Share this- All users can book and use an available PC, but Hillingdon library members with a membership card can book a session for up to 2 hours. Non-members or guests can book a 1 hour session. Subsequent sessions can be booked after the first session has finished, provided PCs are available.
- PCs can be booked up to 1 week in advance
- Library members who have a password can also book a PC via the Internet. Current Hillingdon Library members who do not have a password can easily get one, by simply producing your library card and some form of identity, when you next visit the library.
- Some of our libraries have PCExpress PCs for self-service, 30 minutes drop-in sessions. These PCs can only be used by Library members with passwords and only one 30 minutes session can be booked each day.
- Please note that users more than 15 minutes late to claim their booked slot will lose their complete booking. However library staff will be able to reinstate the remainder of your booking if another user has not taken the time slot.
- Please respect other people's needs to use the computers and finish promptly. The booking facility will automatically close your session once your time slot has finished but it will give you warnings on the last 5, 3 and 1 minutes. Computers will automatically shut down 15 minutes before the library closes.
Computer usage policy for libraries
Current rules for appropriate computer usage in Hillingdon libraries.
Free computer and internet access
Hillingdon Library Service offers Public Access Computers with free broadband access to the Internet, Online Reference Library, Library Catalogue, as well as Office package, web email, messaging, image editing, web page creation and other software packages.
Each library also has at least one PC with document scanning and CD-Writer facilities, and at least one Fully Accessible PC with Supernova Screen Reader and Magnifier software to assist users with vision impairments.
Many locations also offer a 
Free Wireless (Wi-Fi) Access Service [84kb] available during library opening hours.
This is our Computer Usage Policy:
Booking PCs
Saving your work
- You should be able to save your files to the My Documents area of the hard drive of each PC whilst you are working. Before the end of your session you should then move them to your floppy disk or USB Pen Drive. Please delete any documents you save to the My Documents area as other people will be able to access your documents during the remainder of the day if you do not do this. The My Documents area will only be cleared at the end of each day when the PC is shutdown.
- Floppy disks can be purchased from the library for 50p, CD-Rs for £1.00, or you can use your own CDs. You can also purchase a USB 128MB Pen Drive for only £12.00 from the library, or you can use your own USB Pen Drives.
- If saving documents or images to the CD-R, you need to be booked into the Scanner/CD-Writer PC. For instructions on how to use these facilities, please refer to the Web Helpsheets or the Grey easels next to the PCs. Each library has at least one PC with Scanner/CD-Write facilities.
The London Borough of Hillingdon is not responsible for any loss of material.
Helpsheets and assistance
- We offer a wide range of Helpsheets both electronically and in the Grey easels next to each PC in each library, to give you a helping hand but we regret that library staff are not able to offer in depth assistance with the software provided on these PCs.
- If you would like additional help please book yourself into a support session with the Library Service's Learning Team. These are advertised on our website and in the branch and occur monthly at Uxbridge Central Library Learning Centre.
- All libraries in Hillingdon offer e-Learning courses for a small fee - ask staff for details.
Catalogue and community information
- There is at least one PC in each branch, which can only access the Library Catalogue & Community Information. MS Office packages, email and messaging is not available on these PCs.
CD-ROMs
- CD-ROMs can be used as long as they do not need installing. However the CD-ROM drive cannot be used for the playing of games. Please also note that DVDs will not run on these machines.
Internet filtering
- Filtering software is in operation on all library PCs to prevent access to web sites hosting illegal, offensive or inappropriate material. Internet facilities such as Newsgroups and Internet Relay Chat are NOT available from any Hillingdon Library. Please note that the rapidly changing nature of the Internet means that it is not possible to be completely effective in this.
Inappropriate use
- Users who do display material that library staff consider to be illegal, offensive or inappropriate and therefore likely to annoy others can be asked to desist. If they refuse, library staff can close their session on their PC.
All transactions conducted over the Internet are at the user's own risk. The London Borough of Hillingdon accepts no responsibility.
Children
- Children's PCs also offer Free Internet access and a wide range of software, for the use of Children Only. There are additional filtering software rules in operation on them to prevent any "unsuitable" material being found. Email and messaging facilities are not available on these PCs . As with using all library materials, children's access to the Internet elsewhere in the library is the responsibility of the child's parent or guardian.
- Children under the age of 8 should use the Children's PC only, unless with the child's parent or guardian. Children aged 8 - 14 can use either the Children's PCs or the Adult PCs. Persons over the age of 15 should use the Adult PCs only, unless supervising a child. Please also be aware of Safe Surfing.
The Library Service cannot monitor your child's use of the Internet.
Printing
- Users wishing to print documents should call their document a name when prompted after pressing the Print option on the PC. Printing should be collected from the staff at the counter, where the printing will be released and charged. Charges are determined annually by the Council - please check with library staff for the current prices.
- Please be careful when printing that you are aware of how many pages you will be required to pay. Use the print preview option where available to check the quality and content of pages.
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