Here in a small community in Wisconsin we have a fairly basic policy. Here
are the general guidelines - very similar to the ones Birmingham uses.
We have three Internet computers, located at the end of our main desk area,
where we can help patrons, keep an eye on unlawful use of them etc. Patrons
are to sign up at the desk, with their library card. We write their number
down and the time they start. They have up to an hour to use the computer,
half an hour if things are busy. They can then return for further use later
if they choose. If things are very quiet and someone is using the computer,
we don't kick them off after an hour. No use in doing that if no one else is
around to use it.
We have a policy about what is appropriate use posted on each cubicle.
Basically we just don't want any porno use going on. E-mail is for them to
sign up through the free ones like Yahoo, Hotmail etc.
We don't allow use of CD's. Too many changes can be made in the system if
they have the ability to use the CD's, so they may check them out for home
use instead. We also do not allow downloading, as this puts material on our
hard drives, and again allows them to access more of the computer than we
wish. We keep security locks on the inner workings so they can't change
passwords, change other aspects - it's amazing what people will try to do on
computers that are not their own.
We do have a separate word processing computer in another part of the
library - with no restrictions on time. We do not allow them to insert
disks, as this again, allows them to get into more of the computer than we
wish. We don't have staff whose full-time job is the computers. We all do
what we can, but we don't have time to fix everything people mess up, so it
works better to keep the securities on.
Otherwise, people are free to search away. We don't have blocking software,
since this would limit what people can find. We do expect parents to know
what their children are doing. We don't monitor chat rooms, so parents need
to understand that. We also don't read e-mails, so parents need to
understand that too. We have one grandmother in another state, so was upset
with what her granddaughter send her. I don't think the granddaughter knew
what she was sending either. It was her first time at e-mailing and I think
she sent something off that had been sent to her - junk mail. It turned out
to be an adult only site. The grandmother was quite horrified, as I would be
too. We understood her concern, but told her, we do not and can not monitor
what each patron does. We keep an eye out, but do not sit and read what
people are doing. That is their business. So we can offer services, but they
are on their own from there.
We will kick people off if they are found to be in adult only sites,
especially children. They could not get in without using a credit card or
some other information they can't have anyway. The other patrons should not
have to expose their children to that. The computers are next to our
children's section. We have tried having them further away, but then we had
no control and people were messing up the computers more, and others were
complaining about what patrons were viewing. We found ourselves running the
fix problems, when we need to man the desk area. Our library is small and
there is no way Internet use can be off in some remote area, without others
viewing easily, as they are searching for books or videos. We are a family
oriented community and library and want to respect all who come in.
We do what we can to help the patrons. I have taught classes and three of us
are fairly confortable with the Internet. Yet, we also man the main desk,
put books away, and are in the process of automating, so our time is often
limited. We'll get them started and then they are on their own.
Good luck on your policy making. Most people are very good about their use,
at least in our library. Oh, one more policy - if they have fines - no
Internet use! It gets those fines paid faster. That is a bigger problem
with kids - for the most part.
Kris
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