[WEB4LIB] RE: Patrons causing problems with online gaming sites

[Louise Alcorn]

>>> Andrew Mutch <amutch at waterford.lib.mi.us> 08/06/04 01:03PM >>>
> If you don't have enough computers to meet the demand,
>limit the time that people can spend on the computers. 

Benjamin, it sounds like you're already doing this with a time management tool, but that the kids are using someone else's library card to sign on, is that right?  Does your policy have a 'maximum hours/week' for *any* user?  You could ratchet this down (which would be too bad for the resume-writer who needs the time) so the kids are limited more.  Again, this is punishing the innocent as well as the guilty, which is difficult.  

I agree with everyone who has said this is a behavior issue, and technological solutions to behavior are limited.  I know our IT dept has locked out (we have a Win2000 network) any streaming audio or video, which ticks off adults more than kids.  We can have them release this if it's for an online class or whatever.  Unfortunately, I believe most of the online gaming sites are Flash and Java, so that's hard to block without blocking most legitimate sites today.

>One thing I would caution against is trying to do too much segregation by
>use. We do have 3 computers just for database access and CD-ROM use and 3
>just for Word Processing. 

I have to reiterate what Andrew said about this.  Esp. as you're in a smaller library with limited stations as it is.  We have two Word/Office-only machines, which I'm glad we have, but the rest are either Net only or Net+Office.  They're in nearly constant use.  *However* we also have one station that we can pre-book.  We offer this option in part because it's a holdover from when we only had 5 PC's (1 pre-booked, 4 walk-in).  But we use this when the stations are very full and we have someone who *needs* to get on.  The prebook station has a sign saying that any patron can sit down and use it, but may be asked to leave if we have a booking.  If someone comes in and we're packed, I ask them if they can wait until the next 1/2 hour interval.  I take their name and book them for it, then give the current sitter a 5 or 10 minute warning.  We rarely have to use this.  I know you have a time mgt system, but most of them can be adjusted to accomodate this sort of arrangement, where you have one station with a more rigid schedule, controlled by staff.

In re: Andrew's problem with the CD/database computers, we had this problem for a while.  When we upgraded our system last time, I did away with all but the Word-only machines, but chose to have this pre-book station idea which could be controlled more closely by staff to allow us to accomodate special needs.  

I hope some of this helps you, Benjamin.  Best of luck!
Louise


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Louise E. Alcorn     --    Reference Technology Librarian
West Des Moines Public Library
4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
West Des Moines IA 50265
(515) 222-3573      louise.alcorn at wdm-ia.com
http://www.wdm.lib.ia.us