Staten Island, Part IV

[Burt, David]

-LIBRARIANS TO MONITOR KIDS ON THE INTERNET-
The Staten Island Advance, 3/8/97

Library staff have received a memo urging them to monitor carefully the
actions of children who access the Internet at the branches of the New
York Public Library, according to Norman Holman, the library+s senior
vice president and branch director.

The memo follows Holman+s promise to reevaluate the library system+s
Internet policy in the wake of protests generated by last month+s
Advance series, which revealed that children were viewing  hard-core
pornographic web sites on the computers at the library.

-I have met with all the librarians who work with children to talk about
intervention,- Holman said.  -We are moving as quickly as possible to
bring this to a conclusion.-  Holman said the library is also seeking
input from users of the branch libraries.

Last month, when the Advance discovered the easy access children had to
X-rated Internet material, Holman claimed that it was not the
responsibility of librarians to monitor what children were doing on the
computers.  He admitted then that even if a librarian were to catch a
kid accessing pornographic material, he or she would -not be expected-
to inform the child to discontinue his or her actions.

That, however, will change, Holman said.  The recent memo, which was
circulated to staff members throughout the library+s 84 branches, is
only a prologue to more permanent preventive measures the library plans,
according to Holman.  The library is also testing a number of blocking
softwares that would filter out pornographic material, he said.

Rapid Ramp, an Eltingville-based Internet service provider and marketer
or a monitoring software called Net Access Manager, is one such company.
 Larry Rampulla, a Meiers Corners resident and partner in Rapid Ramp,
said that he had spoken with the library+s technical representatives,
who are reviewing his information.

Meanwhile, Borough President Guy V. Molinari, said he is giving the
library 30 days to  come up with a viable solution to the Internet
problem.  Molinari included the library Internet issue as one of 20
quality-of-life items outlined in his recent State of the Borough
address.

The borough president said he has been approached by residents and
parents who -were stunned by the revelation- of what their children have
access to at the public libraries.  Molinari said members of his staff,
too, had experimented with the availability of pornographic material on
their Internet terminals and were shocked with the results.

For now, Molinari added, -the ball is in [the library+s] court.-  -They
are the ones that have to come up with the solution,- he said.  -There
is tremendous focus on this issue now and they must demonstrate a
sensitivity to the problem.-

Shortly after the initial Advance story on Feb. 9, both Molinari and
Councilman Jerome X. O+Donovan (D-North Shore) threatened to cut funding
to the library if officials did not exert their own controls.  Two days
later, Holman sent a letter to Molinari and O+Donovan outlining options
the library would explore to address the issue, among them were
implementing a staff intervention policy and installing blocking
software.

-We+re allowing them a reasonable opportunity to deal with the issue,-
said Molinari, -which I think they will.-  If they don+t, Molinari said
his next step will be to get in touch with library officials and try to
work out a solution.  As a last resort, he said he would cut his funding
to the institution.  Molinari donated $80,000 in discretionary funds to
the Staten Island branches+ operating budget in fiscal year 1996.  From
1995 to date, however, he+s given more that $1.3 million.

The city, on the other hand contributed more that $73 million to the
library branches+ overall budget last year, a figure O+Donovan (D-North
Shore) said he would try to cut if preventive measures were not taken by
the library.

Since receiving Holman+s letter, however, O+Donovan has said he is
confident the library will take appropriate action.  -I+m lying low and
waiting to see what kinds of permanent steps they implement,- O+Donovan
said, -but I think this is a great first step.-