The New Hartford Public Library feels fortunate that we can offer a level of computer access that is among the most comprehensive in our Central New York region. We are able to provide our patrons with 19 computers for access to the Mid-York electronic catalog, for Web browsing, and for document publishing applications such as word processing. Laser black and white, and color printing is also directly available to the public.
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Computers Available for Patron Access
· Three iMacs for internet use (Netscape Browser)
· Eight Intel machines (PCs) for internet use (Microsoft Windows 98 and Netscape Browser)
· Three Intel Machines (PCs) for Office Applications (Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Office 97, and other applications)
· Two iMacs for various children's games
· Three terminals dedicated for access to the Mid-York Electronic catalog.
Internet Access
· Our access to the internet is very fast and is comparable to cable access, or DSL.
· Our internet provider is the Mid-York Library System
· We use the Netscape Browser for Web Access
· The Web browser home page is set to the Mid-York Web Catalog and Electronic Resources Page.
· The Mid-York Web Catalog is the entry point for locating and reserving books. Please ask for assistance if you are unsure how to use the electronic catalog.
· In addition to the internet book catalog, the Mid-York Web Catalog and Electronic Resources Page contains many other information resources, including electronic articles, encyclopedias, and a very useful set of Bookmarks.
· There are additional software resources installed on the internet machines:
- Microsoft Encarta Africana, an Afro-American history, culture, etc.
Inside the SAT, an exercise program for the SAT exams.
Inside the ACT, an exercise program for the ACT exams.
Microsoft Office and Other Document Publishing
· The document publishing computers are equipped with Microsoft Office 97 which includes:
Word (a word processor)
Excel (a spread sheet)
Powerpoint (for development of presentation slides)
Access (for database development).
· WinWay Resume is also installed on these machines. This is a program for the creation of resumes and provides many starting templates for differing styles and career choices. Printed instructions are available at the circulation desk.
· The A: drive (for diskettes) is available for saving your work. We highly recommend that you save your work to a diskette whenever you have done a substantial amount of work If you did not bring a diskette with you, we have them for sale at the circulation disk for $.50. Saving periodically to a diskette will protect your hard work and allow you to interrupt your work and complete it at another time.
Assistance
· If you have questions about operating the computers or the software, please ask the library staff for assistance
· We have one half time staff member whose principal function is to help people with the computers
· If he is not available, other staff members will be able to help you with most problems.
· If any of our computers lock up, please ask one of our staff to restart it. Do not just leave it and move to another computer.
· Please do not turn the computers off from either the power button or the floor switch. If a computer appears to be locked up, please ask for assistance.
Rules/Privileges
· At this time we do not require that you sign up for a computer. You are free to use any computer that is not currently in use.
· We do have a time limitation of 30 minutes but, if no one is waiting for a computer, you may continue to work. We hope that you will remember this time limit and relinquish the computer you are using, if you have been using it for over 30 minutes and there are others waiting.
· We hope we can continue to permit this level of free access and our ability to do so depends on everyone's willingness to take good care of the equipment, and respect the rights of others who are using the computers or other library facilities.
· After you are through with a computer, please return the Web browser (Netscape) to the home page, or exit any applications you have been using. This protects your privacy and makes it unnecessary for the next person to figure out how to close down what you were doing.
Security
· We have installed security software on our computers.
· The hard drive can not be accessed.
· Software is prevented from being downloaded from the Web and installed on our computers.
· Software and other types of files downloaded from the internet can not be saved onto the A: (diskette) drive.
· Loading software or other files from the A: (diskette) drive or CD drawer is prevented.
· Because the A: drive is blocked on the internet computers, it is not possible to attach photo or text files to e-mail.
· The computers dedicated to office applications do provide access to the A: (diskette) drive so that you are able to save your work.
Printing
· Both black and white, and color laser printing is available.
· Web pages from the internet machines or documents that you have created on the office machines may be printed.
We charge $.10 per page for black and white printing, and $.50 per page for color printing. . before you print be sure that the printer you want to use is selected (Check Name: box).
· The black and white printer is located on the far end of the circulation desk. The color printer is to the right and behind the black and white printer, on its own table.
· Patrons may collect their own printed pages from the centrally located printers but please be careful that you do not pick up someone else's printing as you pick up your own. Be sure that you pay for your printing at the circulation desk before you leave.
· If you have difficulty printing on your own, please ask one of the library staff for assistance.
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