WEB4LIB digest 543

[Nicki J Lerczak]

>From: L Champelli <lchampel at monroe.lib.in.us>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <web4lib at library.berkeley.edu>
>Subject: Re: Boston situation
>On Wed, 26 Feb 1997, CMUNSON wrote:
>[snip]
>I would be interested in hearing about this from public libraries in
>particular that have chosen to use blocking software.
>Does your Computer/Internet Use Policy state that the library uses
>blocking software? Do you have signs posted on terminals where 
>blocking
>software is installed clearly indicating that it restricts access to 
>Internet resources. If yes - what does it say? / If not - why not?

Our library (Olean Public Library) originally used Surfwatch on it's
Internet computer. We didn't publicize this fact, but users who were
observant could see the icon on the Windows95 taskbar. Occasionally,
Surfwatch would block something. Notably, it blocked the Young Adult
Librarian's Home Page (part of their URL was "yassweb") (can you spot the
pornography? ;-) ) It also blocked access to the "Naked Truth about
Audits" page. Around the time of Banned Books week, our library did a
couple of promos on a local radio station and we then decided that using
blocking software went against what we all believed in, so we took
Surfwatch off our computer. 

Since then, we've had the occasional teen who visits the HempUSA page but
for the most part, our users have avoided controversial sites. I'm
sharing all this because it struck me that our use of Surfwatch was not
really mentioned to the public at the time and that we took it for
granted that it was necessary.

Nicki Lerczak