[12460] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Integrated Internet Access from Research Terminals
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dennis Davies-Wilson)
Mon Sep 28 20:02:19 1998
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 16:47:09 -0500
From: Dennis Davies-Wilson <davies@la.unm.edu>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
2 Messages, 271 Lines
*-----
From: Richard J Wood <WOOD@SHSU.EDU>
Subject: RE: Integrated Internet Access from Research Terminals
At Sam Houston State University, we have always regarded the integrated
approach as the ideal one-users should not have to hop from one work station
to another to gain access to different databases. We try to load every
database on our campus system so that every user has access to all databases
from any computer lab, office workstation, or remote site. After all, remote
users would too, provided they are authenticated on the front end. New
faculty and staff particularly like the approach if they didn't have it at
the institution they came from and the same is true of transfer students.
The downside is having to buy slightly more concurrent licenses for our
network and perhaps somewhat declining use of the workstations in reference,
where they can assistance more readily. Check out our home page.
Richard Wood, Director
-----Original Message-----
From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum [mailto:PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU]
On Behalf Of Charity Hope
Sent: Friday, September 25, 1998 5:57 PM
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Subject: Integrated Internet Access from Research Terminals
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Note: Please respond to me directly at chope@library.umass.edu
Dear colleagues,
I am hoping to gather information from people working in academic or
research libraries in which Internet access (Web, etc.) is made available
from the same PCs used to provide catalog and subscription database
access. At UMass, we are currently deciding whether to integrate
Internet access into our research terminals or to maintain our existing
separate access to the Internet.
If your time permits, I would greatly appreciate any feedback that you
could provide. I list a few questions below -- please don't hesitate to
include any additional comments that occur to you.
1. What issues did the library consider in choosing to integrate Internet
access?
2. What use policies, if any, has the library established, and how are
these administered? (i.e., sign-up sheets, policies on
e-mail use, etc.)
3. What are the pros and cons of the integrated workstations?
4. How do the staff and users feel about the workstations?
5. How many students? How many terminals?
Any and all comments, observations or referrals to other libraries are
greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Yours,
Charity Hope
Reference/Digital Initiatives Resident
UMass Amherst Libraries
*-----
From: Dennis Davies-Wilson <davies@la.unm.edu>
Subject: Re: Integrated Internet Access from Research Terminals
I have interspersed responses to the questions in all CAPS below the
respective question. Good luck!
Charity Hope wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Note: Please respond to me directly at chope@library.umass.edu
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> I am hoping to gather information from people working in academic or
> research libraries in which Internet access (Web, etc.) is made available
> from the same PCs used to provide catalog and subscription database
> access. At UMass, we are currently deciding whether to integrate
> Internet access into our research terminals or to maintain our existing
> separate access to the Internet.
>
> If your time permits, I would greatly appreciate any feedback that you
> could provide. I list a few questions below -- please don't hesitate to
> include any additional comments that occur to you.
>
> 1. What issues did the library consider in choosing to integrate Internet
> access?
OUR ON-LINE CATALOG AND SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES ARE WEB-BASED, SO
EVERYTHING IS LINKED UP FROM THE LIBRARY HOME-PAGE.
> 2. What use policies, if any, has the library established, and how are
> these administered? (i.e., sign-up sheets, policies on
> e-mail use, etc.)
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE A SIMPLE FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS POLICY, AND IT
SEEMS TO WORK FINE RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE GENERIC COMPUTER USE POLICY SIGNS
POSTED AT THE TOP OF EACH TERMINAL SAYING THAT PRIORITY USE GOES TO
UNM-LA STUDENTS FACULTY AND STAFF FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES, AND THAT USERS
AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE CAMPUS COMPUTER USE POLICY PRINTED IN THE CATALOG.
THIS KIND OF HELPS DETER EXTRANEOUS USE WITHOUT HAVING TO SPELL OUT A
RIGID HARD-NOSED POLICY. SO FAR, WE'VE NEVER HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE ALL
COMPUTERS WERE IN USE WITH FOLKS WAITING FOR A TERMINAL, BUT IF THAT
EVER HAPPENED, THEN WE WOULD ASK USERS WHO WERE WEB SURFING OR USING
EMAIL TO FREE UP THE COMPUTER FOR PEOPLE WAITING TO CONDUCT TASKS
RELATED TO COURSE WORK.
CURRENTLY, STUDENTS ARE NOT BLANKETLY GIVEN COMPUTER ACCOUNTS, SO NOT
ALL STUDENTS NECESSARILY HAVE A CAMPUS E-MAIL ACCOUNT. THIS MAY BE
CHANGING SOON, AND WE ARE MAKING PROVISIONS TO HAVE DEDICATED STAND UP
STATIONS STRICTLY FOR E-MAIL USE BOTH IN THE LIBRARY AND IN VARIOUS
PLACES AROUND CAMPUS, WITH A POLICY OF A FIVE-MINUTE LIMIT IF OTHERS ARE
WAITING TO USE E-MAIL.
> 3. What are the pros and cons of the integrated workstations?
PRO: EVERYTHING IS ACCESSIBLE FROM ONE STATION, WHICH IS BENEFICIAL TO
USERS.
CON: THE POTENTIAL FOR ALL STATIONS TO BE TIED UP BY RECREATIONAL USERS
POSSIBLY PREVENTING MORE LEGITIMATE USE FOR PERSONS DOING RESEARCH OR
COURSE WORK. (AGAIN, NOT A PROBLEM SO FAR)
> 4. How do the staff and users feel about the workstations?
SO FAR SO GOOD FROM BOTH FRONTS.
> 5. How many students? How many terminals?
ABOUT 1000 STUDENTS INCLUDING PART-TIME. THERE ARE 10 PUBLIC COMPUTER
WORK STATIONS IN THE LIBRARY, AND TWO OTHER COMPUTER LABS ON CAMPUS THAT
PROVIDE THE SAME ACCESS TO CATALOGS AND SUBSCRIPTION DATABASES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY. THERE IS ONE DEDICATED STATION FOR WORD
PROCESSING ONLY.
>
> Any and all comments, observations or referrals to other libraries are
> greatly appreciated. Thank you.
>
> Yours,
>
> Charity Hope
> Reference/Digital Initiatives Resident
> UMass Amherst Libraries
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I have interspersed responses to the questions in all CAPS below the
respective question. Good luck!
Charity Hope wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Note: Please respond to me directly at chope@library.umass.edu
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> I am hoping to gather information from people working in academic or
> research libraries in which Internet access (Web, etc.) is made available
> from the same PCs used to provide catalog and subscription database
> access. At UMass, we are currently deciding whether to integrate
> Internet access into our research terminals or to maintain our existing
> separate access to the Internet.
>
> If your time permits, I would greatly appreciate any feedback that you
> could provide. I list a few questions below -- please don't hesitate to
> include any additional comments that occur to you.
>
> 1. What issues did the library consider in choosing to integrate Internet
> access?
OUR ON-LINE CATALOG AND SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES ARE WEB-BASED, SO
EVERYTHING IS LINKED UP FROM THE LIBRARY HOME-PAGE.
> 2. What use policies, if any, has the library established, and how are
> these administered? (i.e., sign-up sheets, policies on
> e-mail use, etc.)
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE A SIMPLE FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS POLICY, AND IT
SEEMS TO WORK FINE RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE GENERIC COMPUTER USE POLICY SIGNS
POSTED AT THE TOP OF EACH TERMINAL SAYING THAT PRIORITY USE GOES TO
UNM-LA STUDENTS FACULTY AND STAFF FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES, AND THAT USERS
AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE CAMPUS COMPUTER USE POLICY PRINTED IN THE CATALOG.
THIS KIND OF HELPS DETER EXTRANEOUS USE WITHOUT HAVING TO SPELL OUT A
RIGID HARD-NOSED POLICY. SO FAR, WE'VE NEVER HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE ALL
COMPUTERS WERE IN USE WITH FOLKS WAITING FOR A TERMINAL, BUT IF THAT
EVER HAPPENED, THEN WE WOULD ASK USERS WHO WERE WEB SURFING OR USING
EMAIL TO FREE UP THE COMPUTER FOR PEOPLE WAITING TO CONDUCT TASKS
RELATED TO COURSE WORK.
CURRENTLY, STUDENTS ARE NOT BLANKETLY GIVEN COMPUTER ACCOUNTS, SO NOT
ALL STUDENTS NECESSARILY HAVE A CAMPUS E-MAIL ACCOUNT. THIS MAY BE
CHANGING SOON, AND WE ARE MAKING PROVISIONS TO HAVE DEDICATED STAND UP
STATIONS STRICTLY FOR E-MAIL USE BOTH IN THE LIBRARY AND IN VARIOUS
PLACES AROUND CAMPUS, WITH A POLICY OF A FIVE-MINUTE LIMIT IF OTHERS ARE
WAITING TO USE E-MAIL.
> 3. What are the pros and cons of the integrated workstations?
PRO: EVERYTHING IS ACCESSIBLE FROM ONE STATION, WHICH IS BENEFICIAL TO
USERS.
CON: THE POTENTIAL FOR ALL STATIONS TO BE TIED UP BY RECREATIONAL USERS
POSSIBLY PREVENTING MORE LEGITIMATE USE FOR PERSONS DOING RESEARCH OR
COURSE WORK. (AGAIN, NOT A PROBLEM SO FAR)
> 4. How do the staff and users feel about the workstations?
SO FAR SO GOOD FROM BOTH FRONTS.
> 5. How many students? How many terminals?
ABOUT 1000 STUDENTS INCLUDING PART-TIME. THERE ARE 10 PUBLIC COMPUTER
WORK STATIONS IN THE LIBRARY, AND TWO OTHER COMPUTER LABS ON CAMPUS THAT
PROVIDE THE SAME ACCESS TO CATALOGS AND SUBSCRIPTION DATABASES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY. THERE IS ONE DEDICATED STATION FOR WORD
PROCESSING ONLY.
>
> Any and all comments, observations or referrals to other libraries are
> greatly appreciated. Thank you.
>
> Yours,
>
> Charity Hope
> Reference/Digital Initiatives Resident
> UMass Amherst Libraries
