[OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers

Tue Dec 18 14:39:45 EST 2007

The default action iTunes takes with an iPod is to format/erase the iPod and 
sync with whatever music is stored locally at the time.  This can be turned 
off, but then the software functions slightly differently than home users 
may expect.  This will create problems and confusion for staffers and 
patrons alike if folks aren't at least generally aware of how the software 
works.

"My iPod had 40gb of music on it when I came in here, but since I plugged it 
into your machine it's all gone."

My major concern, however, about iTunes is that there's very little to no 
reason to have an account with iTunes without owning an iPod.  There's 
almost no reason to own an iPod if you don't own a home computer.  Supplying 
folks with iTunes seems to encourage them to use Public machines as their 
"Personal" machines.  When you purchase an iPod, it says very clearly on the 
box the system specs your computer must meet in order to use the device.

iTunes is used for 2 purposes:

1- Cataloging and storage of your personal music collection through the 
importing of CDs and the purchasing of files online. This is a personal 
jukebox of sorts, like Media Player.
2- Interacting with your iPod.

What follows is a personal opinion.  As a public library employee, I want to 
be a portal to information and not custodian/guardian/warden of it.  As a 
tax payer, however, I would hate to see public librarians spending a lot of 
time dealing with iTunes for patrons who probably shouldn't have purchased 
an iPod in the first place.  I think that Shane got it right with, "We don't 
install ITunes for patrons to use, but do allow them to install it 
themselves."

Many Norweld libraries use DeepFreeze and this allows them to pretty much 
leave computers wide-open for patron use but easily purged of changes with a 
simple restart.

Trav

Travis McAfee
Technology Coordinator, NORWELD
mcafeetr at wcnet.org
419.352.2903
800.848.0144

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brenda Fisher" <fisherbr at oplin.org>
To: <OPLINTECH at oplin.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:11 PM
Subject: Re: [OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers

> Mary Beth,
>
> We had a request for iTunes to be installed on a public PC at one of our
> branches several months ago.
> We weren't sure what was involved so we tried it on a couple of PCs at
> that branch.   I believe we explained about
> restarting the PC if they put in personal information.  (We use
> Centurion Guard and the Shared Computer Toolkit on those PCs.)
>  It was a novice user who didn't have a PC at home, so perhaps not the
> best test case.   However, she eventually gave up on it as it soon began
> requesting and then I guess, requiring an update of the iTunes software.
>
> Shane raised some great points about the ability to support the
> software.  I'm not an iPod owner either.
>
> Two Other questions I'd want to think about before I installed software
> like that on our Public Computers:
>    1. Are we going to commit to checking for upgrades for this
> software, as we do for Adobe Reader, Flash Player, etc.?
>    2. Are we providing an unfair market advantage to one vendor or
> group over another?  If we download the iTunes software are we also
> going to provide equal access to other online music vendors by
> downloading their software or providing links to their sites? And then
> updating those regularly.
>
> This question goes way beyond just iTunes.  We generally bend our rules
> on adding software a bit  if the patron is taking an online class, but
> we don't have the staff to be adding custom software to each PC every
> time a patron asks.  And it would have to be added to Each PC as the
> requesting patron can't always plan to have the same PC each time in our
> system.  We did do this for a plug-in for some online homeschooling
> resource on request.  And I have no idea if it is still in use, but it
> still gets added to each new computer, just in case.
>
> Brenda Fisher
> Computer Services Librarian
> Highland County District Library
> Hillsboro, OH
>
>
>
>
>
> Shane Ian Hoffman wrote:
>> We don't install ITunes for patrons to use, but do allow them to install 
>> it
>> themselves.  We use Compugard Cornerstone and Envisionware.  Cornerstone
>> makes sure that any changes a patron makes to the harddrive are wiped out 
>> at
>> reboot, and Envisionware has a setting that allows us to make sure the PC
>> reboots every time a patron ends his or her session.
>>
>> I haven't tried to install ITunes on our PCS as part of the image for two
>> reasons.
>> 1. I'm not familiar with the software not having an iPod, so I don't know 
>> if
>> the personal data MUST be done during the install(if not, it would be
>> trivial to install the software and just not configure it.  Then each 
>> patron
>> would have a fresh install to configure each time they start)
>>
>> 2. I feel that if I install it, I have to support it.  I don't have the
>> manpower to answer everyone's ITunes/iPod questions.
>>
>> Shane Ian Hoffman
>> IT Coordinator
>> Pickaway County District Public Library
>> 1160 N Court St
>> Circleville, OH 43113
>> 740.477.1644 232
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: oplintech-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at oplin.org] On
>> Behalf Of Mary Beth Seith
>> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2007 10:31 AM
>> To: OPLINTECH
>> Subject: [OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers
>>
>> 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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