[WEB4LIB] RE: Patrons causing problems with online gaming

[Hogue Melanie]

When we decided to block games and chat in our public library, we waited to
see if there would be a censorship problem. There wasn't. It was presented
as an allocation of resources problem related to the keeping of a written
Internet Policy.

Also, the problem of persons trying to use other people's library accounts
to abuse the time limits has been successfully handled by using Karen's idea
of identity theft. We had one young man who was bringing in groups of
different girls every day and showing them how to set up accounts on the
dating bulletin boards. He was logging on using his own and another woman's
account. We called her and found out that he did not have permission to be
using it, so we were able to ban him from the library for a year for
identity theft. Our policy states that anyone who gives false information to
obtain library services use can be denied. Needless to say we were also
worried about his activities with the women; but it was not our business to
investigate.

When we notice someone on the computers for an unusually long period of
time, we check the history to see if they are using two numbers. When this
is the case, we explain that allowing them to have more time than others
violates the spirit of the rules. We suggest that if they were the patron
waiting (and we do have people waiting at times) they would want fair
access.

QUESTION: Regarding segregation by use, we are considering removal of
Internet access from our computers that have word processing capabilities
because we have patrons who would occupy these machines for surfing when
there are people waiting to type resumes, etc. Does anyone have a story
about the success or failure of this policy? I'm thinking that there are
patrons who need Internet access to compile information for a letter or
paper they are typing. 

Melanie Amy Hogue, Librarian I
Business, Science & Technology
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library
 

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Louise Alcorn
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 11:10 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: Patrons causing problems with online gaming


>>> 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, whe!
 re 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