With neat discussions already going on about chat reference, wiki’s, podcating, RFID and more deciding what to write about was a challenge for this LIS 6080 assignment. So, I decided to turn to a project that I’ve been working on for the last few weeks at West Branch Public Library. The challenge is one that a number of smaller libraries face and it is Internet Station Management (ISM).
Problem:
Having a limited number of computer resources and keeping track of allotted patron time.
Solution:
Because we are a smaller library (aka: lack technology funding) open source software was the only way to go. While other companies such as Pharos Systems and EnvisionWare offer high end solutions it was a bit excessive (and expensive) for our library. Grand Rapids Public Library, also, offers a very nice Internet Station Manager but requires a little more setup since it needs a server to run on. Then there was Cybera an open source solution that could run in a windows environment on both client and server end.
Cybera was a little rough around the edges at first since it is being developed for Cyber Cafes, but was easily implement into our library in just 2 weeks! I won’t go too in depth but to process consisted of:
- Manipulating our Internet user database to create usernames.
- Importing them into the Cybera database (uses Access).
- Installing the Cyber client on each Internet terminal.
Once Cybera was running on all the system we tossed out our “Internet Sign-In Sheet” which we used to keep track of a patrons time on a computer. For first use with the patrons received their user name and password. Then we were able to keep track of user time from the circulation monitor. Notifying someone that they needed to relinquish their computer was an easy as pausing the session which gives a two minute warning.
Advantages:
- Improved User Privacy (no more sign-in sheet)
- Easier to distinguish whose time was up thus improving “wait time”
- Denied access to patrons jumping on without signing in
ISM is a great way to handle resource constraints and relive staff from constantly monitoring whose time is up. I highly recommend Cybera for the smaller libraries out there.
Article:
So Many Computers, So Little Time by Andrew Mutch and Karen Ventura is a great article on ISM, computer security and print management solutions.
Update:
Cybera: Staff Manual (.pdf) used at WBPL (added 2-16-2007)
Bookmark to:
It’s budget time at my library and I am in the midst of writing the ‘priority packages’ for my branch(deadline Oct 10). I have been asking for public pc access management since 2003 and am once more including it in the budget. I have been aware of Ann Arbor’s Internet Session Manager since ’03 but not until tonight have I heard of Cybera. I shall include it in the alternative means of accomplishing my request. Thank you for this blog.
Does Cybera also manage printing costs?
Sorry for the delay in answering- I was away for the weekend. Cybera does not handle print management which is the one downside to the system. I can, however, assure you of its quality. Today is actually one month since implementation. Since then we have had over 350 users activate or start a new account (there is over 4,000 total users in the database). I asked my co-workers last week for input on the system and they find it’s much easier to notify a user that they need to relinquish their computer and keep track of statistics.
Last week, our board approved our new Internet Policy that doesn’t require users to put their John Hancock to. The policy is now shown on the computer and is accepted by the patron upon logging in. Obviously, I would love to have a more sophisticated system in place but it’s much easier to sell free. I hope you’re able to convince your board/director/co-workers that ISM is critical in keeping Internet use less of a hassle. If you would like to see any of the work I’ve done drop me a line and I can send screenshots and/or a user manual I’ve compiled.
I’m using the MS Shared Computer Toolkit. Would the timing feature of Cybera integrate well with MS-SCT? I don’t need any additional security. I’ve been using LibraryGeek’s timer, but there are some features I don’t like. We have about 10 public workstations. Thanks.
I have not tested Cybera with MS-SCT, but it should run well on the computers. Like your library, I was uninterested in the security features of Cybera, as we use DeepFreeze to protect any changes. I should note that only one staff machine can run the ‘server’ (some libraries prefer multiple machine do this). For your particular case I could see just keeping the stations ‘locked’ (unless you you want to use usernames?) and when a patron wanted the computer then you would unlock the computer and Cybera would keep track of time. When all the stations were full you could see who has used their time and ‘pause’ the machine, giving them a two minute warning.
Really, you can use any of the features together or separate:
* Security (clear visited sites, change back wallpaper, etc.) – Must have XP Pro
* Login Accounts – Uses Access Database (tip: password on file is ‘cybera’)
* Timing – starts when you unlock a computer or some logs in
Hope that help. Also, I would be interested in getting a copy of the LibraryGeeks timer. I could not seem to find it online. Do you know of a link?
Thanks for your reply. I thought I replied back to you a few days ago, but it’s not showing up here. I’ve got a zipped copy of Library Timer for you. I’m registered now if you want to drop me a note offline and I’ll e-mail it to you. I believe the LibraryGeek retired and later took his website down. One thing I don’t like about the timer is a user cannot logout without stopping the timer with an admin password.
I might put together a demo of Cybera for our librarian, just using the timing feature only.
Dave
Thanks Dave. I found the post in my blogs SPAM pile and have sent you an email. As for an update for anyone following along, I am posting the “Cybera: Staff Manual” to the blog. It will give you a good idea of how to take the application meant for Internet Cafes and tweak it for library use. If anyone else ends up using Cybera for their library, I would love to hear about different implementations.
We would like to use Cybera for time management – we already use MSCT also. We don’t want to have to create a user database since we do not have separate user accounts now. I am looking for some more feedback. Do you know anyone who has this set-up right now?
Mary. Before leaving West Branch Public Library I setup Cybera. What you could do is create ‘John Doe’ accounts (ex: User1, User2, etc.) and place the logon information at each computer.
Or totally do away with users and lock/ unlock the computer for patrons when they ask for them. When the computers are full, just see who has been on the computer the longest and let them know- I customized the pause screen to announce to patrons they had 3 minutes to wrap up their session.
A final suggestion is to print out pass codes for the day and had them to patrons as they come up to the desk.
All of the above scenarios are possible with Cybera.
Feel free to contact me via the contact page or continue the conversation here.
Thank-you for your suggestions. I am not really tech savvy – I have just learned by doing and actually I have found that Cybera was fairly easy to use (when I followed instructions on the installation guide!) One of my biggest problems was not having Access on any of the computers that we could use for the server. In playing with the system I have enabled only prepaid cards for our 5 stations with 2 different time options. Patrons do have to come to us to say they want to use a certain computer, but at this point that is easiest for us. I am pleased that it is actually working! I even was able to change the logo and messages that appear on the workstations. So far so good.
My only problem is making sure that all of the patron’s information is erased when their session is done. For the Shared Toolkit, a log-off is required to erase this information. We have noticed that if the server closes the session early, Firefox will ask to restore the last session when the next person gets on the computer. I can see that this might be a problem.
I welcome any suggestions on using Cybera in a small library. Soon we will have more computers for public use and I would like our session management to be carefree for our new staff.
Mary. West Branch Public Library is, also, a small library and dedicating a computer for Cybera wasn’t an option. Instead, one of the circulation computers had Cybera ‘server’ installed.
As for the security factor, I would recommend changing the browser settings to not retain the URL history (if they aren’t already). If you are running the Windows XP Pro there are some additional privacy features Cybera provides. Below are directions on disabling the “restore session” feature in Firefox:
—-
1. Open Firefox
2. In the URL Field, Type (without quotes): “about:config”
3. In the Filter Field, Type (without quotes): “browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash”
4. Hit Enter
5. Double Click on Value Field- Setting it to “false”
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For our library, we found that the easiest thing to do was issue each patron a username/password. This does take some extra work up-front, but over time removes the “middle-man” for the patron and saves staff time.
If you wanted to get real tricky you could pull a .cvs list of patron names and their barcodes/last 4 digits of phone/etc. and paste them into the Cybera’s Access Database (Tip: Password is ‘Cybera’). With a little data manipulation you could have your entire patron base in the system to start.
Hope that helps you. Again, feel free to post additional questions.
Envisionware Products
Evnisionware Products were installed at my local library. These products have changed what used to be a pleasant experience to an experience that is very extremely unpleasant, and wastes a patron’s time.
These products weren’t even needed by the library. The library got a grant, so now they have Envisionware. The expense doesn’t end there. There is then maintenance fees, the cost of system printers, a reservation station, and now bar code readers. This is a small county library with a small number of computers. It is definitely over kill, and a waste of tax payers money. It also wastes patrons time.
Here are my personal experience with the products installed: PC Reseveration and LPT:One.
Overall, I have seen beta software products that have less bugs. There is no way these products have been adequately tested. Unfortunately, my library did not do an testing or trials of the products, so they are stuck with them.
If you want to decrease patronage at the library, these are definitely the products to buy. Computer usage has dropped dramatically at the library. I don’t hardly use it myself anymore, since it is too annoying.
The library bought two systems, the reservation system called PC Reservation and the printing module, called LPT:One. The vendors web site says most libraries provide the printing at no charge. My library decided that patrons were printing “too much”, so they increased the cost by 100% – well beyond the actual costs incurred. In addition, some of the staff has no interpersonal skills, so their idea of patron relations when you want your print out, is to say “Give me 10 cents.” Walmart does a better job of taking your money. In addition, I have repeatedly been charged for worthless printouts, such as one that only says “Data Missing”. The librarian insists that if the job is in the print queue, you have to pay for it. When this is brought to the Managers attention, that patrons are being charged for worthless printouts, I was told that the small fee isn’t worth her time.
I realize that these last issues aren’t a function of the software, it is a function of management.
The worst part of the printing cost is the impact on those in the lower social economic brackets who are trying to get ahead. A report for school or college, of 15 pages, printed 4 times, would cost $6.00. This is probably an insignificant expense to the library staff, since they aren’t in the lower social economic bracket. For a family with several students, or a single mother trying to go to college at night, this is a significant expense. The library is supported by tax dollars, and should not be gouging the patrons.
You can check out all the videos you want for free, or read all the best seller paperbacks, but if you are trying to suceed at an educational endeavor – it will cost you money.
Printing was 5 cents a page, with 10 free copies. The Envisionware web site says that 85% of the libraries provide free printing after installing the software.
In the case of my library, they decided to charge an excessive fee, well beyond costs of a little over a penny. The software enables them to do this. The logic is the “people were printing too much”. Since when is it the governments role to pass judgement on peoples printing.
PC Reservation
I can barely stand to use this product. Typically, I have to log back in about every 7 minutes. The computer hangs, and I have to reboot. needless to say, I lose my place and my work.
Here are a few of the situations I encounter:
1. The software can’t do basic math correctly. There should be 15 minutes left in my session, and it says 23.
2. The cursor jerks, and has an hour glass with it. It takes about 5 tries, due to the jerking, to get it to line up on a slection to be able to click.
3. On occassion, everything that should be white on the screen turns purple, and you can’t read the screen.
4. The load on the system slows it down, and you spend your time waiting. I estimate that my productivity is reduced by 50%.
5. Almost every session, when I try to do something, such as lock it, I get the message “could not create socket”. Then you reboot, type in your library card all over again, and waste more time. This can also happen when you come back and are trying to unlock the computer.
6. When you unlock, sometimes you just get the blue screen, and have to reboot.
7. Half the time, you can’t print preview tifs, and even when you do, they don’t print property. They print real small, so they are unreadable. Of course, you have to pay for these worthless copies!
8. You can’t get off the screen their annoying bar that tells you how many minutes are left, so you have to keep moving it around, to read your screen, wasting more time.
9. There is repetitive annoying reminders that a session is due to end. They are excessive.
LPT:One
As a patron, the product is unacceptable, and wastes my time. In addition, the product wastes staff time. Here is how
it works:
1. The computer user clicks print. Then a confirmation screen comes up, and they must click ok. Then another screen comes up, telling them what the cost will be. You click OK. Then a third screen comes up, to tell you that the job is queing, and then tells you the job is in the queue.
This is excessive, and a waste of time. In addition, the cost screen shouldn’t be necessary after the first print job by a patron.
2. The next step is to go get your printout. First, you must lock the computer, because you are leaving it, and if you have to stand in line for a while, then the Envisionware software will terminate your job, and you will lose your place and work. You click lock, and then type in a password twice.
3. Walk to the reference desk where the printer is located. Often, there are no librarians there, so you stand and wait. On the otherhand, there could also be a line of people to get their printouts, so you stand and wait. Then you pay your 10 cents, the staff person walks across the room to deposit the dime, and then comes back to print your one page. You get your printout.
4. Then, you walk back to the room with the computer, and unlock the computer.
The above took 15 minutes for an item I printed last week, since I had to wait in line. On the second occassion I printed a page, it took 14 minutes. There was no line the second time, but there was also no staff present at the desk, so I had to go look for some one.
So to get two print outs, took a total of 29 minutes of my time. This doesn’t count the 18 minutes it took to make the second printout, because the system crashed once, and I had to wait on a reboot, and it asked for my library card 3 times, including when I clicked print !!!!
Imagine repeating the above process 5 times to get a quality print out.
I have ceased patronizing my local library after they installed PCReservation and LPT:One.
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Every time there is even a whisper of increasing the libraries budget, I intend to be at the meetings to verbalize how they are wasting tax payer dollars with paying maintenance for the Envisionware software and buying bar code readers for the Envisionware products.
Half the problem is that a county with 89,000 residents does not need a library card with 20 digits. At most a 6 digit library card would take care of the population for decades.
Until the library either reduces the price of printing or makes video and CD rental $10.00 each, they don’t need an increase in their budget. If anything,. the budget should be reduced. Their Envisionware product saved 90% of the staff time, so where is the staff reduction.