The Hour Session Policy

The Hour Session Policy in the main computer lab

Since first starting work here, I have heard a few complaints about the Hour session policy. Especially since the computers are set to delete every change made to them after each session. No one likes to lose their work and that would be understandable, if there was not a flashing yellow button warning them when the computer was nearing the end of its session. 

The hour sessions are set to make sure that no one person stays on the computers too long when there are others waiting. It is hardly fair that one person can sit in for hours and hours, never giving anyone else a chance to get on. Not everyone has a schedule suited for coming early in the morning or late at night during the quiet hours to ensure themselves access to an open computer.

However, the most complaints come from the fact that the computer is cleared off after each session ends meaning anything that was being worked on directly on the computer is deleted. First, one should always save work to multiple places for safety reasons, because of situations just like these. Computers are imperfect so always have a backup. Second, if you do not know the computer policies and workings, please ask. There is always someone at the desk who can explain, plus multiple signs up around the computer room with explanations and warnings.

There are several options for alternative places to save work done in the library besides the computer. First off, there are flash-drives or USBs. These are probably the best option because they require no internet service to use. Then there are email services. With an account, most email services allow for document attachment, these can be saved as drafts or sent to yourself. Lastly, there are Internet drives; these are meant to perform similarly to flash drives except all the storage in online as soft storage. Another difference is most online drives allow the user to work straight with their own software instead of a separate program if they so choose and most of these programs automatically save as it is being edited or added to. This reduces the fear of losing work from not saving in time should anything go wrong.

Some popular online drives are Dropbox, Google drive, Drive HQ, Open drive and Conclusions.

~Treena