Here at The Mouse Pad, we want kids to be safe while they're studying and having fun. This includes securing the internet from unwanted content, setting rules for behavior in the Center, and ensuring that young people visit with an older buddy or adult.

View the policy document in Adobe PDF format: policies.pdf (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

The Mouse Pad reserves the right to modify these policies at any time.

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Acceptable Use of Facilities & Equipment

The equipment and services of The Mouse Pad are offered for the benefit of our customers. Our staff and customers can best serve and be served if we maintain a pleasant atmosphere and equipment in good working condition. Our policies are intended to help us accomplish this.

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Site Use Guidelines

Anyone may become a member of The Mouse Pad by completing the New Customer Form. This membership data allows us to keep better statistics on the use of our resources, which is essential for providing the best service to you.

When you apply for and receive your membership, and each time you sign in, you agree to abide by the following:

1. Only customers with accounts are allowed on the computers. See the front desk to open your account.
2. Please check in at the front desk before using the computers.
3. Adults and youth have equal access rights to the computers.
4. Shirts and shoes are required.
5. Files created should be copied onto a personal disk(s) or CD. NOTE: Non-Center files are purged from the hard drive.
6. Installing software or changing system settings are prohibited.
7. No hacking into any computers, switches, or other equipment.
8. No pornography. This is a zero tolerance policy.
9. Loud and/or abusive language and bullying will not be tolerated.
10. No smoking, no alcohol, no drugs. Period.
11. Pick up after yourself. Please place all refuse in the trash bins provided.
12. PLEASE - No shoes on the furniture and work surfaces.
13. Staff and Volunteers reserve the right to ask anyone to leave at any time for any reason.

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Membership is a privilege that may be suspended at any time, for any reason, by any staff member. Upon appeal to the Center Director, a decision will be made and conveyed to the individual within 5 business days.

Center users are prohibited from:

• Actions against others, such as theft; violating others' privacy; harassing, threatening, or intimidating others; sending abusive or patently offensive or unwanted material to others;
• Actions against the center, such as file theft; deliberately crashing the center's computers; modifying data or files without authorization; introducing computer viruses, worms, or "Trojan horses," or otherwise maliciously disrupting computer or network services; penetration or harm to the operating systems; reselling bandwidth; or any other illegal acts promulgated from or targeting the Center's computers or network;
• Other disruptive or illegal actions, such violating copyright laws; using the Center to distribute computer viruses, worms, or "Trojan horses" to other computers/networks; concealing or misrepresenting their name or affiliation to mask irresponsible or offensive behavior; .

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CAUSES FOR IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM THE CENTER AND CANCELLATION OF MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEDGES INCLUDE (but are not limited to):

1. Unauthorized copying of software from any of the computers
2. Intentionally altering or deleting the contents of the hard drive
3. Tampering with the hardware
4. Accessing obscene, libelous, or slanderous material or material containing physical threats
5. Disruptive actions, either verbal or physical
6. Threatening actions, either verbal or physical
7. Failure to immediately cease any activity upon request of staff or volunteers
8. Pornography

Note: To enable staff to leave on time, the following policy is effective immediately:

These items will be shut off (unavailable) the stated number of minutes before The Mouse Pad closes for the day:

Printer: 15 minutes / Internet Access: 10 minutes

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Internet Access Policy

Welcome to The Mouse Pad. We are pleased to provide you with access to the Internet and its rich array of resources around the world.

All Internet resources available through this Center are provided equally to all public access participants. While we do have Internet filtering software installed, parents or guardians, not the staff of The Mouse Pad, are responsible for the Internet information selected and/or accessed by children. Parents/guardians are advised to supervise their children's Internet sessions. Check with the Customer Service Rep to see information on the Internet filtering.

Because The Mouse Pad is a public place, our staff does have the authority to end an Internet session when inappropriate material displays on the screen. If, in their judgment, the user is intentionally displaying such content, staff and volunteers also have the right to require the offending individual to leave the premises.

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Sanctions Policy

We ask your help in keeping The Mouse Pad an open and comfortable site for everyone. Repeat offenders of policies and/or rules will be referred to the Center Director who will impose the following levels of sanction:

• 1st sanction: 1-day suspension of privileges
• 2nd sanction: 1-week suspension of privileges
• 3rd sanction: 1-month suspension of privileges
• 4th sanction: 1-year revocation of membership

While we hope that no one would ever get to the 4th level of sanction, we feel that repeat offenders violate the community spirit of The Mouse pad and make it more difficult for us to maintain this service for the larger community. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

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Youth Member Policy

Youth members (youth/students between the ages of 12 - 18) are welcome to join The Mouse pad, but first must get parent/guardian permission to do so. We have a full information packet for the youth and his/her parent/guardian to review and sign.

While we realize this may be an inconvenience to the youth member, we believe the parent/guardian should know about their child's involvement with The Mouse Pad, especially since we do not monitor the content of web sites & other Internet access.

Children under the age of 12 should be accompanied by a parent/guardian to use the Center.

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Refund Policy

The Mouse Pad wants our customers to be happy with all of our products and services. Should a customer be displeased with their product or service, The Mouse Pad will make every effort to rectify that concern or displeasure as soon as possible. Refunds can be monetary or accounts can be recharged in an equivalent dollar amount.

All requests must originate from the payee or credit card holder. The amount of the refund will be prorated based on the time used from the time purchased (or from the original dollar amount of the merchandise). Refunds of 100% of the purchase price can be given for unused items. Discounts at the time of purchase will affect the refund amount.

Any special offers or products/services obtained from our third-party relationships that cannot be refunded are still eligible for refunded minutes.

Monetary refunds must be approved by the management and cannot be given at the register.

So that we can improve all Mouse Pad products and services, please fill out the Refund Request form.