UCD Libraries Public Library City Hall Teen Center Senior Center ARC
The 3rd week before finals of Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters the termials are heavily used, because that is the week that students tend to finish term papers. Perhaps all the computers will be used, but I have never observed that myself.
There are rules for using the computers you can find them here.
When the library moves back to its old location the number of computers will doubled and the machines will be new.
In the past one reason for having libraries was to encourage people to learn to read and provide them material to practice reading. Public access to the Internet not only provides more reading material it also gives people practice writing, particularly e-mail. So now the library facilitates the whole range of language skills not just reading. E-mail should be seen as educational. Writing e-mail is far more educational than reading the latest best seller if you are an adult who normally spends an hour or more a day reading cheap novels.
Note that the public library in Davis has temporarily moved to second street near the rail road tracks. It is in the same building as Explorit. Check their web site for directions.
menu
Seniors can sign up in advance to use the computer for up to a two hour block between 8:30-2:00 Monday thru Friday. The sign up callendar is on the door. 2:00-4:30 are drop in hours, first come first serve.
The Internet computer in the small room works very well. In the past it was usually free and was perhaps the great unused resource in public access in Davis, perhaps it still is. People over 55 should definitely use this machine.
Seniors, over 55, can do their word processing at the Senior Center which would also help the crowding on the public library computers. A public access computer that is not connected to the Internet, still helps those who do want to use the Internet by freeing up dual use computers at the library.
Sometimes UC Davis students are available by appointment to teach seniors how to use the Internet, and perhaps some software, see the receptionist and perhaps Katacha the resource person for details.
The Senior Center is open 8:30 to 4:30 weekdays and is not open on weekends.
menu
They recently got a new computer at the teen center and it seems to be working very well. It is my impression that it is usually available.
Davis Wiki public access page
menu
The Davis Food Coop, and News Beat are no longer providing public access computers. A number of other businesses also had public access computers but no longer do. I thank all of these businesses for giving it a try and in many cases providing a free service for many years.
I do not think public access machines were a good business idea for small businesses. I think it is more plausible that they do make since for big stores, shopping centers, business districts, etc.
The high schools do not have public access machines for the general public, but the libraries at the public schools have computers which students and staff can use and take some of the demand off the public library. The Davis High library is open until five Monday thru Thursday and has plenty of computers. I am writing this on one right now and there is only one other person here and at least 25 available computers. Holmes and Emerson have similar programs. There are printers to print off things. The school computers are limited. The school system now wants them to be used for school oriented activities.
Kinko's is not free. In fact it is fairly expensive, but they charge by the minute so I find that I can do almost everything on public access computers and then do the last few things at Kinko's cheaply.
Kinko's provides a very important service because they allow you to do things other places do not. For example, Kinko's offers scanning and is open twenty four hours a day. They no doubt have other features no one else offers.
It is very useful to have one paid access point where they do not limit you the way they do at the free Internet access computers.
Davis Public Access Thoughts
Please follow the rules and avoid making trouble for public access providers. Do not bite the hand that feeds us. We have lost access because people caused trouble. A large portion of all use is within the rules. I encourage users to continue this.
Davis Community Network has done a great job at setting up the public access terminals that are not in the libraries.
Several useful web pages have been created through public access terminals in Davis including this one.
UCD Libraries Public Library City Hall Teen Center Senior Center ARC
How to convince institutions to add more public web access
How to use public access more efficently
How to avoid locking up your computer
Pages on free comics
Where to find free comics in Davis
Honors this page has received
The geocities version was indexed by Yahoo!
Last modified October 24, 2009
This web page is written by Richard Bruce. You can put a message in my guest book.
I have already published two paid articles and another two unpaid article in the Enterprise on public access to the net in Davis, but things change so I try to keep this page up to date.
The web space is provided courtesy of Davis Community Network, DCN. They saw the page on Geocities and asked that I put it up here and provided the space.