A limited number of public computers are available at each location. Each patron can use one for a 1-hour session per day. If there aren't any patrons waiting for a computer, the session may be extended in 30-minute increments. Two extensions may be offered automatically by the computer once the timer is below 5 minutes. You must click the "Accept" button to receive the extension. The timer is located in the bottom right corner of your screen, and your time remaining will show in the green bar. If for any reason the computer does not automatically offer time extensions, please ask a librarian about a time extension before the timer runs out. Please be mindful of your session timer.
For computer access, you will need either a current library card or a guest pass that can be requested at the Reference or Information Desk. Computers have Internet access and Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Publisher. Sound is available for those who bring their own headphones, and work can be saved to a flash drive. Each branch has a limited number of flash drives available to borrow, but we cannot guarantee that one will be free when you need it, so we encourage you to bring your own.
Guest passes are offered for non-card holders. Please ask for a guest pass at the Reference or Information Desk.
All Sarasota County Libraries also offer wireless Internet access to patrons using their own appropriately equipped wireless devices and mobile printing from your own devices. For more information on these topics, see our FAQ pages titled, "Is there internet access or wi-fi available at the libraries?" and "How do I print from home or through a mobile app?"
How to log on to a public computer:
- Find one of the computers that has a blue and white screen with "Available" written on it in green text.
- Move the mouse or press any key on the keyboard.
- If logging in with a library card, click "Log on as Paton" and type in your whole library card number into the box (this should be the long number below the barcode that starts with a 2; do not include the spaces). To log in with a guest pass, click "Log on as Guest" and type the whole guest pass number in the box, including the letter. Click login.
- Read the pop-up window with your session information and click "Confirm" to continue.
- Read the rules for computer usage and then click "Continue" to agree to the rules and continue.
- You are now logged in and should see the computer desktop. From here, double click on any of the icons to open the program you'd like to use.
How to access the Internet from a public computer:
- Follow the steps above to log into the computer.
- Double click quickly on the Google Chrome icon
. - The browser will open, and the library website will load.
- This is the default "Home" page that opens when you open Google Chrome. To visit a different website, such as Google, click the address bar at the top of the screen (see the red arrow in the next photo).
- Replace the current text with the URL for the website you'd like to visit (i.e., google.com).
- Press Enter on the keyboard, and the new website should now load.
