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----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Public Access Internet Policies: Summary Attached is a summary of the replies I received from members of ARLIS-L (Art Libraries Society of North America) and COLLIB-L (College & Research Libraries) regarding policies on the use of Internet terminals in academic libraries. My original question appears at the end of this post. Thanks to all who took the time to reply! If anyone wants to see ALL the replies, e-mail me privately and I'll send them to you. Out of 17 replies, 8 mentioned a 30-minute time limit on the terminals. Several libraries had a time clock system: slips of paper were punched with the time and given to the user. There was one 15-minute time limit, one 20-minute limit, and one 1-hour limit. Several replies indicated that if no one else was waiting, patrons could stay on past the 30-minute limit. 7 replies mentioned sign-up sheets or registering at the Reference Desk. In an aside in regard to the enforcing of time limits, I e-mailed Netscape and asked if it were possible to get a read-out on connect time via the Netscape software. Where I used to work, we used Procomm for student Dialog searching; students paid a flat fee for 30 minutes of searching. The little clock display in Procomm gave us a readout of the real connect time, thus we knew when students should stop. I mentioned this to Netscape, and the reply was that we could probably pay for such customization - !! Wouldn't this be a desirable item for libraries using Netscape? Is there a Netscape User Group? The replies were pretty unanimous in stating that the Internet terminals were for supporting the curriculum, and that patrons who need to do research take precedence over game-players and chatters. Several libraries had software or hardware that doesn't allow games or chatting at all. Everyone also seemed to feel quite comfortable about "bumping" patrons who are just fooling around for fun in order to accomodate patrons with research needs. Several libraries mentioned campus-wide computing policies that alleviated their need for a separate library Internet policy (good idea). 2 replies stated that Internet access was for students/faculty/staff ONLY. ** I'd be interested in hearing more on this if anyone wants to reply privately.** We are open to the public, and why should the Internet terminal be treated differently from access to other library resources? (Rhetorical devil's advocate-type question.) My original message to COLLIB-L and ARLIS-L: I'm looking for academic library policies on public access Internet terminals in the library. We installed a public access Internet terminal in January of this year. So far "public access" has meant that anyone who comes in our library can sit down and use it for an unlimited amount of time. Patrons can do everything except send or receive e-mail. A few patrons have asked that we set time limits; they're frustrated at their inability to get on. This has increased in recent weeks as some of the students have discovered chat rooms and such and spend a great deal of time online in one session. How do others manage? Do you have sign-up sheets? Time limits? A limit of one hour? Two hours? Can recreational browsers be bumped off? What is recreational versus educational?? (I think I know, but what does one say in a policy?) I might add that this Internet access is provided by only one terminal, and is the only one in the entire university so far. (Ours is a small institution, about 1350 students.) It's also one of the most popular new items we've ever put into place, aside from our online catalog. The type of account we have with our Internet provider includes 100 hours of connect time per month, plus $2.00/hour for every hour over the 100 hours. So far we haven't exceeded our limit, but I expect that we will soon. Thanks very much. Sara J. MacDonald, Reference Librarian Albert M. Greenfield Library, University of the Arts 320 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 USA Voice: (215) 875-1016 Fax: (215) 875-2296 E-mail: [log in to unmask] UArts home page: http://www.libertynet.org/~uarts/