Afternoon all,
Has any library out there got a policy on the amount of time users spend
using their public access pc's without a break?
We book ours out for maximum 2 hour sessions, but some of our libraries are
finding users simply book on to any other vacant machines at the end of each
one. This can lead to users being in front of a computer, virtually from
when the library opens till it closes - up to 7 hours plus. We do advise
people to take a break each hour, but not all take notice of this. Some
will go through an entire period of many hours without a break for food /
drink or 'convenience stop'.
While it is lovely that the computing facilities as so popular, and we are
trying to encourage more people to use our services, concerns have been
raised about the Health & Safety issues of people sitting in front of
screens for that length of time with no breaks - in particular our younger
users.
I don't think there is a legal imperative for us to force users to take a
break after a set period (we advise it, but individuals have a personal
responsibility for their actions after that), but does anyone implement a
policy of, say, enforcing a half hour - an hour gap in bookings before any
more use is permitted after, for example, 3 hours in front of a computer?
At least possible over-use of our facilities is quite a nice 'problem' to
have ;-)
Regards
Mark Hughes
Librarian, Information Development
City and County of Swansea
Library and Information Service HQ
County Hall, Oystermouth Road
Swansea SA1 3SN
Tel : 01792 636329 Fax : 01792 636235
Web : www.swansea.gov.uk/libraries <http://www.swansea.gov.uk/libraries>
******************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential
and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to
whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error
please notify the administrator on the following address:
[log in to unmask]
Mae'r e-bost hwn ac unrhyw ffeiliau a drosglwyddir gydag ef yn
gyfrinachol ac at ddefnydd yr unigolyn neu'r corff y cyfeiriwyd
hwy atynt yn unig. Os ydych wedi derbyn yr e-bost hwn drwy
gamgymeriad, dylech hysbysu'r gweinyddydd yn y cyfeiriad canlynol:
[log in to unmask]
*******************************************************************
|