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RE: Internet Policy
12:17 PM EDT 9/22/09
as a reply to Shannon Darowski.
We at Jesse Smith do not block any sites other than those blocked by the statewide filtering software. If we blocked myspace and facebook we in the children's dept would lose half our computer use! We sit at a serivce desk that looks out on the bank of children's computers so I often do a casual monitoring but I have never done anything more than send a message through envisionare to a kid who is making a lot of noise or bothering other users. We restrict the use of the kids' computers to kids under 13 or adults who are here with kids. When we first opened in this building we had a mom who would use the kids' computers while her kids ran around and although we didn't appreciate that, we finally spoke to her about the questionable sites that she was accessing and leaving on the screen or in the history for the next kid to see. I have included the relevant parts of our policy. We have always based ours on ALA recommendations.
INTERNET POLICY
The First Amendment
Public access to the Internet is available to all patrons of the Jesse M. Smith Memorial Library.
This is in line with longtime and widely accepted principles of library use, and the U.S. Supreme
Court's June 1997 ruling that definitively extends First Amendment rights into cyberspace.
General Principles
Consistent with our mission as a community educational and information center and the
professional principles of public librarianship, this policy affirms the safeguarding of First
Amendment rights, intellectual freedom, equity of access, and individual responsibility. The
library affirms the following principles and user rights, some as described in the American
Library Association's Library "Bill of Rights in Cyberspace:"
— Electronic information, services and networks shall be readily, equally equitably
accessible to all library users.
— The library does not monitor nor can it control information, sound or images accessed
online.
—Not all information gained online is accurate, complete, current or in accordance with local
standards of taste. The library makes no assumptions about the quality of such information,
nor assumes any responsibility for its use. (Please read our Internet Disclaimer for more
information about Internet safety issues.)
— The library reserves the right to ask patrons to discontinue the display of information,
sound or images that might be considered inappropriate, or might cause a disruption.
Individuals may be asked to resume such Internet sessions at a time when other patrons will
not be offended.
Child Safety
Jesse Smith Library believes that the World Wide Web is one of the most useful sources for
children's informational and recreational needs. Due to the sheer volume of websites, the
constant change in sites and anonymity that the Internet provides, we know that not all
information is accurate, complete, current, or in accordance with individual or community
standards of good taste.
In accordance with ALA Library Bill of Rights, Jesse Smith Library does not restrict the use of
any library materials or services, including Internet access, based on chronological age,
educational level, or legal emancipation. Restricting access to "inappropriate" material on the
World Wide Web by children under the age of 18 years is primarily the right and responsibility
of their parents or guardians.
Anyone who wishes to access the Internet from a public computer at the library must sign in and
present a CLAN card which is scanned into the computer. Parents wishing to restrict their
children's access may do so by asking that a "No Internet Use" message be attached to their
children's CLAN cards. They may also retain possession of their children's cards.
Hope this helps, internet use is a slippery slope. Cindy @BUR
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