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Mary Beth,<BR>
We currently do have ITunes installed but, I cannot imagine any savvy patron wanting to have their personal information left on a public computer. I understand that not all patrons are tech savvy and that's where I feel I come in. I try to explain to them that leaving an accounts information on our computers is not wise and that the Library cannot assure them of confidentiality. If they want to use their account information, restart the computer after they finish. On our computers, that should be enough to clear the information. Our computer use policy (that they have to sign) clearly states that we can not guarantee their information privacy. I personally, don't have a problem with patron's making session changes but, I would not do it myself. <BR>
I agree with Chad, in that I tend to rely on the Shared Computer Toolkit or SteadyState to return the computers to their previous state and leave them "fairly" open. Our patrons want to be able to do anything that they can do at home (or more, they don't worry about our computers like their own). "IF" I can allow something without worrying about them being down half the time, then I'm for it.<BR>
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--
Dan Will
Technology Supervisor
Meigs County District Public Library
Pomeroy, Ohio 45769
740.992.5813
740.992.6140 (fax)
<A HREF="mailto:willda@oplin.org">willda@oplin.org</A>
The difference between fiction and reality?
Fiction has to make sense.
Tom Clancy
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-----Original Message-----<BR>
<B>From</B>: Mary Beth Seith <<A HREF="mailto:Mary%20Beth%20Seith%20%3cmseith@twinsburglibrary.org%3e">mseith@twinsburglibrary.org</A>><BR>
<B>To</B>: OPLINTECH <<A HREF="mailto:OPLINTECH%20%3cOPLINTECH@oplin.org%3e">OPLINTECH@oplin.org</A>><BR>
<B>Subject</B>: [OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers<BR>
<B>Date</B>: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:31:29 -0500<BR>
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Hi everyone,
With the holiday gift-giving season upon us, we're starting to receive
patron inquiries about the availability of iTunes on our public/lab
computers so they can make use of all the iPods they're buying.
Given the considerations with Apple's requirement that you "authorize" a
computer to an iPod/iTunes account, how are other libraries handling
this? Right now, we don't have the iTunes software installed, but we do
allow patrons to plug in MP3 (or other USB) devices that don't require
special software. I have no problem with adding iTunes/iPods, except
for these issues with maintaining the software installation as being
generic, privacy considerations, etc. We don't currently have plans to
make our music collection available this way, but are simply looking to
accomodate those patrons who want to use it for their own tracks.
For those of you who make use of a program like DriveShield or
DeepFreeze, do you simply make the patrons responsible for unauthorizing
the workstation they're using before departing? Otherwise I can see
people ending up with zombie registrations when the system rebooted...
Thanks!
Mary Beth
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