UCD Libraries Public Library City Hall Senior Center ARC
The 3rd week before finals of Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters the termials are heavily used, because that is the week that students tend to finish term papers. Perhaps all the computers will be used, but I have never observed that myself.
There are rules for using the computers you can find them here.
Use of the computers is high, and there might be a wait after school. When school is out or in the mornings and evenings all year there are generally plenty of computers for children, teens and adults. Students maybe able to get the access they want at their school libraries, which usually have after school hours. I realize many students will not find this attractive because of the limits put on school computers.
There is also wi-fi in the library. Using this has the advantage that it frees up the public access terminals and protects you the user from any bacteria or other germs left on public key boards. Let me remind heavy users that if you can afford home access in addition to saving travel time, it may keep you healther.
In the past one reason for having libraries was to encourage people to learn to read and provide them material to practice reading. Public access to the Internet not only provides more reading material it also gives people practice writing, particularly e-mail. So now the library facilitates the whole range of language skills not just reading. E-mail should be seen as educational. Writing e-mail is far more educational than reading the latest best seller if you are an adult who normally spends an hour or more a day reading cheap novels.
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Davis Wiki public access page
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A number of other businesses also had public access computers but no longer do. I thank all of these businesses for giving it a try and in many cases providing a free service for many years.
I do not think public access machines were a good business idea for small businesses. I think it is more plausible that they do make since for big stores, shopping centers, business districts, etc.
The high schools do not have public access machines for the general public, but the libraries at the public schools have computers which students and staff can use and take some of the demand off the public library. The Davis High library is open until five Monday thru Thursday and has plenty of computers. I am writing this on one right now and there is only one other person here and at least 25 available computers. Holmes and Emerson have similar programs. There are printers to print off things. The school computers are limited. The school system now wants them to be used for school oriented activities.
FedEx Office, formerly Kinko's is not free. In fact it is fairly expensive, but they charge by the minute so I find that I can do almost everything on public access computers and then do the last few things at FedEx cheaply.
FedEx Office provides a very important service because they allow you to do things other places do not. For example, FedEX offers scanning and is open twenty four hours a day. They no doubt have other features the free public access does not offer.
It is very useful to have at least one paid access point where they do not limit you the way they do at the free Internet access computers.
Other businesses also offer paid Internet access, I believe some are cheaper, but may not offer as much in the way of service.
Davis Public Access Thoughts
Please follow the rules and avoid making trouble for public access providers. Do not bite the hand that feeds us. We have lost access because people caused trouble. A large portion of all use is within the rules. I encourage users to continue this.
Davis Community Network has done a great job at setting up the public access terminals that are not in the libraries.
Several useful web pages have been created through public access terminals in Davis including this one.
UCD Libraries Public Library City Hall Senior Center ARC
How to convince institutions to add more public web access
How to use public access more efficently
How to avoid locking up your computer
Pages on free comics
Where to find free comics in Davis
Honors this page has received
The geocities version was indexed by Yahoo!
Last modified June 25, 2012
This web page is written by Richard Bruce.
You can send me a private e-mail, or post a public message by following this link.
I have already published two paid articles and another two unpaid article in the Enterprise on public access to the net in Davis, but things change so I try to keep this page up to date.
The web space is provided courtesy of Davis Community Network, DCN. They saw the page on Geocities and asked that I put it up here and provided the space.