Austin Memorial Library applies technology to provide free
electronic access to digital information resources, including the Internet,
on-line catalogs, and a variety of external databases.
Internet access at the Austin Memorial Library is an extension of the
library’s commitment to meeting the community’s information needs.
The library provides access to the Internet for informational purposes
only. Further, the library and its
staff cannot assist customers with the use of e-mail. The Austin Memorial Library will not provide individuals with
e-mail accounts.
The following conditions of use apply to all users of the
system:
- Available
resources may vary. Austin
Memorial Library endeavors to provide quality links to Internet resources,
but it has no control over the information accessed, and cannot be held
responsible for its content. Likewise,
Austin Memorial Library assumes no responsibility for any damages, direct or
indirect, arising from use of its servers or connections to other Internet
resources. Austin Memorial
Library will do its best to provide error-free, dependable access to
Internet resources, but Internet connections are subject to the vagaries of
weather, exceptional user demand, and remote server problems, et al.
Austin Memorial Library cannot be held liable for any information
that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable due to technical difficulties.
- The
Austin Memorial Library neither monitors nor controls information accessed
through the Internet and cannot be held responsible for its content,
quality, accuracy or currency. The
Internet is a worldwide community with a highly diverse user population and
it is the customer’s responsibility to use this resource wisely.
- Individuals
are reminded that the Internet workstations are located in a public area,
which is shared by patrons of all ages and backgrounds and are asked to be
sensitive to this when accessing potentially controversial information and
images.
- Studies
have shown that Internet filtering software cannot guarantee a safe Internet
environment. Parents or
guardians, not the library or its staff, are responsible for the Internet
information selected and/or accessed by their children.
- Patrons
should be aware that some material on the Internet and the World Wide Web is
copyrighted. It is the user’s
responsibility to be aware of the display of any notices concerning the
copyright of information on the Web and to respect the copyright laws of the
United States.
- Internet
access may not be available due to technical problems.
- Computer
use by a customer is limited to 60 minutes at a time.
Extension of the time limit may be granted only if the computer does
not need to be accessed by other customers or library staff.
- Printing
may be done. Black and white
copies are $0.15 a page. Color
copies are $0.50.
- Library
employees are authorized to terminate any user’s access session if the
user has failed to comply with the library’s Internet Policy and/or rules.
The library director may impose longer or permanent restrictions for
violations of the library’s Internet Policy.
Internet users whose access session has been terminated or prohibited
may request the decision reviewed by the City Manager. While Austin Memorial
Library Accounts are free, users are always guests on the system, and should
act with respect and consideration for one another.
There are certain uses which are unacceptable under any
circumstances, and which may result in a user losing Austin Memorial Library
account privileges and facing prosecution:
- It
is not acceptable to use Austin Memorial Library for purposes contrary to
state or federal laws.
- Use
of shells at the operating system level is not permitted
- It
is not acceptable to use Austin Memorial Library so as to interfere with or
disrupt other users, services or equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, distribution of
unsolicited advertising (i.e., so-called “spamming,”) flooding available
bandwidth by attempting to run multi-user games, sending or forwarding
so-called chain letters, propagation of computer worms, viruses,
installation of .suid or .rhosts files, or any attempt whatsoever to go the
super user status. Use of IRC-Internet
Relay Chat-is not supported. Not
attempts at “cracking”- whether internal or external-will be tolerated.
- It
is unacceptable to share passwords or accounts with others.
- Commercial
transactions are not permitted.
- Users
must comply with the login time restrictions set by the library.