Re: Public Access Library Ports (was Re: Open access to student labs

[David Gillett <gillettdavid () FHDA EDU>]

  Since we haven't abolished open ports, just limited what they
can do, you might call it a draw.
  In general, I've found the library a useful analogy, as an
example of a shared educational resource that isn't a free-for-
all commons, but is administered by staff and provides varying
degrees of access.  Anybody can walk in off the street and
browse the public stacks, but if they want borrowing privileges
or access to restricted/reserved materials, they need to show
ID that establishes their relationship with the college, and
not even the librarians are allowed to set fire to the books or
dump them on the floor and use the shelves to store personal
items, or keep books out indefinitely, or play loud music in
the study carrels....
  And nobody has cows and kittens when the library staff enforce
those rules.

David Gillett


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Valdis Kletnieks [mailto:Valdis.Kletnieks () VT EDU]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 9:16 PM
> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> Subject: [SECURITY] Public Access Library Ports (was Re:
> [SECURITY] Open access to student labs
>
> On Wed, 20 Dec 2006 14:21:05 PST, Samuel Young said:
> > We require our students and visitors to logon to our
> network everywhere.
> > There are a few computers in the library that allow public
> access, but
> > we are about to close that loop as well.
>
> Often, librarians have cows and kittens when the network
> people threaten to close that loophole (for reasons that are
> totally justified in their world view).  What methods and/or
> reasoning did sites use to win the political battle (or
> equally interesting, did the library win)?