Policy Issues
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As previously mentioned in regards to the CD/DVD-rom use, policy can matter a great deal in mediating the possibilities a library holds for a given patron. Autonomy of use is another significant aspect of the digital divide, but largely an unachievable one in libraries. Of those contacted none offered computers in private rooms and all of them imposed time limits on individuals. Though nearly every library allowed patrons to renew their time period if no one was waiting in line, some, like the Champaign Public and Urbana Free, imposed limits on the total time allotted to each patron per day. Regardless of the individual aspects that varied per library, the amount of time given to a user for the first session (and perhaps only that day) limits what can be done on the workstation. Even if there were, say, a functioning DVD-rom drive that a patron was allowed to use, they wouldn’t be able to watch an entire movie, much less create or edit one with web-based software. Users who hope to visit websites on topics that might not fall within the realm of generally approved topics (such as say sexual health education) might also run into barriers like content filtering systems. Other users might hope to install programs to view, create, or otherwise engage in media and knowledge, but be stopped by user rights settings. These same filters and installation limitations might also prevent users from running scripts and interfaces in even browser-based applications. If a patron started a large project of some kind, say on archival or multimedia creation and editing, they might hope to save it on the library computer to come back and retrieve it another time. Accounts flexible use policies would allow this, but computers that do not allow files to be written to the hard drive would not. These issues were addressed in the interview questions, as Figure 4.10 explains:
Policy Issues |
|||
County / locale |
Web filtering system |
Standard time period (ave) |
User storage / installation |
Peoria |
100% |
1 hour |
0% |
St. Clair |
67% |
1 hour |
33% |
Champaign |
40% |
42 minutes |
0% |
Alexander -Pulaski |
40% |
34 minutes |
0% |
Significant |
50% |
49 minutes |
0% |
Predominant |
78% |
52 minutes |
22% |
Sample Ave |
62% |
50minutes |
10% |
Figure 4.10 – Library policies that may negatively impact patron computer use.
Locale didn’t seem to have a lot to do with either web filtering or time period allocations. The two rural areas did have slightly lower averages on their computer time limits, but all of these libraries allowed users to renew computer infinitely and all of them expressed that they regularly had enough computers available for patrons. The possibility for users to install programs or store files was really only found in the St. Clair libraries that did not deploy locked down machines. It seemed more that the librarians at these locations kept track of their computers well enough to not worry about running out of space. No libraries had official accounts systems that would allow users to have their own working directory. Oddly enough, the only libraries that allowed users to keep files and programs on the computers long-term were those in Predominantly African American communities.
An ideal policy setup is one that includes enough librarian and parental supervision to not require a filtering system, so as to not inhibit education and ensure all websites are reachable. Renewable time periods are also a must, but to really get more done before being kicked out for another user libraries should do what they can to not limit patron time on computers while still ensuring enough computers will be open for use. Finally, libraries should look into user file storage options for projects they might create using library software or web-based applications. It is this kind of flexible and open policy setup, that when paired with appropriate supervision and virus protection, can best foster uninhibited development of Digital Consciousness.
State-Wide Measures
The official Report to the American Library Association completed in 2007 by John Carlo Bertot and associates enacted as a formal guide to many of the questions asked in the interviews for this study. One of the main functions of this study was to go beyond this information, but it’s also essential to make comparisons when possible. The report is intended to “provide national and state policy makers, library advocates, practitioners, researchers, government and private funding organizations, and a range of other stakeholders, with a better understanding of the issues and needs of libraries associated with providing Internet-based services and resources” (Bertot et al. 2007) and draws on a sample of nearly 7000 library outlets from all over the country and from rural to suburban or urban areas. Overall, the report effectively summarizes many of the challenges libraries face in regards to the items it measures. The areas of intersection are overviewed below in Figure 4.11:
Public Library Outlets that have Patrons Waiting to use its Public Access Internet Workstations (%) |
|||
Location / Community |
Yes, there are consistently fewer public Internet workstations than patrons who wish to use them |
There are fewer public Internet workstations than patrons who wish to use them at different times throughout a typical day |
No, there are always sufficient public Internet workstations available |
State |
13.1 |
63.7 |
23.2 |
Sample Ave |
14.3 |
38.1 |
47.6 |
Significant |
8.3 |
33.3 |
58.3 |
Predominant |
22.2 |
55.6 |
22.2 |
Peoria |
20 |
60 |
20 |
St. Clair |
33 |
50 |
16 |
Champaign |
0 |
60 |
40 |
Alexander-Pulaski |
0 |
0 |
100 |
Figure 4.11 – Day-to-day public internet workstation availability, by locale and community.
The sample overall does much better than the state average, though there are still populations in dire need of more workstations. St. Clair and Peoria counties in particular seem to stick out as a trouble spots, as do libraries that serve predominantly African American communities. Rural communities, however, for all of their outdated equipment and limited funding were able to effectively provide for their users, none of the libraries interviewed experienced any overcrowding.
The ALA report also addressed many issues related to future library expansion. Wireless is undoubtedly becoming the norm for internet connection, and if libraries are to stay on top of their game they need to facilitate for this. Workstation upgrades and replacements also ensure effective service to patrons and must be another facet of any future-minded administrators. These items were specifically asked about during the interview process and reflected in Figure 4.12 below:
Thinking Towards the Future: Wireless and Workstation upgrades (%) |
||||
Location / Community |
Wireless |
Plans to add wireless |
Yes, the library has a workstation upgrade / replacement schedule |
No, the library does not have a workstation upgrade / replacement schedule |
State |
57 |
10.4 |
69.3 |
27.5 |
Sample Ave |
48 |
19 |
81 |
19 |
Significant |
40 |
30 |
83 |
17 |
Predominant |
60 |
10 |
78 |
22 |
Peoria |
80 |
0 |
100 |
0 |
St. Clair |
30 |
20 |
83 |
17 |
Champaign |
80 |
20* |
100 |
0 |
Alexander-Pulaski |
0 |
20 |
40 |
60 |
*The Urbana Free library planned to add another access point to increase their wireless coverage, but the ALA report only counted libraries that planned to add wireless who didn’t have it previously |
||||
Figure 4.12 – Libraries that have wireless, those that plan to add it, and if they have a public internet workstation upgrade or replacement schedule—which could include scenarios where workstations are added, but none are replaced or upgraded.
As outlined before, the more rural areas are in greater need of wireless, especially when compared to the state-wide average. While the sample overall featured a lower rate of wireless coverage of the libraries surveyed almost twice as many as the state-wide average expressed interest in adding it. Rural areas were less concerned with keeping a consistent and predictable upgrade/replacement schedule, but this is likely due to factors such as inconsistent grant funding and a lack of a dedicated IT person or department.
These findings further emphasize that rural libraries need to develop more cohesive and flushed out plans for upgrades—both in terms of wireless and workstations.
Different factors might impact the acquisition of workstations, however, which might help explain the lack of scheduling in rural libraries. The open-ended phone interview responses were fit into the categories below to match the ALA report data:
Factors Influence the Addition Decision for Public Access Internet Workstations by State (%) |
||||||||
Location / community type |
Availability of Space |
Cost factors (grants) |
Maintenance, upgrade |
Availability of staff |
Availability of bandwidth |
Availability of electrical outlets |
Current number of workstations is adequate |
Other |
State |
71.7 |
70.5 |
26.8 |
13.5 |
7.3 |
27.6 |
21.3 |
* |
Sample Ave |
33.3 |
71.4 |
23.8 |
28.6 |
0 |
14.3 |
28.6 |
19.0 |
Significant |
41.7 |
66.6 |
16.7 |
25.0 |
0 |
16.7 |
33.0 |
25.0 |
Predominant |
22.2 |
77.8 |
33.3 |
33.3 |
0 |
11.1 |
22.2 |
11.1 |
Peoria |
40.0 |
100.0** |
0 |
0 |
0 |
20.0 |
40.0 |
0 |
St. Clair |
16.6 |
83.3 |
33.3 |
33.3 |
0 |
16.6 |
0 |
0 |
Champaign |
20.0 |
20.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
20.0 |
60.0 |
80.0*** |
Alexander-Pulaski |
60.0 |
80.0 |
40.0 |
80.0 |
0 |
20.0 |
20.0 |
0 |
*Insufficient data to report |
||||||||
Figure 4.13 – When asked what factors influence upgrades and computer additions, libraries presented these items in response.
The main factor influencing upgrades and additions for libraries in the study was cost, which matched the state-wide measure. Most libraries had enough space, with the exception of those in rural areas. Bandwidth was not an issue, surprisingly, for any of the libraries, thought it is possible that some of those in the rural areas did not understand this could apply to the need for multiple phone lines for multi-computer dial-up. Both Peoria and Champaign generally felt their computer setups were adequate already. St. Clair county and both types of African American communities called for a greater need for staff (presumably ones who could help with computers) than the state-wide average. Rural areas had a definitive need for this, which strongly matches their average number of computer experts (that is, 0).
In conclusion it can be stated that rural libraries and those serving African American communities in general have a need for more computer-knowledgeable staff if they are to upgrade and add computers in the future. All libraries could use more funding from grants and donations to add or improve PC’s.
