![]() They enjoy being able to provide this service and very much understand the benefit to the community, but they are frustrated with the constant problems coming from their public computer lab.ĬhromeOS devices, along with Libdata’s Time/Print management software, have proven to solve many of these issues and massively reduce the hardware/software cost and the need for IT support in a Public Library computer lab.Īll of the following items are needed to provide a useable public computer in a Library environment: Most library directors will readily admit that the support of a public computer lab is by far the most burdensome part of their job and they are always on the lookout for a way to reduce this overhead. The cost of these tools, as well as the cost of the expertise to install and maintain these tools, along with the cost and time needed to update the operating system, are steep. These software tools have greatly reduced the burden on library staff to manage an ever increasing number of computers and users.Īlso many tools are needed to help maintain the computer operating system, such as disk protection ( i.e. In the past libraries depended on a pad of paper and a pen to keep up with how long a patron was on a computer and in which order to allow patrons to use available computers.īut today, several companies offer public computer time/print management software, and it is hard to find a library that does not have some type of software to provide these services. There is also a need to have staff available to manage the use of the public computers and assist patrons. It has become a huge burden on smaller libraries to come up with the financial resources to properly provide public computers, and they end up running a system that seems to always have issues and proves to be troublesome. ![]() The only other alternative is to provide the funds to hire an IT professional, which is not a viable alternative for most libraries. To mitigate these costs, library directors and staff have had to become proficient at maintaining the software and hardware themselves, but most don’t have the background or the time. It has proven to be an enormous amount of overhead, both financially and time to support public computers. fast internet, document/spreadsheet/presentation editing, social networking, music and video playing, etc.). Librarians have adapted to the expectation of an available, useful, computer that provides many of the capabilities typically found on a home computer (i.e. ![]() A large percentage of a public library’s daily patron traffic is the use of public access computers. ![]()
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