Time Management Software

[Jennifer Schlossberg]

We are looking at a variety of options for solving our public Internet
PC problem.  We are having difficulty managing our sign-up sheets and
the waiting list.  One possible solution is time management/queue
management software.  We have talked to the folks who produce PC
Reservation, PC Cop, and OCS, but would like some input from those
libraries that are actually using these or similar products.  Some of
the questions we have are:

Which product are you using?

Overall are you satisfied with this product?

How many public computers are using the software?

What applications do you offer on these computers?

What OS platform(s) are you using?

Are you interfacing this software with the patron file in your
automation system?  If yes, which automation system are you using?

How effective is the timing portion of the software?  Are patrons
responding to the warnings before their session is closed?

Do patrons seem to mind the software?

How do you handle a computer freezing that requires rebooting?  Does
this affect a user's time?

Are you signing in patrons or is the sign-in process self-service?

Is software creating new problems for library staff?


We run 22 NT 4.0 machines in Adult Services and 9 in Youth Services.
Thank you in advance for any input.

Jen Schlossberg and Galadriel Chilton
Electronic Resources Librarians
Tompkins County Public Library
Ithaca, NY


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