I would be interested to hear from authorities who have tried different ways of rationing their public computer use.
At Cambridgeshire we operate an extremely simple and potentially quite restrictive model. Users are permitted only up to 60 minutes per day in whatever pattern. In practice there is a system of informal override policies but this places demands on staff time and can cause conflict. I am inclined to do away with daily limits and instead set per-session limits of 60 or 120 minutes according to location. A cooling-off period would be enforced to maintain turnover and ensure some availability for walk-in use. The problem is I have no hard evidence to support this model!
I would love to know not just the models others have experimented with but the statistical impact that they saw when switching. The emphasis is on people who have tried different models and have some statistical evidence for how switching effected usage both in total hours served and numbers of unique patrons.
Tom van de Bilt.
ICT Manager. Libraries, Archives and Information.
Cambridgeshire County Council
01223 699038
07770 641872
The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. If you receive this email by mistake please notify the sender and delete it immediately. Opinions expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Cambridgeshire County Council. All sent and received email from Cambridgeshire County Council is automatically scanned for the presence of computer viruses and security issues. Visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk<http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk>
|