Good or Bad Idea - library limiting patron's time on its computers

debodun

debodun

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Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I haven't used the computer in the local library for a while, but had an occasion this week. They've changed the rules since my last visit. People wanting to access a library computer used to have to "sign in" (i.e. actually sign a paper with their names and the time) before use, but they had unlimited time. Now users must sign in electronically on whichever computer they use and are only allowed 60 minutes a day. If you exceed the time limit, the computer automatically logs you off. We have a small village and there are hardly anyone using the library computers (when I was there this week, there were only 2 other people on the library computers), so I can't see the need to limit user's time on them. Any opinions?
 

My opinion is to voice your concern over this restrictive policy with the administor. I started my computer life at the local library and was allowed a lot more time and no signing in...
 
My husband was the library director in our small town of 4500 people and had to institute a time-limit because there were so few kids with internet access at home that they'd come in after school or in the evenings to use the computers for homework. There were only three available so you can imagine that before the one-hour limit, they'd get pretty well tied up.
 

I worked at a library we had the same time limits in place and that was nearly two decades ago. These types of rules are in place to accommodate all its patrons especially to avoid abuses and conflict between other users and believe me you may think it isn't an issue but at some libraries it really is so because they are run by a jurisdictions, if they implement this rule at one branch whichever may be the only one having major issues the rules will have to go into effect for all.

The library here has a 30 min limint but if no one is waiting for your machine a pop-up will appear and you are allowed to extend your time in repeated increments of 30 min.
 
I think these limits are necessary, like April said to avoid abuses and make sure patrons have access if they need it. It's been a long time since I used one, but I think the cutoff was 60 min., but then you could log in again for another hour. I think if there were no people waiting for a computer in the system, there was an extension option in 20 minute increments if desired. I think teens would hang out all day if they had unlimited access to play video games, etc. So to me, it is definitely necessary.
 
I haven’t used a library computer in a long time, but I do recall there is a time limit. This is a large city, and even though the library has a lot of computers there was a 3 hour limit. (Our main library is one of the top rated in the country. Very luxurious, fantastic staff, lots of awards.) Huge university, lots of students (although the uni library is very good), and not as many people had computers as they do now. I still think the time limit is necessary, even in small towns. Some people will sit there all day if allowed. I recall a staff member waking a guy who was sleeping at the keyboard...he was asked to leave.

If someone has a special project and no one else is waiting, they can always ask for more time.

Also, back in the 90s patrons could print free. That changed after several years…people printing manuscripts, dozens of copies of resumes, etc. Now I think they charge 10 cents a page.

They also limit number of videos and CDs....otherwise people would take dozens at a time.
 
Our library has a good system with computer usage. It gives you a 60 minute block initially. Then you can get a second 60 minutes. Then a message will come on and ask if you want more time in 15 minute increments. So if you're doing work or some kind of long project the computer will help you out. If there isn't a lot of patrons, the librarians will happily add whatever time you need as well.
 
fureverywhere said:
Our library has a good system with computer usage. It gives you a 60 minute block initially. Then you can get a second 60 minutes. Then a message will come on and ask if you want more time in 15 minute increments. So if you're doing work or some kind of long project the computer will help you out. If there isn't a lot of patrons, the librarians will happily add whatever time you need as well.
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That's a good system. It might work at our branch libraries, but even though our large main library has LOTS of computers, there are always people waiting to use them as I recall. I think they now use some type of automated system where patrons scan their library card, then they are assigned a computer, and get 2 hrs.
 
I've never used a computer at a library. I know a lot of homeless people use them and I'm glad they are available for them. IF, and I do mean IF, there is no one in line wanting to use a computer and my 60 minutes were up I'd walk off for a few minutes and then come back with a new identity and sign on again. But that's just me.
 
Linda said:
I've never used a computer at a library. I know a lot of homeless people use them and I'm glad they are available for them. IF, and I do mean IF, there is no one in line wanting to use a computer and my 60 minutes were up I'd walk off for a few minutes and then come back with a new identity and sign on again. But that's just me.
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Unless you have another patron's library card you wouldn't be able to do that because they make you sign in and you agree to a time limit of one hour. You can add 15 min increments at the end of the hr though. One library I go to has no signing in and no time limits. I love that library.
 
A flexible policy is what is called for. Not a rigid one that some authority puts in place and is unbending. Further, with home computers becoming so common, a review of library policy on a regular basis makes sense, as with all policies...
 
Not sure how much more flexible they need to be than what many have already stated most of their libraries are with allowing additional time increments dependent upon how busy they are same as when people check out books you have a time limit you can renew as often as you want most times as long as others aren't waiting on the materials. There's no great Oz standing guard, but, without some rules in place having seen and knowing human beings and how we tend toward disregard for our fellow patrons in some of these situations policies are a good thing and yes with some flexibilities which often goes hand and hand at the places ive frequented.

For instance we had people who spent time all day just killing time at the library and part of that time was used surfing the net even looking at porn, really,not that it's our business, but anyway, at some point the college and he students would come in to make use of the pc for research projects. If we didn't have time limits in place these students would never have access to the PC for their homework assignments. I worked in the children's department there we were paired with the school system for various school projects and yes there still were time limits in place, but, they were very flexible for the kids who were working on such projects. This was of course middle and younger school age kids generally 8tg grade and below.
 
When I was a librarian, if a student was working on a school project I let them finish no matter how long it took. I even stayed late sometimes to let them finish. If I could see that they were just goofing off instead of working, I didn't. Fortunately, we had enough computers so that I seldom had to limit a patron's time.
 
Shirley said:
When I was a librarian, if a student was working on a school project I let them finish no matter how long it took. I even stayed late sometimes to let them finish. If I could see that they were just goofing off instead of working, I didn't. Fortunately, we had enough computers so that I seldom had to limit a patron's time.
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Shirley, the county where I worked librarians didn't have that sort of authority to keep libraries open past a certain time we had alarm systems everything had to be accounted for two people two stafferers always opened and closed out and this wasn't some large urban community. We had maybe six computers in the children's section and they were always occupied. The rules implemented helped keep things functioning well for all concerned. I had many occasions where I had to bend a rule. Including when a parent left and didn't come pick up a youngster after closing time or some other such situation.
 
What's sad is I was supposed to have left to go to the library an hour ago, but,I'm sitting here like the library nazzi instead of going out and getting something in the real world accomplished. Till later have fun kiddies. I'll be back to offend later.:eek:
 
If they didn't limit time, the chronic same few would monopolize the computer and render it permanently unavailable to the casual user.
 
chic said:
Unless you have another patron's library card you wouldn't be able to do that because they make you sign in and you agree to a time limit of one hour. You can add 15 min increments at the end of the hr though. One library I go to has no signing in and no time limits. I love that library.
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I didn't realize you have to have a library card to use a computer but it does make sense. I didn't know homeless people had library cards.
 

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