[WEB4LIB] Patrons causing problems with online gaming sites

[Scritchfield, Larry]

The problem should be handle-able under your problem patron policy,
shouldn't it? In my experience, people are quick to blame the computer
or the Internet when the problem is the patron(s).

Is even legal to block these sites? Don't people have a right to
access this "information?"

Larry Scritchfield                       lscritch at mail.co.washoe.nv.us
Internet Services Librarian                             (775) 327-8349
Washoe County Library System                      www.washoe.lib.nv.us

-----Original Message-----
From: Benjamin Sprague [mailto:Sprague at riponlibrary.org]
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2004 7:39 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Patrons causing problems with online gaming sites


Hello,

We have a number of middle-school-aged children who frequently use our
public Internet computers during the summer.  I believe some of them
would stay on all day long if we let them.  Although our policy does not
list online games as a reason for our offering public Internet access,
we do not currently block it, either.  However, lately it has begun to
cause problems - both with computer congestion (patrons with legitimate
uses are forced to wait in line for an open computer), and with problems
with the young patrons themselves (a few have been disciplined or asked
to leave due to foul language or refusing to listen to library staff).
Within the past two weeks, we have even had two computers get
semi-vandalized in the middle of the day (one one, a protective screen
was ripped off of a flat-panel monitor, and on another someone decided
it would be fun to pry some keys off of a keyboard).  I am thinking of
recommending to our director that we block these online gaming sites -
or at the very least, threaten to block them.  I know we would have some
very angry young patrons, but if they refuse to use our computers
responsibly (and these are brand-new high-end Dells), we have no choice
but to eliminate the main reason why they're on there.

If anyone has dealt with this type of situation before, or has any other
helpful suggestions, I'm all ears :)

Thanks,

Benjamin D. Sprague
----------------------
Circulation Supervisor /
Technology Services
Ripon Public Library
website: http://www.riponlibrary.org
email:   sprague at riponlibrary.org