[Web4lib] Dedicated OPAC stations

[Gerry O. Laroza]

We created a simple Form using Visual Basic that calls the IE  
component, then make the default URL, the webopac URL.

downside: it is running in Windows only.

--gerry

Quoting "McMahon, Daniel" <DMcMahon at co.marin.ca.us>:

> At Marin County Free LIbrary, the WebPACs are Windows XP machines,   
> using Public Web Browser, which I believe is very common for this   
> kind of use.  It's an IE shell, configurable with simple text files.  
>   They also have a utliity to keep "real" IE from opening, which is   
> handy.
>
> 1. XP (or later) set up to autologon to a "user" level account,   
> largely secured by regedits
>
> 2. That account launches PWB from startup, which goes to a page with  
>  several options, such as catalog, databses and any special programs  
>  like summer reading signup.
>
> 3. In PWB, rather than using a "whitelist" of allowable pages, I've   
> always used a "blacklist" to block ways out of the catalog, so   
> people wouldn't be using the few catalog PCs to check their email.    
> (There are public PCs for general Internet use.  Dedicated catalogs   
> are the only way at most sites to have a public catalog available   
> during open hours.)
>
> 4.  PWB is $125 a year for a library system (site license).
>
> Upsides: Easy to build, easy to modify for staff, can use PC for   
> training or really anything if logged into another account.  Easy to  
>  get almost every kind of plugin to function.  Stable.  (8 years of   
> using this recipe now.)
>
> Downsides:  Windows OS costs, virus scanning needed, also desirable   
> to have an anti-executable program or disable USB ports (flash   
> drives).
>
> Irony: the downsides have always made me want to try Linux with Firefox.
>
> Dan McMahon
> Tech System Specialist
> MARINet
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Bravismore mumanyi
> Sent: Mon 6/27/2011 3:48 AM
> To: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: [Web4lib] Dedicated OPAC stations
>
>
>
> Dear All
>
> Please share technologies you have successfully used to implement   
> dedicated Web OPAC stations in your libraries. We would like to have  
>  few stations distributed throughout the libraries for access to Web  
>  OPAC only.
>
> We have disabled all toolbars on firefox on a linux platform but   
> this has not worked.
>
> Regards
> /Bravismore?
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
>
> Email Disclaimer: http://www.co.marin.ca.us/nav/misc/EmailDisclaimer.cfm
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
>



Gerry O. Laroza
Computer & Audio-visual Section
Rizal Library
Ateneo de Manila University

"Hardwork is useless, unless appreciated!"