Chat Rooms (Policy)

[Thomas Edelblute]

For these reasons, we enforce a one hour limit when people are waiting to
use our two Internet comptuers.  We enforce this through a sign in sheet
that includes the persons arrival time, and the persons start time.

>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)
>>http://www.logan.lib.ut.us
>>The Logan Library
>>255 North Main
>>Logan, Utah 84321
>>801-750-9870
>>Fax:  801-753-5026
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
=======================================
Thomas Edelblute
Systems Librarian
United States International University
10455 Pomerado Rd.
San Diego CA 92131-1799
tedelblu at usiu.edu