Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Lauinger Cracks Down On Computer Usage

RJ takes full advantage of Lauinger Library, but he is not a Georgetown faculty member or student. As if to prove that he does in fact belong in the main campus library, he pulled the government-issued ID that grants him daytime library access from his tattered, Ziploc-bag wallet.

“I am a citizen of the United States in transit who is visiting his capital,” RJ explained, grinning from behind his full gray beard and adjusting his gray woolen cap.

While Lauinger invites the general public – anyone with a government-issued ID as well as high school students and children accompanied by adults – to utilize its resources from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., a growing influx of public patrons prompted the library to tighten its policy shortly before the start of this academic year.

Beginning Aug. 5, Lauinger restricted access to most of its computers to Georgetown faculty and staff with a net ID. The practice of limited access is not uncommon for universities in high-traffic urban areas. Both The George Washington University and Columbia have closed university libraries.

“We want to be good neighbors, given our Jesuit and Catholic values,” said John Buschman, associate university librarian for scholarly resources and services. “But ultimately, our primary concern is meeting the needs of Georgetown students and faculty.”

Since administrators clamped down on public access, the staff at Gelardin New Media Center, home to the largest computer lab on campus, has noticed a difference. Now, all of the lab’s public computers are restricted access, leaving only the VCRs and DVD players open to outside users.

“We had a lot of people who came to just hang out on the computers,” said Timothy Cash, Gelardin multimedia specialist.

While Georgetown faculty and students have always taken precedence over public patrons, any disputes over use of computers or DVD players rarely surface now, according to Gelardin users and employees.

Historically, most of Gelardin’s public patrons have been students from other universities, independent researchers and people from the Georgetown neighborhood.

A former school principal, RJ can often be found on the second floor of Lauinger on a computer or reading at a table outside The Midnight Mug. But he is not just here to pass the time. Public education is his passion, and RJ uses Lauinger’s resources to research and draft a makeshift report on what he calls “things that look unusual,” looking for creative ways to improve the nation’s school system.

Maddie Howard (COL ’12) has been manning the front desk at Gelardin for two years, and has noticed all types of patrons from outside the university.

“We have also had some homeless folks who come here because it’s warm,” Howard said. “There was even one guy who was running a business from here.”

Only a few weeks into her job at Gelardin, Howard was, as she put it, “really spooked out.” One man, after asking to use the desk phone, called Homeland Security and began to forecast a terrorist attack that he claimed would cause thousands of casualties. The Department of Public Safety was called in to escort the man out.

“But that’s not representative of the public patrons who come in,” Howard said.

With the stricter policy now in place, a limited number of computers on the second, third and fifth floors remains available for public use. Despite the reduced number of public computers available, Judith McManus, the philosophy, psychology and sociology bibliographer who works at the third floor Reference Desk, said she does not believe the restrictions have created a shortage of public-access computers.

“They seemed to have adjusted,” she said, referring to Lauinger visitors.

This year, students will not likely have to wait for a computer in Lauinger any longer.

“Now, when I’ve been walking around, I have not noticed students waiting,” Buschman said.

Still, public patrons say they continue to take advantage of the opportunity to use Lauinger’s vast resources.

“I live nearby and I like coming here,” said David, who frequents Lauinger about three times a week. “I’ve used the religion section, the computers, the newspapers — this is a wonderful library.”

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