In Someone Else's Words...

This is probably one of the better articles/essays/columns I've read on the issue of pornography in our public libraries. Ernest Istook took the time to research the entire issue and write a fairly accurate summary of the entire situation, including the role the American Library Association plays. (A little background on Mr. Istook, he's from the Heritage Foundation and has served 14 years as a Republican Congressman (Kansas).

The article is aptly titled "Libraries Need Not Expose Kids to Porn" and was published online today in the Sacramento Bee (sacbee.com). I definitely recommend it as a brief overview of the issue at hand for anyone looking for a quick take and I appreciate Ernest's approach to this from a lawmakers POV. He give good reason for what the situation is and clearly places action items and next steps for local and state governments to use and enforce CIPA. (YAY! for clear next steps!) Read an excerpt from his article below (bolding mine).

These libraries still rely upon public funds from the state or local level. Lawmakers who provide that funding have an opportunity to protect children. States and local governments can do so if they use CIPA as their model. They can require that schools and libraries funded by local and state governments must protect children from Internet porn by installing these software filters. No such filter is perfect, but they protect children and they help parents who want libraries to be safe places for their entire family.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/27/4294010/libraries-need-not-expose-kids.html#storylink=cpy