Monroe County (Indiana) Public Library says "NO" to Big Bro...

[BiggJawn]

Read in today's paper that the Board of Trustees not only said "No" to "Porn Filters", but I get the impression they said "HELL No!",

They stand to lose $5200 in federal funding, but stated that it looked like the filter software was going to cost "Thousands"...
I guess maybe the filter would cost more than what they lose?

Librarians ROCK!

[shimmergal]

1. Good for them!

I used to live in Bloomington, and used the Monroe Co. Library a lot.
So glad they turned down the money and filter-requirement. Filters don't work anyway to cut out real, graphic porn--they only work by catching "suspect" words.

[Ponderer]

2. Tel me what educational function is served by having porn

in public libraries?

[MoonGod]

3. It's not about the porn, it's about the porn filters...

... the ones that also filter out information related to breast cancer or homosexuality.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Sex education. The fundi's don't want it in the schools

[TankLV]

5. ummm - keeps it off the streets?

Sorry. I thought it was the first line to a joke.

Don't know why certain people are defending stuff like this. If I had children, I'd INSIST on filters like this.

I couldn't believe my sister just gives up and lets my nieces and nephew watch certain programs on E and other channels.

I always switch it off when they try to do it in my house. And boy do I get the howls of protest - all to no avail.

When they are gone, however, it is a different story. Viewing porn belongs in the home, like we do, not in the library!

[Ein]

8. lol i agree!

My 12 year old cousin is obsessed with that Anna Nicole show... I watched one episode... she went dildo shopping, to a dick-tying show and pretended to be bullemic ('pretended'? well it aint working anyways).

Her brother is obsessed with the obsbournes....ahhh

[MoonGod]

13. Sorry to repeat a post, but...

It's not about the porn, it's about the porn filters... the ones that also filter out information related to breast cancer or homosexuality, to name a couple of examples.

Either way, libraries need to be held to the highest standard of First Amendment freedoms. They are a wonderful resource provided by governments to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas. Once we start letting government-mandated censorship creep in, we're looking at a frightening slippery-slope.

Most libraries will not allow children internet access without a parent's permission. So, if a parents are concerned about their children seeing something unwholesome un the 'net, then they can simply not sign the form and sit down with their kids every time they get on the 'net.

[Ein]

6. they aren't refined

my highschool had them and it was severe, many normal sites blocks and you couldn't even recieve images with the word 'body' in them.

[TankLV]

10. There's got to be a way to "have your cake and eat it, too"

If it's that "generic" about which sites it blocks, maybe they could start with the filters, then as each complaint arises, allow sites? Or the opposite - actually have someone "edit" out all the improper sites individually?

Shouldn't be too difficult.

It's so easy to search out the porn (from personal experience) that once you get a listing of the offending site, you could simple block them. In a couple weeks, you should be able to block an awful lot of sites. Just some helpful ideas, I hope.

[Spintronic]

17. You shouldn't have to ask

Many of the sites that are blocked are not pornographic at all. By blocking sites such as the ACLU's homepage (which has happenned) or safesex sites, or sites on homosexuality as examples, it creates a barrier. What if a teenager wishes to go to a homosexuallity site to learn about how others have dealt with coming out, or how to have safe sex, only to find the site blocked and they have to ask a librarian to turn off the filters? Maybe even get permission from their parents.

As for starting a list of banned sites. I think you underestimate the shear volume dynamics of the situation. Not to mention the resoursefulness of those who are interested in viewing porn.

I really don't think that porn is a real problem in libraries though. I think the filters are far worse.

A few times though I've been at the computers in the lab at my university and mistyped an url and found myself in the pop-hell of a porn site. Then I really wished there was a filter.

[BiggJawn]

29. Sounds like a great business opportunity for you!

If it's so easy to make a filter that blocks ONLY hard-core and not information on Breast Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Gay Issues, the poetry of Alan Ginsburg, etc. then GO for it.
You'll be the first programmer to actually make a usuable filter and will be able to buy Bill Gates.

[oneighty]

7. Did you ever

see porn on a library computer?

180

[Ein]

9. Yup

my school library. You could get around the everything-filters by using obscure words on foreign sites... like bukake and such.

[oneighty]

11. But

I did not address the question to you.

180

[w13rd0]

21. You still here?

No "educational function" is served by having porn in public libraries. But as you should know, from visiting public libraries, their sole purpose isn't "educational", else they wouldn't have Ann Coulter and Lynn Cheney's books on the shelves. The problem is that the "porn filters" are crap technology, that cost more than they stand to gain from federal dollars...

[celestia671]

12. I can't get to DU at my local library...

When I asked the librarians why I couldn't access the site, they told me that they have filters that block any kind of chat or message boards that might contain porn!

[MoonGod]

16. Where are you?

... if you don't mind my asking.

My g/f has worked at several libraries (and several library systems) both here in the L.A. area and in Texas... and all of 'em put up resistance to the idea of filtering software.

I think one of the systems she worked for had (or planned to have) special computers for kids to use that had filtering software on them, but also maintained wide-open machines for adults to use.

[celestia671]

19. I'm in Louisiana

Very conservative area.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

20. hello, Louisiana...

What part of the state? me - you know the Northshore???

[celestia671]

23. Vidalia...

Close to Natchez,MS.:hi: No, sorry, don't know Northshore!

[I AM SPARTACUS]

24. Don't know Vidalia, well...you know where Sicily Island is...???

...up your way in Catahoula Parish. Had family there until a few years back. Had a great-uncle who had a dry-good store in Natchez. Still have family up in Tallulah, etc.

Northshore is the north side of Lake Ponchartrain, across from New Orleans...

Vidalia...red onions, Jerry Lee, and what's the bible-thumper's name?

[celestia671]

25. Ahh....

Northshore, okay. Sicily Island is about twenty miles from where I live.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

14. Librarians COMPLETELY ROCK...

...standing up for THEIR PRINCIPLES and for OUR RIGHTS...

[MoonGod]

18. Yes, they do...

... my g/f is a librarian, so I should know. ;)

[I AM SPARTACUS]

22. give her a hug from all of us and ask her to pass it on...

...to her colleagues

[MoonGod]

26. I gave her the hug...

... but I don't think she's interested in passing it on... Would you really want to show up at work and hug all your coworkers and say "My b/f told me that some guy on a message board said to do that"? ;)

[I AM SPARTACUS]

15. Email 'em and tell 'em what you think...link at...

http://www.monroe.lib.in.us

[bobthedrummer]

27. The Brown County Public Library has a system

that can be used to check out books using a Wisconsin drivers license.

[anti_shrub]

28. It makes me sad when people don't see straw men.

People who tell these filtering companies to cram it end up being asked why they want kids viewing porn, when in reality the companies who make the filtering software are pushing a right wing agenda that could result in sites like DU getting filtered because a post might contain the word "homosexual".

On edit, in the interest of full disclosure I should confess I work at the library in my college and frequently wear my "Anyone But Bush 2004" shirt to work....

[BiggJawn]

30. That is the ultimate "Straw Man", isn't it? Right from the RNC playbook.

"I'm opposed to internet filtering in public libraries"

"Oh? then you're 'FOR' our kids looking at Porn and the break-down of the Murkan Family, and Sodomite marriage and all that stuff my Pastor says you Liberal Devil-worshippers are for, right?"

And don't try to change their mind with logic, their minds are already made-up on the matter.....