[WEB4LIB] Floppy disks in the Library

[stephanie spearman]

We've just been discussing this recently. We do allow
floppies but only if patrons buy them from us and ONLY
if they give them back before they leave--to be stored
in a big floppy disk holder. If they take them out of
the library they are not allowed to use them in the
library again. Absolutely no disks floppy or CD from
home.

Now, our problem lately has been how to protect the
floppy drives. I had been using floppy locks but the
circ staff finds it hard to keep up with putting them
back in and patrons invariably yank them out pulling
off the face. I had used epoxy to glue the face plate
in but they STILL yanked on the lock & broke the
plate. Our new Compaq computers have a design 'curve'
in them that won't let the locks fit in at all. 

So, what do we do now? That's what we've been
discussing. Everything from a whole case cover to
steel cable with a padlock. I'm also looking into
software solution such as a mapped drive instead of
floppy which would perform the same function--circ
desk would download docs as needed to floppies. You
can use a registry hack "AllocateFloppy" which I do
use for CDs but that would have to be turned off & on.
All this ends up being too much human labor requiring
librarians to be police--I'd like a different
solution. I'm interested in what other libraries have
done to solve this problem.
Stephanie Spearman
Electronic Services Librarian
NGRL

Dalton, GA


--- "Tasmin R. Mills" <tmills at lawrence.lib.ks.us>
wrote:
> 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)
> 


=====
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