Library computers

Guidance on using public computers

Hampshire Libraries offer a variety of services for the whole community to use. We ask you to be respectful to our team and customers when visiting our premises by following the guidelines outlined below:

• Treat all resources in the library with respect and advise our team of any accidental damage
• Familiarise yourself and follow the Library and IT regulations, policies, and procedures
• Children and young people aged 8 to 15 inclusive can use a computer independently, provided that a parent or guardian has signed a form giving permission and agreed to the conditions of use on their behalf. To set this up the parent or guardian must visit a library. Children may be asked to show their library membership card to prove they have permission to use the computers
• Hampshire Libraries do not have TV Licences. Watching or recording live TV or streaming BBC iPlayer on library computers is a criminal offence unless you have a valid TV licence. You may use your own device only if it runs on battery power (not plugged in), and you have a valid TV Licence at your home address.
• To ensure minimal disruption to other users, public computer terminals are for individual use only. Shared use is permitted only when supervising a child or receiving support from staff or authorised personnel.

Help and support

Where possible, library staff will try to help you use the library computers. The support they can offer will depend on the resources and staff available at that time, and is at the discretion of library staff.

Staff need to balance the needs of all users in all areas of the library service and it is therefore not always possible to provide the same level at support at all libraries. We can advise where computer training is available locally and to suggest books to help you.

We will offer assistance whenever possible with:

• logging on and finding software to use
• simple printing and scanning
• simple copying to memory stick
• finding an online training programme (BBC Webwise or similar)
• simple information searching
• simple downloading from websites
• logging in to an existing web-based email account (but not resetting passwords)
• entering an email address
• Office 365 or similar
• opening, closing and saving files