Public web-based e-mail and library liability

[Megan M. Isely]

Our library is considering changing their policy and allowing the use of
web-based email at our public Internet workstations.  However, our
network guru is concerned about library liability: he thinks that if
some patron accesses their hotmail account from our workstation and does
things they are not supposed to do (like send spam or send a threat to
the US President) that action will be traced back to the library's IP
address and the library will be liable for this patron's action.  I
think that hotmail will be the liable party because they are providing
the account; where the person is accessing their account does not come
into play.

Neither of us are attorneys and our library needs to solve this issue.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I could find some concrete
information that deals with this issue so that my library can settle it
one way or the other?

Great thanks in advance for any suggestions or help anyone can provide.

Megan M. Isely
Head of Special Projects
Aurora Public Library, Aurora, IL
apl-ill at dupagels.lib.il.us