economics of internet access, and "appropriateness"

[Burt, David]

 Kristine Buchanan wrote:

>>David Burt wrote:
>> What you don't seem to get, Laura, is that the librarian who says
"the
>> only reason we don't carry Hustler is because we can't afford it"
*has
>> already conceded that they ration scarce resources based on content*!
>>Therefore, it is logically and ethically consistent to do the same
thing
>> with the Internet.

> Your argument holds no water.  You are saying we should filter the web
>because there is only so much time a patron can use the Internet
access?
>That is ridiculus.  If a library has a huge demand among its patrons
for
>Internet access, then make the patrons sign up for one hour or half
hour
>blocks of time.

Because we ration books based on the appropriateness of content, there
is nothing wrong with doing so for the Internet.

>>David Burt wrote:
>> Because as I've shown, librarians ration scarce resources based on
>> "appropriateness", otherwise, they would carry porn.

>Once again, you are not listening.  Many libraries do carry "porn".  I
>have listed in the past that my library carries "Hustler" and "Playboy"
>as well as the works of Mapplethorpe.  Please stop over generalizing.
It
>diminishes the point you are trying to make and aggravates the
recipient.

As so many others have before you, you are confusing soft core porn with
hard core porn.  If there were no clear difference between the two, you
would undoubtedly see public libraries with hard core porn, such as
"Deep Throat", "Back Door Blondes", "Sorority Sluts Sexcapades",  etc.

>  Or it might be that libraries prefer to buy complete sets rather than
>"samples".  Complete sets being much more useful that a series of
>incomplete "samples".

So why don't libraries buy the "Big Boobs Classics" Collection?




  ***********************************************************
           David Burt, Information Technology Librarian
           The Lake Oswego Public Library
           706 Fourth Street, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
           URL:          http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/library/library.htm
           Phone:     (503) 675-2537
           Fax:           (503) 635-4171
           E-mail:      dburt at ci.oswego.or.us