[WEB4LIB] Re: Blocking free mail services

[Shirl Kennedy]

Bravo, Dale!

We're a major tourist destination, and we also have lots of seasonal
residents.  Providing access to Web-based e-mail is Just Something We Do.
(We also issue temporary cards to these folks, even if they are staying in
motels.)  Needless to say, this also benefits our local folks who don't have
home computers...including numerous grandmas and grandpas exchanging e-mail
with "the kids" up north.  People sign up for their slot at an Internet
workstation.  If they want or need to do e-mail or chat...well, they way I
look at it, if you start  limiting "recreational" use of library resources,
let's get rid of two-thirds of the video collection, the romance novels,
thrillers, mysteries, etc.

Shirl (give the people what they want) Kennedy
Web Doyenne
City of Clearwater (Florida)
http://www.clearwater-fl.com

We are not afraid to entrust the American people
with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies,
and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid
to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an
open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.
     -- John F. Kennedy



----- Original Message -----
From: Dale Vidmar <Vidmar at sou.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <web4lib at webjunction.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 1999 6:38 PM
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Re: Blocking free mail services


> >At 08:11 AM 8/31/99 -0700, Richard.Griffin at orst.edu wrote:
> >We want to be able to block access to Hotmail and other free
> > mail services on our public PCs and we already have a proxy
> > server loaded for other purposes.  Does anyone know of any
> > software that would allow us to block mail without using a proxy
> > server?
>
> As a librarian who finds himself on the road at times, I find that
libraries that do not try to restrict use of the Internet terminals to "only
research" quite useful. In the 21st century, more and more email will become
"real research." In truth, I am often answering email that are reference
questions concerning students with a research question or a question about
how to access materials.
>
> While I understand that terminals are limited and that some people abuse
email privileges, I am beginning to feel that libraries that restrict access
to email are doing a disservice to their patrons. I also believe that such
restrictions are hurting public relations because many of the individuals
who enter the building to look at email are often individuals who support
libraries in their communities. I have on several occasions been regarded
fellow librarians as a "second class citizen" for trying to access my email
account while travelling. Even though I have a laptop that I usually use,
occassionally it really is more convenient and even comforting to visit a
local library for such information behavior.
>
> This thought is not meant to create a range war about email access. It is
more of a plea to libraries to reconsider restrictive email policies for the
benefit of everyone.
>
> Dale
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Dale Vidmar
> Electronic Resources and Library Instruction Coordinator/
> Education and Communications Librarian
> Southern Oregon University Library
> 541-552-6842
> vidmar at sou.edu
>
> "Anything that I ever did that was ultimately worthwhile,
> initially scared me to death."
> - Betty Bender
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>