Pornography at the library -- I did talk with a downtown librarian

[msjones]

The librarian agreed that porn on the computers is a problem. "A dilemma," she said, repeatedly. She is a mom of a 12 year-old boy, and seemed very sympathetic to my concerns.

 

She pointed out that there are computers in the children's section with filters. She pointed out that some computers have special screens to obscure the view from other patrons.

 

She told me that the downtown security guards (there are many of them, for the downtown branch has a real problem with loitering, drugs, fights, etc in the library) are the ones who monitor the computers, and they do not allow patrons to view obscene content. Patrons who do are given a series of warnings (2 or 3 -- she wasn't certain), and then have their cards revoked for 1 year.

 

I was glad to learn this.

 

(However, from where I stood, we could see perhaps 75 computers in use, and no security guards were monitoring. She said she didn't know how often they check. )

 

I went on to explain...

 

It still doesn't solve the problem of my children having access to unfiltered content while using the internet at the library. Certainly many preteen and adolescent children will be tempted to view pornography. While my children won't be able to in our home (I hope -- I realize filters aren't perfect), they will have no difficulty whatsoever in doing so at the library if they are there unsupervised. (I would like for them to be able to use the library in the future without their mom following them around -- when they are older children -- i.e. ages 11-18.) The library could serve as a xxx movie theatre for my children.

 

And, so, I said, in my mind, that makes the library an adult venue.

 

She agreed.

 

She referred me to the head city librarian, and encouraged me to contact her.

 

At this point, my guess is that I'll be told that, yes, the library is an adult venue, and I'll need to provide very close supervision if I wish to prevent my children from viewing pornography on their computers.

 

Sigh...this is when I wish we could go back 20 years.

 

I'll email the head librarian next.

[bkpan]

All you can do is make your voice heard and you are doing just that. Just think that if we ALL did that we might keep this perversion from overtaking our libraries.:hurray:

[elizabeth]

"It still doesn't solve the problem of my children having access to unfiltered content while using the internet at the library. Certainly many preteen and adolescent children will be tempted to view pornography. While my children won't be able to in our home (I hope -- I realize filters aren't perfect), they will have no difficulty whatsoever in doing so at the library if they are there unsupervised. (I would like for them to be able to use the library in the future without their mom following them around -- when they are older children -- i.e. ages 11-18.) The library could serve as a xxx movie theatre for my children.

 

And, so, I said, in my mind, that makes the library an adult venue."

 

This has never crossed my mind as a concern with my dd, perhaps it is a propensity in male children to pursue this sort of thing . Nonetheless the library is not in any way obliged to act in loco parentis in your absence. Please read the links in my post regarding your prior post and I think you will find that your library is doing an outstanding job if they have a policy prohibiting obscene, explicit material. The fact that the policy is hard to enforce is a funding issue but it certainly sounds like they are doing their job. If you believe your children cannot self police then that is one issue. It is unreasonable to expect someone else to police their behaviour when they are not under your control.

[ConnieB]

The librarian agreed that porn on the computers is a problem. "A dilemma," she said, repeatedly. She is a mom of a 12 year-old boy, and seemed very sympathetic to my concerns.

 

She pointed out that there are computers in the children's section with filters. She pointed out that some computers have special screens to obscure the view from other patrons.

 

She told me that the downtown security guards (there are many of them, for the downtown branch has a real problem with loitering, drugs, fights, etc in the library) are the ones who monitor the computers, and they do not allow patrons to view obscene content. Patrons who do are given a series of warnings (2 or 3 -- she wasn't certain), and then have their cards revoked for 1 year.

 

I was glad to learn this.

 

(However, from where I stood, we could see perhaps 75 computers in use, and no security guards were monitoring. She said she didn't know how often they check. )

 

I went on to explain...

 

It still doesn't solve the problem of my children having access to unfiltered content while using the internet at the library. Certainly many preteen and adolescent children will be tempted to view pornography. While my children won't be able to in our home (I hope -- I realize filters aren't perfect), they will have no difficulty whatsoever in doing so at the library if they are there unsupervised. (I would like for them to be able to use the library in the future without their mom following them around -- when they are older children -- i.e. ages 11-18.) The library could serve as a xxx movie theatre for my children.

 

And, so, I said, in my mind, that makes the library an adult venue.

 

She agreed.

 

She referred me to the head city librarian, and encouraged me to contact her.

 

At this point, my guess is that I'll be told that, yes, the library is an adult venue, and I'll need to provide very close supervision if I wish to prevent my children from viewing pornography on their computers.

 

Sigh...this is when I wish we could go back 20 years.

 

I'll email the head librarian next.

 

 

We had a problem with this at our main library several years ago.....because there were no rules in place the library staff wouldn't do much (like your library their unofficial policy was "if we see it, we stop it"...but of course they are purposely NOT looking for it, so not seeing it unless someone complains and then of course it's too late).

 

 

Several concerned parents made telephone calls to all the news media (tv, newspapers, radio) in our area. They were able find a few reporters that were interested in investigating this situation. They found when community leaders see reporters toting a story that has great potential to embarass them personally or politically, then they take action. Our libraries, and all city computers have filters to prevent it....and it's a misdemeanor to access such things in city facilities. And there are signs about this law near all public access computers.

 

Good luck....it took a lot of effort but it worked for our town. By the way, there ARE federal laws about not allowing children to view such things....so if your child (or any child) were to accidently view it, you could conceivably take action under federal law. But of course, that means that some poor child has to be a victim first!

[Renee in NC]

I thought the original thread was about your dc being able to see porn as they walked past the computers in the adult section. I didn't realize that you meant that they would have access to an unfiltered computer. Those are two very different things, aren't they?

[EmilyK]

I found out some information from our library too. It addresses some of what the OP just said about her children being able to *choose* to look at obscene material. I know some of this discussion has involved whether they control adults in the adult area, and that isn't addressed here.

 

Here is what I was told:

 

Librarians have always placed high importance on the safety of children. We hear stories constantly about the many ways parents and children feel cared for, and looked after, by Multnomah County Library staff. In the library, no adult can be in the children's library on a computer unless they are with a child. The library has always strongly supervised the children's library in particular. Security guards at the library are in uniform and their presence is very evident. Because they are officers of the county, they are not hesitant to make an arrest if necessary.

 

As for content, children under the age of 12 can only see filtered content at the library. This may screen out some good content on topics ranging from breast cancer to drug abuse. But unless a parent specifies unfiltered content for their child, that content is filtered. Some of the best technology minds in the world are working to create great filters for computers. Right now, the spammers and illicit content is still ahead of those designing the filters. The library keeps up with the very latest in filters. To read the long version of all the library is doing around this, go to http://www.multcolib.org/about/pol-internet.html

 

The place where children today are at greatest risk is online in the privacy of their homes. The library often encourages children and parents to use the library’s website as a safe place for children to do research and search online. The library provides a whole array of safe information sources and websites at http://www.multcolib.org/kids/familyguide.html But one way to insure the safety of a child, if they are cruising the net for information, is to have them log on to the library website with their library card number and search within that safe zone. The library has a broad array of proprietary databases that have a wealth of information not available on the Internet.

[bkpan]

"It still doesn't solve the problem of my children having access to unfiltered content while using the internet at the library. Certainly many preteen and adolescent children will be tempted to view pornography. While my children won't be able to in our home (I hope -- I realize filters aren't perfect), they will have no difficulty whatsoever in doing so at the library if they are there unsupervised. (I would like for them to be able to use the library in the future without their mom following them around -- when they are older children -- i.e. ages 11-18.) The library could serve as a xxx movie theatre for my children.

 

And, so, I said, in my mind, that makes the library an adult venue."

 

This has never crossed my mind as a concern with my dd, perhaps it is a propensity in male children to pursue this sort of thing . Nonetheless the library is not in any way obliged to act in loco parentis in your absence. Please read the links in my post regarding your prior post and I think you will find that your library is doing an outstanding job if they have a policy prohibiting obscene, explicit material. The fact that the policy is hard to enforce is a funding issue but it certainly sounds like they are doing their job. If you believe your children cannot self police then that is one issue. It is unreasonable to expect someone else to police their behaviour when they are not under your control.

I have to disagree that it is unreasonable to expect the public library to offer a safe environment for my dc. The library is funded by the community and it should be the community who sets the standards that they want upheld there. If enough members of said community express their desire that the library be a safe environment for children, then hopefully that would be the result. It is about being a welcoming place for ALL ages - isnt that how you see the mission of a public library??

 

And, gently speaking, ALL children are susceptible to negative exposure. Yes, even girls. Children are protected by their innocence. Strip that away, and they can develop really unhealthy appetites for many things.

 

Kim

[msjones]

I thought the original thread was about your dc being able to see porn as they walked past the computers in the adult section. I didn't realize that you meant that they would have access to an unfiltered computer. Those are two very different things, aren't they?

 

They are 2 different issues.

 

I'm talking about both issues.

 

They can see it when they walk by, and they could easily access it if unsupervised.

 

(No, my 8 and 9 year-olds are not alone at the library, but at some point in the future, I would like them to be able to use the library without constant supervision. Say, when they are 6th - 12th graders. Mykids already know what you can find on those computers, and I'm not naive enough to think they won't be tempted. Ideally -- in my mind-- the library would not provide anonymous, immediate, free access to xxx materials.)

[msjones]

"It still doesn't solve the problem of my children having access to unfiltered content while using the internet at the library. Certainly many preteen and adolescent children will be tempted to view pornography. While my children won't be able to in our home (I hope -- I realize filters aren't perfect), they will have no difficulty whatsoever in doing so at the library if they are there unsupervised. (I would like for them to be able to use the library in the future without their mom following them around -- when they are older children -- i.e. ages 11-18.) The library could serve as a xxx movie theatre for my children.

 

And, so, I said, in my mind, that makes the library an adult venue."

 

This has never crossed my mind as a concern with my dd, perhaps it is a propensity in male children to pursue this sort of thing . Nonetheless the library is not in any way obliged to act in loco parentis in your absence. Please read the links in my post regarding your prior post and I think you will find that your library is doing an outstanding job if they have a policy prohibiting obscene, explicit material. The fact that the policy is hard to enforce is a funding issue but it certainly sounds like they are doing their job. If you believe your children cannot self police then that is one issue. It is unreasonable to expect someone else to police their behaviour when they are not under your control.

 

In no way do I expect the librarians to "police" my boys. And, as long as there is unfiltered internet access, I'll continue to be accompanying my boys.

 

However, I would prefer that the libraries not make all varieties of pornographic content freely, immediately, and anonymously accessible to my children.

 

At some point, they are not going to want to sit in the tiny kiddy chairs to use the computers. At that point, my options seem limited. I can accompany them during all computer use, or allow access to unfiltered internet. Neither of these is an appealing scenario. What is the parent of a preteen/adolescent boy to do?

 

And it's difficult for me to see how writing an unenforceable policy is doing an outstanding job. I think the policy is a beginning, and I'm glad to see that.

 

However, if the library is providing freely accessible obscene materials to any patron who seeks them, then the library becomes a type of adult venue -- a venue in which -- as you point out-- children must be closely supervised, protected, and prevented from viewing pornography.

 

Is that what the community wants for its libraries?

 

There has got to be a sensible, practical solution that respects the needs of more library patrons.

[elizabeth]

"It still doesn't solve the problem of my children having access to unfiltered content while using the internet at the library. Certainly many preteen and adolescent children will be tempted to view pornography. While my children won't be able to in our home (I hope -- I realize filters aren't perfect), they will have no difficulty whatsoever in doing so at the library if they are there unsupervised. (I would like for them to be able to use the library in the future without their mom following them around -- when they are older children -- i.e. ages 11-18.) The library could serve as a xxx movie theatre for my children.

 

And, so, I said, in my mind, that makes the library an adult venue."Agreed that the library can indeed serve as a xxx movie theatre if there is no policy and /or it is not enforced. The problem lies in finding filters that will not block a search of "breast cancer" versus the obvious alternative. This is but another case where we have develpoed technology prior to exploring the moral parameters of it. Please do read my other post in the other thread and I think it will be quite obvious that I am equally appalled and concerned having filed criminal charges against a person who certainly needs to be kept out of the library not only for viewing salacious materials but for the most obscene public conduct imaginable. I just remain unconvinced that censorship is the way to accomplish a safe environment for the community. Miller v California is a great case to read appreciate the challenge in defining what is prurient or obscene without any redeeming literary, scientific or artistic value and thus subject to strict regulations on who may view it. There are many persons in our town and surrounding areas who regularly try to have books banned due to their personal opinion that the books are without value or obscene in some way. I just cannot abide that. Certainly reasonable people who are not prudish in their views can agree that there is no comparison between a smut film that has no storyline and viewing the film Midnight Cowboy , which was rated X originally, then edited to R. Or can we? I am willing to wager that at least half the members of this board would object to that film as being obscene and of no value same as a smut film and therein lies the problem. Who decides and what standards are applied to determine when a piece of film, photography , painting , advertising has no value other than as smut?? I am not saying that because thestandards are hard to define that we should abandon the quest altogether but am merely trying to illustrate that what many are proposing as a simple matter of knowing what is or is not obscene is anything but clear.

Edited June 21, 2009 by elizabeth
unclear as to author of comment

[elizabeth]

 

http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6653587.html?industryid=47355 This is a very timely article, I am stunned by the cost of filters. It seems this issue is one that many people are grappling with.

[Miss Sherry]

Not only is access to pornography a potential problem at a public library, but so is inappropriate reading material of various types. For this reason, I never just "let loose" my children in a public library to check out and read just anything they happened to come across. Public libraries are full of tons of junk of all types.

[katilac]

Not only is access to pornography a potential problem at a public library, but so is inappropriate reading material of various types. For this reason, I never just "let loose" my children in a public library to check out and read just anything they happened to come across. Public libraries are full of tons of junk of all types.

 

I was just going to post a similar comment - - there are numerous explicit books at the library as well. Some of it might be complete junk, some of it might just be stuff you would prefer a 12-yr-old not to see.

 

imo, it's not reasonable to expect the library to put filters on all the computers just so moms don't have to worry about their teens looking up porn. it has to be up to you to decide if you are comfortable giving them that level of freedom.

 

And, I would think that a kid who would look up porn on the library computer is also a kid who would look up porn at a friend's house, when visiting relatives, etc.

 

The library should, imo, do everything they can to ensure that kids and other patrons don't have to see porn by accident when walking by the computer section.

 

But they shouldn't be held responsible for ensuring that your kids don't intentionally look up porn, or accidentally encounter it during a search.

[msjones]

I was just going to post a similar comment - - there are numerous explicit books at the library as well. Some of it might be complete junk, some of it might just be stuff you would prefer a 12-yr-old not to see.

 

imo, it's not reasonable to expect the library to put filters on all the computers just so moms don't have to worry about their teens looking up porn. it has to be up to you to decide if you are comfortable giving them that level of freedom.

 

Why shouldn't they? There are laws to help parents protect kids everywhere you turn. Seat belt laws, drunk driving laws, underage drinking laws, zoning laws about where 'adult businesses' can be established.

 

And, I would think that a kid who would look up porn on the library computer is also a kid who would look up porn at a friend's house, when visiting relatives, etc.

 

The library should, imo, do everything they can to ensure that kids and other patrons don't have to see porn by accident when walking by the computer section.

 

But they shouldn't be held responsible for ensuring that your kids don't intentionally look up porn, or accidentally encounter it during a search.

 

 

 

But should they make it available? They have decided that, yes, it is freely and privately available. And if they do, what does that mean about libraries? Are they for kids, or not?

 

You seem to be agreeing that libraries are adult venues in which a high level of parent supervision is required.

 

And I don't consider a selection of erotic books or books with graphic sexual content anywhere near as problematic as an entire world of every variety of pornographic images on the internet.

[asta]

I was just going to post a similar comment - - there are numerous explicit books at the library as well. Some of it might be complete junk, some of it might just be stuff you would prefer a 12-yr-old not to see.

 

imo, it's not reasonable to expect the library to put filters on all the computers just so moms don't have to worry about their teens looking up porn. it has to be up to you to decide if you are comfortable giving them that level of freedom.

 

And, I would think that a kid who would look up porn on the library computer is also a kid who would look up porn at a friend's house, when visiting relatives, etc.

 

The library should, imo, do everything they can to ensure that kids and other patrons don't have to see porn by accident when walking by the computer section.

 

But they shouldn't be held responsible for ensuring that your kids don't intentionally look up porn, or accidentally encounter it during a search.

 

:iagree:

 

I have a 15 yo who has no interest whatsoever in seeking out porn. The one night I caught him in his room with my laptop, he was watching fan fiction YuGiOh videos on google video.

 

DS has been brought up in a "the human body, in all its forms, is not bad" environment (it is how he was originally taught in Europe) He understands that people can be exploited, but he doesn't seek it out (does that make sense?). He is very respectful of his own body, and of other people in general. He doesn't even see the point in dating until he is looking for a life-mate.

 

I honestly believe that the people frequenting this site are raising kids with enough self respect and sense to simply turn away from exploitative imagery, with no harm done to their psyches.

 

 

a

[msjones]

"It still doesn't solve the problem of my children having access to unfiltered content while using the internet at the library. Certainly many preteen and adolescent children will be tempted to view pornography. While my children won't be able to in our home (I hope -- I realize filters aren't perfect), they will have no difficulty whatsoever in doing so at the library if they are there unsupervised. (I would like for them to be able to use the library in the future without their mom following them around -- when they are older children -- i.e. ages 11-18.) The library could serve as a xxx movie theatre for my children.

 

And, so, I said, in my mind, that makes the library an adult venue."Agreed that the library can indeed serve as a xxx movie theatre if there is no policy and /or it is not enforced. The problem lies in finding filters that will not block a search of "breast cancer" versus the obvious alternative. This is but another case where we have develpoed technology prior to exploring the moral parameters of it. Please do read my other post in the other thread and I think it will be quite obvious that I am equally appalled and concerned having filed criminal charges against a person who certainly needs to be kept out of the library not only for viewing salacious materials but for the most obscene public conduct imaginable. I just remain unconvinced that censorship is the way to accomplish a safe environment for the community. Miller v California is a great case to read appreciate the challenge in defining what is prurient or obscene without any redeeming literary, scientific or artistic value and thus subject to strict regulations on who may view it. There are many persons in our town and surrounding areas who regularly try to have books banned due to their personal opinion that the books are without value or obscene in some way. I just cannot abide that. Certainly reasonable people who are not prudish in their views can agree that there is no comparison between a smut film that has no storyline and viewing the film Midnight Cowboy , which was rated X originally, then edited to R. Or can we? I am willing to wager that at least half the members of this board would object to that film as being obscene and of no value same as a smut film and therein lies the problem. Who decides and what standards are applied to determine when a piece of film, photography , painting , advertising has no value other than as smut?? I am not saying that because thestandards are hard to define that we should abandon the quest altogether but am merely trying to illustrate that what many are proposing as a simple matter of knowing what is or is not obscene is anything but clear.

 

I do understand the complex concerns here related to censorship.

 

But libraries have already 'censored' themselves to some degree, have they not? They do not have a wide selection of, say, violent adult sex videos on their shelves. They decided not to purchase them.

 

They do not offer xxx magazines in their magazine sections. You can call that a decision, or call it "censorship," I suppose.

 

And there is a vast difference between a few shelves of books related to sexual issues, eroticism, etc, and the endless stream of every variety of porn available on the computers.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I haven't read all the responses, but here is how our library handles this.

 

In order to use the internet at the library, the user must have a library card to log in. (I think they have a reciprical arrangement with other libraries as well.) For anyone under 18, the parent must sign a permission form to use the internet and on this form, specifies what level of filtering: very strict filtering, moderate filtering, and no filtering. The computers in the children's section all have strict filtering, no matter what the level specified on the library card. In the adult section, the log in with the library card determines the level of filtering.

 

They are pretty strict about pornography at the library, but, by ALA guidelines, the library must have computers without filtering, not so much for the "rights to porn", but that no filter is perfect and there are legitimate reasons for searching for information that would be prohibited by filtering programs. As a childbirth educator and lacation educator, much of my research would not have been possible without unrestricted access. I also participate in a group on pelvic floor health and obstetric injuries. Again, these would not be available as well.

 

I am sure that this compromise would be relatively easy to implement. If you need contact information for my librarian, I'd be happy to get that information for you.

[msjones]

:iagree:

 

I have a 15 yo who has no interest whatsoever in seeking out porn. The one night I caught him in his room with my laptop, he was watching fan fiction YuGiOh videos on google video.

 

DS has been brought up in a "the human body, in all its forms, is not bad" environment (it is how he was originally taught in Europe) He understands that people can be exploited, but he doesn't seek it out (does that make sense?). He is very respectful of his own body, and of other people in general. He doesn't even see the point in dating until he is looking for a life-mate.

 

I honestly believe that the people frequenting this site are raising kids with enough self respect and sense to simply turn away from exploitative imagery, with no harm done to their psyches.

 

 

a

 

Your son sounds like a nice kid. Perhaps you will never have to deal with this issue in your family.

 

My perception, however, is that it will become more and more of a problem for many families --even families with "self respect and sense."

 

Perhaps I am wrong. I'd be glad to be wrong. But at this time, it is my belief that boys and men of all backgrounds find pornography extremely tempting.

[msjones]

I haven't read all the responses, but here is how our library handles this.

 

In order to use the internet at the library, the user must have a library card to log in. (I think they have a reciprical arrangement with other libraries as well.) For anyone under 18, the parent must sign a permission form to use the internet and on this form, specifies what level of filtering: very strict filtering, moderate filtering, and no filtering. The computers in the children's section all have strict filtering, no matter what the level specified on the library card. In the adult section, the log in with the library card determines the level of filtering.

 

They are pretty strict about pornography at the library, but, by ALA guidelines, the library must have computers without filtering, not so much for the "rights to porn", but that no filter is perfect and there are legitimate reasons for searching for information that would be prohibited by filtering programs. As a childbirth educator and lacation educator, much of my research would not have been possible without unrestricted access. I also participate in a group on pelvic floor health and obstetric injuries. Again, these would not be available as well.

 

I am sure that this compromise would be relatively easy to implement. If you need contact information for my librarian, I'd be happy to get that information for you.

 

Yes.

 

This is exactly the sort of compromise I would welcome. I knew there had to be a compromise in action somewhere. What library system are you using? I'd love to look into this.

[dirty ethel rackham]

 

Naperville Public Library I don't know what system they use. We rarely use the internet there because we have 2 computers at home. If we need it there, we bring my laptop. However, I know I had to specify internet access levels for my children when I got them library cards.

[Erica in PA]

The librarian agreed that porn on the computers is a problem. "A dilemma," she said, repeatedly. She is a mom of a 12 year-old boy, and seemed very sympathetic to my concerns.

 

She pointed out that there are computers in the children's section with filters. She pointed out that some computers have special screens to obscure the view from other patrons.

 

She told me that the downtown security guards (there are many of them, for the downtown branch has a real problem with loitering, drugs, fights, etc in the library) are the ones who monitor the computers, and they do not allow patrons to view obscene content. Patrons who do are given a series of warnings (2 or 3 -- she wasn't certain), and then have their cards revoked for 1 year.

 

I was glad to learn this.

 

(However, from where I stood, we could see perhaps 75 computers in use, and no security guards were monitoring. She said she didn't know how often they check. )

 

I went on to explain...

 

It still doesn't solve the problem of my children having access to unfiltered content while using the internet at the library. Certainly many preteen and adolescent children will be tempted to view pornography. While my children won't be able to in our home (I hope -- I realize filters aren't perfect), they will have no difficulty whatsoever in doing so at the library if they are there unsupervised. (I would like for them to be able to use the library in the future without their mom following them around -- when they are older children -- i.e. ages 11-18.) The library could serve as a xxx movie theatre for my children.

 

And, so, I said, in my mind, that makes the library an adult venue.

 

She agreed.

 

She referred me to the head city librarian, and encouraged me to contact her.

 

At this point, my guess is that I'll be told that, yes, the library is an adult venue, and I'll need to provide very close supervision if I wish to prevent my children from viewing pornography on their computers.

 

Sigh...this is when I wish we could go back 20 years.

 

I'll email the head librarian next.

 

I personally would be satisfied with their response, I think. The only other thing that they could do is block adult material on computers in the adult section of the library, but other than that it sounds as though they are taking action to prevent widespread viewing of pornographic materials in the library. I'm glad that they have the blocks on the children's computers, that there are screens to block the material from other people, and that security guards are involved with monitoring what goes on. I think it's realistic for them to expect parents to keep their children away from the adult section of the library if they wish to avoid any possible chance of viewing something inappropriate. I wouldn't have a problem using a library where these policies are in place, because I do supervise my children when we're there, and I can easily make sure they aren't looking at the computer screens in the adult section-- in fact, that might well be the policy at our library, I've never asked.

[Erica in PA]

 

However, I would prefer that the libraries not make all varieties of pornographic content freely, immediately, and anonymously accessible to my children.

 

However, if the library is providing freely accessible obscene materials to any patron who seeks them, then the library becomes a type of adult venue -- a venue in which -- as you point out-- children must be closely supervised, protected, and prevented from viewing pornography.

 

 

In my opinion, the policies and procedures which you have described as being in place that this library make this a different situation that what you have described here. I wouldn't describe it as making "pornographic content freely, immediately, and anonymously accessible" even to adults, let alone to children.

 

We don't have pornography filters on our computers at our house. We will likely get them when our children start using the computers more on their own, but in the meantime, surely you don't think that the absence of filters means that we are promoting pornography to children who come to our home? It sounds like you are saying that any place that has no filters against porn is actively promoting it for children.

[Greta]

But should they make it available? They have decided that, yes, it is freely and privately available. And if they do, what does that mean about libraries? Are they for kids, or not?

 

I do understand your concerns, and I am very sympathetic. But I'm not sure this is entirely fair or accurate. You said that they have a no porn policy, and that if someone is caught viewing porn, they get a warning and then with another offense their card gets revoked for a year. So that doesn't sound like they've made a choice to make it freely available. Not at all. It sounds like they're restricting it in the only ways they know how or can afford at this time. So what you should focus on, imho, is bringing to their attention some new and better ways that they could restrict it. You can help shift their focus from responding to it when it does happen, to preventing it in the first place. Of course, these kinds of changes are going to be expensive and take time, but maybe you can be the voice that gets the ball rolling!

[phathui5]

The library is funded by the community and it should be the community who sets the standards that they want upheld there.

 

Absolutely.

[Erica in PA]

But should they make it available? They have decided that, yes, it is freely and privately available. And if they do, what does that mean about libraries? Are they for kids, or not?

 

 

I think that parts of libraries are for children, and parts are not. There are plenty of books that are commonly found in libraries that are not appropriate for children-- doesn't mean they are "adults-only" places.

[Valerie in Chicago]

Here in the city, it's considered a "free speech issue."

 

http://www.wgntv.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3175359

 

I live in a neighborhood with various adult shops, but there is no way that kids can get into them. However, I can't take my kids with me to look for a book outside of the kids' section out of concern that they will see something that would otherwise only be available in one of these adult shops.

 

I use the Chicago Public Library website. I order what I want, wait for it to come in, go to the front desk, check it out, then get the hell out of there.