[WikiEN-l] Wikipedia and libraries

[Stephanie Daugherty]

Most of our libraries here (triangle area of NC) allow for 2 60 minute
sessions a day, and they also tend to have 1 or more machines
designated as "express" machines, with only 15 minutes allowed. By
dividing it up that way, they keep the people that just need to check
email really quick moving, while still accommodating people that need
to do more than that. As Fred suggested in his reply, WiFi helps the
situation, since a lot of the people that would use library computers
end up on their own computers instead.

I've yet to see a library make use of linux to be able to redeploy old
hardware though, which could give them a way to cheaply use hardware
even if it's not homogenized enough or fast enough to put Windows
images on.

-Stephanie



On Tue, Feb 8, 2011 at 10:41 AM, Bob the Wikipedian
<bobthewikipedian at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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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-- 
Faith is about what you really truly believe in, not about what you
are taught to believe.