Ah, a subject close to my heart!!! Approximately 6 months ago, my IT department installed Websense on all of the hospital's computers. Just about everything on the Web was blocked, including all of the library's databases, most journals, newspapers, all outside email accounts, etc. If someone wanted a Web site unblocked he/she had to send an email message to the IT's helpdesk with the request, which had to include the URL to be unblocked.

So, for a few days, I spent a lot of my time either emailing the helpdesk with numerous URL's and/or listening to many doctors, nurses, etc. ranting about the #$%#$# IT department.

The library is centrally located in the hospital and used by the general public along with the hospital staff. New fathers couldn't email family members about the birth of their babies, family members of surgical patients couldn't email family (you get the picture).

After a few days of headaches and chaos, I emailed the helpdesk, cc'ing the CIO, CEO, COO, VP of Nursing & my boss, the VP of Medial Affairs, asking that exceptions be made for the library. The COO issued a request to the IT department to honor my request. After much deliberation, it was decided to take two of the library's computers off of the system to allow access to the outside world. I also requested that newspaper URL's and news sites, such as CNN also be allowed back on all of the system computers. This request was also honored.

To date, everyone has settled down for the most part. Occasionally, a doctor or nurse comes in ranting about not being able to access a site from a computer on one of the nursing floors. Due to the two computers with full access, the library is now the most popular place in the hospital. And yes, there is a sign at the computers requesting a limit of 15 minutes when other people are waiting.

Aren't you glad you asked?

Katherine Stemmer Frumento, MLS, MBA, AHIP
Director, Library Services
Greenwich Hospital
5 Perryridge Road
Greenwich, CT 06830
203-863-3285 (v)
203-863-4522 (f)
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-----Original Message-----
From: Medical Libraries Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Donna Beales
Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 3:19 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: CHAT: Have You Been Blocked from Websites on the Job?

I have been reading with interest the recent deluge of emails regarding
ILLs on Medlib-l.  I particularly remember a new librarian's comments
that he hoped Medlib would give insights on serious library topics.



In that spirit, here comes one of the most serious things I've
experienced in my eight years of doing this job.  I was asked for
information on LSA.  We only knew that someone had taken it in some form
and was now experiencing an adverse reaction.  We also had the initials
"HBWR."  That was all.



Not knowing anything more than that, I first turned to Google using
"LSA" as the search term.



As it turns out, LSA is a readily available herbal product (Hawaiian
Baby Woodrose).  In this case, when I tried to access a few sites to
learn more, perhaps a chemical name, I was blocked by the organization's
filtering software.  Fortunately, I got lucky for in the site
descriptors Google provides I located a Latin plant name & could take it
from there using the Natural Medicines Database.



I understand my employer's need to control access to the Internet, and
certainly a usual search of this nature by an employee is likely to be
suspect, but in this case time was of the essence in determining
treatment.



Has anyone else experienced this issue?  I would appreciate hearing more
from all sides of this concern.



Take care, all--



Donna L. Beales, MLIS

Lowell General Hospital

Health Science Library

295 Varnum Ave.

Lowell, MA 01854

978-937-6247

Fax: 978-937-6855

[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>

www.lowellgeneral.org/library <http://www.lowellgeneral.org/library>





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