IT in the Library
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- Do you have IT in the library?
- What can my child use the computers for?
- How does my child access the computers?
- What do you do to protect my child online?
- What can I do to keep my child safe online?
Do you have IT in the library?
Yes! All Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Libraries have free computers for you and your child to use.
What can my child use the computers for?
Your child can access Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher. Plus Broadband access to the Internet for children that have parental permission. There is limited access to Internet sites suitable for homework and fun chosen by librarians for those children without Internet permission.
How does my child access the computers?
They need to be members of the library as their card number and PIN are required to log in. Every child can use the Microsoft products and view the limited Internet sites but for full Internet access we require parental permission. If your child is already a member of the library you will need to download and sign the form below. If your child requires a library card you can agree to Internet access when joining.
Parental Permission Form (78kb pdf file)
What do you do to protect my child online?
All Internet access is filtered through the Council filtering
software. This software attempts to filter out viruses and any Web site that
may cause offence - access is prevented to sites on the grounds of sexual,
racist, defamatory content, etc.
However, this software cannot be 100% effective and material may get through
that you may find distasteful, also some perfectly innocuous sites may be
blocked
We log Internet usage to help ensure that everyone is using it safely and legitimately.
We provide guidance on how to be safe on the Internet every time your child logs in they will see some simple rules and links to sites that can teach them more about Safe Surfing.
We have developed Quick Links - The Children's Gateway to the Internet, which provides links to safe, reliable and informative sites great for homework!
We are
unable to block access to chat rooms and instant messaging.
This means if your child uses the computers in the library they will be able to
access chat rooms and talk to people in real time but only if you have given
Internet permission.
If you are still
worried about your child's safety online then please contact us and withdraw
your permission for him or her to use the internet
What can I do to keep my child safe online?
Take an interest in what your child does on line, spend time surfing together
Talk about Net safety with your child. Ensure they are aware of how to keep safe when they are surfing. Encourage them to use their common sense and look at these Safe Surfing sites.
Make sure your child is wary of strangers online, as they would be in the street. They should never divulge personal information online, either by e-mail, messaging or in chat rooms.
Encourage your child to tell you straight away if they come across anything that worries or upsets them
Ensure your child is aware that not everything they read on the Web is true. Stick to sites provided, or supported by, reputable organisations.
Report sites that are distasteful to you or your child to a member of staff. Provide the library staff with the URL (Web address) they can then get the site blocked
Page last updated: 21st February 2014