[WEB4LIB] Re: Blocking free mail services

[Dan Lester]

At 03:38 PM 9/1/99 -0700, Dale Vidmar wrote:
>  I have on several occasions been regarded fellow librarians as a "second 
> class citizen" for trying to access my email account while travelling.

As always, each library needs to do what is necessary to serve the greatest 
number of its own patrons.

At Boise State our 43 internet workstations wouldn't be adequate (and it 
barely is anyway) if we permitted email.  Students can access email in a 
dozen computer labs.  Our primary clientele does not include the community, 
so we don't provide it for them (and neither do the computer labs).  The 
public library does that, however, and it is less than a mile away.

I can also assure you that if a visiting librarian identified him/herself 
to a reference librarian and explained the need to check email, s/he'd be 
promptly allowed to sit at one of the reference desk computers to access 
said mail.  I've also on a couple of occasions allowed visitors to use 
my  computer in my office.

cheers

dan




--
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Dan Lester, 3577 East Pecan, Boise, ID 83716 USA 208-383-0165
dan at 84.com   http://www.84.com/  http://www.postcard.org/