SPEC Kit 302: Managing Public Computing (November 2007)
This SPEC Kit explores the management of library public computing, i.e., those computers that are located in public spaces for use by patrons, as distinct from staff computers and servers. By jointly looking at the scale of the public computing operations, the staffing and organizational structure, budgets, upgrades, maintenance, security, polices, and assessment, the survey pulls together and expands on issues covered in several previous SPEC Kits.
The survey was distributed to the 123 ARL member libraries in July 2007. Sixty-nine libraries (56%) responded to the survey. The survey respondents were primarily library deans, directors, and heads of library information technology or library systems departments. All 69 respondents indicated that their library contains public computers that need support. Responsibility for the support, service, repair, and replacement of computers in public library spaces falls solely on library staff in 44 of the responding libraries (64%). Support is shared with non-library staff in 21 of the libraries (30%); in four libraries (6%), the institution’s central IT staff provides sole support. In none of the libraries is computer support contracted out or provided by a consortium’s IT staff.
This SPEC Kit includes documentation from respondents in the form of job descriptions, public computing policies and procedures, and organization charts.
Cook, Michael, and Mark Shelton. Managing Public Computing. SPEC Kit 302. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, November 2007.
Table of Contents
SPEC Kit 302: Managing Public Computing (November 2007)
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Managing Public Computing frontmatter
33
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Survey Results
99
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Representative Documents
6363
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Position Descriptions
6565
- University at Albany, SUNY 6666
- University of Alberta 6868
- University of California, San Diego 7171
- University of Connecticut 7777
- Cornell University 7979
- Duke University 8383
- University of Hawaii at Manoa 8585
- Kent State University 8989
- Rutgers University 9494
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale 9696
- University of Virginia 9999
- Washington State University 106106
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Organization Charts
109109
- University of Alberta 110110
- Brigham Young University 111111
- Brown University 112112
- University of California, Irvine 113113
- University of California, Riverside 114114
- University of Connecticut 115115
- Cornell University 116116
- Duke University 117117
- Iowa State University 118118
- University of Louisville 119119
- Northwestern University 120120
- Pennsylvania State University 121121
- Rutgers University 122122
- University of Virginia 123123
- University of Waterloo 124124
- Wayne State University 125125
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Public Computing Policies
127127
- University of Alberta 128128
- University of British Columbia 130130
- Brown University 133133
- Colorado State University 135135
- Cornell University 136136
- University of Delaware 138138
- Duke University 142142
- University of Florida 143143
- Iowa State University 145145
- Kent State University 146146
- University of Kentucky 148148
- University of Oregon 149149
- Rutgers University 150150
- University of Texas at Austin 151151
- University of Virginia 152152
- Virginia Tech 154154
- University of Washington 155155
- University of Waterloo 156156
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Public Computing Procedures
159159
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Position Descriptions
6565
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Selected Resources
171171

Title:
SPEC Kit 302: Managing Public Computing (November 2007)