Games, chat rooms and music downloading are now prohibited on computers in the state's libraries after users consistently complained that Internet browsing was too slow.

Florence Yee, director of the Hawai'i State Library, said she has received a few complaints since the rules took effect on Aug. 23 but, overall, library customers seem to approve.

"Frankly, chat rooms and games are not a part of our mission," Yee said.

Chris Young, a 34-year-old Chinatown resident, agreed —but only partially.

"I can see the games, but maybe not the chat rooms," said Young, who uses the State Library computers once or twice a week for research or to keep in touch with his family on the Mainland.

"If you want to play games, get a PlayStation. Do it at home," he said.

After the library received complaints from users about the speed of the Internet, the technical department made recommendations to resolve the issue, said Vernon Tam, manager for electronic support service for the state's library system.

Online interactive games, chat rooms, and MP3 music downloads were using huge amounts of bandwidth, causing computers to slow down systemwide, said Tam.

"So naturally the resolution was to get rid of the borderline type of usage" to allow for more legitimate purposes such as research, Tam said.

The solution seems to be working. During peak periods such as lunch hour and after school, bandwidth use has decreased from 90 percent to as low as 50 percent, Tam said.

More than 400,000 people a year use the computers at libraries statewide to gain access to the Internet, Yee said. Users may reserve a 50-minute time slot once a week, but walk-in sessions are permitted on a space-available basis, Yee said.

Yee said the action by the library administration does not reflect any step backward on attempts to expand electronic services. Instead the library is attempting to be more efficient for its users, she said.

The Hawai'i State Public Library System appears to be following a trend nationwide to limit the types of information and activities accessible via public computers, said Lynne Bradley, director of government relations for the American Library Association.

Bradley said many states are opting to limit activity mainly for budget reasons or because of federal regulations. Under the Children's Internet Protection Act, filters are required by the federal government to block information on the Web deemed harmful to children.

But budget limitations that prevent library systems from buying more computers also prompt public libraries to limit access, Bradley said.

"When you have a line out of the door, you have to figure out a way to optimize access," she said.

Yee said the decision was a technical one and had nothing to do with money.

She said Internet access was always provided for the purpose of research and connection with searchable databases not accessible from home.

"There is so much information not available in book format," Yee said. "We didn't want to deny the public access to that information."

But with games, chat rooms and the downloading of music slowing down computers, access to research information on the Internet was hindered, Yee said.

"This is a place for information, not for that purpose," said Derek Ogle of Makiki. While he is a regular patron of the Hawai'i State Library, yesterday was his first time using a computer there.

Ogle was surprised that people were previously allowed to play games or download music on library computers. "Go home and do that stuff," he said.

The elimination of "recreational" features also helps prevent the transfer of computer viruses and prevent sexual predators from contacting children, Tam said.

Sexual predators in chat rooms was not the main reason for blocking access, but it was considered in the decision, Yee said.

"It's something that is always in the back of our mind," she said.

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.