http://connectinglibrarian.com/2006/05/10/internet-access-in-public-libraries-and-filtering/ Connecting new ideas and technologies with library service Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:50:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 http://connectinglibrarian.com/2006/05/10/internet-access-in-public-libraries-and-filtering/#comment-32 Deb Fri, 26 May 2006 02:24:00 +0000 http://connectinglibrarian.com/?p=30#comment-32 I too was a staunch opponent to filtering - UNTIL - we opened the youth library. Under some pressure I acceeded to installing Cybersitter. Cybersitter actually seems to allow medical sites through and block porn sites without any problems at all. We can also black list particular sites, or white list sites that the filter is blocking that we think are OK. Believe me, freeing us up from constantly monitoring a room full of teenagers is more than enough compensation for any little niggles we have had with the filter. I was so impressed I had the filter installed on all the library's Internet PCs. At the time we also did a check of the computer's recent history and found many many instances of very unsavoury sites being accessed presumably in full public view - and presumably by adults.So you could say I'm a convert to filters - they're really not that big a deal in terms of freedom of information imho. I too was a staunch opponent to filtering - UNTIL - we opened the youth library. Under some pressure I acceeded to installing Cybersitter. Cybersitter actually seems to allow medical sites through and block porn sites without any problems at all. We can also black list particular sites, or white list sites that the filter is blocking that we think are OK. Believe me, freeing us up from constantly monitoring a room full of teenagers is more than enough compensation for any little niggles we have had with the filter. I was so impressed I had the filter installed on all the library’s Internet PCs. At the time we also did a check of the computer’s recent history and found many many instances of very unsavoury sites being accessed presumably in full public view - and presumably by adults.So you could say I’m a convert to filters - they’re really not that big a deal in terms of freedom of information imho.

]]>