Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id gB2He6X12250; Mon, 2 Dec 2002 12:40:06 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2002 12:40:06 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <Springmail.0994.1038850664.0.84964600@webmail.pas.earthlink.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Marguerite Lukes"<mlukes@ix.netcom.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:2680] Re: NY Times: What Would Dewey Do? Libraries Grapple With Internet X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Status: O Content-Length: 3859 Lines: 124 Jeff, Thanks for bringing up this topic and drawing our attention to the article. In some recent work with afterschool programs in NYC, we explored the issue of censorship and filtering through some staff training. Not surprisingly, many of the programs were looking around for filtering software, with the implicit (and unexamined) understanding that they <<needed>> such software. After developing some criteria and critical questions and some hands-on with different filtering programs, most were much more skeptical about the need for filtering in the first place. What seemed to make more sense to them was helping students and staff develop the skills to critically examine sites, including who is the creator, what is the content, and who benefits. Marguerite Lukes Literacy Assistance Center, NYC http://www.lacnyc.org On Mon, 2 Dec 2002 11:11:18 -0500 (EST) Barb Sabaj <bjteach@ameritech.net> wrote: > In the CAI Lab we have at a shopping center, > there is no censorship, but > there are only adults using the systems. > During seminars conducted in other places, I > have encountered labs that have > blocks (Community College systems) and it is > difficult to work in that > environment. Many sites that are blocked are > not really offensive, but the > system filters put in place by the IT > department stop almost any site from > being accessed. > > When it comes to adults, I do not believe in > censorship. I only impress on > the adult learners that they cannot do > anything illegal (Child porn, etc.), > and that they cannot impress their beliefs on > other members of the group nor > expose other members to their sites. No > Favorites places set on the > machines. > The machines in our Center are mainly used for > educational purposes and > accessing learner e-mail. There is little time > for just browsing the Net. > > Barbara Sabaj > District 214 Community Education > bjteach@ameritech.net > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jeff Carter" > To: "Multiple recipients of list" > Sent: Monday, December 02, 2002 8:25 AM > Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:2677] NY Times: What > Would Dewey Do? Libraries > Grapple With Internet > > > > > > 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. > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > >
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