[WEB4LIB] Floppy disks in the Library

[Phillip B. Whitford]

At our public library we allow patrons to bring in floppies and we also sell
them.  We occasionally have problems with stuck disks or the disk shutters
coming off in the drives.  Our public staff don't try and dig the disks out
of a machine and we don't allow patrons to do it either for fear of further
damage. Instead an out of order sign is put on the PC and the IS staff fixes
the problem.  Unusually it's done while the patron is still here and they
can usually copy the data off the damaged disk to a new one if the patron
wants.


It's not a major problem for us.  Finding that little spring that comes off
with the shutter is usually the hardest part.  Occasionally we have had to
replace floppy drives but new ones are cheap and most of our replacement
drives are cannibalized from scrapped computers anyway.

Phillip B. Whitford
Braswell Memorial Library
344 Falls Rd, Rocky Mount, NC 27804
252-442-1951
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Braswell Library

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of Tasmin R. Mills
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2001 10:07 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Floppy disks in the Library


I would like to know if there are any libraries that have a policy about
patrons bringing floppy disks from home.  We are experiencing the problem
of floppy disks getting stuck in computers and patrons and staff forcibly
trying to remove them.  It is difficult to educate patrons on proper floppy
care but I see that it needs to be done.

Do you allow floppy disks from home or do you have patrons purchase floppy
disks from you.  However, this still doesn't solve the problem of the new
disk being damaged and then brought back to the library and used.

Suggestions?

trm
-----------

Tasmin R. Mills
Technology Coordinator
Lawrence Public Library
707 Vermont Street
Lawrence, KS 66049

785-843-3833, ext 106
785-843-3833, ext 124 (voice)
785-843-3688, (FAX)