[WEB4LIB] Floppy disks in the Library

[Daniel Messer]

    We allow and encourage patrons to bring their own disks, simply because
that's the only way they can save stuff on either the Internet or our word
processors. They can purchase floppies for US$1.00, though sales on these are
minimal at best. We usually wind up selling a disk only because someone forgot
theirs that day.
    As far as them getting stuck, is it because the disk is bad? Or are they
inserting the disk incorrectly? We've had some problems like that, but not on a
huge scale. The biggest problem we have concerns the fact that floppy disks are
cheaply sold and even more cheaply made. Read errors are fairly common and data
loss happens to at least a patron a week, usually more. Scandisk and Norton can
only do so much. It's just the simple fact that, when it comes to floppies,
they don't make 'em like they used to.
    One of the things we've done is put my "patented floppy disk warning" in
our patron computer manuals. These manuals are there for the patrons to have
easy access to instructions on how to save things, how to open them, finding
things online, etc... I simply state, in no uncertain terms, that floppies are
cheap and you get what you pay for. Today's floppies should be treated like
they're made of glass. It seems to have helped somewhat. While I still get the
one or two patrons a week with read errors, it's not been as bad recently.
Maybe they're taking notice...
    One last thing, our IT folks really care less about the floppy drives. Even
the drives are so cheap anymore I think purchasing one falls under the petty
cash category and they just go to a local store and pick up the cheapest one.
You can usually get one for US$20 or less. So if a drive breaks, no big deal,
they go get a new one. However this is very rare.

Dan

"Tasmin R. Mills" wrote:

> 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)

--

Mondai wa
The subject in queston...
---
Daniel Messer
Technologies Instructor
Yakima Valley Regional Library
102 N 3rd St  Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 452-8541 x712
dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us
---
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yuke-sou na ki ga suru kara
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