Outfilter the filterers

[JOSEPH MAXIMILLIAN MURPHY]

>    You make an error here by assuming that use of the Internet is an
>unlimited resources, with no opportunity cost.  Use of the Internet in a
>public library is a finite resource.  Just as you only have so many
>books, you only have so many blocks of Internet time to allocate to your
>patrons.  The opportunity cost of one person looking at porno is that
>someone else can't do their homework, or look up a sports statistic.
>What you need to think about is what's an appropriate use of scarce
>resources.

OK, you make a good point here. But let's look at that sports statistic. Every
public library I've ever been in subscribes to multiple newspapers. Is it
"appropriate" to allow patrons to chew up computer time looking up statistics
that are just one room over in print? Or is that also an inappropriate
opportunity cost? One of the principles of collection development is that
material should not be needlessly duplicated, does that apply here?

For that matter, what about the opportunity cost of patrons trying to work
their way around the library's blocking software? Maybe it'd be faster to just
give them what they want... ;-)
                                                             
>Take for example, a map library which decides it wants to install an
>Internet workstation for its patrons to access on-line maps and other
>geographic resources.  Suppose they filtered out everything except maps
>and geographic information.  Why would you have a problem with this?

It seems to me that what you're suggesting makes sense: a library delivering
selected content through Internet protocols. Some sort of Very Wide Intranet
system, effectively. My only issue with it is a semantic one: I don't think
this library can claim to be offering "Internet access" without qualifying that
name. I'd say this isn't an "Internet workstation"; it's a "Geography
workstation" that happens to have an Internet connection. And come to think of
it, that sounds like a darn good idea... as long as you label it well enough
that you don't have to tell every other patron why they can't get to their
favorite non-geographical site. (And at this point, you need a filter strong
enough that it really does lock out _all_ non-selected information.) Actually,
this poses a really interesting use of filter technology. Selecting what _to_
deliver is a substantially different job than selecting what _not to_ deliver.
If you have the money and time to take it that far, I think it gets you past a
lot of problems, particularly in academic or special libraries.

-Joe Murphy            "Sometimes you just have to look reality in the face
murphyj at cua.edu         and deny it."
                           -- Garrison Keillor