[NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:2677] NY Times: What Would Dewey Do? Libraries Grapple With Internet

From: Jeff Carter (jcarter@WORLDED.ORG)
Date: Mon Dec 02 2002 - 09:26:11 EST


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From: Jeff Carter <jcarter@WORLDED.ORG>
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Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:2677] NY Times: What Would Dewey Do? Libraries Grapple With Internet
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Today's Times reports on how libraries are struggling to balance their 
mission to provide patrons access to information against the First 
Amendment rights of library patrons.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/02/national/02LIBR.html?todaysheadlines>

I'm always wondering how big of an issue this is in adult education 
programs, especially in library literacy programs. Do you ever have a 
problem with clients accessing potentially inappropriate sites? Do 
clients get offended by sites others are accessing? Do you have 
appropriate use guidelines?

My (limited) experience is that programs generally do not have 
guidelines on appropriate use of the computers/Internet in their 
programs. Is that true? Programs situated in K-12 settings sometimes 
adopt (or are told they are held to) the same guidelines/rules as the 
K-12 students, although I wonder whether rules devised for children 
make sense for adult students.

Another question -- if you work in a public school setting or library 
literacy program, in particular, do you encounter problems due to 
filtering software (software that attempts to block potentially 
offensive sites)? (The Children's Internet Protection Act requires 
public schools and libraries receiving federal money for Internet 
access to block all access to "obscene" material and to block 
children's access to graphic material.)

I'd be really interested in hearing from people on this issue, either 
on the list or off-list.

Jeff


Jeff Carter
World Education
Boston, MA
(617) 482-9485
--------------
e-mail: jcarter@worlded.org
<http://literacytech.worlded.org>
<http://www.worlded.org>



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