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April 30, 2004

You found WHAT on our public access computer??!!!

I was recently told the story of a library that uses a highly-regarded Internet filter (even I think highly of it) and yet were stunned to find child pornography stashed on one of their public access computers.

"How could this happen???" the library staff cried.

Well, the thing is...Internet filters ONLY filter the stuff that comes in over the Internet via Web browsing. That's one thing. And the other thing is....patron's files should NEVER be saved on a public access computer!

Think of the browser as the door to your library. Your library also has some big windows that can be used to bringing in lots of nasty stuff. Examples of "windows" include:

floppy drive
CD drive
DVD drive
email
FTP
IM

Floppy, CD and DVD drives can be used to bring in files to your system. Once that file comes in, you have to control where it gets saved and for how long. As far as things you can't control....if email and IM are made available to patrons, users can attach files from their CD or floppy and send them off to their friends (or enemies).

Here are some things you CAN and SHOULD do with your Public Access Computers:

1. Always delete all user files, cookies, history and cache files between each user's session. This is the best way to protect yourself and your patrons. Any nasties that are saved or downloaded get blown away at the end of the session and the next user arrives to a pristine environment. Check out Public Web Browser for help with this.

2. Use a program that ends the session after a certain amount of time or after a period of inactivity to ensure that sessions do end. This way n'er do wells can't come in, load an alarming page into the browser, walk away and enjoy the reaction. Setting the timer to restart the session after some number of minutes of inactivity will spoil their fun. (Be sure to warn patrons this feature is enabled so they don't leave work on the screen and expect it to be there in 10 minutes after they return from the stacks!) Check out Public Web Browser for help with this, too.

3. Only allow programs to run that you've predefined. In other words, you know the programs you've installed for your patrons: Word, Excel, Paint, Waldo....using a product like WinSelect, you can define which .exe files can be run on your computer. Once implemented, no other executable files will be allowed to run. This means that even if someone copies an executable file to the hard drive, gets one via an attachment or tries to run an executable from their floppy...it ain't gonna work. It takes some work upfront to do this, but it's worth it.

4. Ensure your virus scanner is up-to-date and active all the time AND that it scans any exernal drives such as floppies, CDs and DVDs as soon as they are accessed.

5. Using your firewall, router or Internet filter (not all Internet filters have this ability), make sure you have control over who can use protocols such as telnet, FTP and IRC. Chances are there are only a few PCs that need to use one or more of these protocols so you should be able to close these windows. You should certainly be able to close them off to patrons.

And hey, be careful out there.

Posted by at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 28, 2004

Your Password for Chocolate?

There was a column in the NY Times Sunday by Gary Rivlin, "Pssss, Computers Users . . . Want Some Candy?" in which the author describes a demonstration done by computer security experts who offered up a chocolate bar in exchange for a person's computer password (outside of a London subway).

70% of those asked gave up their password for the chocolate.

The article goes on to explain that the primary reason people are so cavalier about giving up their passwords, and probably computer security in general, is because they don't understand it.

The extent to which people don't take computer security seriously can be understood by the number of post it notes with passwords written on them, the number of times you use the same password for different services and websites, the number of times your password can be found in a dictionary (within seconds by a snappy little program) or the number of times your password is your child/pet/spouse's name. These are all bad ideas.

Good passwords are difficult to remember precisely because they aren't words and they aren't names of your beloved. Things like "9*idhx89r" are good passwords.

Why care?

Well, I care because I'm getting pounded with unwanted mail and allegedly returned mail. The latter are messages that come back to me as if I sent them but in fact I did not send them. These are "spoofed emails." They are the results of OTHER people not being careful about things like passwords and viruses and firewall protection....basic security stuff.

Passwords are Step 1. Make them difficult to guess (and unfortunately difficult to remember). And change them often. If you need help remembering passwords, use a program like BeSafe that stores all your passwords (encrypted for safety) on your Palm and your computer.

Step 2. Install virus scanning software AND make sure your subscription is always up-to-date. It isn't enough to install McAfee and call it a day. You have to pay for the subscription. Make sure you set up the program to automatically update the virus definitions (the file that looks for the latest, greatest viruses). If your virus definitions are EVER more than a day or two old, you are at risk for becoming one of those people who is sending the rest of us the SPAM, PORN and SPOOFED email.

If you use Symantec/Norton products, go here for the latest virus definitions and product updates.

For McAfee, go here.

Step 3. If you are on a cable or DSL connection at home...be sure to use a firewall. Both Symantec/Norton and McAfee have software firewall options that are sold separately or as part of an Internet security bundle. Use the links above to check them out. The Internet security packages are worth their weight in gold. If you have an "always on" Internet connection, do your duty and buy one of them.

If you aren't covering these three basics, you aren't being a responsible netizen. No one is out there doing it for you. There aren't millions of people writing billions of viruses and sending out barrels of SPAM. There are a bunch of those people. It's the rest of us, we millions, that handle the distribution for them.

I love the Internet, you love the Internet, let's get back to it....but as the Hill Street Blues sergeant used to say..."Hey, let's be careful out there."

Posted by at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

April 22, 2004

Public Library Blogs Should Not Allow Comments

I just had an email exchange with Mary Minow about libraries using blogs and she warned me that allowing comments on your blog could get you into trouble.

April 20, 2004

When Did ALA Get a Sense of Humor?

Besides the usual matter of fact news reporting typical of Library Journal, I was surprised to find a couple items that seemed a bit more light than usual. Maybe it was my mood but I got a chuckle out of these:

Michigan Library Allows Guns, Bans Wooden Shoes
Florida Director Swallows Her Ban of Eat Me
Walter the Farting Dog Challenge Blows Over

Someone who likes clever country music lyrics must be writing Censorship Watch which is where the last two items were found. I hope s/he keeps it up. Those little surprises sure made it more interesting to read LJ this month.

Posted by at 8:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

April 19, 2004

I Have A Dream Today...Information Commons in Public Libraries

Jennifer Burek Pierce wrote a thought-provoking article about the future of the library (IMHO) in her Grassroots Report column in American Libraries, April 2004 issue.

The article is about some university libraries who are creating spaces known as "Information Commons." These spaces are noted for their long hours, the availablity of computers for patrons, access to reference materials and access to professional assistance in the areas of both technology and reference.

At Indiana University's undergraduate library, the first floor is the Information Commons. The Dean of University Libraries describes it as a place with "round-the-clock access to an open, light-filled space that's filled with 250 computer workstations...and also offers books, reference specialists, and technologists all in one place. It's one stop shopping."

According to Jennifer Burek Pierce, there's a similar Information Commons available at Colorado State University, Emory University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. No doubt there are others too. All the above libraries report big increases in gate counts as a result of their new Information Commons.

It's no wonder more people are coming into these libraries. The philosophy of the people creating these information commons is to provide a "seamless integration of high tech and high touch" and to "meet the learner at his or her level" and to provide a "full array of help." This is the kind of library I want at my school and in my community.

University and even public libraries have to get over that technology speedbump when it comes to supporting their patrons (or should I say servicing their clients?). People who come into the library are increasingly in need of help (otherwise they'd just be home googling). They need professional assistance to use the reference resources and they need professional assistance with the technology used to access those resources, including but not limited to the Internet.

Reference and Support Desk
Just as no library would be caught dead without a reference desk, isn't it time we also provided technical assistance to the patrons that need it? Why not have a Reference and Support Desk in every library?

I'm not suggesting every reference librarian should be a computer tech but I am suggesting every library should have someone readily available to help their patrons with the technology provided by the library whether it is laptop computers, online catalogs, public access computers or subscription databases.

And the person providing technology assistance should be as easy to find as the reference librarian and as capable at helping patrons with technology as reference librarians are at tracking down the answers.

I have a dream today....

Posted by at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 15, 2004

Sharing Library-Appropriate Filtering Services

Excellent article in the April 2004 issue of Computers in Libraries about the Kanguard filtering system available to Kansas public libraries that choose to opt in to the free, state library provided service.

I learned about it when I was researching my filtering paper for Library Technology Reports and was delighted to hear about at least one region working together to make something that works for libraries.

The article "Building and Running a Collaborative Internet Filter is Akin to a Kansas Barn Raising" (by Thomas M. Reddick) steps you through the process of installing Squid and Squidguard and identifies the other programs and settings necessary for actually making the whole thing work for multiple libraries. For example, the author describes how he configured the server so that each participating library gets its own public IP address to ensure that their database vendors will continue to recognize their authenticated users. It is also a wonderful example of some Best Practices put into use....

Filter Maintenance Committee
I also very much apppreciated the process Kansas implemented for determing what sites go on the "always block" and "never block" lists and how they keep patrons involved. They use a committee of "professional librarians who [are] well versed in CIPA and filtering issues" to ensure they have what they want on the block lists. Excellent.

Patron Involvement
And they provide a block page that links to a form the patrons can fill out if they disagree with the blocking (or not) of a particular site. Here's the text of the block page but note that it isn't linked in this sample to the actual form - darnit. Note the friendly tone and useful information. Hooray!

Easy For Staff to Disable Filter
One of the complaints I've had with Squidhard as implemented in some libraries is that it requires resetting the proxy server settings to disable it. This is not practical nor adequate (see Mary Minow's muy fabuloso article on the criticality of being able to easily disable filters). Well, the Kansas folks remedied that issue with a simple little script that librarians can run by clicking on an icon. I'm not sure how the filter gets re-enabled but I'm hoping that they've concocted something equally simple or better yet, made it reenable itself after some period of time.

If you don't have a subscription to Computers in Libraries, pick up the April 2004 issue at your local library.

Posted by at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 13, 2004

Backups

How often do you actually performs backups of data on your PC? I know I've been pretty bad about doing it because I haven't had a drive large enough to accommodate all the data easily. Every once in a while I'd copy everything from my desktop to my laptop or retire folders to a CD but I wasn't being systematic nor frequent about doing it.

For one thing, trying to copy only the changed files was a big pain because you had to go folder by folder and sort by date. And copying everything again took too long.

So when friends of the family got their online backup service off the ground, I signed up. And boy was I happy I did. More on that in a minute.

I'm guessing you don't know what I mean by online backup service. Here's the idea. You load a piece of software that runs automatically on a schedule you set-up to backup all the files you want backed up. You pick the folders and each night (or however many times a day or week you want to do it) the folders are backed up. You don't gotta do nothin.

The first backup takes a long time but after that, only the changed files are backed up. Files that are unchanged since the last aren't blindly copied to the online service so each day's backup happens quickly and behind the scenes. You don't have to get involved at all. The service uses a fabulous encryption program (LZW) and is secure (Blowfish encryption). All in all, it totally rocks!

My Sad Tale - with a happy ending
Now to the part about why I was so happy I had signed up. Well, shortly after I got started with the service, I decided to demo some filtering software (no, Im not going to tell you which one). In my defense, the documentation did not say "Don't try this at home" or I would have gotten technical assistance with the install. I just followed the prompts and was trying it out. Well, I didn't get very far when I determined it wasn't working at all how I thought it should be. Ultimately, my attempts to fix the filter installation thoroughly hosed my system. Though the filter company valiantly tried to help, there was nothing to do but reinstall XP. My installation of XP has never been the same -- sadly. But that's another story.

The good news is that the restoration of all my data was a snap. I'm still using that backup service and can heartily recommend it to anyone else who is being as recalcitrant as I was.

What to look for in a backup service
Online backup services are a great idea for secure offsite storage but you need to be sure your service does indeed HAVE a secure facility. The software that gets loaded onto your PC needs to be stable and play well with others AND provide the kind of flexibility you need in terms of scheduling and file selection. It needs to have good compression and encryption so the data gets moved quickly and safely. And it needs to be responsible about resource utilization so the rest of the system doesn't grind to a halt.

I've found all these above needs are met with the service I signed up with, Data Salvation Is there a Data heaven? A Data hell? Are you praying for your beloved Data to return? -- but there are others to consider including US Data Trust and LiveVault.

The important thing is to start backing up your data. As Jerry Newman says during KQED pledge breaks, get off your good intentions.

P.S. Email me if you end up signing up with Data Salvation because I can get you the family discount. Afterall, aren't all library workers family?

Posted by at 5:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 9, 2004

Mary Minow on Disabling Filters

As promised, here's the link to Mary Minow's First Monday article Lawfully Surfing the Net: Disabling Public Library Internet Filters to Avoid More Lawsuits in the United States.

The title says it all but if that isn't clear enough for you, here's an excerpt from the conclusion:

Disabling procedures should be either readily administered at the branch level (without undue delay) or self?service upon certification by patrons that they are 17 or over (for disabling) or any age (for unblocking). Self?service could take the form of automated disabling (for adults), "soft?blocking" (warning?instead?of?blocking for adults) or click?a?librarian remotely for either disabling or unblocking (for adults or children). Unless the librarian has reason to believe the site has images of child pornography, obscenity or "harmful to minors" material, the request should be met as quickly as possible.

Someone once described Mary Minow as a "state treasure." I couldn't agree more. Thanks for a great article, Mary, on a difficult topic.

Posted by at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 6, 2004

Fat Dumb And Happy

In case you wondered if the the FEC was independent from the White House, check out the proposed FEC Rulemaking (as reported by the Alliance for Justice) and Bush Greenwatch.

This is just another way the current administration is trying to lock people out of the political process. The Bush Administration wants America fat, dumb and happy so he can tell us what to think -- or perhaps more accurately -- when not to think. The idea that there are still some folks out there thinking for themselves and acting on those thoughts has the Administration going to ridiculous lengths to quelch the citizenry.

These new FEC rules would tape the mouth shut of lots of organizations the Bushies don't like such as Moveon.org and People for the American Way and the Sierra Club. But perhaps they haven't noticed that it will also affect some of their pals at the NRA, the Christian Coalition and other right wing organizations.

Here's some of the most noteworthy aspects of the changes per OMB Watch's "Talking Points":

The proposed rules would transform overnight many 501(c)s and 527s into federally regulated political committees
Many 501(c)s and 527s would be forced to choose between ceasing normal operations or facing crippling restrictions on fund raising.
Would expand the definition of a federally regulated ?expenditure? to include communications that ?promote, support, attack, or oppose? a federal candidate or policy position of a candidate.
Nonpartisan voter registration, voter identification, and GOTV would be restricted and in some cases prohibited from using messages that express views about a candidate or political party.
"Look Back Rule" would require a group that becomes a federal political committee due to the new rules to raise hard money to repay the soft-money expenses designated as hard-money payments under the new rules. Further work would be halted until debts to the ?old? organization were repaid. effectively.

This is bad. Again. Time to do something. Again. Send this letter to your Congressfolk using the Alliance for Justice's handy "Take Action" form. Please.

Posted by at 6:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)