Willis Lab General Policies

Abandoned Items

The Lab is not responsible for abandoned items. During Library hours, items of value or personal sensitive information will be delivered to the Library Circulation departments lost and found. Other abandoned items will be delivered to the main Lost and Found in the Union. The Lost and Found is located on the third floor of the Union at the information desk. Any abandoned UNT ID cards will be delivered to the ID office in the Eagle Student Services Center Building, room 105 M-F.

Checking In, Checking out, and Waiting List:

Upon entering the Lab Patrons must present their UNT photo ID to the Customer Service Representative (CSR) at the desk. The CSR will not keep the ID while the Patron is using the facilities. The Patron will be handed a PC card and thier ID and are required to checkout before they leave the lab.

In the event there is a waiting list, the CSRs will maintain a list of IDs in the order in which they are received. Therefore to get onto the waiting list you must give the CSRs your University ID card. When a machine comes available the CSR will call the next name on the list. If the person called is NOT in the lab at that time, they will be move to the back of the waiting list and the next person will be called. The person MUST be in the LAB in order to hold their place in line. If one chooses to go into the library, then one takes the chance of missing their "turn" to get a machine.

A waiting list will be maintained in the labs when necessary, and during these times computer use may be limited to two hours per patron to provide equal and timely computer access for all patrons. In order to be placed on the waiting list, patrons must give the lab employee their University ID. The list will be kept in the order in which the IDs were received.

A patron leaving the lab without properly checking out is considered to have abandoned their workstation if gone for more than fifteen minutes. All items remaining will be considered abandoned, confiscated and handled like Abandoned items as described above, and the machine will be returned to circulation for waiting patrons.

It is against University policy to fraudulently use University Credentials: this is true to access resources. Students found to be presenting themselves as someone else, i.e. providing false credentials which includes using an ID that does not belong to them, will be subject to disciplinary action. Said presented credentials will be confiscated and

No Food, Drink, or Tobacco Use:

There will be absolutely no eating, drinking, or tobacco use in the main lab area. A table has been provided at the entrance of the lab for leaving items that cannot be stored in a bag.

Phone Use:

Cell Phones, Pagers and other electronic devices must be turned off or put on silent mode prior to entering the lab.

Cell Phones are not allowed to be used in the lab. If your phone rings you should leave the lab to talk, the CSRs will ask you to leave if you do not leave on your own.

Patrons are not allowed to use the Lab phone during Library hours. The phone is for Lab business and emergencies only. There is a free courtesy phone on the 2nd floor of the Willis Library in the front right stairwell (where the men's bathroom is, by the circulation desk).

After Library Hours the following policies apply:

There is a five minute time limit that must be followed. The CSRs have to dial the number. The phone should only be used for appropriate issues. (ride, police escort, etc.)

PERSONAL COMPUTING DEVICE

Lab employees are not able to repair or work on Patrons personal devices. Patrons are not allowed to bring personal computing devices and plug then into the labs network .All personal devices (cameras, usbs, etc.) are used at your own risk.

Requesting, Reserving, or Switching of Machines:

Reserving of machines or requesting of specific PC's is not allowed. Each user will be checked in to the next available machine (randomly decided). A special need (i.e. a scanner) is the only exception. Patrons are responsible for using the machine they were assigned. In the event there is a problem or you wish to move, the patrons must notify the CSRs. Note that when a machine is rebooted, anything saved to a machine will be lost.

Do not save items to the desktop and think that you can come back and get them later. On reboot the machine wipes any changes to the install.

Restroom Facilities:

The restroom facilities within the Lab are for after Library hours only. After library hours the CSRs will unlock the bathroom door. Please leave the door open after you are finished in the bathroom. Patrons do not have to give up a machine to go to the Library's restroom. However if you leave for a significant amount of time and your 2 hour time limit expires the machine can be reclaimed.

SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE

Installation of personal hardware or software onto the Lab machines is not allowed.Only hardware and software installed by the technical support group for the lab will be maintained. For a list of supported software go the Lab's website at http://www.library.unt.edu/glab/software.htm

THAWSPACE & File Saving

As with any technology, the machines in the lab are subject to occasional hardware and/or software failure. The machines are equipped with a THAWSPACE drive designed to allow for temporary saving of files/documents. Items saved to any other directory or drive on the workstation will be erased on a reboot. This includes a power outage or other unplanned restart of the system. Be sure to save work to the THAWSPACE drive while working on the machine, email yourself a copy of your work or upload it to your skydrive account or both prior to leaving the machine. Items in the thawspace can be accessed by anyone using the machine. Therefore anyone can delete, alter and or modify your document. The space is strictly intended for use while using the machine and all documents should be taken to a personal space (external drive, skydrive and or emailing it to yourself) before leaving the lab.

Virus Protection:

In order to protect the lab's operating environment, all lab workstations are equipped with virus scanning utilities and will automatically scan external media for any computer viruses that may be present.

 

*** Disclaimer: This list is not inclusive of all general access lab and UNT policies. Links to further policies that apply to the Willis 24 Hour General Access Computer Lab are provided on our main Policies and Procedures page. ***