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Gays and Public Libraries

When I wrote that our library is a portal to ALL the information, and that there should be no walls to stand in one's way to access ANY information, that means "gay friendly stuff" too...

We would also have 'gay unfriendly stuff', 'gay unbiased stuff', straight friendly stuff, straight unfriendly, straight unbiased...I could go on, and on...

But I think the point is made. Libraries should include, or allow access to ALL the information... ALL meaning total, everything, you name it, we'll help you get it, even if it means scowering the globe...

I tell patrons all the time, "If we don't have it, we can borrow it. If we can't borrow it, we'll buy a copy. And if we can't, we can point you toward someone who can." In the last two years, no patron has left my library empty handed. This is a fact, that I am quite proud of.
 
Ladewig said:
I am slightly against people looking at porn on library computers, but I am not going to fall on my sword defending the idea. However, I disagree with your argument. Adherants to the principle you describe would boot people off library computers for reading "American Idol" forums, looking at photos at http://www.catsinsinks.com , and arguing about what is the worst sitcom ever made.

Library computers connected to the internet are there for many reasons beyond looking for a job or trying to learn something.
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But libraries are about learning, which is why I am argueing that we need to abolish the fiction section.
 
Alt+F4 said:
Well after over a hundred posts, mostly involving censorship and porn access, the original question seems to be forgotten: should gays have their own libraries or should gay-friendly literature be available at the local public library?
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That was not the orrigional question, the issue from the article(very poorly presented) was about how accessable sexual material should be at the library. As the material objected to was not limited to homosexual material.
 
Marc L said:
Generally, it's fairly easy to tell what's porn online. It usually says things like XXX, or You Must Be 18 to Enter, etc. Or so I hear. Having never looked at the stuff myself, of course.
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As a guy I know used to say, "I can't define pornography, but I can recognize it when I download it from the internet."
 
Marc L said:
Generally, it's fairly easy to tell what's porn online. It usually says things like XXX, or You Must Be 18 to Enter, etc. Or so I hear. Having never looked at the stuff myself, of course.

Marc
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So it is only such things that should be filtered at the library?
 
Libraries aren't JUST about 'learning'.

They are also about 'fun', entertainment, and enlightenment.

'Stories' about different lands, people, and even completely imagines scenerios ARE acceptable, and should be.

I mean, who's to say what stories are stuff you would learn from.

The "Fox & the Grapes" is a 'fictional' tale, but there's a lessn to be learned there...

Imagine how boring your childhood would have been without 'fictional tales'. No Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Mother Goose, or Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck.

ponderingturtle, you don't REALLY want to take fiction stuff out of libraries do you???

I mean I am all for putting it in the 'fiction' section if it was made up, but outright removal seems nazi-ish.
 
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King of the Americas said:
Libraries are JUST about 'learning'.

They are also about 'fun', entertainment, and enlightenment.

'Stories' about different lands, people, and even completely imagines scenerios ARE acceptable, and should be.

I mean, who's to say what stories are stuff you would learn from.

The "Fox & the Grapes" is a 'fictional' tale, but there's a lessn to be learned there...

Imagine how boring your childhood would have been without 'fictional tales'. No Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Mother Goose, or Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck.

ponderingturtle, you don't REALLY want to take fiction stuff out of libraries do you???

I mean I am all for putting it in the 'fiction' section if it was made up, but outright removal seems nazi-ish.
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No, I am pointing out that an argument that porn is not educational is not a good argument against it from the point of view of what a library does. Education is not the primary criteria for its contents and many are for personal enjoyment. It is just that some content is viewed as valid enjoyment and some is not. But arguing that something should not be there because it is recreational and not educational, well if made it should be taken to its conclusion to show why it is a bad argument.
 
King of the Americas said:
Libraries aren't JUST about 'learning'.

They are also about 'fun', entertainment, and enlightenment.

'Stories' about different lands, people, and even completely imagines scenerios ARE acceptable, and should be.

I mean, who's to say what stories are stuff you would learn from.

The "Fox & the Grapes" is a 'fictional' tale, but there's a lessn to be learned there...

Imagine how boring your childhood would have been without 'fictional tales'. No Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Mother Goose, or Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck.

ponderingturtle, you don't REALLY want to take fiction stuff out of libraries do you???

I mean I am all for putting it in the 'fiction' section if it was made up, but outright removal seems nazi-ish.
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King, I've been enjoying your responses in this thread. Keep up the great work!

Charlie (and don't ever censor those kids) Monoxide
 
ponderingturtle said:
So it is only such things that should be filtered at the library?
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I'd say such things should be filtered at the library. Whether or not they are the only things that should be filtered at the library, I couldn't say. I'd think it'd depend on each individual item.

Now, before you, or someone else starts listing an item per post and asking, "What about this?", be aware that such a tactic will be ignored.

Marc
 
Marc L said:
I'd say such things should be filtered at the library. Whether or not they are the only things that should be filtered at the library, I couldn't say. I'd think it'd depend on each individual item.

Now, before you, or someone else starts listing an item per post and asking, "What about this?", be aware that such a tactic will be ignored.
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I see. So you don't have the time to look at every item on the Internet and decide whether it's appropriate for a library -- but you expect the librarians to.
 
drkitten said:
I see. So you don't have the time to look at every item on the Internet and decide whether it's appropriate for a library -- but you expect the librarians to.
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I don't work for a library, so why would I filter anything?

Librarians do work for libraries (hence the name). If they become aware of sites that might be considered objectionable, then yes, they should look at them and decide whether or not they should be filtered.

It's too bad they don't have software that identifies sites that are 18+ and filters them, though. It'd be a useful tool for libraries to use to filter porn. Someone should create such a program. I dunno, call it something like, Net Nanny or something.

Silly idea, I know.

Marc
 
drkitten said:
I see. So you don't have the time to look at every item on the Internet and decide whether it's appropriate for a library -- but you expect the librarians to.
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Marc L said:
I don't work for a library, so why would I filter anything?

Librarians do work for libraries (hence the name). If they become aware of sites that might be considered objectionable, then yes, they should look at them and decide whether or not they should be filtered.

It's too bad they don't have software that identifies sites that are 18+ and filters them, though. It'd be a useful tool for libraries to use to filter porn. Someone should create such a program. I dunno, call it something like, Net Nanny or something.

Silly idea, I know.

Marc
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There is a tremendous problem with a library using off-the-shelf software like Net Nanny. If a teenager is doing a report on AIDS and needs to find information comparing the transmission rates of HIV among gay men and straight men, then when he types "gay men HIV" many public health sites will be blocked because they include the phrase "gay men." Likewise a teenager looking for U.S. Supreme Court decisions about pornography will have trouble finding sites. These problem don't bother the average parent, he or she can over-ride the software if he or she sees the need. Libraries don't have the funding to place a full-time employee over the computers to determine which searches should be allowed to override the software and which searches should be blocked.
 
Ladewig said:
There is a tremendous problem with a library using off-the-shelf software like Net Nanny. If a teenager is doing a report on AIDS and needs to find information comparing the transmission rates of HIV among gay men and straight men, then when he types "gay men HIV" many public health sites will be blocked because they include the phrase "gay men." Likewise a teenager looking for U.S. Supreme Court decisions about pornography will have trouble finding sites. These problem don't bother the average parent, he or she can over-ride the software if he or she sees the need. Libraries don't have the funding to place a full-time employee over the computers to determine which searches should be allowed to override the software and which searches should be blocked.
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No the public has no right to access information at the library that the software developer in their wisdom has seen fit to block.
 
Marc L said:
Librarians do work for libraries (hence the name). If they become aware of sites that might be considered objectionable, then yes, they should look at them and decide whether or not they should be filtered.
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I can perhaps save them some trouble.

"No, the page should not be filtered."

This algorithm -- which is approved by the American Library Association, among others -- can be applied without even looking at the page in question.
 
Marc L:

WHY should something be filtered?

I am not asking WHAT should be filtered, I just want to know WHY you'd want to filter something?

I mean, can't reasonable people decide for themselves, what they are and aren't going to look at??? As far as kids go, don't you think that the 'parent' should get to decide what their kids look at or read???

I am in favor of freedom, not censorship.

Maybe you could change my mind.
 
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