Back in July, I received an e-mail from a SEMLS director asking how other public libraries in the region are managing their public access computers? Do they all keep separate computers for children and adults or do all patrons access the Internet from a central location? Are libraries filtering access to the Internet? These questions are ones I would have felt comfortable answering a few years ago when CIPA was passed and I was frequently talking to libraries about filtering and age restrictions for Internet access. However, I no longer had a good handle on how our libraries are handling public access to the Internet. My response was to put out a survey to hear directly from members. Here are some key points from the survey results:
- 55 public library responded to the survey. Only 11 of those libraries (20%) provide one central location for adults and children to access the Internet. The remaining libraries have separate spaces for children and adults to access the Internet.
- The majority of responding libraries (nearly 62%) do not filter content on any Interent access workstations. Ten libraries (18.2%) filter content on all public access workstations and nine libraries (16.4%) only filter content on the children's workstations.
- Of the 44 libraries that provide separate workstations based on age, 24 libraries (52.2%) allow children to use the adult worksations without any preconditions. Another 11 libraries say that children can use an adult workstation only if they are with a parent or guardian, 4 libraries allow children to use those workstations if they have written permission from a parent,and seven libraries do not allow children to use adult workstations.
- When looking just at the results of the nine libraries that filter children's workstations, only three allowed children to use the adult workstations without preconditions. The rest allowed children to use those workstations in the presence of a parent or with written permission from a parent.
- When looking a the libraries that provide a central location for users of all ages to access the Internet, only one library filters content on those workstations.
- Of the 55 libraries responding to the survey, 11 said they are also providing laptops for use by their patrons.
If your library is at a point where you are revisiting issues related to filters, Acceptable Use Policies, or Internet access workstations, SEMLS will be holding a Virtual Roundtable at 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 2 to discuss this issue.
