[Web4lib] City blocking suspected 'criminal' networks

[Barkovich, Greg]

Hello,

Following up on a patron complaint recently we learned that our city's
firewall consultant had blocked at least one webhost (russian business
network - rbn) from our network. We were not consulted on this change
and it has resulted in the loss of access to an unknown number of
websites. 

We are aware of at least three legimate sites that anyone within the
city's network can no longer access; including one home business from
rural eastern Canada from which a staff person has bought birdseed for
several years. So despite RBN's apparent criminal ties (see entry in
wikipedia or do an article search) we know they host an unknown number
of legitimate sites.

We have begun a conversation with the city's IT managers but for now RBN
and possibly other networks remain blocked.

Have any of you encountered anything similar? This is not a conscious
attempt to filter but is motivated by security concerns. Of course the
net result is loss of access to an unknown (unknowable?) number of
websites and we have, as noted, already received complaints from our
patrons.

Do any of you block IPs suspected of criminal activity from your
networks? If so are you working from a list or how are you determining
which addresses to block? And how have you approached the concerns about
intellectual freedom?

Thanks,

Greg

greg barkovich
Burnaby Public Library, 6100 Willingdon Ave, 604-436-5437, fx
604-436-9087