The Director of a NOBLE member library may request personal accounts on the system for paid staff members of that library. The requests must be submitted to NOBLE in writing, with the signature of the Director. Accounts will be closed at the request of the Director; all accounts must be closed as of the employee’s last day.
Each Director will appoint two staff members to serve as E-Mail Trainers for their own library. When a new account is established, notice is sent to the e-mail trainers with the initial password. The e-mail trainers will provide training to the staff member, who should immediately change the password.
The security of NOBLE’s systems from unauthorized and malicious users is a responsibility of account holders. Personal accounts are a potential gateway to NOBLE’s computer systems, and password protection is an important first line of security. Passwords on the NOBLE system must be longer than five characters and include a change of case and mixed characters (letters, numbers and punctuation marks.) Words in the dictionary, personal or pet names, references to popular culture or literary works should not be used, nor should personal information such as phone number or date of birth. Passwords should not be written down or exchanged with others, and should be changed if there is any possible breach in security.
Personal accounts should be checked frequently. Unsolicited advertising and chain letters should be deleted without response. Anything unusual or suspicious should be reported to NOBLE immediately.
If a staff member will be away from the library and unable to check the account for more than two weeks, NOBLE should be notified so that the account can be made inactive until the person returns.
Personal accounts through NOBLE are established for library business and professional library activity. Use of NOBLE e-mail follows the same professional standards as use of the library telephone and letterhead– communication coming from NOBLE accounts reflects on our libraries and NOBLE itself. Further, as needed, individual opinions should be separated from those representing the library itself.
Users of personal accounts must remember that such accounts are not to be considered private, either technologically or legally.
Use of personal accounts for illegal purposes or to transmit threatening, obscene or harassing materials is strictly prohibited. Such use will result in immediate termination of the account and referral to the library’s administration.
Approved by the Members: June 19, 1997
Revised : June 18, 1999