[WikiEN-l] Wikipedia and libraries

[Bob the Wikipedian]

Around here (here being Evansville, IN, U.S.), the public libraries all 
put a 15-minute cap on your computer usage and also require you to have 
a valid library card. The reason is because the libraries don't have 
enough computers to support everyone. (Keep in mind that the clients 
aren't just people doing research-- this includes people with no 
Internet at home trying to pay bills or do online banking).

I'm not sure how well-funded the public libraries are (it could simply 
be that libraries don't have enough/space/ to put more computers), but 
the ones around here don't seem to cater well to adults with computer 
needs, as it's very difficult to find an open computer with access to 
the Internet (several of them are limited to library catalog browsing, 
and these are rarely occupied)-- though if you're a kid, they've got a 
large section roped off simply for kids to play games online.

Interestingly enough, my university's library sports several hundred 
computers, most of which are occupied all day long. Again, a student ID 
is required to use these computers, but the activity on them is 
relatively unrestricted (ranging from homework to Farmville). 
Additionally, the campus has about ten other labs hosting about 40-50 
computers each, providing students with all the time in the world to 
play Farmville.

I've done a large portion of my editing in the university library in the 
past simply because the time restriction on computer usage was absent. 
I'd never even consider it at the public library simply because I 
wouldn't even have time to check my watchlist.

Bob

On 2/8/2011 6:33 AM, Carcharoth wrote:
> Noticed this article about UK libraries and I thought the mentions of
> Wikipedia would be of interest.
>
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12340505
>
> The Andrew Dalby mentioned there is presumably:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Andrew_Dalby
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Dalby
>
> Author of:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_and_Wikipedia
>
> [Bit off-topic, but has anyone read that book?]
>
> Does anyone here (particularly in the UK) use libraries regularly for
> Wikipedia work?
>
> What about public libraries in the USA and other countries? Are they
> well-funded or not?
>
> Carcharoth
>
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