Computer Acceptable Use Policy

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GUNTER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

COMPUTER ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

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The Gunter Library and Museum has computers available to serve the educational, informational, and recreational needs of the community where access to the Internet is offered.

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The Library provides access to Internet to all. Utilization of the computers and network connections (including wireless connectivity) for any purpose constitutes acceptance of the terms of this Computer Acceptable Use Policy. Users are personally responsible for their acts or omissions in connection with utilization in derogation of this policy.

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Violation of this policy may result in revocation of utilization privileges and/or immediate termination of the violator’s relationship with the library and could lead to civil or criminal prosecution.

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The Gunter Library and Museum is authorized by anyone using the computers to cooperate with any governmental and/or civil authorities in prosecutions of any criminal and/or civil matter against any person who violates this policy. This may include any records, information, data, images, communications, recordings, or other evidence in the custody of, or accessible by, the Gunter Library and Museum which are requested by governmental or civil authorities through subpoena, court order, or process.

All users of the computers or the Internet agree to hold the Gunter Library and Museum harmless from any and all claims, losses and damages, obligations and liabilities, directly or indirectly relating from the use of computer equipment, peripherals, and network connections, caused thereby or there from arising. In no event shall the Gunter Library and Museum have any liability for lost profits or for indirect, special, punitive, or consequential damages or any liability to any third party, even if a member of the library staff and/or volunteer is advised of the possibility of such damages.

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Information accessible from the Internet is not generated by the Gunter Library and Museum and is not necessarily accurate, authoritative, complete, or current. Material on the Internet is not pre-screened, monitored, censored, endorsed or ratified by the Gunter Library and Museum. The Gunter Library and Museum waives any responsibility for content accessible from the Internet.

Due to the right and need for the Library to monitor compliance with this policy, utilization of the computers that requires privacy of any kind for any purpose is not supported and is prohibited.

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Any person utilizing the computers understands and agrees that they are specifically waiving any expectation or right to privacy in their communications, data, programs or other personal information stored, displayed, accessed, communicated, published or transmitted on computers.

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The following rules and regulations will govern use of all computers:

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 ACCESS

1. Patrons using computers by themselves must be in the third grade or higher. Children less than third grade level may use computer with an adult patron.
    

2. No more than one patron may use any of the computers at once. Staff may grant exceptions to parents with children and adults working on collaborative projects).
    

3.  Library staff may not be trained in or knowledgeable about individual software programs available in the computers.
    

4. Repairs to computers are made without notice. When technicians arrive, computer users will stop work to allow repairs to be made. A user may save current documents on a storage device.
    

5. Electronic mail accounts, chat lines, instant messaging, list serves and news groups are not provided by the Library. Software provided to utilize these or other resources does not constitute an endorsement or promotion of that product or any point of view or opinion expressed therein.
    

6. Parents or guardians of minors may wish to closely monitor their child’s access to the Library computers and the Internet. As is the case with all Library materials, the right to restrict a minor’s access to materials rests firmly with the parent or guardian.
    

7. The Library reserves the right to designate certain equipment for use by patrons in need of special physical accommodation. This may require patrons without need of such accommodation to move or relinquish their spots on this equipment, with every effort being made to find them alternative space in a timely manner.

 

WIRELESS (WiFi) COMPUTING

Patron wishing to access the Library’s wireless network must follow the Library’s established policies, guidelines, and regulation. Staff are not responsible for setting up personal computers to work within the Library’s wireless access.

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 FILTERING

1. The Gunter Library and Museum supports the free and open nature of the Internet and realizes the limitation of technical restrictions placed on its use.

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   2. Computers used by patrons under the age of 18 are not automatically set for age-appropriate levels of filtering. 

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   3. Library staff will make every effort to remove blocks by software on sites that are appropriate within this acceptable use policy.
 

INTERNET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

1. The Library may use software to manage the registration and operation of its computers, printers, and filters. 

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   2.Local residents or frequent users of the Library’s computers must have a Gunter Library and Museum library card and sign Internet Use       Agreement.  

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   3.Fines and fees will not block patrons from use. Those individuals owing the Library money may be subject to lower time limits and higher     filtering levels.

 

SCHEDULING

Computers are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

SOFTWARE

1. The Library System provides selected software and printers. The software shall be designed for informational, educational, or recreational uses. No other software may be installed, downloaded, used, or copied to the computers.
    

2. Saving user files on the computers is not permitted. User files may be saved to a storage device.
    

3. The Library is not responsible for damage to the user’s disk or computer, or for any loss of data, damage, or liability that may be incurred from the customer’s use of the library’s computers.
    

4. The software provided by the Library for public use is protected under U.S. Copyright Law. Patrons are forbidden to make copies of software for any reason or purpose. (Title 17 U.S. Code)

 

SUPPLIES

Patrons may use their own paper, stationery, and envelopes, as appropriate with the printers assigned to the computers. There will be a nominal charge per print for use of the printers (either patron or library stationery). Incomplete, unreadable, or low quality prints may be returned at the time of printing for a refund. Patrons are responsible for the prints they initiate and will not receive refunds for prints other than those that are incomplete, unreadable, or low quality.

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 SUSPENSION OF USE PRIVILEGES

1. Suspension of use privileges shall be at in the sole discretion of the Gunter Library and Museum staff. The supervisor in charge may use their judgment in denying the use of the computer to individuals or groups. Service units shall notify other service unit supervisors of patrons who have been suspended and the length of the suspension.
    

2. Any abuse or misuse of the computers, associated hardware, Internet, or Library software will result in suspension of use privileges. This includes, but is not limited to, copying library software; uploading, downloading, or installing any software to the computers; attempts to access or change set-up programs, resources, features, contents or controls of the computers; or utilization of any resource causing damage to or altering the operations, functions, or designs of the computers.
    

3. Use of computers is for educational, informational, and recreational purposes only. Any utilization which is illegal, criminal, or unethical or infringes on the rights or liberties of another is strictly prohibited.
    

4. Utilization of the computers to access, view, print, store, transmit, disseminate or sell any information protected by law or subject to privilege or an expectation of privacy is strictly prohibited.
    

5. Utilization of the computers involving communications, materials, information, data, or images prohibited by legal authority as obscene, pornographic, threatening, abusive, harassing, discriminatory, antisocial, or in violation of any other policy of the Gunter Library and Museum is strictly prohibited.
    

6. Utilization of the computers which causes or permits materials protected by copyright, trademark, service mark, trade name, trade secret, confidential or proprietary data and information, or communications of another to be uploaded to a computer or information system, published, broadcasted, or in any way disseminated without authorization of the owner is strictly prohibited.
    

7. Granting access to persons not authorized by Gunter Library and Museum to any of the computers, either an intentional action such as disclosure of account information or unintentional action such as failure to log off, will result in suspension of use privileges.
    

8. The Library will actively seek to prohibit the use of Internet resources by those individuals prohibited by law, court order, conditions of parole or pardon, or other legally binding restriction. This may include identification of users on parole, probation, or list of sexual predators.

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