Case Study: Internet Use Guidelines

Feb. 10, 2001

Problem

You are the director of a college library and you recently received a grant for new computers and better Internet access. Your institution's President has just directed you to restrict access to certain information from your library's computers because of "concerns with pornography and other inappropriate use." How do you respond?

Response

In this study, I am assuming a small college library in a public or private (non-sectarian) institution - the case might be quite different in a religious college. I would first ask the President for a more detailed explanation of her or his concerns. What are the policies of the institution? Where does he or she expect the pressure to come from? What are his or her personal concerns? The stakeholders include the college administration and Board of Trustees, students, faculty and staff, alumni, public and community supporters, grant makers for the new purchases, and state government if a public institution. Each will have differing ideas about the issue, with students, faculty and staff being the least likely to support restrictions. The grant-making organization, if different from the college, may have placed restrictions in the grant that need to be followed; I am assuming that no filtering guidelines were attached to the grant since the President has only now brought up the issue.

In a college setting, the vast majority of users will be over 18 and unless the college has a policy of acting in loco parentis, the purpose of the library will be to provide the freest possible access to research information to students and faculty. Does the college support freedom of information and inquiry for both faculty and students? As a librarian, I won't willingly support restrictions on accessing protected information and believe in the responsibility of individuals to respect granted rights. A number of ALA documents back this position, including the Library Bill of Rights, Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights, Questions and Answers: Access to Electronic Information, and Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks.

I have a number of options, some better than others.

• Most useful:
  • Educate stakeholders about the purpose of the library in the college setting; what measures are being taken to encourage use of machines for academic purposes; and also about freedom of information.
  • Install programs that default the browser to a blank screen at the end of user's session.
  • Develop, with the help of faculty, a required workshop for students that helps them learn Internet searching techniques and include information about how to avoid porn on the Web with education on advertising and tricks of the porn site operators (including browser hijacking).
• Somewhat useful:
  • Develop "acceptable use" policy noting that computer resources are limited and primary use should be for research (email, chat, word-processing and other functions aren't appropriate)
  • Disable (or remove) disk drives on Internet machines. In fact, being a foresighted administrator, I might have chosen to purchase Internet appliances rather than full-blown PCs, thereby allowing more machines to be installed.
  • Post signs advising patrons that unacceptable use may result in loss of library privileges (linked to the college's honor code).
• Less useful:
  • Install filtering software for all public terminals
  • Enforce a "no pornography rule" and patrol terminals
  • Keep log of sites visited by user (in conjunction with user sign-ups) and contact students when "inappropriate" use has been noted

No matter what options taken (including doing nothing), not everyone will be happy. The risks of not filtering/censoring are much likely much less at a college library than in a public library since child protection will not be an issue. Even "acceptable use" policies can have a chilling effect on freedom of information because of the force of the institution; for students, the result might be greater effort toward flaunting rules than if they aren't posted. "Acceptable use" must be broad enough that they don't discourage legitimate research. Geoffrey Nunberg (2001), in a recent article, notes that "'[t]ap on the shoulder' policies put librarians in the dubious position of having to police their patrons' Web use. What's more, monitoring policies are likely to inhibit young people from using the Web to find answers to their questions about topics like safe sex, suicide, homosexuality, or other areas of concern that they might have reasons for concealing from parents, teachers, or librarians."

Education is the best strategy for all stakeholders - and after all, my library is part of an educational instutution. I would expect to reach an understanding with the college administration based on the purpose of the college and of the library; unless they are buckling under to "public pressure," they will support my efforts to provide the best resources for our students and faculty.

References

American Library Association. (1996, Jan. 24). Interpretation of Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved March 12, 2001 from http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/electacc.html

American Library Association. (1948; rev. 1996, Jan. 23). Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved March 12, 2001 from www.ala.org/work/freedom/lbr.html

American Library Association. (1997, Jan. 5; rev. 2000, Nov. 17). Questions and answers: access to electronic information. Retrieved March 12, 2001 from www.ala.org/work/freedom/lbr.html

Nunberg, G. (2001, January 1-15). The Internet Filter Farce. The American Prospect, 12. Retrieved March 12, 2001, from www.prospect.org/print/V12/1/nunberg-g.html