The CPL is XXX?!: January 2009

Thursday, January 29, 2009

When will the Chicago Public Library get it?

The Librarian Convention in Denver these past few days has gained some attention in the local paper, Denver Westword News. In the article, Librarians Head to Denver for a Quiet Riot, the Denver Westword News indicates the public library is starting to take a new stance on the open displays of pornography use by library patrons. Here is the quote (emphasis mine):

* You can still surf porn at the library, but it's getting, uh, harder. "It's certainly protected speech, but it's not something we are looking to protect any longer," Jackson says. This issue has been a thorn in the library's side for several years. While the institution wants to help its customers do research without being censored, it doesn't want to turn its branches into X-rated theaters. For now, the library has installed filters on most of its computers. But there are still four filter-free monitors at the main branch and one at each of four other branches, where librarians have been instructed to ask patrons who are indulging in sins of the flesh to cool off. (http://www.westword.com/2009-01-29/news/librarians-head-to-denver-for-a-quiet-riot/)

Will the Chicago Public Library ever reach this point? Is there even a compromise in sight?
Read more!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The Price of Pleasure

Disclaimer: This particular blog post isn't specifically about banning pornography from the Chicago Public Library. However, it is educational and applies to the porn industry at large.

Since the beginning of this campaign, I've become aware of several people on both sides of this struggle. This struggle being whether or not we should allow and use government dollars, even in part, to fund pornography use in public libraries. In the process of learning about people involved in the struggle and the larger struggle of pornography use (again, both sides), I've discovered the trailer for a documentary, The Price of Pleasure. This documentary effectively presents the entire porn industry in an unbiased manner. (And please, use discretion if you decide to watch the trailer found on the website. It is, by all means, disturbing.)

...the film examines the unprecedented role that commercial pornography now occupies in U.S. popular culture. Going beyond the debate of liberal versus conservative so common in the culture, The Price of Pleasure provides a holistic understanding of pornography as it debunks common myths about the genre.

As a society it is important for people to understand the bigger picture of how pornography affects us as a whole. Instead of blindly providing pornography to any who seeks it as long as they can obtain a library card, we need to become better educated about what this really is and how affects us. We should not and can not assume that this is a harmless free-for-all.
Read more!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

A secret revealed...

On the PostSecret website (http://postsecret.blogspot.com/), readers submit secrets on postcards. One of this week's secrets was about being exposed to porn at a young age and how it affected that person.

This is the postcard:

Friday, January 16, 2009

More "In the News"

Yet another news story to support the argument that Pornography in the Public Library is dangerous.

Man convicted of viewing child porn at Lake Oswego Library
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/man_convicted_of_viewing_child.html
Read more!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Sacramento Public Library Finds a Workable Solution...

I just found this story online: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=62397. It dates back to April '08, but is exactly what libraries across the US have been facing for some time now - censorship vs library porn.

So I checked Sacramento's official Internet Use Policy to see what was decided. You can link to that here: http://www.saclibrary.org/about_lib/internet_use.html.

According to their currently published Internet Use Policy (mentioned above), it looks like the Sacramento Public Library has found their own solution to this difficult issue. Go Sacramento!

Here's an excerpt for all you non-link followers out there... (italics mine)

The Sacramento Public Library upholds and affirms the right of each individual to have access to constitutionally protected materials. The Library also affirms the right and responsibility of parents and legal guardians to determine and to monitor their children’s use of Library materials and resources.
The Library's workstations are in public areas. Since others may be involuntarily exposed to what is viewed, the Library asks that each user exercise good judgment and consideration of others. Please bear in mind that some materials, such as sexually graphic materials, may well be more appropriate for viewing in the privacy of your home, rather than in a Public Library setting. If Library staff become aware of subject matter that would interfere with the maintenance of a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment for the public, the Internet user will be asked to end a search or change a screen.
The Library wishes to make the Internet and all computer resources available to anyone who respects the rights and property of others, and who abides by the Library's rules and procedures. Failure to appropriately consider the rights of others may lead to the loss of computer privileges for a finite period.
The Sacramento Public Library offers filtered access to the Internet by default. Unfiltered access is available on a per session basis. Juvenile customers under 17 years of age are required to obtain parental consent for unfiltered access on a per session.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Dangerous? Yes. Another example from the news...

Here is yet another example of why allowing porn use in the library is dangerous.

Here's the full story:

Porn-watching peeper arrested in library
(Found on the following website: http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2009/01/14/News/Police.Beat-3585459.shtml)

A man was arrested on charges of second degree criminal trespassing Jan. 9 at 10 a.m.

Police responded to the Main Library after a woman reported that a man followed her into the bathroom. The woman said that prior to entering the bathroom she saw the man walking towards the restroom. Once she was inside the stall, she saw the man enter the restroom and stop by her stall. She could see him through the crack between the stalls' door and its frame. The woman said, "Excuse me!" and the man left.

Police later located the man viewing pornographic material on a computer screen in the Integrated Learning Commons. The woman identified him as the man who had followed her into the restroom.

He verbally identified himself to police. A check on his name showed that he had two criminal misdemeanor warrants out for his arrest from the Tucson Police Department. The man said that he had no association with the UA but frequented the library in order to use the computers and view pornographic materials online. He told officers, "I was watching porn earlier today and got excited. So, I decided to follow this lady inside the restroom to peep on her."

The man was taken to the Pima County Jail where he was booked for the two warrants and second degree criminal trespass. He was also given an exclusionary order prohibiting him from being on any UA owned or controlled properties.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

What is this all about?

The American Library Association has directed America's Public Libraries to allow open, unfettered access to the Internet, including pornography. (With the exception of child pornography, which remains illegal.)

However, this means that people who are not choosing to view this material may and probably will be exposed to it, including children.

These two clear sides create a national issue with each city and state being able to choose how they would like to handle it. Several cities, including Boston, Minneapolis and even New York City either already ban pornography in their public libraries or have taken steps towards protecting those that don't want to see it. However, the Chicago Public Library (CPL) continues to protect the open and rampant use of Internet pornography.

Here's the story...

I went to the Harold Washington branch of the Chicago Public Library (CPL) on Saturday, 9/27, to help some friends of mine learn computer skills.

While near the computers, I noticed a library patron openly viewing porn. I politely tapped him on the shoulder and said, "should you be watching that here?" He apologized and quickly walked out of the library, embarrassed.

I assumed it was an isolated incident. Until I walked over to greet another friend. Then I noticed several more patrons viewing porn. Alarmed, I asked the librarian on duty if there was a list of guidelines posted for the use of the library Internet. There wasn't. But there was a general list of rules. Among those was no use of your cell phone as it may disturb other patrons. There was also a rule against sexual harassment, but no rule explicitly stating that the use of porn was not allowed.

I asked the librarian about it. She said it was their "right" to use porn on the library Internet and computer. It is their right to do this with the facilities paid for by taxpayer dollars.

I asked her if they have to turn it off if I tell them that I find it offensive. She told me that I could not tap them on the shoulder and tell them it's offensive because "it might offend them".

Although privacy screens were installed, we could see EVERYTHING (I almost didn't believe that privacy screens were installed because we could see everything so clearly). The images were difficult to ignore and very clearly portraying sex acts on several workstation screens, making it impossible to look away - it was everywhere.

I stayed to help (though completely disgusted). While I was walking from one computer work station to another, a patron that was using pornography turned to look at me and literally looked me up and down. And I felt unsafe. In the public library, with my husband and two of our male friends, I felt unsafe. And voiceless.

As we were leaving, we spoke with the guards and were told that their use of these computers to view pornography is covered by their First Amendment rights and that privacy screens are installed on the monitors for just that reason. I was given contact information for the Commissioner of the Library and at the same time informed that she is also involved with "several law firms".