Internet Available At Library 20 Computers Will Provide Access Beginning Monday

(From For the Record, Sunday, July 30, 1995:) Spokane County residents can use the Internet service at the city libraries without paying a fee. A story in Friday’s paper suggested otherwise.

Starting Monday, Spokane Public Library users will be able to dash onto the Internet with 20 new computers giving people access to information worldwide.

Thursday, library workers showed off the $2,500 computers which use standard Internet software and take users across the global Internet with easy clicks of a mouse.

Board members approved guidelines last month controlling how patrons use the Internet at the library.

All users first must take a training session and sign an agreement saying they’ll use the equipment responsibly.

That means not tampering with the software or computers and agreeing not to search for offensive or illegal material.

“This brings to our users a wealth of data and information not available locally,” said city library Executive Director Dan Walters.

“We expect use to be high,” he added.

Fifteen of the new computers are in the main library downtown, including one in the children’s area.

Two other Internet computers are located in the Hillyard branch. The East Side, Manito and Shadle branches have one each. More will be installed as new library buildings are completed for three neighborhood branches.

At first, users will get just an hour per Internet session. The limit is designed to give more people time to explore the new equipment.

What they’ll get is access to the World Wide Web, the section of the Internet containing art, video, audio and mountains of data from business, governmental and educational sources.

Each of the 20 computers starts the user at the city library’s home page - a directory and clearing-house index of other sources of useful information.

Parents or children can start at a kids’ home page prepared by library staff. It can send users in pursuit of information on dinosaurs, space, volcanoes, art or good reading.

Kids under 18 will need written approval from parents or guardians before using the computers.

The system won’t permit downloading or saving files, sending e-mail or printing out information.

Library Information Manager Garv Brakel said he hopes to install a system in a few months that permits printing by charging users per page.

The library also will try out software that screens users from accessing X-rated or adult material.

Public interest in Internet access has been high since last year when the Spokane Public Library unveiled new automated search and catalog services, including dial-in access for those with library cards.

The new technology in public libraries is likely to force staff members to learn new jobs or trade old duties for new ones, Walters suggested.

He said some jobs might need to be added or redefined if interest in automated services increases.

Tight city budgets make adding more staffers unlikely, leaving the option of reducing some current services as staff time shifts toward Internet tasks - such as preparing electronic versions of historical documents and photos.

“We don’t have bottomless resources,” said Walters. “We’ve already reduced some services, such as the index we compiled for major articles in the local paper.”

City librarians might spend more time researching and indexing Internet resources “and less time on identifying resources to acquire for our shelves,” he said.

The major share of the money for the new computers comes from two federal grants totaling $40,000.

The rest - as well as money to expand the service - comes from the $28.8 million bond measure city voters approved in 1993 for modernization and new libraries.

City library card holders can use the Internet service free of charge. County residents must pay an annual fee to get a library card.

The library’s dial-in service, accessible by computer and modem, also will add World Wide Web access on Monday. Those users can connect to the Lynx browser, a text-only version of the same program in the new library computers.

People interested in taking training sessions should contact the downtown library.

, DataTimes