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The AIS Desk Staff LibGuide: Public Computers

Reminder: Student employees are no longer assisting with the public computers, including extending time.

All public computer transactions should be handled by a staff member.

For language to use regarding public computer questions, please see the Staff FAQ entry on Talking Points for Public Computers. 

Public Computer Policies

Who can use the public computers?

Patrons who are not current UA affiliates may use the public computers. This is a free service. For full details, visit the UA Libraries Public Computer webpage. Patrons must have a public computer account to log in.

Photo ID Requirements

Patrons MUST present a valid & current photo ID to create a new public computer account, or to make a reservation on the public computers.

  • There are NO exceptions to this policy.

Acceptable forms of photo identification include:

✅ Driver’s License

✅ Driver’s Permit

✅ Passport

  • Passports do not contain addresses, so staff must ask patrons for their address when creating an account with a passport. This must be done each time a reservation is made to verify the correct account.

✅ Military ID - Some military IDs do not have addresses so you will need to ask for their address while making the account.

✅ State ID

✅ Tribal ID

The following forms of ID are not currently accepted:

🚫 School IDs

🚫 Mobile driver’s license (mDL)

Computer Usage Limits

Patrons with a public computer account can use the computers for up to 1 hour per day.

  • The 60-minute session must be used in one sitting on the same day it is reserved and cannot be split up or continued later that day.
  • Computers will auto-sign out after 20 minutes of inactivity.

Policy for Extensions

  • If at least one computer is available, the session can be extended for 1 additional hour (60 minutes in PC Res), which must follow immediately after the first session.
  • Patrons cannot return later in the day for extra time.
  • For longer computer use, patrons can be referred to Pima County Public Libraries.
  • If a patron on the computer approaches the desk asking for their second hour and we have patrons waiting in line then we cannot fulfill their request.

Missed Reservations

  • Patron must sign in within 20 minutes of start time.
  • Canceled sessions can be rebooked at the ASK US desk.

Creating Advanced Reservations

Reservations are permitted up to 48 hours in advance and must be made in person. They cannot be made over chat or phone. 

  • Create a reservation following the same process, but select the date and time the patron would like to use the computer.  

Suspension Policies

If patrons have violated our Code of Conduct policies and/or have been excluded from campus by UAPD, their public computer privileges will be suspended.  

Patrons who have violated the library Code of Conduct will be suspended from the public computers for 1 year. 

Loss of privileges will be initiated by: 

  • Any library exclusionary order 

  • Viewing explicit material on a public computer. 

  • Trespassing (either after-hours access or violating a current exclusionary order). 

Patrons who have been excluded from UA Campus by UAPD will be suspended from the public computers for an additional 1 year beyond their campus exclusion date. 

Patrons with Suspended Privileges(NOT an Exlusionary Order)

In Database Administrator, a note will be added to patrons whose privileges are currently suspended.  

A screenshot of a computerDescription automatically generated

Inform the patron that we cannot make a reservation for them at this time due to this suspension. You can use the following language:  

  • "Unfortunately, due to previous code of conduct violations associated with your account, we are unable to provide access to our public computers at this time. If no other incidents occur, you will be able to use the computers again starting on (date listed in the comments on their account)."

Patrons With an Active Exlusionary Order

If the Database Administrator comments state a patron is excluded from campus, do not inform the patron of this.

To avoid an escalated interaction for staff: 

1) Provide the patron with a reservation for a public computer. 

2) Once the patron has left the desk, discreetly contact UAPD to report that an excluded patron is in the library. 

3) Follow our standard procedures for handling such situations. 

  • To prevent escalating the situation, do not inform the patron that they have been excluded. Providing a reservation allows staff to safely contact UAPD without confrontation. 

  • UAPD can then explain the Code of Conduct violation to the patron. The reservation also helps UAPD easily locate the excluded individual. 

This process ensures a smooth, discreet response while maintaining safety and compliance with our policies. 

Computers that are Out of Service

When a public computer is out of order, it's helpful to mark the computer as "out of service" in PC Reservation. This ensures that we don't create any reservations for the out of order computer. 

Here are the steps for this process:

To Mark Out of Service: 

  1. In PC Reservation, open the "View PC Status" window.

  2. Select the computer you want to mark out of service

  3. Check the box next to "Mark as Out of Service"

  4. The computer will now appear red, and cannot be reserved. 

When the computer has been fixed, we'll need to remove the "out of service" status in PC Reservation so it can be reserved. 

To remove the Mark Out of Service Status:

  1. In PC Reservation, open the "View PC Status" window.

  2. Select the computer currently marked out of service

  3. Uncheck the box next to "Mark as Out of Service"

  4. The computer will now appear green, and can be reserved.

Referring Patrons to PCPL Public Computers

PCPL offers free access to computers, and allow 4 hours per day (depending on availability).

The closest PCPL locations to the U of A are:

For a full list: PCPL locations and available computers

Resources for Patrons Without Identification

If a patron inquires about how someone experiencing homelessness can obtain an ID:

Staff can refer patrons to the Homeless ID Project - Center of Opportunity Tucson Division. This organization works with the Arizona MVD to assist with obtaining an AZ ID. This webpage indicates that individuals must be a current resident of the center, however they can still provide further information and resources for a patron needing assistance.

Center of Opportunity

4550 S Palo Verde Rd

Tucson, AZ 85714

520-740-1501 

 

The Homeless ID Project helps individuals experiencing homelessness and income-eligible individuals obtain identity documents such as birth certificates and other supporting documents necessary to obtain an Arizona ID or driver’s license.

Guidelines for Providing Assistance with Public PCs

Hardware issues: These should be reported to Helpline.

Software issues and other support (such as accessing a personal flash drive file): AIS staff can help with simple questions up to a max of around 5 minutes. If community users need additional support, we can refer them to the public library. Otherwise, they are expected to be self-sufficient. 

  • OSCR staff/students do not provide technology support for our public computers.

Talking points if you receive feedback from community users: 

  • I’m sorry, but this isn’t a service that we offer. The library provides computers for use, but we do not have the resources to help provide software, internet, or other support. The public library is the best resource for this. 

  • At the Ask Us desk, we also provide service to online users, process Interlibrary Loans, manage a large equipment inventory, work on assigned projects, provide safety/security support, and we generally need to be available because it can get busy at a moment’s notice. 

  • Our primary users are UA staff, faculty, and students who pay tuition and fees for services. 

 

How to Extend Time

STEP 1

First, verify the patron has only had 1 hour of time for the day. Open PC Reservation: 

If the Patron is Still Logged In: 

  • Click "View Reservations" and select the computer number the patron is using. 
  • Check the "Session Start" time to confirm they’ve used the computer for only 1 hour. 

STEP 2

After verifying they have only had 1 hour of computer time for that day, select the computer number to extend. 

Click Extend time and add 60 minutes. 

IF THE PATRON HAS LOGGED OUT

We MUST see the patron’s valid photo ID again. 

  • Click on “View History” and use the patron’s photo ID to find their username. Use their username to locate their previous reservation. 
  • Confirm that they have only used the computer for 1 hour so far. 
  • Create a new reservation for the patron using the normal process. 

Creating a New Public Computer Account

STEP 1

Open Database Administrator and navigate to the "Manage Users" box.

You will use this to check for an existing account under the patron's name. If no account exists, you will also use this to create a new account.

STEP 2

Search for an existing account (to avoid creating duplicates):

  • Enter the patrons's User ID (formatted as LASTFIRSTMIDDLE, in all caps with no spaces) in the search bar and click the magnifying glass to check for an existing account.
    • If there are multiple middle names, enter all middle names listed on the ID
    • Include suffix after last name (ex. JR)
    • If a patron has a hyphenated last name, please use both last names, without the hyphen, when creating their user name
  • If an account already exists, create a computer reservations for the patron following our normal process.

STEP 3

Create a New Account (if no account is found):

  • If no account is found, use the patron's photo ID to create a new User ID in the format: LASTFIRSTMIDDLE (All caps with no spaces. E.g., WILDCATWILMAARIZONA for patron Wilma Arizona Wildcat)
  • After entering the information, click the magnifying glass.
  • A "User Not Found" message will appear. Click "Yes" to continue creating the new account.

STEP 4

Enter the patron's name, address, state, and zip code into PC Reservation (this will help ensure we are using the correct patron's account in the future)

  • A patron's middle name should be included in the first name field of Database Administrator.
    • You might encounter a patron who has no middle name on their ID, please omit the middle name if not present.

STEP 5

Continue to click "Next" until you reach the last window.

How to Create a Computer Reservation

STEP 1

Before making a reservation, confirm that the patron does not have any suspension of public computer privileges.

To check if a patron's computer privileges are suspended due to a Code of Conduct violation, look up their User ID in Database Administrator and click "Next" until reaching the "Comments" page. Notes on any suspensions of privileges will be listed here.  

If the account contains no notes, continue with the reservation. 

STEP 2

Open PC Reservation to make the computer reservation. 

  • Click on “Make Reservation”.  

STEP 2 (CONTINUED):

Enter the patron’s User ID under “Computer Card Number” and click on “Make Reservation” to assign the next available computer.  

STEP 3

To log into a computer, the patron needs their User ID and a PIN. A new PIN is generated with each reservation and is included on their printed receipt. 

After making the reservation, a confirmation message will display the patron’s User ID and PIN. Click "Accept Reservation." 

STEP 4

Print the patron's receipt by clicking "Yes."

Give the receipt to the patron. They can log in using their User ID and PIN.  

  • If all computers are currently occupied, the patron will be assigned the next available time.