Public Access Technologies in Public Libraries: This article states that public libraries started offering "PTA"as soon as it was possible, the article explore how this is done, what is needed to make this happen, and whether it's done effectively.
For the most part I thought this article was just one "duh" after another. PTA means both hardware and software, to have PTA you need technical support- like nothing gasp worthy. But I suppose having an article outlining what baseline PTA is, could be, and should be, is important. I also suppose that looking at and evaluating how libraries impalement PTA, as it's something that libraries just jumped into, is worth while. I just think that unless this baseline standard is being enforced or encouraged somehow.
Please Disable the Entire Filter: Looks at Phoenix Public library and it's response to the accusation that it was used to look up download and print kiddie porn of putting internet filters on all its computers- which cannot be disabled by librarians.
I am a very huge fan of the footnotes that took up half the page! I thought this article was well written and did a very good job of going into the history and the laws of restrictions on public libraries computers. What I want to point out is that the owner of all the kiddie porn only said that he got it all from the Phoenix library. Who's to say that he didn't just claim that to try and seem slightly less squeezy to co-workers or family, who's to say he didn't just say that to keep the heat off his friend who he downloaded child pornography with every week? I think child sexual exploitation is horrifying- legitimately so- and I think the Phoenix public freaked the f*** out, and I think that the mayor and library responded with a harsh and poorly thought out solution. Internet filters will not stop the exploitation of far too many children, it will however stop library patrons from being able to access information they need or maybe just want- much of which, as the article points out, isn't at all sexual.
Studying Indiana Public Libraries' Usage of Internet Filters: This article summarized the findings of a survey conducted to try and find out which Indiana libraries filtered their materials, and how or why they did or did not.
One Law With Two Outcomes: This article looked at the differences of the effects CIPA had on Public Libraries and Public School Libraries.
So I hate CIPA and I hate internet filters. I think CIPA is a very annoyingly vague law, saying that internet content needs to be filtered from children could mean almost anything. Who are children? Is it anyone 18 and under? If so that seems very unfortunate because there's information that children shouldn't be exposed to that teenagers should be able to access- and that too is subjective, some 14 year olds could totally benefit from information about sexuality, some could still probably wait a couple of years. Also what kind of filters and what kind of settings is left completely up to the librarian (or tech person) setting up the technology. So if the person setting up the technology doesn't really know what they're doing, or if they're homophobic, or if they're a strong believer in abstinence only: they can those filters in ways that are really harmful to many of their patrons. Filters also sometimes block totally unintended things, like an article about someone with the name Gay, because it's an algorithm not a person. Also filters themselves often times are horribly homophobic, either the software itself is or you can set it to be, it think it's offensive that homosexuality is an option of something one could choose to filter. I think that has horrifying implication for any queer or questioning patron's a library could have. And finally there have been many instances (the ACLU is working on a project just about this RIGHT NOW) where pro queer sites have been blocked and sites promoting ex-gay believes are not. I think this is a frightening time and if we are not making sure that historically marginalized groups can be found in google searches at our local libraries then we are failing at the basic premise of intellectual freedom.
I agree that the current state of filters is appalling and often over-blocks things that "children" should be allowed to see. However, I'm not entirely against filters on library computers. I keep my content block on my computer set at high, because I get tired of being assaulted by offensive images from innocent searches, and I felt the same way when I was a child. Maybe making the filters optional for all ages could solve this issue. Parents could decide for their children at the beginning of a session, or even have a setting on their accounts to automatically activate. This would bring up more questions about maturity levels, but I think it's better to try different options than give up entirely.
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