Chat Rooms (Policy)

[Jim Richards]

> We are just the opposite. We only have 4 internet computers and chat rooms
> were banned in our policy. We are going to change the policy because we
> cannot police and enforce the policy. If anyone knows how to ban them
> physically from the station, we also would like to know.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Melanie Liechty <mliechty at inter.state.lib.ut.us>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <web4lib at library.berkeley.edu>
> Date: Monday, March 23, 1998 1:48 PM
> Subject: Chat Rooms (Policy)
> 
> 
> >We are on the verge of eliminating the use of chat rooms on our four
> >public access computers. This has been after much argument, discussion
> >and research. As a public library we do not want to censor the use of
> >the internet. Yet as a medium sized public library with only 4 computers
> >for the public to use for the internet, we need to eliminate some of our
> >'problems' and free the computers to those who need them for research
> >and reports. Our 1 hour time limit hasn't helped as there are those who
> >continually abuse the limit.
> >
> >So the decision has been made to enforce a policy of 'no chat rooms.' We
> >are interested in how other libraries have handled this problem, and
> >need some ideas for the exact wording of policies.
> >
> >Thank you for your time.
> >
> >--
> >Melanie Liechty (mliechty at inter.state.lib.ut.us)

Part of our policy is no chat rooms, e-mail, or MUDs.  We resrict 
these by using Wingate which is an NT firewall/proxy server.  We do 
not yet have public internet (it's coming in a couple weeks) but I 
have tried to get chat rooms,etc. with no sucess.  The only problem 
that I have run into is free e-mail services like hot mail which I am 
going to try to filter out.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}
 Jim Richards
 Network Administrator
 Naperville Public Libraries          Voice: (630)961-4100 x241
 200 W. Jefferson Ave.                    Fax: (630)961-4117
 Naperville, IL  60540-5351
{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}