Chat on public access Internet

[Lucia Maclean]

I am interested in this topic, too!

We have signs posted near each PC (they're near our reference desks)
saying that using them for email or chat lines is not allowed.  They're
supposed to be for reach purposes only.

The problem that we're currently having is some of the staff at the
reference desks do not want to enforce our policy.  So students get
"hassled" at some desks and left alone at others.  They are getting
unequal treatment.  This leaves it to our Security Guards to enforce the
policy and they're not here during all open hours of the building. 

I am most interested in learning what other libraries are doing, or not
doing as the case may be.  Whether or not you have policies covering this
topic and what you're doing to enforce/not enforce the policy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                                       Lucia MacLean
                                     Head, Circulation
                                      Shields Library
                                University of California, Davis
                                     (916) 752-1204
                                   ljmaclean at ucdavis.edu

The "seven social sins": Politics without principle.  Wealth without work.  Pleasure 
without conscience.  Knowledge without character.  Commerce without morality.  Science 
without humanity.  Religion without sacrifice.  Ghandi 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


On Wed, 12 Feb 1997 ballen at clatsop.cc.or.us 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. Most of those who frequent the chat rooms 
> tend to stay for long periods of time-staff has to intervene, 
> it could get ugly.
> I am interested in how others view this.
> 
> -------------------------------------
> Name: Bonnie Allen
> Director,  Learning Resource Center
> Clatsop Community College
> Astoria, Or 97103
> (503) 338-2466
> E-mail: ballen at clatsop.cc.or.us
> Date:02/11/97
> Time:20:17:00
> 
> 
> -------------------------------------
> 
> 
>