Chat on public access Internet

[Susie Breidenbach]

At our library we feel that we have spent a lot of time and money on the
Internet and it should be available for people who need it as a reference
tool.  We do not let people chat at our library and we explain to them
that we want the Internet to be used as a reference tool, etc.  Although I
have a problem with limiting the services, we have to be realistic.  Our
board approved the Internet as long as it was used for reference, so, like
it or not, we have to take the politics of the situation into account when
making our policy.

******************************	
Susie Breidenbach
Computer Specialist/Librarian
Bedford Public Library
1323 K Street
Bedford, Indiana 47421
(812) 275-4471
sbreiden at kiva.net
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On Wed, 12 Feb 1997, danforth wrote:

> I also have problems with limiting users from a particular function.  I know
> that a set of Girl Scouts are planning a chat session  for Thinking Day.  I
> am involved with educational uses of MOOs.  I would think that as long as
> the patron respects the time limits that are set, use of the terminal for
> chat, email, or whatever is legal usage should be okay.
> 
> Isabel
> 
> At 01:43 AM 2/12/97 -0800, you wrote:
> >We have a problem with student using our library Internet 
> >computers for Chat. We have a time limit for the use of the 
> >computers and a sign up process.  We have a debate about 
> >whether or not Chat is acceptable use.  I see it as a waste of 
> >a library resource and would like to stop this type of use.  
> >On the other hand if the student stays within the set time 
> >limitation and chooses to use the internet in this way, what 
> >is wrong with that. 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Isabel L. Danforth     Reference Librarian, Wethersfield Public Library
> danforth at tiac.net     	Co-Director of Librarians' Online Support Team
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>