Top Ten Reasons To Remove Porn From Our Public Libraries

#10 - No one expects to have open access to pornography in Public Libraries.
People don't expect to have free and unfettered access to Internet pornography in public spaces. In fact, most people are surprised that this is the case, especially in Public Libraries.

#9 - It's possible.
Other libraries have successfully implemented policies to prevent the open use of pornography. For example, at Naticks' Morse Institute Public Library near Boston, patrons must click "I agree" to the library's Internet use policy before going online. There is no porn allowed. As the library director, Paula Polk said "If we see you, we ask you to leave. After the second time, people lose Internet privileges".

#8 - Privacy screens have not been working.
Counter to the claims that Assistant Commissioner, Greta Bever, made when I spoke with her, the privacy screens on the monitors of all the computers did not prevent by-standers from accidentally seeing everything on their screen. It only prevented someone from seeing their screen in very specific ranges. If the privacy screens are supposed to be the answer, they need to be drastically improved.

#7 - Rampant porn use contributes to a pornified culture.
Having porn openly accepted, especially in the Public Library, sends the wrong message. Without going too far on the topic, open and frequent use of porn enforces negative behaviors and attitudes.

#6 - Not everyone wants to see it.
Pornography is controversial and some people find it offensive, especially in public places. People shouldn't HAVE to be in an environment that is openly dismissive of their objections to being in such an environment.

#5 - Pornography fosters behaviors inappropriate for public display.
Incidences of public exposure and self-fondling are much more likely when pornography is in use. In some cases when a non-offender complains to the librarian on staff, nothing is done. The patron will then have to call the police on their own. If the police don't show up until after the offending patron has left, then the offender is protected by The Illinois Library Records Confidentiality Act. Believe it or not, the library will not work with police and provide library records unless they have the proper paperwork, which can take 2 days or more to process.

#4 - Safety.
While reports of violence and sexual misconduct has not been proven to be directly linked to the use of Internet porn in Public Libraries, Registered Sex Offenders have been caught repeatedly at Public Libraries across the Nation. Naperville is actively trying to ban Registered Sex Offenders from their Public Libraries as a result.
Also, CBS2 News has reported a 4-yr old girl being fondled in the children's section and an 8 yr-old girl being attacked in a bathroom of the Harold Washington branch in an attempted rape. The 8-yr old almost died.

#3 - Environment.
If the Public Library will not take the necessary steps to ensure an environment free of these images for those that don't want to be exposed to them, then the patrons that don't want to see it will not visit the library. The only exception will be those that do not have computer access any other way. Shouldn't a poor single mother have the right to take her children to the library to check email and pay bills without worrying what might happen to her children while she's away on the "adults only floor" and without being exposed to the lewd environment and barraged by pornographic images?
Even if that thought isn't convincing, the progression of pornography users being the majority in the computer facilities, similar to what's happening in Dallas, should.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6525395.html?industryid=47355
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/011508dnmetlibraryporn.27bb24d.html

Also, what about the environment for the librarians? A group of librarians in Minneapolis just sued because there were being subjected to a hostile work environment. They won. Here's some information on that case: http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-258403.html.

#2 - Children.
The Harold Washington Library has implemented measures to keep children away from the adult computer working area. The children have their own computer area and those computers have filters for the Internet.
However, the Security Guards told us that if a person looks 15-16, they might ask for ID. As a result, if you have an older looking teen, even if you have filters or firewalls on your home machine - your child can just go the library and watch anything they can pull up on the screen, even bestiality.

Also, there's an argument that if kids want to view pornography, they will. If it's not the Public Library, they'll get it somewhere else. This is horrible logic. It might be that kids will find a way to view pornography even if it is banned from Public Libraries, but that's no reason to make pornography easily accessible to them. If our kids want to smoke cigarettes or try drugs, they'll find a way to do that too, but that doesn't mean that we should supply them with either.

#1 - Obscenity is NOT speech.
I love the First Amendment. I think it's very important to our way of life. I appreciate that it provides everyone with Free Speech. However, the Supreme Court has ruled that obscenity is NOT speech. This is thoroughly covered here.