Alumni Guest Accounts

As we prepare for the launch of the new WiFi service in the library, we are examining how repeat “guest” users may be more easily accommodated.  Alumni constitute an important segment of this user population.  In the past three years the library created 3,773 guest accounts (with a 24 hour expiration) for 825 alumni users.  The data suggest that the assignment of accounts to all alumni may not be worthwhile.  Fifty-six percent of the alumni guest account users were “one-time-only” users.  Eighty-four percent of the users obtained a guest account 1 to 5 times over three years.  It may make more sense to reach out to frequent users and provide them with accounts that have longer service periods.  Only 21 users averaged at least one use per month over three years and one user was responsible for 6% of the total accounts issued.