[Publib] After hours library use

[Katie Knight]

Hello librarians,

I have another question for you wonderful people.  It seems to me that this
was answered in part a little while ago, but I'd still like a little more
clarification, if possible.

I was pressured recently by our library director to begin teaching computer
classes (how to use a mouse, what a search engine is, how to search, and so
on).  This is something that I'd love to do for our library patrons, however
we only have 10 public computers, all of which are nearly always in use.  We
have no classroom, we have no laptops.  The 10 PCs are it.

The only way that I would be able to teach classes to the public would be
for me to either:
a) kick folks off of the computers at a designated time (I feel that this is
unfair)
or
b) teach after hours, when the library is oficially closed.

The latter choice strikes me as both dangerous (I'd be the only staff member
in the library) and as a liability.

Now the problem is that I have been told that I cannot "kick" folks off of
the computers to teach classes (and I really wouldn't want to do that,
anyway, for a variety of reasons), and that I should open the doors after
hours and teach classes while the library is closed (officially).  I was
also told that other libraries do this, and that it is not a liability.

Is this true?  Do other libraries (specifically ones with few PCs to go
around) do odd stuff like open after hours for instruction and things like
that?

I truly want to do what is best for the community, but I also want to be
safe.  Thoughts?  Solutions?  Ideas?

As always, I anxiously await your wisdom.

Thanks,

-Katie

Katie Knight
Adult Services Librarian
Granville County Public Library System
Thornton Library
210 Main Street
Oxford, NC 27565

Phone: 919 693-1121
Fax: 919 693-2244