SEC target: survey of acceptable computer use in library

["Fisher, Ellen" <Ellen.Fisher@RTSD.ORG>]

High school librarians, please take a minute to send me (directly) info
about whether your computers are limited to academic work only or if
students are allowed to check personal email, visit ebay, play Hoops
(non-graphic virtual basketball teams), etc.  Our students are complaining
because we have some computers marked for academic work only, and I am
hoping to show them that many schools don't permit anything but academic
work.

We have 30 computers on the library floor for 930 students.  Fourteen of the
computers are limited to academic work only, and 16 are available for
students to do things of personal interest as well, including web browsing,
email, Hoops, ebay, etc., but excluding graphic games.  This seems to meet
most needs.  Most of the time, students who need to do academic work can
find a computer open without our having to ask another student to relinquish
a computer when they are not doing academic work.  We used to have no
restrictions, but went to this policy when it became clear that many
students were unwilling to have us ask a student doing non-academic work to
give up a computer.  (We have to allow email because students send
themselves material for assignments this way; Hoops is being used by our
business teacher for an assignment; the rest we allow because it's too hard
to disallow it and enforce the rule.  Graphic games, at least are fairly
easy to spot from a distance.)

Thanks for your help on this!  I will post a hit.

Ellen Fisher, Librarian
Radnor HS, Radnor PA
ellen.fisher@rtsd.org

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