Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-09-2003 Library Board MinutesSeptember 9, 2003 4 pm UML Advisory Board met in the basement of the Library with President David Isaacson, Vice -President Maisie Jones, Board Members Caroline Kopp, Barbara Green, and Sharon Morgan in attendance. Also in attendance were Director of Community Development John Castro, City Attorney Wally Hatch, Librarian John Sigwald and approx. 20 members of the community including Marian Anderson who had requested to address the Board with regard to UML policy on Internet filtering. Meeting was called to order by President David Isaacson. He tabled the first two items shown on the agenda and moved directly to Ms. Anderson's presentation. Ms. Anderson voiced concern that the Library does not have filters on the Internet computers. She read from an article about sexual harassment of women in the workplace due to pornographic material on the Internet. This article stated that filtering would take care of 100% of porn. She told of seeing a young man at the Library on a porn site. She said that problem was taken care of promptly by Librarian John Sigwald, but she felt that the Library does not have enough staff to monitor and filters should be put in place. When questioned, she did say that she wrote two letters to the editor of the Plainview Daily Herald before asking to address the UML Advisory Board. John Sigwald was asked to give his rebuttal to Ms. Anderson's presentation. He pointed out information in ahandout that everyone present had received regarding the Library's reasons for not filtering Internet Access. (See attached handout). The Board members were allowed to ask questions of both Ms. Anderson and Librarian John Sigwald. David Isaacson asked Ms. Anderson if she had ever used filters on the Internet and her response was "No". He asked if she was concerned with other subject matter (witchcraft, etc) or just pornography. Her answer was "porn only". He asked if she was shown that filters do not block effectively would her desire for filters change. She did not answer that question. David stated that he had contacted six (6) area public libraries in the past 2-3 weeks and found that none of the six used filtering on their public Internet. His research found for each porn site blocked, one legitimate site is blocked. 25% of the Internet sites are changing daily according to David's information. He stated that his research indicated blockage by filtering companies is proprietary. President Isaacson opened the floor for comments or questions from the members of the community present. Various individuals spoke -being very complimentary of the Library services, Librarian and Library staff over the years and considered UML a safe environment for themselves and their children, but did state they were there as parents wanting to understand Library policies. Some people brought up the fact that parents are ultimately responsible for their own children and what they do, see or say. The fact that there is no 100% effective filter was mentioned. City Attorney Wally Hatch stated the City of Plainview wants to hear all citizens ideas. He stated that electronic filtering is content -based. He also stated that monitoring by library staff is considered by the courts to be acceptable. He asked John Sigwald if staff had complained about having to deal with pornography left on computers (work -place problem with porn site). Mr. Sigwald stated "No". Mr. Hatch stated that the City considers the usage of the Library's computers to be a privilege and not a right. After discussion, Caroline Kopp made the motion that the Board make recommendations to Librarian John Sigwald that a starter page be installed on the Internet computers that will come up as patrons are going into Internet. Motion was seconded by Maisie Jones and vote was unanimous. Caroline Kopp made the motion that the Board recommend also to Librarian John Sigwald that patrols (walk-throughs) in UML Public Computer area be stepped up especially 4pm to 6pm daily when students are more likely to be using them. Maisie Jones seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. David Isaacson made a motion that this issue be re-visited in the fall of 2004. Maisie Jones seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. John Sigwald stated that any patron can request that a computer be re-booted between patrons and Library staff will do so. Meeting was adjourned. Unger Memorial Library John Sigwald, Librarian September 9, 2003 UNGER MEMORIAL LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING INTERNET FILTERING Background On June 23, 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a lower court's decision on the United States v. the American Library Association (ALA) which had declared the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) unconstitutional, thereby upholding the CIPA. The CIPA requires libraries receiving federally funded E -rate discounts (the Unger Library is eligible for about an 80% discount) on telecommunications charges for Internet service to "have safety policies that include the operation of blocking or filtering technology 'with respect to any ... computers to visual depictions that are ... obscene.'"1 Under this law software filtering is required to block visual depictions of obscenity and child pornography, which are by definition illegal, as well as material "harmful to minors" for all Internet users although adults may ask library staff to turn off the filters. In 1997 the ALA Council adopted a resolution that "affirms that the use of filtering software by libraries to block access to constitutionally protected speech violates the Library Bill of Rights."' The Unger Memorial Library Advisory Board passed an "Internet Use" policy on March 10, 1998 (revised several times up until June 28, 2002) laying the ground rules for Internet use at the public library irrespective of age. Basically, the Internet computers would be unfiltered but patrons from 611' graders on up would be expected to "be circumspect in viewing Web pages." A warning is given by the librarian upon the first infraction and subsequent disregard for conservative community standards will result in the permanent removal of a patron's library Internet privileges. Since the implementation of this policy we have had several patrons who have tested its limitations and numerous warnings have been issued and, unfortunately, a few people have been prohibited from using the Internet computers at the public library. 'CIPA Questions and Answers produced July 16, 2003 by the American Library Association, p. 3. 2ALA's "Resolution on the Use of Filtering Software in Libraries," July 2, 1997. 825 Austin Street • Plainview, Texas 79072-7235 • Telephone (806) 296-1148 • Fax (806) 291-1245 Reasons why the Unger Library does not filter Internet access • Patrons have unrestricted access to the Internet -- along with the duty for responsible surfing. • Filters cause more problems than they solve, incompletely blocking illegal sites, and, on the other hand, restricting access to legitimate ones. • Filters give patrons — and parents — a false sense of security. Parents are responsible for establishing guidelines for their own children's activities and should read — and follow — the guidelines established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in their online publication, "A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety."' Also, there are some resources available from the American Library Association (of which I am a 22 -year member) for helping parents deal with the Internet.' Finally, an excellent discussion of the children's free speech use of the Internet along with numerous links to legal websites is Kay Vandergrift's online article "Censorship, the Internet, Intellectual Freedom, and Youth."5 • Filtering systems are proprietary, i.e., methodology is known only to the company, and usually filter by URL or keyword, the first so dynamic as to be useless and the latter unworkable. • Filtering software is easily circumvented. • Juveniles cannot have filters turned off. Unger CIPA guidelines adults may request that a filter be turned off but juveniles, who may have legitinrate research needs, may not. • The library's "Internet Use" policy has been effective. Side-by-side computer placement in the reference area near the front desk was designed to be somewhat self-limiting and monitoring is relatively easy. Questionable behavior reported by other patrons (or caught outright by patrolling library staff) is dealt with immediately through standard, workable procedures. Conclusion The Unger Library was the first public library in West Texas -- and one of the first in the state -- to provide public access to the Internet. Over the years library policy addressing Internet use has proved effective in restricting access to patently offensive sites. While staff is limited, watching over the Internet computers, which are located near the Information Desk, is a priority and periodic checks help encourage legitimate use of these computers. Without creating a spying environment, patrons are nevertheless encouraged to report suspicious activity to the library staff as they would with any other questionable behavior elsewhere in the library — and library staff deals promptly with infractions on a case-by-case basis. 3FBI Publications, "A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety," www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm. 4e.g., "What Parents Should Know." www.ala.orgicfapps/archive.cfm?path- parentspapge.lol.htm. 5Vandergrift, Kay E. "Censorship, the Internet, Intellectual Freedom, and Youth." www.scils.rutgers.edu/-kvander/censorship.html Library Bill of Rights The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation. II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment. IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas. V. A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views. VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use. Adopted June 18, 1948. Amended February 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980, inclusion of "age" reaffirmed January 23, 1996, by the ALA Council.