[OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers

[Mary Beth Seith]

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

-- 
Mary Beth Seith
Technology Specialist, Twinsburg Public Library
330-425-4268 x119
MSeith at twinsburglibrary.org
http://www.twinsburglibrary.org