e-mail in libraries

[Ronnie Morgan]

At 10:34 PM 5/28/97 -0400, earl young wrote:
>I am curious why you care what people are doing on your machines,
>assuming that there is some sign-in mechanism and one use is not denying
>some other use.  I know there is an argument that if the email demand
>wasn't there, time would be available for others - but can't the others
>also use other machines in the labs?  I don't see many distinctions
>between "library" machines and "lab" machines when it comes to the
>Internet.  One is that they are a way for you to attract traffic to your
>library - helping build a demand to which you can point at budget time -
>and I see little wrong with that.  What am I missing?  I do not mean to
>come across as argumentative.  My question is genuine.  What problem
>does allowing email access cause in your library?
>
>Thank you.
>
>Earl Young


2 reasons, we do not want to be a full service internet provider for our
students.  But lack of resources here in the library is the biggest reason.
 We do not want people coming to the library to send email to their mom, or
something of that nature.  We want the PC's to be available for research
purposes only.  

But you bring up another interesting point about the budget.  We don't need
email users to prove that we need more budget.  Those 4 machines are used
constantly throughout the semester, and we really could use about a half
dozen more (for starters).  And, for the most part, they are doing
legitimate research.

Again, this is my situation, you, on the other hand, may need those email
users to justify budget increases...

Good question, BTW!

Ronnie