We seem to have two threads running in response to Alun's original posting &
I've taken the liberty of pasting the other in below.
So, two/three developmental "issues" that need to be sustainable & co-exist
at the very least
1. Providing neutral access to a wide range of ICT facilities and
information resources taking onboard social exclusion/inclusion.
2. Maintaining "probity of usage" , i.e. procedures for dealing with
inappropriate use.
3. Develop usage access/authentication & monitoring processes to assist
providing:
a) "easy" public access to a widening range of information resources
b) the evidence for worthwhileness of sustainable public funding
c) management information for obtaining "best value" from scarce resources.
An interesting blend of challenges ...
Mike
Mike Maguire
Group Librarian S & E Devon
Devon Lifelong Learning
01392 384223
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://www.devon.gov.uk/eal/
Unless otherwise stated the views expressed are
personal and not necessarily those of Devon County Council
*****************************
*****************************
-----Original Message-----
From: S Woodhouse [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 17 December 2000 10:26
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Monitoring public use of internet access - and more
At 10:30 AM 12/15/00 -0000, you wrote:
Mike, John, Alun and colleagues,
Hot topics indeed and not "just" for management/monitoring purposes - but
for the PL community to be able to demonstrate value and impact of
electronic services to Government, to Members and to users, to make the
most of its enabling and empowering role...
Needless to say, here at the People's Network Team, we too are looking at
all these issues as they are crucial to sustainability and creating an
environment which will encourage investment. As a first step, we are
planning a number of brainstorming sessions in the New Year of which
authorisation/authentication and the role of subscription-based services in
a "national" PL context both feature. So watch this space - let me know if
you are interested in joining the debate to help shape our future.
Best wishes
Susi
> I think I would call this a hot multi-topic really. Authentication
>in itself is approaching the too-hot-to-handle-with-bare-hands stage. It
has
>always, and inherently, been a vital issue within the HE sector for fairly
>obvious reasons.
>
> Back in public libraryland, establishing local/remote user
>cross-platform cross-information source authentication processes is at a
>relatively rudimentary stage. Linking this into developing management
>information requirements, i.e. not just access to fairly unuseable server
>logs, but rather to customized management information that undoubtedly we
>will expect to serve a variety of purposes, (e.g. inappropriate use and/or
>user issues, monitoring/appraising use of expensive content licenses,
>proportional use for variety of types of use
>"internet/word-processing/spreadsheets etc.") is quite a challenge!
>
> Ideally this multi-role management tool needs to network link
>(internet/intranet/extranet) across as yet unjoined/partly joined-up
>environments. We will expect it to cover stock
>(lending/circulationmanagement) /CDROM networking/free & open www web
>access/webmail/subscription based services with web access/desktop software
>useage (office/graphics suites etc.)/internal intranet-based databases
etc.,
>etc.
>
> And being very dedicated pursuers of best value we might even find
>ourselves hankering after the finer detail ... what sorts of users are
using
>what types of resources at what time of the day ... and so on.
>
> Any software providers listening in care to comment? Even to
suggest
>that they are looking at all this from the viewpoint of developing products
>that are intended to go in this direction ... or is this all so complex
that
>we need some sort of multi-party development process with government
>funding?
>
> It's only a partial solution, but my prayer mat is out for the day
>when as part of a government response to "Empowering the learning community
>..." the public library sector is allowed (funded) to join in the current
>vigorous developments in the HE sector (DNER etc.) But of course, that also
>raises the issue of public libraries being sufficiently funded to afford
>access to subscription based services or are "given" such access at greatly
>reduced prices or "for free".
>
>
> Mike
>Mike Maguire
>Group Librarian S & E Devon
>Devon Lifelong Learning
>01392 384223
>mailto:[log in to unmask]
>http://www.devon.gov.uk/eal/
>Unless otherwise stated the views expressed are
>personal and not necessarily those of Devon County Council
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [log in to unmask] [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>> Sent: 14 December 2000 17:45
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Monitoring public use of internet access
>>
>> Sorry for any cross-posting
>>
>> This is becoming a "hot topic"!
>>
>> Such systems as exist require the use of User Access Management and
>> Authentication techniques which allow access to a user database, such as
>> exists
>> within the Library Management system (LMS) - trouble is, obtaining access
>> to
>> that database for applications which are not related to it!
>>
>> Self-Issue machines are related, as is connection to Internet based
>> subscription
>> services for users not in our buildings.
>>
>> Epixtech have "Remote Patron Authentication", which goes some way towards
>> this -
>> other suppliers vary, if they do it at all.
>>
>> Some Third Party providers such as Fenwood/Esprit are providing "Proxy
>> Server"
>> solutions which are moving towards this.
>>
>> The Academic Sector handles this in a number of ways, and there is a
>> Mailbase/JISCMail list to cover this sort of thing, run from the LITC at
>> Southbank University, called, unsurprisingly, "Authentication", which is
>> worth a
>> look - http://www.JISCMail.ac.uk
>>
>> Think we all, public libraries and system suppliers need effective
>> solutions to
>> this, soon!
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> John
>>
>> -------------------------------------------
>> John Usher "I'd rather be Flying!"
>> ICT Development Librarian
>> Islington Library & Information Service
>> Education Department
>> Central Library
>> 2 Fieldway Crescent
>> LONDON N5 1PF
>>
>> Tel: +44 (0)20 7527 6920
>> Fax: +44 (0)20 7527 6926
>> Switchboard: +44 (0)20 7527 6900
>> mailto:[log in to unmask]
>> http://www.islington.gov.uk/libraries
>>
>> Warning! This email may be read by others in the owner's absence
>>
*************************
*************************
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Westlake, Duncan [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 18 December 2000 09:35
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Monitoring public use of internet access
>
> It must be nearly Christmas! At last, something from Martin with which I
> can
> wholeheartedly agree.
> Unlike him I am committed to the need for some level of filtering, and I
> want to know what sites people are trying to access so that filtering
> arrangements can be adjusted. I also want statistics of use, just as I do
> for other provision. I'd be very unhappy if I had to tie those
> requirements
> into monitoring the use of individuals however. What next? Archiving of
> logs
> for future police inspection? That sounds like what the security forces
> are
> already proposing. Not my idea of librarians' role.
>
> Duncan Westlake (London Borough of Hillingdon)
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin Dudley [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 17 December 2000 11:24
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Monitoring public use of internet access
>
>
> The problem with having a membership requirement or a log on process for
> access to networked information services is that this is socially
> exclusive.
> Access to the network society requires for the socially excluded an open
> environmnet and a great deal of courage perhaps. Getting (non-members)
> through the door is hard enough - asking them to prove they exist even
> harder.
>
> You don't have to be a member of a library or have any other qualification
> to read a paper or use the reference library. I don't need permission to
> read about what I want in a refernece book, and I certainly don't want a
> member of staff checking which pages I read. Please don't put up barriers.
> Read Open to All? The Public Library and Social Exclusion. Organise your
> ISPs and ICT techies to deliver useful mangement stats if you have to.
>
> [log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> > As part of our "People's Network" strategy, we need to monitor the kind
> of
> > use - morally-acceptable and otherwise - made of our public-access
> internet
> > points.
> > Questionnaires, however brief, are of limited use. The ideal, to my
> mind,
> > woild be a system whereby a user logs onto the computer by means of
> scanning
> > his/her reader's ticket. A programme on board could then not only record
> the
> > user's identity but also the use made of the facility -
> > internet/word-processing/spreadsheets etc.
> >
> > Does anyone know of such a system currently in use?
> >
> > Many thanks.
> >
> > Alun Williams
>
> Martin P Dudley
>
> Research and Innovation Services
> 29 Lang Road, Bishopthorpe, YORK YO23 2QJ, UK
>
> +44 (0)1904 706557
> Mobile and SMS: +44 (0)7950 414267
> [log in to unmask]
> www.riservices.co.uk
>
>
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