• Present your ID card at the Service Desk. Your ID card type must match one of the items listed in the "Acceptable ID cards list."
• A waiting list will be put to effect if the Library Cafe is filled to capacity.
• If a waiting list is in effect, listed names will be called in the order that the IDs were given to the staff.
• Please stand clear of the Service Desk while waiting for a computer station. Your name will be called.
• If a waiting list is in effect and your name is called, you must respond in order to obtain a computer station. Your name will be called 3 times. If you do not respond after the third attempt, you will be placed in the back of the waiting list.
• If a waiting list is in effect, Brooklyn College student IDs will be placed in front of all other types of IDs. Brooklyn College students have priority.
• If a waiting list is in effect, requests for specific computer stations will not be taken.
• In order to keep track of you and your ID card, please inform the Library Cafe staff if you decide to step outside.
• Patrons will be given a card naming their designated computer station. The corresponding computer can be found by looking for the station name written on each computer's monitor.

While Using a Computer Station:

All patrons who wish to use the Library Cafe's computers must first sign in at the Service Desk. Patrons must present their validated student ID card.

Acceptable ID Cards:

• Validated Brooklyn College Student ID.
• Validated Continuing Education student ID. Separate picture ID required with student ID.
• Brooklyn College Staff ID.
• Brooklyn College Faculty ID.
• Brooklyn College Alumni ID. Separate picture ID required with alumni ID.
• Validated CUNY (non-Brooklyn College) student and faculty ID.
• Brooklyn College Audit ID.
• Brooklyn College Research Assistant ID
• Brooklyn College Institute of Retired Professionals (IRPE)

NOTE: Children are not allowed to use computers. Children must be with an adult at all times.

Non-acceptable ID Cards:

• Temporary ID
• Visitor's Pass
• School Bills
• Driver's License
• Other college IDs (i.e.: non-CUNY IDs)
• High school ID
• Friends of the Library card

Note to Brooklyn College Alumni, and CUNY non-Brooklyn College Students:

Although Brooklyn College Alumni and CUNY Non-Brooklyn College ID cards are listed as an acceptable ID card, persons holding these types of identification will be given a computer station after all waiting Brooklyn College students are given a computer and another computer becomes free.

24-hour access is restricted to registered Brooklyn College students with a validated student ID card and BC faculty and staff with 24-hour access identification cards. All others may use the Library Cafe only during those hours when the Cafe is staffed.

Note to Brooklyn College Faculty:
Brooklyn College Faculty members are strongly encouraged to use the computers of the Faculty Computer Facility, located in the 3rd floor of the Brooklyn College Library. Please call (718)951-4634 for more information.

Note: This policy statement is a modified version of a statement originally prepared by the University's Computer Policy Committee and reviewed by the University Faculty Senate and the CUNY Office of the Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs.

The computer resources of The City University of New York must be used in a manner that is consistent with the University's educational purposes and environment. All users of computer resources are expected to act in a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation, and to adhere to the regulations for their use set forth in this document.

As a user of CUNY/Brooklyn College resources:

• You must have a valid authorized account to use computer resources that require one and [you] may use only those computer resources that are specifically authorized. You may use your account in accordance with its authorized purposes and may not use an unauthorized account for any purpose.
• You are responsible for the safeguarding of your computer account. You should change your password frequently and should not disclose it to anyone. You should take all necessary precautions in protecting the account, no matter what type of computer resources you are using.
• You may not circumvent system protection facilities.You may not knowingly use any system to produce system failure or degraded performance.
• You may not engage in unauthorized duplication, alteration or destruction of data, programs [and/or] software. You may not transmit or disclose data, programs [and/or] software belonging to others and [you] may not duplicate copyrighted materials.
• You may not engage in abusive or improper use of computer hardware. This includes, but is not limited to, tampering with equipment, unauthorized attempts at repairing equipment and unauthorized removal of equipment components.
• You may not use computer resources for private purposes, including, but not limited to, the use of computer resources for profit making or illegal purposes.
• You may not use computer resources to engage in abuse of computer personnel or [any] other users. Such abuse includes the sending of abusive, anonymous or unsolicited messages within CUNY or beyond via network facilities.
• The use of college computer resources may be subject to college regulations, and you are expected to be familiar with those regulations. These regulations and college regulations are subject to revision. You are expected to be familiar with any revisions in regulations.
• The University [and College] reserve the right to monitor, under appropriate conditions, all data contained in the system to protect the integrity of the system and to insure compliance with regulations.

Any user who is found to be in violation of these rules shall be subject to the following:

• Suspension and/or termination of computer privileges;
• Disciplinary actions by appropriate college and/or University officials;
• Referral enforcement authorities for criminal prosecution;
• Other legal action, including action to recover civil damages and penalties.

NOTE: Viewing pornographic materials 

Viewing pornographic material in the lab is expressly prohibited at Brooklyn College. This is viewed as a serious offense and further prosecution may be initiated.

Please visit http://infotech.brooklyn.cuny.edu/labs/ for ITS policies for all Brooklyn College labs.

• Cell phones are permitted in the Library Cafe. 
• Respectable speaking tones must be adhered to. 
• If your conversation is very involving, you must finish your conversation outside the Library Cafe.

All patrons who wish to use the Library Cafe's computers mustfirst sign in at the Service Desk. Patrons must present their validated student ID card (please see Computer Access page for more information).

Proper dress attire must be worn at all times.

• Food and drinks (with the exception of bottled water) are not permitted on any area that has floor carpeting.
• Carpeted areas include the computer stations areas, the study rooms, and the cage.
• Food and drinks are permitted in the dining area only.

Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the Library Cafe.

• In the event that the Library Cafe must be quickly evacuated (i.e. a fire drill is in progress), please follow the directions of the Library Cafe staff or the campus security officers.
• Leave the facilities immediately when told to do so.
• Do not waste time saving or printing your work, sending your email, or arguing that you need to accomplish one more task. 
• Do not leave your personal belongings unattended. The Library Cafe is not responsible for any lost items. 
• These rules are important to insure your safety as well as the safety of others.

The Library Cafe staff provides a variety of services to patrons, including technical support and document printing (please see Service Desk, Printing page for more information).

• The walk-in study room is available anytime during staff on-duty hours to anyone allowed on Brooklyn College's campus.
• Food and drinks (with the exception of bottled water) are not allowed in the walk-in study room.
• No talking allowed in the walk-in study room.
• Share the desks and chairs with other students who wish to use the walk-in study room.
• There is no time limit to use the walk-in study room.

• Black and white printouts: 10¢ per page.
• Color printouts: 25¢ per page.
• Patrons must come to the Service Desk to check for printed documents.
• Patrons must tell Library Cafe staff the computer station name from which they have printed from in order to receive the correct documents.
• Patrons who wish to make color printouts must notify Library Cafe staff in advance.

• The Service Desk is staffed during staff on-duty hours.
• Technical support is available during staff on-duty hours.
• Technical support covers: 
• Basic software application assistance
• Basic Internet assistance
• Printing support
• Virus detection and removal (please see Your Documents page)
• Document recovery (please see Your Documents page)

Despite all the advances in technology the world has to offer today, nothing is perfect. Don’t take anything for granted. Computers will continue to experience problems, errors, crashes, software virus damage, and even unintentional user mistreatment. All these factors are good agents in destroying your important files and making your life miserable.

Here are some tips in keeping your document files safe:

• Save early and often. As soon as you sit down on your station, the very first thing you should do is save your new document onto your diskette, even if your work file is still blank. Save every few minutes as you progressively build on to your document. Do NOT wait until after your session to do your saving. If your computer crashes, you can resume your work from the point of when you last performed a save.
• Have more than one copy of your file. Floppy disks are a very fragile and unreliable means of storage. They can physically break internally, without any indication of problems from its outer appearance.
• Save your work in at least two extra backup diskettes. In the case that one of the disks fails to work, you will still have at least two more to fall back on.
• Save at least 2 copies of your file within the same diskette. Physical disk damage may affect only a portion of the diskette. Extra copies of the file will be saved in different unoccupied sections of the disk, usually in portions unaffected by the physical damage.
• Stop, look, and wait. Make sure that the green light on your disk drive isn’t lit before you insert or remove your disk. Hardware components within the computer may still be in the process of accessing the diskette, and user interference can cause the disk to get physically scratched and therefore damaged.
• Use your Email account. Don’t rely on diskettes as your means of storing and carrying your files. Log on to your email account online and send email to your own address with your document files attached. You will be able to access your files on any computer that has a connection to the Internet and support for your file types.
• If you have more than one email account, send your document files to these addresses as well. In the case that one of your email services experience downtime, chances are the others should be up and running. If either all of your web email servers or the Library Café’s Internet connection is down, you still have your backup diskettes as insurance.
• If you don’t have an email account, get one. All Brooklyn College students have an email account. For more information, go to the Atrium Microcomputer Laboratory in Plaza Building, or visit http://infocenter.brooklyn.cuny.edu/  online. If you prefer not to use your Brooklyn College email account, the Internet offers many free email services such as Yahoo! Mail  and Hotmail. Ask the Library Cafe staff for help in creating your Email account during staff on-duty hours. 
• Home sweet home. If you have a computer at home, save at least 2 copies of your file on your computer’s local hard drive (i.e.: Windows’ Desktop). In the worst case that all your disks fail to work, you will still have a couple of copies saved in your computer at home.
• Print your document. Even if you are still not finished, you can reassure yourself with a hard copy of your document, in the case that all your disks fail.

Viruses. We've all heard of them. They infect computers by destroying files, decoding user passwords, and replicating themselves onto other computer stations. If you are unprotected, viruses will spread like wildfire and can destroy all documents on your disks and on your computer.

The steps written on the above list are all valid ways to protect your files from virus infection.

Here are other prevention tips:

• Anti-Virus software. If you have a computer at home, it is strongly advised that you purchase and install anti-virus software such as Norton Antivirus or McAfee VirusScan. These programs run silently in the background and will detect any recognizable viral activity attempting to cause harm to your computer, disks, and files. Steps to clean up of any infected files will be taken. If disinfection is unsuccessful, the program may ask you for permission to delete the damaged file in order to completely rid your system of the virus. Again, always have backup copies of your files. Better be safe than sorry.
• Frequent Anti-Virus software updates. There will always be people out there who have nothing better to do than create new types of viruses. Your anti-virus program will not recognize these new viruses unless you update your anti-virus program at least twice a month. Refer to your anti-virus software manual for information on how to do regular updates on your software.
• Staff assistance. If you are using a computer in the Library Café and you feel that your disk in infected, do not hesitate in asking the Library Café staff for assistance in disinfecting your files. If your file exhibits any unusual behavior, bring your diskette to the front desk immediately. Do NOT try to open your other backup files unless you are sure that your disk is not infected.