Preventing use of e-mail and chat lines

[Paul H. Gray]

We are a junior college library and have six stations equipped with
Netscape (running in Windows 3.x).  These were purchased and put into place
explicitly as part of our Reference area -  for class assignments and other
academic research.  We do not provide any e-mail or chat software and have
a posted policy against such use.  

Unfortunately there are now web sites that allow patrons to circumvent this
by providing e-mail and chat functions within their web site.  Human nature
being what it is - we have patrons spending hours at a time in these
recreational activities at the expense of students with 'legitimate' needs.
We do not have the staff to police this effectively - nor does the staff we
do have wish to become confrontational -- and the patrons know this.

We are looking for a technical solution that will help us prevent this.
Possibly by blocking these specific sites.  Any suggestions as to how
others are dealing with this would be welcome.  If this has been dealt with
in an FAQ or a thread that I can find in a digest please forgive this
question and just point me in the right direction.

Please - I do --not-- want to get involved in a philosophical discussion
about whether sites should ever be blocke etc. My bosses and their bosses
worry about that.  I am looking only for pragmatic help in assuring the
most efficient and appropriate (as defined by stated policy) use of
resources with the least confrontation.

Thank you in advance -
Paul H. Gray     
Learning Resources Manager   *VOICE (817)515-6623 
TCJC NE LRC                  *FAX (817)515-6275
828 Harwood Road             *E-MAIL phgray at tcjc.cc.tx.us
Hurst, Texas 76054