My follow-up Letter to Alderman Fioretti

October 13, 2008

Robert W. Fioretti
Chicago Alderman – 2nd Ward
City Hall Office
121 North LaSalle Street
Room 300, Office 02
Chicago, IL 60602


Alderman Fioretti -

Thank you again for taking the time to call me on Thursday evening. I appreciate having the opportunity to voice my concerns with you.

You had mentioned a technology that would keep pornographic sites in their own domain. I believe something along these lines may be a good step to a long-term solution for this problem. As I mentioned, I found a similar technology, CP80: http://www.cp80.org/.
(And some criticism of that approach: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/infolaw/2007/04/04/sandwich-meat-or-how-not-to-protect-kids-from-porn/)

However, regardless of which approach we take for a long-term solution, we still need to take steps towards banning pornography in our public libraries now. Many libraries have found workable solutions to this issue, not involving filters, using one or more of the approaches listed below:

• Stated and publicly displayed policy regarding the appropriate use of public computers and explicitly stating that viewing pornography is not allowed or tolerated. (Policies regarding cell phone and general library use are currently posted in the Harold Washington branch.)
  
  
• Each user agreeing to a User Agreement Policy (banning pornography) by clicking "I agree" before each session can start, or signing an agreement before using this public resource.
  
  
• Librarians sending pop-up messages to offending patrons screens, asking them to leave that particular site.
  
  
• Asking patrons that violate the library's Public Computer Use Policy to leave for the day.
  
  
• Temporarily revoking library privileges (in increased lengths of time) for repeat offenders.

(Please note: I have not mentioned Internet filters in this list. Although it has been argued that filters "do not work", it has also been argued that filtering technology has improved greatly since it was first introduced, and blocked sites can be unblocked for legitimate research needs.)

I've also included several Public Computer Use Policies from various libraries to bring awareness of how other Public Libraries have successfully dealt with this very issue.

Sincerely,
Amanda Bratschie


In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.
~Theodore Roosevelt



For the blog only - the articles and policies attached are:

* Brookfield Free Public Library Public Computer Use Policy
* Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County Internet Use/Safety Policy
* The New York Public Library Policy on Public Use of the Internet
* Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library Public Computer Use Policy
* Boston Globe article, "Libraries vary in strategy on porn"