Chat on public access Internet

[Charles A. Summerhill]

Our computer has two areas with Internet Stations, each with slightly 
different "policies".

This is a Health Sciences Center library, BTW...

The Information Access Services (Reference Desk) has two web-stations -- 
they provide a book in which patrons are allowed to sign up for one 
thirty minute period. If the station is open, then it is free to be 
used. It can be used for a thirty minute period before another patron is 
allowed access (if no one is waiting, the first patron can continue). 
This area is open to the public. E-Mail is not provided on either 
station. What they use the station for (general browsing, chat or 
reference) is not a consideration.

I work in the Learning Resource Center where we have twenty-five 
web/e-mail enabled stations and fifteen additional stations with e-mail. 
This stations primarily host medical education applications with 
Netscape and Telnet being added on. We have a priority list for the use 
of our computer with 1.) students using medical education apps coming 
first, 2.) students using the internet for assigned resources, 3.) 
students using e-mail, 4.) non-assigned Internet use. These policies are 
enforced (rigorously) by the LRC staff. There are no time limits. This 
area of the library is only open to faculty, students and staff of the 
University.

----------------------------------------
It sounds like each library has completely different policies and 
implementations (we have two different ones within the same library). 
Our policies are dictated by "economies": Information Access has only 
two computer, therefore they limit time. The Learning Resource Center 
has many more computers, but they are provided for the students to use 
educational programs first -- Internet is provided after the primary 
function is fulfilled.

-- 
  Charles A. Summerhill
  Network Manager
  Library Learning Resource Center
  University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
  http://www.librarylrc.uams.edu/wwwroot/