"restart session" in kiosk/app mode

[Lucien Kress]

We have catalog stations running apps in kiosk mode. A staff person reported today that the "restart session" button does not clear browser history, specifically the back button still takes them back to the previous search results. I could swear this hasn't always happened. Is there a way to avoid this?

Lucien Kress IT Manager 360-906-4910 Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries – Operations Center 2018 Grand Blvd Vancouver, WA 98661

NOTICE: Under Washington State's Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), email communications to and from this or any Fort Vancouver Regional Library District email account can be subject to public disclosure to a third-party requester.

[Lucien Kress]

I guess I would like to ask, more generally, is anyone running public stations in kiosk mode and willing to share configuration information? 

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[Josh Stompro]

Hello Lucien, I inherited some ChromeOS catalog stations recently and didn't deal with the initial setup.  They are using the Kiosk App by the Cook Company.

https://kiosk.cook.company/
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But it hasn't been updated since Feb 2020, so not a great option.  Some reviewers say it no longer works for them.  It still seems to keep working for the machines that we are using. (CTL Chromebox CBx1).  We only have 7 of them, so they were just setup manually without making use of the central management that could be purchased back in 2020 from the app creator.

I haven't noticed anything wrong with the session clearing feature.  I was going to go test it, but for some reason I cannot use Chrome remote desktop on any of them right now.  I'll try and test again later.

Josh

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[Taylor Devlin]

I haven't played around with Kiosk mode, so I can't help in that regard. (Side note: Did I imagine this, or did Kiosk licensing completely disappear for a while, until just recently?) 

BUT I wanted to share that I've been running our OPACs via Managed Guest Sessions, for years, with zero issues. I wonder if this could be an option for you. These are the configurations I have set:

• Browser set to auto-launch to our catalog page.
• Blocklist set to block all URLs with exceptions set for the handful of URLs needed to access our catalog, state-wide catalog, Overdrive, etc. (See attached screenshot).
• Time limit of 15 minutes.
• End Session after 5 minutes of inactivity.

Taylor Devlin | Technology Director

Thomas Crane Public Library | Quincy, MA

thomascranelibrary.org | c. 781-917-6339

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[Lucien Kress]

Taylor, that does seem like a fine way to do it. Initially we rejected it because we thought it would be awkward to unceremoniously end a patron's session if they weren't done yet, and there are all those extra menu and system tray items to click on that don't go anywhere. But I'm guessing in the end that mattered more to us than it would have to the patrons.

The kiosk offers a very elegant (meaning minimalist) interface but I guess you need to know a lot more about how to code it than we do.

Lucien 

Lucien Kress
IT Manager

360-906-4910

Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries – Operations Center 

2018 Grand Blvd, Vancouver WA 98661

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[Amy Gibbons]

I just wanted to add that our Chrome OS OPACs are set up the same way, Taylor—zero complaints! Any issues I’ve heard are more about the catalog software itself, not how Chrome OS or Managed Guest Sessions are working.

(The only challenge I’ve faced is managing the allowlist. Staff seem to expect access to a wider range of sites for the patrons on these devices than I had initially anticipated. But it's manageable.)

[Lucien Kress]

Taylor, do you know how you're getting the "end session after 5 minutes of inactivity"? I've tried the "browser idle timeout" setting under Settings -> Users & Browsers -> Browser Idle Timeout and it does indeed pop up a "session expired" notification after 5 minutes, but clicking the back button still exposes the previous patron's search results.

Lucien

Lucien Kress IT Manager 360-906-4910 Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries – Operations Center 2018 Grand Blvd Vancouver, WA 98661

NOTICE: Under Washington State's Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), email communications to and from this or any Fort Vancouver Regional Library District email account can be subject to public disclosure to a third-party requester.

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[Taylor Devlin]

Lucien, you're going to want to use Managed Guest Sessions in order to wipe all settings/browsing history after each session. There are separate Idle settings under the Managed Guest Sessions tabs. Note: The User & Browser setting won't apply to MGS. 

If you need more help please reach out!

Taylor Devlin | Technology Director

Thomas Crane Public Library | Quincy, MA

thomascranelibrary.org | c. 781-917-6339

Visit the TCPL Staff IT Base

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[Lucien Kress]

Got it. I was having trouble correlating the options there to what I wanted, but logically "Logout" is the way to end a session. :)

Lucien Kress IT Manager 360-906-4910 Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries – Operations Center 2018 Grand Blvd Vancouver, WA 98661

NOTICE: Under Washington State's Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), email communications to and from this or any Fort Vancouver Regional Library District email account can be subject to public disclosure to a third-party requester.

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