www time limits and traffic control

[Donald Barclay]

We have have heavy traffic problems, too. Twenty of our 100 or so
workstations are sign-up stations. The sign-up sheets divide the day into
half-hour slots. An individual can sign up for two slots per day. The
sign-up sheets are on clipboards mounted on power poles next to the
workstations. The patrons sign themselves in.  We also make it
known that users can sign up in advance by phone or at the information
desk. Each sign-up machine has its own prominent (in-your-face) sign
telling the user that it is a sign-up machine and that if you are not
signed up, be prepared to give it up to the person who is. 

So far, the system has been almost entirely self-policing. Of course when
it is slow, patrons can use the sign-up terminals for as long as they
want. We still get complaints when it is busy, but most complainers are
quite satistifed when we tell them about the sign-up option.


Donald A. Barclay
Coordinator of Electronic Services    always the beautiful answer
University of Houston Libraries       who asks a more beautiful question
dbarclay at uh.edu                               --e.e. cummings
www.uh.edu/~dbarclay