Approved Center Use
How do you all deal with making sure the center is only used by FamilySearch center patrons (and occasional missionary use)? I have ward members that come in and frequently print and use the computers for their callings. I have expressed that the center is for FamilySearch Center patrons and the money for printing comes from the stake budget so it really isn’t a ward resource. The ward library has a copier and the clerk has a printer. I just took over the Center and want to make sure I’m doing things by the book. Any thoughts?
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Elder Shields, Senior Service Missionary, IT support, from the Hillsboro Oregon area sent me the following for our computers ;
The following wording has proven useful in centers around the country:
"Thank You for using this church owned, operated, and maintained computer. It exists because of generous time and money donations.
This computer exists so that you may have a great way to do FamilySearch activities. The settings are for the benefit of all Patrons equally.
Please do not change any settings, create, or modify profiles, or accounts."
You may want to print enough copies of the attached file to provide enough strips of paper with the 3 lines of text that you can tape one to the front of each of the computers.
Change the word "Computer" to "Printer"....
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Just let your Stake Genealogy High Counsel person know the computers and printer are being used for Ward business and ask that the Stake budget be adjusted accordingly. We ask all individuals to sign in on a log book when they use our center. Maybe add a column to yours that can be checked off as "Ward Business".
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Our facility is an independent building, but the FamilySearch Center was being used for church meetings for the youth intended as leadership meetings. It got out of hand. There were so many young ladies that we had to literally step around them in the hallway on Sundays to get to our "Memory Lane " room with a gal who was using a 4-on-the-floor walker. Computers had to be reimaged at times. So the Stake Temple and FamilySearch Consultant wrote a "cease and desist" letter to the Bishops approved by the Stake Presidency and that stopped.
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Talk to your Family History High Councilman and or Stake Presidency and have the center locked and keyed so only those with keys have access. That means only the Center Leader and who he designates. That is what our stake does, and it works well.
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We also have a note on our printer that says "Limit to 20 copies per person for Family History Use Only".
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Our center is often used as a workroom for the missionaries including printing out instruction sheets for guitar playing etc. I was told the ink was monitored not by the stake but by the Family History Center in Salt Lake and when it ran low a cartridge was sent out. Now it is the stake who provides the ink?
How do I get the Stake President and Mission President on my same page i.e. missionaries use the computers only for missionary work meaning helping a patron with their tree or working on their own tree or accessing the church sites. The missionaries have keys to the building and to our FamilySearch Center--result of Covid years and the keys have not been collected.
Not sure what to do?
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Lani, yes you are right about everything being monitored by Salt Lake and the ink coming directly from them. Most everything else comes from the stake budget including paper. I have also heard Salt Lake monitors the use of the computers. Our center doors are also the same as the main doors so that is how everyone gains access. Talk to your high councilor to see if he has any insight into how to get the missionaries to use it for actual missionary work. Our missionaries live next door so it is much easier to go to the church than the local library.
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It is the responsibility of the Stake President to work with the Mission President regarding the use of the center by full-time missionaries. You need to give your concerns to the Stake President and then he can work things out with the Mission President.
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