[Genealib] Unaccompanied Minors

[Robert Sullivan]

> We had a similar situation, and handled it by just saying that we would only
> allow people using the databases on those terminals. They are not available
> at all for general use or for email.
>
> There are dozens of public terminals elsewhere in the two buildings and
> patrons can always find another area. Databases cost a lot of money and our
> patrons get first (and only) dibs on the available terminals. Our house, our
> rules.

And humans being the way they are, we don't depend on their following
the rules voluntarily.  We have used the whitelisting feature of
NetDog for some time to dedicate some computers to our catalog,
databases and selected Web sites.  This worked very well, but we are
currently migrating to Public Web Browser which includes that
capability and a lot more.

Having used the "free" solution for many years (heavily-secured
Internet Explorer plus NetDog and other methods for restrictions), I
would say the $125 annual cost (for a countywide site license) of
Public Web Browser is probably a better deal for providing limited
public Internet access.

-- 
Bob Sullivan
Schenectady Digital History Archive
<http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/>
Schenectady County (NY) Public Library