Library Interent Filters

[The Atheist]

I guess I should mention that I have been doing this since 1977. October will be my 30th anniversary!

I wonder, since I'm in my 50s, am I an "old bag?" Or do I qualify for "hagdom?"

GRRRRR.

Anyone says that they'll have me to answer to.

And



on almost 30 years!




I speak from personal experience when I say that library ladies are not just hot, they teach the meaning of the word "passionate".

 

[Alareth]

On a similar note, while working at a bookstore I was once given a very stern lecture by a customer who was outraged that while browsing the store she found a copy of "The Joy of Sex".

She almost passed out when I picked the book up and put it back on the shelf where it belonged.

 

[Tmy]

Why is it OK to write the kid up, but not to go over and pull the plug on him?

 

[Darth Rotor]

Why is it OK to write the kid up, but not to go over and pull the plug on him?

Because doing so stifles the libido of librarians.

DR

 

[MelBrooksfan]

On a similar note, while working at a bookstore I was once given a very stern lecture by a customer who was outraged that while browsing the store she found a copy of "The Joy of Sex".

She almost passed out when I picked the book up and put it back on the shelf where it belonged.

It seems she could learn a thing or three from that book, eh?

 

[Darth Rotor]

It seems she could learn a thing or three from that book, eh?

You can lead a spinster to the Kama Sutra, but you can't make her multi orgasmic. She has to let it happen.

DR

 

[Beerina]

I smiled (unshocked by the notion that a teenager would be using the interent to look at naked women), and said, "Mrs. Roger (not her real name), the public library is a dangerous place, you might be offended by any number of items here. If you do not wish to be offended by other people's reading or view habits, it would be best for you to keep your eyes on your own research."

It's your policy to let underage kids surf for porn, even with a permission slip? Do parents realize what their en-permissioned children might do?

And don't you have a separate filtered set of terminals that children are allowed to use?

In 5 years, I can't believe this is the first kid who tried to get away with porn. Your response also sounds a bit snippy.

The patron called my boss, the Director at home, to complain about how I handled the situation. She left before she saw me write the young man up, for an internet policy violation.

Was this for something after she left, or did you think about it and decide the kid was doing something wrong, anyway, like, say, surfing for porn out in the public terminals, rather than the ones in the back room for just such a thing?

Perhaps she would have been interested in such a writeup.

I would definitely have simply pointed out to her our policy (which, as I mentioned, I can't believe included letting kids with permission slips surf for porn out in the open) rather than trying to turn it around on the old lady and try to make her think her quite reasonable sensibilities were defective and inferior to a library's policy of letting kids surf for pornography.

Generate enough outrage, and all your jobs are in danger of a whirlwhind of your bosses's bosses's boss at the next election.

 

[strathmeyer]

Wait 'til they see how many complaints they get because of the filters.

 

[Elizabeth I]

Public computers in our library are completely UNfiltered. That said, we do have an acceptable Internet use policy (which would be more useful if we could get staff to enforce it) as well as a library code of conduct that would probably have put a stop to the kid's activities assuming they were not legitimate (are you sure he wasn't looking up anatomy or art sites?) In the ten years we have had public-access computers we have had only a handful of complaints.

 

[King of the Americas]

Well, I went to the Board Meeting...

Therein, finding only parents thereon, most of which at an age where they'd find their kids in the Library.

They had just heard from the complaintant & her lawyer...

After I told them what had happened, they questioned me about future such complaints, and tried to tell me how they thought I could have done a better job handling the situation.

They were also very vocal about what they thought the Library was for, and how such offenses should be handled.

The next morning I handed the Board President my letter of resignation.

They don't want a Library, the Board wants a daycare center.

I don't want to work at a daycare center, and I won't help them restrict access to information.

After I resigned the Board President told me the Board voted to suspend me for 30 days...

They also voted to 'investigate' the effectivness of Internet filters.

So, they did NOTHING to insure this wouldn't happen again.

It is my opinion that the majority of the Board members simply are not qualified to sit on Public Library Board. Attached to my letter of resignation was a copy of the Library Bill of Rights.

I was not shocked when I handed it to the President, that it was the first time he'd even heard about such a list of rights that all patrons had.

Things I heard and disagreed with at the meeting from Board members were:

"Isn't it our job to help parents...?"

"Kids don't have rights!"

"People don't deserve privacy in a public place."

"If you want to research 'sexual transmitted disease' in our Library, I'm okay with saying 'Sorry, no you can't'."

That's why I had to resign.

 

[LibraryLady]

Well, I went to the Board Meeting...

Therein, finding only parents thereon, most of which at an age where they'd find their kids in the Library.

They had just heard from the complaintant & her lawyer...

After I told them what had happened, they questioned me about future such complaints, and tried to tell me how they thought I could have done a better job handling the situation.

I was not shocked when I handed it to the President, that it was the first time he'd even heard about such a list of rights that all patrons had.

Is this a librarian or just somebody who's on the board of trustees?

Things I heard and disagreed with at the meeting from Board members were:

"Isn't it our job to help parents...?"

"Kids don't have rights!"

"People don't deserve privacy in a public place."

"If you want to research 'sexual transmitted disease' in our Library, I'm okay with saying 'Sorry, no you can't'."

That's why I had to resign.

Well, I don't know about resigning. Being a gadfly is harder from the outside. But I do understand if that is the attitude. Confidential records and the ability to research any subject is paramount.

I probably would have handled the whole thing differently, but I salute your integrity in sticking to your principles.

 

[King of the Americas]

The Board is just a group of people to represent the 'trust' or 'Foundation' that is the non-profit funding institution itself.

The Board President, is not a Librarian, nor does he have an inner-library experience, nor do any of the other Board members.

In fact, only 2 of the Board members frequent the Library at all.

I already miss being at the Library.

I was good at and enjoyed greatly providing people paths to information they sought.

I could always find the unfindable book, locate or identify any quote, and name you that song, date, place, or pie...

Now, I am just a fellow patron, again.

And it would appear, that 'patrons' have the complaint power to get volunteers 'suspended'...

I am though, really upset over this. I haven't been eating or sleeping well.

I want there to be this explosion of understanding between the Board members after they read my letter and attachment, and for them all to admit they were wrong and ask me to come back and serve as the new Director...

---

What do they say, "Dream in one hand, poo in the other, and see which one fills up first?"

 

[LibraryLady]

The Board is just a group of people to represent the 'trust' or 'Foundation' that is the non-profit funding institution itself.

The Board President, is not a Librarian, nor does he have an inner-library experience, nor do any of the other Board members.

In fact, only 2 of the Board members frequent the Library at all.

I already miss being at the Library.

I was good at and enjoyed greatly providing people paths to information they sought.

I could always find the unfindable book, locate or identify any quote, and name you that song, date, place, or pie...

Now, I am just a fellow patron, again.

And it would appear, that 'patrons' have the complaint power to get volunteers 'suspended'...

I am though, really upset over this. I haven't been eating or sleeping well.

I want there to be this explosion of understanding between the Board members after they read my letter and attachment, and for them all to admit they were wrong and ask me to come back and serve as the new Director...

---

What do they say, "Dream in one hand, poo in the other, and see which one fills up first?"

Um. I really don't think you should hold your breath waiting for that to happen, but are you interested in going to library school? Sounds like you're a good candidate for getting an MLS (or whatever they're calling it these days) and joining the field officially. If so, I could give you some pointers. Seriously.

 

[King of the Americas]

I sincerely enjoy the work, but I think it will be a while before this aftertaste is gone.

I never really wanted to be the Director, I just wanted good ideas and policies adopted, even if they did come from me.

Although, I am not holding my breath, they would seriously have to come back on their knees begging, for me to go back there.

I have never felt so unappreciated and unheard.

 

[insomneac]

"If you want to research 'sexual transmitted disease' in our Library, I'm okay with saying 'Sorry, no you can't'."

That's why I had to resign.

Idiots.

 

[King of the Americas]

THANK you.

 

[geni]

Idiots.

Acutaly given the importance of that particular bit of information being correct I would much rather people got that info from books rather than web searches.

 

[King of the Americas]

WebMD is an awesome site for ANY kind of health information.

 

[Elizabeth I]

Um. I really don't think you should hold your breath waiting for that to happen, but are you interested in going to library school? Sounds like you're a good candidate for getting an MLS (or whatever they're calling it these days) and joining the field officially. If so, I could give you some pointers. Seriously.

AND both University of North Texas and Texas Women's University have distance-learning programs for their MLIS degree.

 

[Segnosaur]

Here's a question that may seem a little strange....

What exactly is the purpose of a library?

Should a library be all things to all people? (i.e. should it provide all types of media, for both pure entertainment, learning, and, in the case of the kid viewing 'adult' web content, sexual fantasy material? Or should the ultimate goal of the library be more restricted, to areas of academic interest and/or archiving?

Several decades ago, I'd say the library SHOULD have been "all things to all people". But in today's world, there ARE alternatives... the internet (and, lets face it, it is relatively cheap to get access to the internet these days), an ever-expanding number of channels on TV, video stores rent movies including documentaries, etc. Perhaps libraries should refocus their efforts, and instead of trying to compete with other sources of knowledge/entertainment, restrict themselves to more academic materials. And, if they do, perhaps all internet access should be removed from the library.

I have no objection to adult material. (I've seen a lot of it myself.) And of course libraries should not shy away from more mature material if it has some sort of academic purpose. My only concern is "Should we (as taxpayers) be subsidizing other people's entertainment habits?"