Re: Remote access

[David Shumaker <dshumakr@erols.com>]

Jamie--

	You're in a public library. Why wouldn't you want to support
institutions (for profit and not for profit) in your service area? If
you facilitate personal remote access why would you prohibit corporate
remote access? Do you provide a telephone reference service? Do your
reference staff ask if the request is for corporate purposes? I hope
not!

	--Dave

Jamie Watson wrote:
> 
>     Recently another local library inquired of our circulation department
> about getting in institutional card for their use. Their intent was to use
> it to access our databases remotely. (We use valid library card numbers as
> a gateway to our remote access.)
> 
>     Luckily, this circulation person went through some channels and the
> request was denied. However, we do allow corporate cards and now I am
> concerned that others may be doing a similar thing and not being so open
> about it.
> 
>     Frankly, our statistics aren't high enough for me to suspect any
> serious abuse.
> 
>     In reviewing our licenses, I really only found one that expressly
> forbid this type of institutional access. However, I can't help feeling
> that it violates the intent of the license, if not the letter of the
> license. If someone in an office environment wants to post their personal
> card for the whole office to use, that is really something that we won't
> be aware of. However, they would more than likely tend to be more loose
> with a corporate card that is not attached to their person.
> 
>     Has anyone else dealt with similar subjects? Am I right to be
> concerned, or just floored by the gall of those who are trying to get
> "something for nothing?"
> 
> Jamie Watson
> Electronic Resources Coordinator
> Enoch Pratt Free Library
> 400 Cathedral Street
> Baltimore, MD 21201
> (410)396-5471