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locking down a public Library Internet Terminal

2959 Views 16 Replies 4 Participants Last post by mraaron012, Apr 29, 2004

mraaron012

Discussion Starter · Apr 7, 2004

Hello to all. This is my first post. I read about this site in a recent issue of PC Magazine. I have a question about how to lock down (if possible) an OPAC terminal in a library.

I work in a good sized public library in Massachusetts. Our card catalogues are now set up so they can be accessed via the Internet. We have numerous computer stations within the library specifically used for this purpose. Our Computer Technician, using Microsoft Management Console, has managed to disable certain features that would allow people to access other websites. It still hasn't worked. The Explorer Bar on the View menu on IE 6 can still allow patrons to search the Web. We have Internet Stations that the public can use. Mostly, we have those individuals who wish to view pornography or things of that nature.

Can anyone recommend anyways to go about dealing with this situation. I have recommended a few things to our Technician, but he doesn't see this as a major problem as the rest of the staff.

Thanks in advance.

Aaron

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mraaron012

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 8, 2004

I appreciate the advice some of you have given.

The host file idea is good, but it's impossible to keep it current.

I have also tried various Tweak programs, but they all seem to be similar. Even if we could block the explorer bar, which is located under the View menu on IE, that would be ideal.

Again, thanks for all of your advice. It is appreciated.

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mraaron012

Discussion Starter · #9 · Apr 9, 2004

Ideally, we would have purchased a third party program to help us with our problem. The thing is that Massachusetts has been in a fiscal crisis for the past few years and there isn't any money for us to spend.

I found this last year, from webjunction.org Message boards. Our library has computers from the Bill Gates Foundation(along with his wife), and each computer has a tool called a Public Access Configuration tool. It's a tool used for security. One poster had this advice. If you could, please tell me if this would work or not.

http://www.webjunction.org/do/MessageBoard?method=getMessages&forumId=2136&topicId=50807

the name of the poster is 'maria', and it's the second reply on the post.

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mraaron012

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 12, 2004

what are your opinions on the last post?

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mraaron012

Discussion Starter · #12 · Apr 12, 2004

Bob Cerelli said:
It looks like that software uses the Group Policy Editor to limit site access. What operating system do you have on the clients.

Never heard of the "Gates PAC configuration tool" so can't really make any recommendations either way. Have you searched the Internet for the name of the package and the word "review" afterwards.

Well, the clients have XP.

The Gates Tool is something we already have had for a while now. It works pretty good. But the poster in the link recommended setting a false proxy server. Would this work? Again, I want to limit net access to one site, with it being our library's card catalogue.

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mraaron012

Discussion Starter · #14 · Apr 12, 2004

Bob Cerelli said:
What version of XP. My understanding it that the Home version does not have a Group Policy Editor like the Pro version. You might want to double check that it works with both.

We have it on the XP Professional.

What I want to put it on is Windows 2000 Professional.

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mraaron012

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 26, 2004

anyone with any more ideas or suggestions?

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mraaron012

Discussion Starter · #17 · Apr 29, 2004

FINALLY, I have found a program that fits our needs!

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/ierestrictions.html

It blocks out the Explorer Toolbar and prevents people from accessing the Internet.

Now, we have a problem with this program cooperating.

I have tested it out on the Staff computer and it works like a charm. However, our computer technician is having problems getting the OPAC computers (again, used to search our system's card catalogue which is online) to get the program to work.

He has our computers "secure" using Microsoft Management Console. Could this be why the program we want to work isn't working? Can anyone offer any advice as to how to get this working?

I can see the mountain top, but we haven't reached it yet.

Thanks for all of your help thus far.

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