[Web4lib] Outside disk usage

Tue Aug 16 13:50:38 EDT 2005

Our polices are available at
http://www.braswell-library.org/computeruse.htm.  We try and write them
in a somewhat general fashion so we don't have to change them every time
the technology changes. 

The relevant section on use of media is contained in this paragraph:
"7.5 Patrons may connect personally owned devices such as digital
cameras, solid state memory devices, and portable data storage devices
to library owned devices.  However, if the patron owned device requires
software to be installed on library owned devices then they may not be
used. Patrons may not disconnect or modify library owned equipment to
connect personally owned devices." 

We don't have a written procedures on the selling of the media although
prices are approved by the board as part of our fines and fees schedule.
We only sell disks and CDs as a service to patrons who don't bring their
own. We price them high so as to encourage patrons to buy them
elsewhere. We don't want to be a retail establishment.

As for viruses and such we use a multi-layered approach: We use Symantec
Anti-virus Enterprise Edition and we update it frequently, each public
machine has a Centurion Guard device installed which restores the
machine to the previous state upon reboot, we have a security program
called PCSecure running to prevent access and tampering with the Windows
installation between reboots, and we are starting to use AD policies. We
are also behind a firewall and it is configured to protect us from a
number of web based ills.

Phillip B. Whitford
Manager Information Technology
Braswell Memorial Library
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my organization.    

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of
MJEAN.WILLIAMSADAMS
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 12:31 PM
To: Richard Wiggins; Web4Lib
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Outside disk usage

I would like to read your policies and procedures and know how you
manage the purchase and use of all the media you allow your patrons
access to in your library (floppy disk, CDs, zip disk, and blank CDs). 

I am interested in how you secure your computers to prevent viruses,
etc.

M Jean Williams Adams
Systems Librarian
Coleman Memorial Library
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, FL 32307-4700
Phone: (850) 561-2131
Fax:     (850) 561-2599

________________________________

From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Richard Wiggins
Sent: Tue 8/16/2005 9:18 AM
To: Web4Lib
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Outside disk usage

Wild, outrageous, risky prediction: This will change. :-) /rich

On 8/16/05, Michele Haytko <michele.haytko at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> We dont allow plugins like thumb drives, either. We've had maybe a 
> dozen in the last year try to use them? Maybe?
>
> Thanks,
> michele
>
>
> On 16/08/05, Richard Wiggins <richard.wiggins at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Somewhat related question: how often do people show up with pocket 
> > USB
> flash
> > drives and expect to plug them in?
> > Many geeks such as myself always carry one -- I have for years now 
> > --
> but I
> > see these as offering so much value that I expect everyone who is
> computer
> > literate to carry one. Yet the penetration rate seems lower than I
> would've
> > expected.
> > Do your patrons have any problems accessing the USB port? Many 
> > computers now offer front USB ports, but they don't always work. At 
> > our
> university, we
> > have some models of Dell computers in our computer labs that have 
> > the
> curved
> > panel you have to raise in order to get to the USB port. The USB 
> > port on
> the
> > computer is at an awkward angle, not 90 degrees as it ought to be. 
> > And
> the
> > space is constraned so that if you have a bulky USB device, you 
> > cannot
> plug
> > it in.
> > Over time I would expect folks to use USB devices as a large data 
> > pail
> to
> > carry home oodles of useful content they find at the library. In 
> > fact as prices for USB flash devices continue to fall, patrons may 
> > walk up to
> the
> > desk hoping to buy a flash drive. (Some universities are already 
> > looking
> at
> > distributing antivirus tookkits to students on flash drives instead 
> > of
> CD.
> > The student loads the software and then has a usable flash drive 
> > with
> the IT
> > department's logo and contact number imprinted on it.) /rich
> > PS -- I predict that mass-market USB flash drives will often double
as
> MP3
> > players -- THEN they will be in everyone's pocket.
> > On 8/16/05, Phillip Whitford <PWhitford at braswell-library.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > Like some of the others who have responded I think your policy 
> > > against outside storage media may be to restrictive. But to answer

> > > your
> question
> > > we treat left behind storage media just like any other personal
> property
> > > left in the library. We hold on to it for at least 30 days in case
> they
> > > return for it. After 30 days it is disposed of.
> > >
> > > For the record we allow patrons to bring in their own floppy 
> > > disks, flash drives, zip disks, and blank CDs. They can buy disks 
> > > and CDs
> from
> > > us if they don't have their own. It hasn't caused any security or
> virus
> > > problems.
> > >
> > > Phillip B. Whitford
> > > Manager Information Technology
> > > Braswell Memorial Library
> > > Rocky Mount, NC 27804
> > > Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my organization.
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Web4lib mailing list
> > Web4lib at webjunction.org http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
> >
>
>
> --
> **************)0(**************
> Mrs. C. Michele Haytko
> Montgomery County-
> Norristown Public Library
> MC-NPL Computer Lab
> 1001 Powell Street
> Norristown, PA 19401
> 610-278-5100 Ext. 141
>
> "Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Gandhi
>
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