e-mail in libraries

[Jacques Presseault]

Dianne L Parham wrote:
> 
> Who is judging what is research and what is not.  

Another related question being, what to about porn?

http://www.detnews.com/1997/metro/9705/28/05280159.htm

Warren bans on-line porn from library 

"This kind of stuff just makes me sick," said Marion Jannetta, one of
several residents who supported the immediate moratorium. ... The
council proposed the ban after resident Connie Piotrowski said she
identified 9,735 explicit Internet "sex sites" in 15 minutes during a
test at a city library."

These people miss the point: you can access pornography on Internet if
you are looking for it; people who are offended by such stuff will have
no trouble avoiding it altogether since it is very clearly labeled for
what it is. If you don't like it stay away; don't "test" it.

Let us also keep in mind that, if pornography is abundant, it is by no
means prevalent: some estimate that there are currently about 15,000
newsgroups; of these about 200 to 300 deal with sex. Let be real: that's
1.33% of the total. Those "preoccupied" with the subject will be able to
loose themselves into it (if not through Internet, then through other
means); the rest of us will have more than enough to explore for several
lifetimes.

Clear thinking and education are the answer not wholesale prohibition.

Those are my views and they do not engage anyone else's responsibility.
-- 
Jacques Presseault		jacques at olsn.on.ca
Ontario Library Service - North (Sudbury)
http://www.library.on.ca/index.html
Tel.:	(705) 675-6433	Fax:	(705) 671-2441