Internet Use by the General Public

Guidelines from the AVCC, Content, University IT Systems and the Internet provided framework for addressing copyright infringement and other risks relating to the use of the Internet. Defined “good-practice” for institutional authentication contain explicit exceptions and acknowledgement of the role of Libraries in providing access to licensed resources (AVCC, 2003)

Recent studies highlighted the role of university and public libraries as providers of internet access to the general public who may (otherwise) have little access - importance of this access in building an equitable information society (Hardy & Johanson, 2003; Moore et.al., 2002).

Today, most Australian higher-education institutions continue to provide some level of internet access for the public, although general access to licensed resources may be restricted through authentication (CAUL Survey, 2003).

The Regulatory Environment

Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Act 1999- Universities and Libraries are acting as Internet Carriage Service Providers- Act prohibits facilitating internet access for minors without parental consent (how do we obtain and record this?)

Licensing and contractual arrangements with information vendors

A variety of institutional policies on network access, eg.- UQ Cybrary Internet Access conditions of Use- UQ Cybrary Trusted Zone- UQ IT Security Management Policy

Internet access for the general public is provided within a complex framework of regulations, policies and restrictions. These include -

           

Authentication / Policy Issues

How do we identify who is using our services and to some extent, what they are accessing?

• Authentication mechanism - LDAP, patron id, smart card, ATHENS type arrangements ? However, members of the public are rarely in easily accessible directories.

• How to identify which services and resources visitors are allowed to access?

• The role of the Library as part of the University’s Community Service contribution (UQ strategic Plan)

• Accessibility for members of the public with disabilities or special needs

• Who bears the “risk” in instances of breach of license or copyright?

• Privacy concerns

Security / Technology Issues

• Managing access for users with multiple identities (ie. students who are staff or on multiple contracts)

• Unauthorised sharing of passwords or login details

• How do we effectively manage access control lists for the “entire internet”?

• Controlling the ability to save and “take-away” massive amounts of data via storage media such as USB devices or rewriteable media

• What to do about visiting academics? Conference visitors?

• Who is responsible for investigating or responding to allegations of illegal activity or breach of copyright?

• What “private” information are we allowed to collect (browser history, cookies, sites visited etc) to assist us in the investigation of possible security breaches?

• Ensuring a consistent approach is taken across the institution – including in the residential colleges

UQ solution

• Development of “trusted zone”

• Includes library catalogue, all licensed resources, internet sites as identified by staff and requested by users

• Authentication thereafter

• Authentication achieved through directories of staff (including adjuncts)

• No general internet use for general public

Other Considerations• Who pays for the traffic costs associated with use by the general public

(especially in light of the proposed changes to AARNET charges)

• Providing some public access, whilst still ensuring appropriate access to resources (and computers) for our “core” clients (students & staff)

• A number of additional staffing costs - username/password creation and management- training, support and assistance- management of the requirement for parental consent for visitors under 18

• The risk of litigation by industry lobby groups, content owners and publishers

• Who is “in” the University community and who is not? Alumni? Commercialisation partnerships? Adjunct appointments?

• Jointly funded facilities (ie. Hospital Libraries)

ReferencesAustralian Broadcasting authority (1999), Broadcasting Services Amendment

(Online Services) Act 1999, ABA. Canberra.

AVCC (2003), Content, University IT Systems and the Internet, available at http://www.avcc.edu.au/policies_activities/teaching_learning/guidelines_codes/Code_of_Conduct_for_Universities.pdf

CAUDIT (2004), Internet Accounting (Multi-User Systems) Survey, available at http://www.caudit.edu.au/caudit/surveys/index.html

CAUL (2003), Internet Access & Authentication Survey, available at http://www.caul.edu.au/surveys/InternetAccess2003.doc

Hardy, G., Johansen, G., (2003) Characteristics and choices of public access Internet users in Victorian public libraries, Online Information Review, 27, #5 pp. 344-358

Moore, E.J., Gordon, A.C., Gordon, M.T. and Heuertz, L. (2002), It’s Working: People from Low-Income Families Disproportionately Use Library Computers, report to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation US Library Program on a survey of library patrons.