Category: ‘puters

Aaron and TechnoBiblio discuss the results of AOL’s Second Annual IM Survey and what it might mean for reference services especially in libraries that haven’t chosen yet to do virtual reference. Now, granted, a “trends” survey is a different animal than an actual scientific survey, and AOL has much to gain by people thinking that it and other IM clients are fairly ubiquitous. However, it’s hard to deny the numbers. I’m an old lady and I’m sure I send more IMs than I do email [although I also think that’s a false distinction in many ways] and I would use it a lot more if more people I knew were using it. Remember, it’s not just an AOL thing. There are many open source clients that you can use, even to chat with your pals on AIM. I would like to see some real numbers comparing libraries that use virtual reference software and libraries that use IM clients for chat reference comparing cost, usage, ease-of-use, and overall successfulness.

So, not to belabor a point, but the final post in this “man gets hassled by cops for using WiFi outside of a closed library” is up. In a weird turn, the Atheneum has now posted a policy saying, in essence, their WiFi hotspot isn’t supposed to be used when the library is closed. Am I missing something here? Isn’t it easy enough to just shut it down if you don’t want it to be used? Or password protect it after hours? Are the police going to enforce this policy? Is there any legal precedent for that? What’s going to happen when the whole island becomes a hotspot? Or is this enforcement of free WiFi supposed to drive people towards the pay services? I’d be really interested to hear from librarians who offer WiFi: What is your policy for patrons using WiFi 1) outside the library, and additionally 2) when the library isn’t open? Thanks.

More from the fellow who was told by the police to not use his laptop + WiFi outside of the Nantucket Athenaeum. [lisnews]

Man gets hassled by the police for using library’s WiFi while seated outside the library. Apparently you need to be inside to use the wireless signal, so said the policeman anyhow. As you know, I have also been guilty of this, slap the cuffs on! [update: this guy didn’t seem to have any problem doing the same thing…] [thanks shannon]

If any of you were at all curious about follow up to the link I posted a few days back [about the link to a Republican web site appearing on the “hot links” section of all iBistro OPACs, a Sirsi product] I swapped a few emails with Sirsi Central about it.