog and electronic databases through the Wireless Network?
Yes, access to both the Library catalog and electronic databases are available through the Menasha Public Library web site (menashalibrary.org). Due to varying network configurations at locations, you may or may not be required to enter your library card number for access.
What if I have problems? Can Library staff assist?
Library staff can not provide you technical assistance in configuring your portal device or troubleshooting wireless access problems. There is no guarantee that your wireless device will work with network. The Library assumes no responsibility for the safety or security of a patron's personal equipment resulting from the connection to the Library's wireless network.
Menasha's Public Library is your community library. We offer a wide range of library services, including
- Books
- Music CD's
- DVDs and Videos
- Magazines and Newspapers
- Free Internet Access
- Free Wireless Internet Access for Your Personal Laptop
- Genealogy Resources
- Historical Photograph and Article Collection
- Meeting Rooms for Public Use
- Small Room for Tutoring
- Programs for Children, Teens and Adults
- Answering Your Questions at the Reference Desk
- Help in Finding Your Next Book to Read
- Friendly Staff Who Are Always Willing to Help
- Fast and Easy Access to Items from the 30 Other Libraries in Winnefox
- Access to Interlibrary Loan so That We Can Get You Items from Libraries Across the United States
Please let us know if you are interested in any additional services. We are here to serve you! Email: tasha@menashalibrary.org or call 967-3661.
All patrons must use the Internet in a responsible manner, consistent with the educational, recreational and informational purposes for which it is provided. The Internet is unregulated media which contains controversial material. Sites are often not verified nor are they subject to verification. Adults should use caution when giving out personal identification information. Children should do so only with parental consent. The following paragraph defines Prohibited Uses of the Internet here at the Menasha Public Library.
Prohibited Uses
- Viewing, distributing, or displaying visual depictions that are obscene.
- Viewing or displaying visual images that are harmful to minors.
- Misrepresenting oneself, for fraudulent or illegal purposes, as another user.
- Attempts to modify or gain access to files, passwords, or data belonging to others.
- Sending threatening or harassing material.
- Engaging in any activity that creates an intimidating or hostile environment.
- Dissemination of adults' personal identification information without permission.
- Dissemination of a minor's personal identification information without permission.
- Seeking unauthorized access to any computer system.
- Making changes to the settings or configuration of software or hardware.
- Making unauthorized copies of copyrighted or licensed material in any form.
- Using software not installed by the Library.