The CPL is XXX?!: October 2009

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Libary Porn Issue Across the US...

Here are just some links to news stories regarding this issue in the USA:

http://www.argus-press.com/articles/2009/10/08/news/news1.txt

Reminding us - it really IS about protecting our kids:
http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/story.aspx?id=353426

Also, I found this site: http://www.columbian.com/article/20091010/OPINION01/710109998/-1/OPINION
It's a political website for the school board in Vancouver, WA. I found it encouraging that someone's stand on the library porn issue was directly tied to votes. Here's the quote:

Margaret Tweet, Camas: The record of Mayor Pollard and others running for Vancouver City Council on hardcore library porn is atrocious. Since 1997, I witnessed and also read public records of minors accessing hardcore pornography at FVRL library computers. Furthermore, reports of adults' access to hardcore material also negatively affected library visitors young and old.

The mayor and certain candidates could have helped solve the problem. Instead, the mayor lambasted citizens at city meetings, the library board delayed, and the problem festered until 2006.

Councilor Jeanne Stewart defended decent libraries and deserves re-election. Tim Leavitt, Bill Turlay, and Anne McEnerny-Ogle would better serve Vancouver. (info: www.lifepac.org)

And the title of this one made me laugh out loud: "But Where Will Homeless Philadelphia Men Browse Internet Porn Now?"
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2009/09/but_where_will_homeless_philad.php
Although the title is funny, the actual article itself is kind of sad - it talks about library services being cut back and canceled because of funding. And that is truly a bummer, even if this article has a snarky, sarcastic twist about it.
Read more!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

International Example of the Libary Porn Issue

Canada... London... Australia...

Examples of pornography use in public libraries are popping up all over the world, not just in the United States. Of course, the American Library Association (ALA) has directed American libraries to offer completely unfettered access to the internet, with the only exception being child pornography.

It's important to note that although the ALA directs American libraries regarding this issue, each city has their own independent governing bodies (ex, CPL has the library board) and are allowed to make choices for those libraries accordingly.

Anyway - I've already covered some news stories about this issue in Australia, here's a link to another recent news story that's more international in nature. It's interesting to note that there are other countries dealing with a very similar issue.
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/09/13/library-porn-incident-sparks-outcry/
Read more!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Filters Aren't Required to Keep Porn Out

The title of this news article can be a bit misleading - but it gets the point across. Greensboro Central Library in fact does NOT filter out internet pornography. However, it DOES have policies against using internet pornography. Here's the deal, taken from the article:

Instead, anyone caught looking at porn are asked to leave by security guards. Repeat offenders can be banned for a day, week, month or even a year at a time.

Porn surfing is not a criminal offense, but repeat offenders can and have been charged with trespassing. (Copyright © 2009, WGHP-TV)

Here's the complete article: Greensboro Central Library Doesn't Filter Out Pornography

I think it's important to note that filtering wasn't used, but having a policy in place to prevent this kind of thing is very much in use. This is something that the CPL could very easily incorporate into our public libraries. We already have security guards patrolling around on the 3rd floor, allegedly in an attempt to help enforce laws against child pornography. Why not ask them to enforce a policy against all sexually explicit materials?
Read more!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

How to Get Porn out of Public Libraries...

One of the first sites that I found while researching this issue of open pornography use in the CPL was Plan2Succeed.org. This site has a lot of great links - but it was easy for me to get lost on the site. Anyway - I remember finding this page a long time ago and thinking how awesome it was to have so many great ideas in one place. I recently stumbled on this page again and thought it would be great to share it from my blog with anyone who might be interested.

Here's a link to the site: http://www.plan2succeed.org/librarypornremoval.html
Read more!

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".