The Pierce College Library has a total of 55 computers available for students. The first 10 have a 30-minute time limit; the other 45 are located in the library lab and are available on a “first come, first served” basis.
It’s very convenient for students who do not have computers or printers at home.
However, it can be equally inconvenient when other students who are not working on academic assignments use the computers for social networking sites and watching movies; in spite of a sign posted indicating that the computers are for academic use only.
Some students lack the common courtesy and blatantly ignore the fact that they are using computers in an academic setting, they should make them available for other students with genuine academic needs.
Simply putting on headphones does not justify watching SpongeBob Squarepants greatest episodes, while tweeting and updating ones Facebook status, on a library computer.
At CSUN’s Oviatt Library there are more than 200 computers available for student use.
Due to the large number of computers in Oviatt Library, in addition to the plethora of other computer labs available on campus, CSUN can afford to allow their students to work on the computers without any time restriction, as opposed to Pierce.
We cannot afford such a luxury.
Although both the Pierce College Library and the Oviatt Library are both located on college campuses, they are both facilities that are open to the public.
CSUN library computers designated for public use on the first floor do not require a username and password for log in. However, the third floor lab requires users to log in and verify that the user is a student of the university.
The Pierce College Library should implement a reasonable time limit on all computers in the lab area.
A system should also be implemented where students are required to log in with their student I.D. number, this will prevent random library patrons from holding up the computers, such as the alleged Dr. Drew Pinsky stalker.
Charles Pearson, the alleged Dr. Drew stalker, was arrested on March 3 2010 at the Pierce College Library, after posting a status update on Facebook that revealed his location.
These systems should be active until there are more computers available for students.
We understand the library staff does not have the resources available to make these changes now.
But this is something to keep in mind when the new library is built.
Most Pierce students are adults, or close to the age where they are legally identified as an adult, so the library staff should not have to look over students’ shoulders to monitor if they are using the computer for legitimate purposes.
Or maybe they do.
