Session Management
Last updated
Last updated
Session Management allows administrators to define various settings related to use of a particular source. These settings include defining the login method, custom usage agreement, session length, inactivity logout, appropriate time and notification messages for first and last warnings, proxy settings, and web filtering. These settings can be applied to any interactive source, but are recommended for Cloud Desktop and Web Browser sources only.
Session Management is only available for Public Computing customers.
Launch Control Center > Mapping. Click the button available next to an existing source for which you want to configure settings. Enable Session Management or click " ➕New" to create a new Session Management Profile.
Individual Session Management Profiles can be applied to multiple Sources.
Name: Enter the name of the profile, for example "30min Catalog" or "Adult Internet"
Login Method: Select the method of authentication you need for your patrons. Choose "None" if not required.
If you need SIP or PatronAPI authentication, but the option is not appearing, contact Userful.
Usage Agreement: Write or paste in your Library's patron internet Usage Agreement here.
Session Length: Set the maximum length for sessions in minutes. Leave it 0 or blank for unlimited session length.
Inactivity/Privacy Logout: A session can be set to end after a specified period of inactivity (no one touching the keyboard or mouse). A warning can be displayed before this occurs.
First and Last End-Session Warnings: You can set up to two different warning messages to alert patrons that their session will be ending soon.
Large Print Mode: Text will be enlarged on the screen to improve visibility if this is enabled. Note that this may not work in web browsers, so users may have to use CTRL +/- keys to increase text size.
Use Proxy: You may set proxy server settings to be used for the session, but not the entire computer itself. Simply enter the address and port number of your proxy server. This will override any proxy settings set in Settings > Network Settings for that session.
On-Screen Keyboard: Enable this option if using touch displays. This option only works with Chrome Web Browser sessions.
Show Logout Button: Enables a floating logout button that allows the user to close a full-screen kiosk session.
Web Filter: Dictates what websites are permissible or blocked for patron sessions. More on filtering is below.
Once you've finished configuring the session management profile, click OK. Remember to Apply your changes.
It can now be added to a particular Source, to all Sources in the Resource Group or Welcome Screen, or to all Sources (not recommended).
Remember to update any Presets you may have, using the same Preset name, so the changes are permanent
Web filtering allows administrators to restrict access to inappropriate web content. A Web filter will screen an incoming web page to determine whether it should or should not be displayed to the user. Web Filters are applied to individual Session Management Profiles.
Web Filtering works for Web Browser and Cloud Desktop Sources only.
Filter by Naughtiness Level will allow you to select a level of aggressiveness as to how content should be filtered dynamically.
Use High for very restrictive filtering (block more content)
Use Medium for moderate filtering
Use Low to only filter highly offensive or inappropriate content
Use Custom to set a custom filter level
The Custom filter level allows you to adjust filtering based on phrase count. The number entered here will determine the maximum allowable number of times any objectionable words or phrases are allowed to appear before the page is blocked. For a more aggressive filter, set a lower number. For a less aggressive filter, set a higher number.
Adding domains or sites to the Black List will prevent those domains or sites from being shown, where they may otherwise be permitted.
Adding domains or sites to the White List will allow those domains or sites to be shown, where they may otherwise be blocked.
Do not add "http://www." to the entries you place here, this will cause problems with the filter. It is enough to add only a specific domain, such as "facebook.com" or "irs.gov" to the list.
Filter using White List allows you to create a walled garden for your Catalog Kiosk systems. In this case, you will block everything while only allowing certain domains and sites.
In this example, we have allowed access to the library.com domain. This will include anything within that domain, including library.com/catalog and catalog.library.com
We have also allowed access to ancestry.com/library. This will allow access to that particular part of ancestry.com, but not the rest of the site.
Many sites need to link to assets from other domains to function properly. As an example, Gmail requires 13 distinct domains to be whitelisted for full functionality. There are a number of ways to see the required domains a site uses. Opening the Developer Console (in Chrome) using the F12 key and picking Sources at the top will list some of the domains.
We recommend using Dynamic Filtering where possible.
Ensure each domain is separated by a line, and no other extra characters are present.
Forgetting to select and apply Web Filters or Session Management Profiles is one of the most common mistakes made in this process. Ensure everything is selected as you want it before clicking "Apply" and testing.
Remember to update any Presets you may have, using the same Preset name, so the changes are permanent
Click "OK" to save any changes.
Remember to update any Presets you may have, using the same Preset name, so the changes are permanent
See this page on creating touch-friendly Tile Welcome Screens.
Resource Group FunctionsTo update or change any of the Session Management Profiles or Web Filters you have created, follow the above steps, clicking the Edit icon.
