The Illinois Prairie District Public Library recognizes that the Internet and other electronically accessed information enhances the library’s print and nonprint collections and therefore is a legitimate source of information which benefits users. The Library offers computers for public access to the Internet according to the following rules.
1. Sources on the Internet may or may not be reliable. Some sources are subject to high standards of reliability and provide legitimate, factual data. Other sources may be nothing more than the opinions of whoever constructed a web site. Patrons must use caution when accessing Internet information. Unlike printed sources, Internet sources are not necessarily subject to editing standards. The Library assumes no responsibility for the reliability of Internet sources.
2. Internet sources also vary widely in appropriateness. Some are not appropriate for children. Others are simply not appropriate for anyone. In the case of juvenile users, it is the parents’ responsibility to determine the appropriate material. Librarians cannot act in place of parents. The Library assumes no responsibility for the material that a user displays on the computer screen. The Library can assume no responsibility for privacy or confidentiality while the user is at the Internet terminal.
3. Simply because the Library provides access to the Internet it should not be implied that the Library endorses any of the contents of the Internet. Internet material may be offensive, questionable, or controversial.
4. The Library is not responsible for damages, direct or indirect, arising from a patron’s use of Internet resources.
5. The Library’s Internet access may not be used for illegal purposes.
6. Library staff will provide only a minimum of training or assistance in Internet usage. Assistance will primarily consist of insuring that the user is connected to the home page of the Library’s Internet provider and can maneuver from one address to another.
7. Internet sessions are limited to 30 minutes. Users may register for up to three sessions per day. A user may continue using the Internet beyond the end of his session as long as there is no one else waiting to use it.
8. All users are required to sign a use agreement before they are allowed to access the Internet through the Library’s computer. Users under the age of 10 are required to obtain parental permission before they are allowed to access the Internet.
9. Use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of this privilege. Examples of inappropriate use include, but are not limited to, the following:
Violation of computer system integrity.
Unauthorized tampering with computer hardware or software. Violation of software license agreements and copyright laws. Violation of another user’s privacy.
Use of Internet access for illegal purposes. Unauthorized monitoring of electronic communications. Libeling or slandering other Internet users.
Intentionally sending, receiving, or displaying text or graphics which may reasonably be construed as obscene.
10. The Internet Use Policy will be under constant evaluation, to be formally reviewed on an annual basis.