[WEB4LIB] Wireless APs and Liability

[K.G. Schneider]

> I'm a bit skeptical as someone grabbing our signal from across the =
> street
> can't reasonably be expected to see our bulletin boards.  Wouldn't the
> library at least need to have users agree to an AUP?  And even then, =
> would
> that be enough?  I would hate to get a letter from the MPAA telling me =
> that
> download activity had been traced to the IP address of our AP.  On the =
> other
> hand, should I quit being so fretful, plug it in, and hope for the best? =
> =20
> 
> =20
> 
> Michael J. Dargan

These are good questions, and though they are web4lib-worthy, they could
also justify attending the LITA Institute on wireless to be held just before
ALA Midwinter. According to its description, the institute will address
"Security issues in a wireless environment." 

I wonder if it isn't worth the extra effort to figure out how to present a
page such as is used in hotels and so forth, where users "initial" an
acknowledgment before they can sign on the network. It sounds like sensible
CYA. (Note: I've been chewing over this since reading the "top tech tips"
posted to http://www.walkingpaper.org/index.php?id=128 , and now making the
rounds of the biblioblogosphere. I don't know that you could do security
right with a $50 AP; has anyone done this? Even if you could implement
aforesaid script yourself, that's staff time, as is deciding what your
release form should say. N.b. I do appreciate wi-fi in libraries, and wish
more libraries in NoCal offered it.) 

Karen G. Schneider
kgs at bluehighways.com