Info in Libraries Research
A friend of mine, Audacia Ray, is doing some great research along with some other researchers in regards to what people can access at public libraries on the internet, including both websites and using search terms. It’s really sad that in many places, things that are put in place to “protect” us then wind up hindering us from finding important information. I remember in High School, the library blocked the term breast as pornographic, so you couldn’t look up breast cancer, or anything about self exams. On the same note, when I was in a class where I had to do a presentation on contraception, and one on Tay-Sachs, I couldn’t find a lot of the information I needed, as many search terms were block.
Many people cannot afford their own computer or internet access in their place, so they use public libraries to ascertain information. By blocking them from getting information about abortion decisions, anal health, and transgender/transsexual identities, we are doing the public a HUGE disservice. Below is information on the study; all you have to do in order to help out is go to your local library, type in www.infoandthelibrary.org and fill out the survey on the site.
I hope if you have a free moment, you participate in this very important research. It’s an easy way to give back and help support sex positivity with very little time and no financial obligation.
-Essin’ Em
We are investigating the use of content filters on public library computers with Internet access. The priority research areas are access to information about sexuality and sexual reproductive health. We need help with this work, and request that people all over the United States visit their local public library and do some simple searches. In places with filters, the items that are filtered are not standard across systems. Filtering today cannot be fine-tuned to exclude only pornographic or violent content rather than health information. For example, in a large east coast city, only the word “anal” seemed to be filtered, which prevented people from gaining access to information about anal cancer as well as any potential sexual content. www.infoandthelibrary.com
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I can speak directly to this, at least a little bit; I work in a public library and have some role in making technology policies.
Because of the 2000 CIPA law, the federal E-Rate funding that is the only reason many libraries HAVE internet connections is contingent on filtering. (At my workplace, for example, E-Rate pays 80% of the T-1 bill.) But librarians pretty much universally HATE IT and fight it tooth and nail as much as possible. At my workplace, for example, we have software that specifically blocks not content type, but IP addresses of individual websites manually added to a list, and, haha, the list is empty! Go go information freedom.
As a general rule: 1.) school libraries have a lot more filtering than public ones – partly because of tighter laws about schools, and partly because in schools librarians are far less likely to have any power over networking policies. 2.) also in general, independent library districts (like mine) have more direct control, and consequently less filtering, than districts where IT policy is created and administered by city/county government rather than by library staff. AND 3.) there’s a hack: in most places where universal filtering is mandated, there’s also a loophole allowing any adult to be provided with an unfiltered connection upon request.
I’m really interested to see where this research goes. The same sort of research has been done extensively within the profession, but outside data and different methodologies=good! :-)
I was about to leave a fairly similar post to Beth’s. I’m studying to be a librarian and have worked in several public libraries. I can guarantee you that while there are still a few aged library workers who feel that even MySpace is evil and should be blocked, the majority of us would love to see filters taken off of publicly used computers.
Speak directly with your library director, your state’s library association and dont forget your local library board. Additionally, if you know of great titles that deal with these issues, request that your library obtain them.
Librarians are put in tough situations everyday with these issues. I respect a parent’s right to monitor what their child is doing however I also respect my young patron’s right to intellectual freedom. Many smaller libraries lack the funding and manpower to fight these issues on their own and can easily succumb to the more vocal and conservative members of the community.
My point is-PLEASE don’t comdemn your library for these actions. As Beth said, its rarely our choice as we would lack funding otherwise (and all libraries are slashing budgets right now).