Policy covering the use of library-provided personal computers and internet access
Last modified July 2009, Review January 2010 or as required
Use of library-provided personal computers and internet access
Christchurch City Council’s principles for library provision are “Library facilities and services increase leisure and learning opportunities and community participation” (Christchurch City Council Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan, September 2008)
Personal computers (PCs) are available for use by all Library customers who agree to the conditions of use. Customers can access the internet and undertake a range of activities. PCs are available at all libraries in the network with the exception of the Mobile Library.
The Library has always provided information in variety of formats and access, creation, and modification of information in a digital format is a natural extension.
Two Internet access services are provided by Christchurch City Libraries:
- access via library provided personal computers
- access using the library public access wireless internet (wifi) service
Both services are provided free of charge to library customers.
Christchurch City Libraries offers internet access in alignment with its content development policy “The Library commits to the concepts of intellectual freedom and access to information within the parameters set by statute. The Library will provide information required for customers to participate in the democratic process and will attempt to represent varying points of view on a broad range of subjects so that all members of the community may be informed and make individual judgements.”
The internet is an interactive and dynamic medium that is continuously changing. Christchurch City Libraries uses filtering software to try and eliminate access sites that contravene its content development policy, but recognises that no single organisation has complete control over internet resources. Information on the internet may be inaccurate, illegal or considered controversial by some customers. Christchurch City Libraries is not responsible for the information contained in these sites.
This policy aligns with the UNESCO Public Library Manifesto and the Public Libraries of New Zealand Strategic Framework. Provision of personal computers supports the New Zealand Government’s National Digital Strategy.
Regulations
- All Internet computers are open for use by any Christchurch City Libraries customer who agrees to comply with the conditions of use.
- All sites on the internet will be available unless they conflict with Christchurch City Libraries content policy.
- Customers must have an account on the Library public computer booking system (Pharos) to use the computers.
- Customers without a library membership can use the computers with a temporary account.
- Library staff will assist customers in searching for suitable sites. Staff assistance in these situations follows the terms laid down in the Library reference service policy.
- As defined in the Care of children in libraries policy, parents and caregivers, not librarians, are responsible for supervising their dependent’s activities in the Library, including their use of the internet.
- To manage demand and ensure fair access, customers can use the Library computers for up to two hours (120 minutes) per day. These limits will be enforced by the Library public computer booking system (Pharos).
- Printing is available from all internet computers and is controlled and paid for using the Library public computer booking system (Pharos).
- Internet access is provided by Christchurch City Libraries to its customers on a best endeavours basis. The library can not guarantee that access to the internet will be available.
- On Library provided personal computers customers can:
- Access email via a web browser (webmail)
- Use the following range of Library provided software to create, view, save, modify and print (where relevant):
- Open Office (Writer word processor, Calc spreadsheet, Impress presentation package, Draw drawing software and Base database)
- Microsoft Office (Word word processor, Excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint presentation software, Publisher, and Access database)
- Internet Explorer web browser
- Firefox web browser
- iTunes for playing music and video files
- Quicktime for playing video files
- Adobe Reader for viewing PDF files
- Shockwave and Flashplayer for viewing multimedia online
- J-Zip for compressing and decompressing files
- Audacity for editing music files
- Google Earth for viewing maps and images
- Picasa for editing digital images
- Skype for voice conversations (customers will need to provide their own headset)
- VideoLan Media Player for viewing digital video
- Adobe Media Player for viewing multimedia files
- Windows media player for playing music and watching video
- MS Office Picture Manager for viewing digital images
- Windows Movie Maker for making digital video
- Kompozer for creating web pages
- Programmers Notepad for creating and editing text files
- Notepad for creating and editing text files
- Connect and access USB storage devices
- Read from, and save to memory cards using the built in card readers available in all PCs
- Read from and save to 3.5 inch floppy disks
- Connect and use personal headphones
- Use the internet to connect to services using port 80 port 443 and port 21
- Access chat services via www.meebo.com or other browser based methods
- Access Social Networking sites such as Beebo, Facebook, and mySpace
- Access online games using a web browser where they do not conflict with the public internet use policy
- Retrieve data stored on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM
- Save data created by any of the installed applications to CD and USB flash drives.
- Customers are unable do the following:
- Read an Apple Macintosh disk
- Run chat client software (for example, IRQ, MS messenger, Yahoo Messenger)
- Access system tools
- Directly access the file system from Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer
- Save to the C drive
- Run application software other than that installed on the library computers
Conditions of use
When customers are using the Internet they agree:
- To maintain computer and network security
- To avoid viewing indecent or pornographic material
- To abide by the copyright laws of New Zealand
Christchurch City Libraries reserves the right to withdraw internet access to customers ignoring this request.
Other information
A range of computer consumables are available to purchase from Libraries to assist customers in their use of the Personal Computers. These are personal headphones, USB flash drives, and writable CDs. Customers wishing to use any of these items have the choice of purchasing them from the Library or bringing their own items into the Library for their personal use.
The library has a small stock of headphones and microphones available for use by customers who are not able to purchase or provide their own. These items are available for use by members who provide their library card as security. Non-members are required to provide a driver's license, student card, or similar form of ID.
Customers are reminded that any customer data stored on the PCs is automatically removed after the end of each session. Customers wishing to save data to USB or CD should check that they have sufficient time left in their session to complete the operation of saving the data. Writing large files to CDs can take ten minutes or more depending on the size of the file. The Library can not be held responsible for any data lost during the customer’s use of the PCs.
USB flash drives are the recommended, and preferred, media for transferring data to and from Library PCs.
