HADDONFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY
INTERNET USE POLICY

The Library provides workstations with free access to the Internet as part of its mission to meet the informational, educational, cultural and recreational needs of the community. The Internet is an important resource to promote literacy, lifelong learning, personal fulfillment, and the principles of intellectual freedom. All resources are provided equally to each user. Preference will be given to registered Haddonfield Library cardholders in good standing.

Providing instruction in how to use and evaluate informational resources is part of the library’s role. The library staff is available to help identify appropriate resources and to provide assistance in their use. Staff will devote a reasonable amount of time assisting individual library users with computers when needed.

The Internet is a fundamental tool with vast access to information. It also is an unregulated medium that changes constantly. The Library does not endorse the viewpoints or vouch for the accuracy or authenticity or information accessed via the Internet. Each user must determine what information is appropriate for them. No person shall use a library Internet workstation in a way that is inappropriate for an open public area shared by people of all ages and backgrounds or that disturbs or interferes with customers, employees or operations of the library.

The Library’s Internet workstations are in public view, including in public view to children. Accordingly, the Library uses limited filtering, which restricts access to sexually explicit images and which will give the broadest possible access to constitutionally protected speech and information. Users should be aware, however, that all currently available filtering software is not guaranteed to be 100% effective; some degree of “underblocking” (not restricting access to sexually explicit content) and “overblocking” (denying access to certain constitutionally protected material) will occur. In order to address the issue of overblocking, any user who is age 17 or older may request unfiltered Internet access to information.

Parents are encouraged to take an active role in their children's use of the Internet and discuss their expectations for their children's use of this information tool. Parents -- and only parents -- have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children -- and only their children -- to library resources.

While affirming the customer’s rights to confidentiality and privacy, persons are advised that because security is technically difficult to achieve, electronic communications and files could become public.

Use of the Library's workstations for the transmission, dissemination and/or duplication of information is regulated under various state and federal laws. The Library expects all customers to comply with such laws and regulations. Customers must also comply with all laws governing the use of copyrighted materials.

The Library staff has developed policies and procedures, rules and limits for use of Internet and public computer workstations. This includes procedures for automated time management and print control functions of the 1^st floor computers. (See Rules for the Use of the Haddonfield Public Library Public Computers.) Customers must agree to follow the library’s Internet Use Policy and Rules for Use of the PCs in order to use the library’s public computers.

The Library reserves the right to terminate an Internet session at any time.

The library reserves the right to block access to chat, instant messaging, email, games and other forms of personal communication and entertainment, as well as specific sites, which may impair network performance or security. The library also reserves the right to limit or terminate use of the Internet for commercial activity, including the sale of goods or services for personal profit.

This policy will be reviewed periodically.

ADOPTED BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES -- November 17, 1998
                                                                                  revision – May 16, 2006

Rev. 6/1/07

HADDONFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY

RULES FOR THE USE OF THE PUBLIC COMPUTERS

1. The Public Computers are a shared community resource. Because the number of public computers is limited, the following rules have been enacted to ensure access to as many people as possible. The library has automated the PC reservation and print functions to facilitate fairer and smoother access to the library’s public computers.

2. The computers are available as reserved through the PC reservation system for the next available PC. The Library cannot guarantee that a computer, or any particular computer, will be available at a given time for any individual. Advance reservations are not available on the Public Computers.

3. Customers must SIGN IN at the PC reservation station before using the Public Computers.

4. Customers must agree to accept the Haddonfield Public Library Public Internet Use Policy and Rules for the Use of the Public Computers before using the public access computers.

5. Reservations & Printing Policies for the Public PCs :

Making a Computer Reservation

· You need an up-to-date Haddonfield Library card or guest card to reserve a computer (see guest card procedures below for those without a Haddonfield Public Library card)

· Reservations can be made at the PC Reservation Station on the first floor of the library for the next available computer

· Phone/ remote access reservations are not available

· The Reference librarian or other staff will assist the first time you use the system

Reservation Options:

· Customers can log on to their reserved computer if it is available sooner

At Your Reserved Computer (for Haddonfield Public Library library card holders:)

· Sessions are 30 minutes, with a maximum of three sessions per customer, per day for a total of 90 minutes, unless others are waiting. If others are waiting, the number of sessions allowed per day may be reduced. The last session of the day will end 15 minutes prior to closing

· Reservations are held for 10 minutes after which your computer will be given to the next person in line if you have not logged on

· Customers will be warned 10 minutes before the end of a session, and again at 4 minutes and finally at 1 minute. Reopening, saving, and retrieving files cannot be done after your session has ended. Please save all work onto a disk BEFORE your session ends

· Customers can lock a session to leave momentarily, which hides the screen and allows the computer to be left temporarily

· Sessions will be extended automatically for 10 minutes at a time as long as no one is waiting for that computer. The maximum extension is 20 minutes

· A customer’s session will end if they do not use the keyboard or mouse for 5 minutes and do not acknowledge the warning on the screen

· If a customer’s session is interrupted by a reboot, you can log back into the original session minus the reboot time

· Customers must be respectful of other computer users

Internet Express Fifteen Minute Sessions:

· A 15 minute session is available on a select Internet Express station

· Sign in at the PC reservation station

· No extra time is available on this computer

· Customers will be warned 5 minutes before the end of a session, and again at 3 minutes and finally at 1 minute. Reopening, saving, and retrieving files cannot be done after your session has ended. Please save all work onto a disk BEFORE your session ends.

· This computer is intended for very quick use. Extensions do not apply to this computer.

Children’s Room Computers

· Internet and game computers in the children’s department are not reserved and will be limited to 30 minute sessions

· Children’s computers are for use by children. Any use by adults must be with children and for the purpose of assisting them. An adult must accompany children under five years old

· Ask staff for assistance to Print in the Children’s area

Procedures for Guests using the PCs at HPL: (Non HPL library card holders)

• The Reference Librarian or other staff will assist you to sign up as a guest user
• Sessions are for 30 minutes, with a ten minute extension for a maximum time of 40 minutes per guest, per day. HPL library cards can be purchased for an annual fee of $35
• HPL reserves the right to end guest users’ sessions early if there is a wait for those with HPL library cards
• The rules that apply to library card holders apply to guests, (see section of this policy for library card holders for more information)

Printing on the Public Access Computers

• Printing is paid for at the Print Station next to the PC reservation station. You must approve and pay for your printing before the print job is run
• The charge for printing is .10 per copy in black and white. Color printing is not available
• Print jobs remain on the system for 120 minutes and then are deleted
• The coin-op machine accepts paper currency and coins- it accepts ones and fives in bills and dimes, nickels, and quarters in coins- no pennies, please.
• The library staff can help with payment for copies

6. Other General Rules for Customers:

You may:

a. Save information to a diskette or transfer information to a personal e-mail address. Formatted diskettes may be purchased at the circulation desk for $1.00. Users cannot format diskettes on the public computers.

You may not:

b. hover over others using the computers while awaiting a turn

c. ask a current computer user to move to another computer

d. ask or request a current computer user to finish their computer session or ask when they expect to finish their computer session

e. Install, delete or modify or attempt to alter library hardware, software or settings

f. Download anything to the computer’s hard drive or use your personal software or equipment on the Library’s computers

g. Reset the computers

h. Move or change the arrangement of library computers and attached equipment 

Only library staff may enforce time limitations, make determinations of which computer user should vacate or make other requests of current computer users

7. ASSISTANCE from the Library Staff Helping people access and use the informational resources available through the Public Computers is a part of the role of the Library. The staff will devote a reasonable amount of time assisting individual library patrons with the Internet, CD-ROM databases or computer software when needed. However, staff cannot devote large amounts of time to any one individual. A reasonable amount of time will vary depending on the other responsibilities and requests being handled by the staff at any particular time.

8. The Library assumes no responsibility for any damages, direct or indirect, arising from the use of its public computing resources. This includes, but is not limited to, liability for loss or damage to the customer’s data, disks, hardware or software for any reason or from any source, including malfunctioning hardware or software, or from viruses. The library has installed and continually updates virus protection on the public computers, but protection from viruses cannot be guaranteed.

9. Customers are responsible for any and all use of the information and sites accessed on the Library’s machines. The Library cannot guarantee the validity or accuracy of information accessed over the Internet. You are advised, as with printed materials, to consider the validity and reliability of the information found.

10. Failure to follow library rules, or any misuse of the electronic resources of the Haddonfield Public Library, may result in the suspension or the loss of computer privileges for the user. The Haddonfield Public Library reserves the right to terminate an Internet session at any time.

This policy may be reviewed and modified at any time. (Last modified May 15, 2003.) Rev. 6/07