e-mail in libraries

[Dianne L Parham]

I work in a Public Library and I disagree about the notion that hard core 
researchers have their own computers.  It may depend on your 
interpretation of "hard core" but even yet many people cannot afford 
their own computers (especially if they are starting out in their 
business) or they have their own computers but cannot, for various 
reasons, afford Internet access.  I am ambivalent about this topic 
because I do think many people will use email for correspondence rather 
than research, and I'm not sure the library needs to be responsible for 
each person's ability to communicate BUT on the other hand, I know in 
many fields (including my own of grant and development), the way to get 
the most current information and help is through Internet access and 
e-mail lists.  I don't think it is for me or anyone in the library field 
to decide on someone else's behalf what is or is not a frivalous use of 
the Internet (and who has the right to say that "frivalous" isn't a 
justified use...afterall, libraries carry novels and poetry and other 
non-factual materials).  I think we need to decide, as a prior subscriber 
said, what our purpose is but also realize the demand is their.  The 
community who pays for our services through taxes and donations demands 
that a service be given...and if it is received by those who don't pay 
taxes or donate isn't a judgment for us to make (I don't want anyone in a 
library having to serve as a cybercop over my email).  We have sign up 
sheets.  As long as the person has signed up for time, and relinguishes 
his/her space when the next person is ready, then I don't see what else 
we can do that wouldn't be considered an infringement of this person's 
right to seek out information using whatever methods they choose.  There 
are libraries who do charge for the privilege of using the Internet so 
I'm not sure even the expense of access can be used as an excuse for 
denying this.  Dianne Parham, San Diego Public Library, 
dzp at library.sannet.gov

On Wed, 28 May 1997, Ronnie Morgan wrote:

> If our library was the ONLY place on campus where internet/email was
> available, I would be more likely to go along with providing email.  But
> since we have a limited number of PC's (only 4 at this time) available with
> Internet access, and since the University has 3 other labs with about 30
> PC's in each, I can not justify allowing email access from within the
> library.
> 
> Plus, the few people who know about Hotmail have ignored the no email rule,
> and do it anyway.  And as I recall, none were trying to contact someone for
> research purposes.  Unless, of course, you consider "Hi mom, everything is
> okay here..." as being research...  ;)
> 
> It is true that someone MAY do research via email, but in reality, only the
> hard-core researchers will use email for research purposes.  And any
> hard-core researcher will most likely have thier own PC and thier own
> Internet account.
> 
> Ronnie
> 
>