Everything on library public terminals

[A. Helfman]

	In our small academic library, we have four public access PCs. All of them
have Internet access. Three have word processors installed; two access
various CD-ROM databases, and two have access to the school's email server.
Our policy states that our students have first priority for computer use,
then it goes on like this: 

     Computer users are given preference in the following order:

	   1st:  CD-ROM databases for academic research
	   2nd:  Internet for academic research
	   3rd:  Word processing for academic assignments
	   4th:  Word processing for other purposes
	   5th:  All non-academic Internet and other computer use

     Anyone who is using a computer for a lower priority activity MUST
yield to a user with higher priority needs. The Library reserves the right
to assign users to specific      workstations, if necessary.

     The Library reserves the right to impose a time limit on computer use
during periods           of high demand.

This works in our context because most of our users are classmates; with
these rules posted near the PCs, they seem to police themselves most of the
time. But in the more heterogeneous world of a public library...YMMV.



Amy W. Helfman
Associate Librarian
Klau Library, HUC-JIR, NY
ahelfman at huc.edu