Graphic illustration by Michael Uribes

Since its completion, the Henry Madden Library has strived to provide students with necessary technological resources to succeed. But some students think those resources are being taken advantage of for personal web surfing.

Alison Mathis said she uses the computers at the library and USU quite frequently for school work and gets frustrated when waiting to use a computer when other students are not doing work.
“I could see people were on Facebook, YouTube or Myspace,” Mathis said. “I [wish] they would notice the line of people waiting who probably need to complete an assignment or print something out.”

One quick stroll around the library and numerous students can be seen taking full advantage of the laptop check out program and the many stationary computers the library offers.

Associate Dean David Tyckoson said there are no limitations to what websites students can browse on the computers.

“We don’t limit what students can look at although there are certainly people on Facebook or Myspace there are also a lot of students doing school work,” Tyckoson said. “I wouldn’t doubt that most of the work on our computers is actually students using blackboard.”

Mathis said that sometimes she’s seen nearly half of the student on web-sites that were almost certainly not for school work.

“I think the desktop computers should ban Facebook and other sites to play games and watch videos,” Mathis said. “I think people should be allowed to check social network sites on some computers or in slower times of the day because I understand there are students that are away from home and Facebook or Myspace may be their only way of contacting friends.”

Tyckoson said there are computers in the library that are strictly for research and have access only to the library website and its databases. “There are also computers that are open to the public but they don’t have the same privileges that students do,” Tyckoson said. “All the computers for students require a login and they are all equipped with Microsoft office so that they can do school work.”

Graduate student Thomas Ngo said he also has too often waited for a computer, but it doesn’t bother him.

“Usually about half the students are on social sites ,but I don’t get mad,” Ngo said “I understand people need to relax sometimes. If worse comes to worse, I would ask someone to use their computer to print out a document.”

Tyckoson said that while there aren’t limitations to what students can browse, the university still keeps records of what students are doing on their computer. “The university makes sure students aren’t doing anything illegal like spam or making threats to other students,” Tyckoson said.

Ngo said that the school shouldn’t ban Facebook or Myspace or other sites. “I see school as a safe haven and although it could help some, I think students should be as comfortable as possible even if that means I have to wait a few minutes for a computer.”