Recently, I co-authored a book that reviewed the types of software used in libraries to manage public-access computers (The Neal-Schuman Directory of Management Software for Public Access Computers). This book included reviews of print and time management software and system recovery options. These topics seemed to be
obvious needs for the library community, which continues to struggle with both usage and protection issues for public stations.
A less obvious need, perhaps, is for libraries to manage their actual Internet browsing environment. Less obvious because
many librarians, especially in libraries where public Internet access is new (and growing), don't realize that there are other
options for browsing. Internet Explorer (IE) or Netscape are loaded, and the minimal, obvious changes are made (homepage changed,
history and/or favorites locked out) and the stations are put out for the public. Many librarians don't realize that they
have the option of using an alternate browser to improve secure, uniform access for their patrons, including some that are
designed specifically for the library environment.
So why do we need to manage the browsing environment in libraries? There are several reasons - mainly uniformity of service,
security and patron privacy. Internet access for the public (or for students, staff or others) is an extremely popular resource
in any library. As a result, it is a very visible resource, which needs to present, if possible, a uniform 'look and feel'
to library users. If a library is using its browser as the primary interface to their online catalog and searchable databases,
as is increasingly the case, you want to be sure that all users get the same 'front door' to avoid confusion.
Netscape and IE are designed to be highly customizable for the user, on their own PC. However, in the public environment,
having a patron change the homepage at whim or load up the Favorites file with questionable sites is annoying, and a waste
of staff time to fix. Patron privacy is also affected when personal information - in the form of cookies, site visit history
or stored 'favorites' - is stored and made available to anyone else who uses the station. IE is, as the most-used browser,
also the most frequently 'attacked' browser. Alternatives can give you an extra level of security. And there is the issue
of stability - IE has a distressing tendency to crash, which is why some libraries moved to Netscape, but it has its own problems.
Granted, there are options at the system or network level for security and even stability, but many smaller and medium-sized
libraries have stand-alone stations with minimal support available. They need something that is easily managed, which can
be loaded uniformly on all stations.
IE and Netscape offer limited options for both lock-down and 'look and feel' changes, but they also make it difficult to 'unload'
the extra options that come bundled in, like web page editors or e-mail clients, which can take up enormous amounts of space
and are not useful in a public access environment. Stand-alone stations, especially if they're older (as is the case with
many smaller libraries), can be significantly slowed down by the huge files that comprise current versions of IE and Netscape.
As public stations are used primarily for browsing, not for higher-level web development, much of the extraneous software
which makes up this 'bloat' is just not needed.
We reviewed a number of alternate browsers, at various price and option levels. Below is a brief comparison of the two most
'library-friendly' browsers of those we reviewed. Please see our book for more extensive reviews and information on these and more products. These reviews focus on browsing options useful in
a library environment. For a more general treatment of alternative browsers, please see this other article on WebJunction.
The specialized browsers we reviewed give the user all of the basic necessary functions that they are used to (browsing, linking,
searching, typing in addresses), but allow you to limit the features that we don't want patrons to have (favorites, history,
certain plug-ins, popups). For instance, what if you want to keep your users from surfing or checking their e-mail on those
stations you have designated for the online catalog or for database research? Some of the products allow you to create a "kiosk"
situation, where you limit the ability of the user to browse outside of a set of resources or sites decided by you, such as
your web-based online catalog (OPAC) and/or your research databases.
The two main products I want to compare are K-Meleon and Public Web Browser (PWB). These two are the most specifically designed
for the library environment. I will also mention some alternate products that might be useful for your organization.
K-Meleon
From the K-Meleon Web site: "K-Meleon is an extremely fast, customizable, lightweight web browser for the win32 (Windows) platform based on the Gecko layout engine (the rendering engine of Mozilla). K-Meleon is free, open source software released under the GNU General Public License. If you've used Mozilla at all, you know that it is a strong browser alternative. It is the basic open source browser that
Netscape is built upon, in essence. In fact, for a Macintosh environment, Mozilla is a top choice for an alternate browser.
K-Meleon has gone a step further and reworked Mozilla's engine, stripping down unneeded extras and giving you power to customize
options. With simple changes either to a preferences (prefs.js) file OR (better yet) through the web interface (Edit-Preferences)
itself, you can add or remove menu items from the menu bar and the pull-down menus (e.g. Favorites, Edit, Mail), or change
Control Key settings. You can also configure proxy settings to limit access to specified sets of Web sites, such as your online
catalog and/or research databases, effectively creating a 'kiosk' station in just a few steps. K-Meleon also offers an optional
"Loader" which reduces memory 'bloat' that can cause slowdowns and security issues. Unlike Public Web Browser and some other
even simpler 'skin' options, you do not need to have Netscape or IE loaded to run K-Meleon - it comes with its own Mozilla
engine bundled in.
K-Meleon's website includes an extensive FAQ and 'helper files' from talented developers who've come up with various solutions
and changes, which you can load as they fit your situation. This open-source approach to browser solutions is empowering,
but it also means that direct technical support is less immediately available (though the developers are good about answering
questions). K-Meleon is highly recommended.
Public Web Browser (PWB)
Reviewed in a number of library publications [Library Journal July 2002; Computers in Libraries March 2002; American Libraries
April 2001], Public Web Browser (PWB) has emerged as a useful, inexpensive, scaleable tool for securing Internet Explorer
on public machines.
Administration of PWB is done by editing a simple INI file. They have created documentation to explain each line item and
its options to you. Like with K-Meleon's preferences file, you can make line item changes to configure individual options
within the browser, including what is seen in drop-down menus, disabling Favorites, History or Search buttons, and some privacy
and maintenance options like clearing the cache on exiting the browser. Activity and Inactivity Timers can be used to refresh
the browser when it is inactive to prepare for the next user or to help enforce time limits on your workstations. You can
set PWB to return to the homepage, restart or exit the browser after a certain period of time.
Like K-Meleon, you can set this to a 'kiosk' mode to provide limited access and generally provide a uniform 'look and feel'
to your product. Support for the product is excellent; especially considering this was freeware until a short time ago. There
is also an archived Forum of previously answered questions on PWB, which can be very useful. This product does require that
IE 5.5 be loaded 'underneath' this product. You then use PWB to configure and lock down your browsing environment. This product
was designed very particularly for a library environment, so the options available are responsive to our needs.
K-Meleon or Public Web Browser (PWB)?
That may depend on your relative familiarity with IE or Netscape/Mozilla. PWB was specifically designed for the library environment
- for instance, it provides you the ability to create a simple file with your Internet use policy and require that to be viewed
by patrons before they can proceed. You may find PWB's INI file easier to manipulate and understand than K-Meleon's preferences
files. However, if you prefer to work through a graphical Web interface, K-Meleon gives you that option. Both browsers can
be put into a "kiosk" mode and run a limited interface, possibly with limited domain(s) (e.g. Intranet, Web OPAC only, online
databases only), though K-Meleon is marginally easier for this purpose. If you are particularly savvy, you can use some of
the tools created by other K-Meleon users to create a "skin" for use with K-Meleon that is specific to your organization,
with custom buttons and backgrounds. This can greatly help with keeping a uniform "look and feel" to your stations. PWB and
K-Meleon are both excellent products and you should review both of them before deciding for your library. Get out of the browser
rut!
Some other browsers you might want to explore:
Opera http://www.opera.com/ (available for multiple platforms - fast and excellent)
Mozilla http://www.mozilla.org/ (arguably one of the best open source browsing products available)
Crazy Browser http://www.crazybrowser.com/ ('tab' browser with lots of options for 'look and feel')
Reperio http://www.ingenieum.com/ (part of Ingenieum suite)
Secure Browser http://www.tropsoft.com/secbrowser/index.htm (designed for corporate world, but with library applications)
Louise E. Alcorn is the Reference Technology Librarian at the West Des Moines (Iowa) Public Library.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
