Controlling patron internet access time

[Jacques Presseault]

Sue Debenham wrote:
> 
> Hello.  My name is Susan and I am librarian working for the North York
> Public Library in North York, Ontario.  We have a user education training
> room with 10 internet terminals.  When we are not holding classes we open
> the room to the public and ask that people please limit their time to one
> hour per day.  What we are finding is that people will stay on the
> internet terminals for two or three hours at a time.  I am very
> interested in hearing how other libraries have managed to control time
> limits for patrons on internet terminals.  

The most common approach is to require each patron to reserve one (1)
time slot (30 or 60 nin.) ahead of time; set a maximum each individual
is entitled to per day / week; with a clear understanding that, at the
end of their reserved slot, they may continue on provided no one is
requesting access to the machine.

At the moment we have five
> other internet terminals in our public area that require sign-up sheets
> and some staff monitoring.  Has anyone found a software or programming
> solution to this dilema that would have the terminal/Netscape shut off after
> one hour so that others may have a turn?  We are using Windows NT 3.51
> and Netscape 3.0.   Any information or advice would be much appreciated.
> 
> Thank you
> 
> Susan
> 
> Susan Debenham                                sdebenha at nypl.north-york.on.ca
> Central Library                               +1 416 395-5617
> 
> "Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect
> the position of the North York Public Library."

-- 
Jacques Presseault		jacques at olsn.on.ca
Ontario Library Service - North (Sudbury)
http://www.library.on.ca/index.html
Tel.:	(705) 675-6433	Fax:	(705) 671-2441