Library Plan Out To Snuff Internet Porn

Fri., Feb. 20, 1998

Luke Timmerman Staff writer

The tangled debate surrounding Internet censorship has descended on the Spokane County Library District.

Library trustees are drafting a policy that will make it tough for Web users to access pornography. The board is expected to vote on a plan at its March 19 meeting.

On Thursday, a standing-room-only crowd of about 35 told the trustees they weren’t happy with the district’s initial plan to exempt itself from monitoring Internet users or installing filtering software such as NetNanny.

Several people in the audience said the risks of exposing children to pornography outweigh the educational benefits of the Web.

“Censorship is a way of losing freedom, but a way of gaining integrity,” said Sue Welch. “We need to take a stand on bringing integrity to our library.”

Board members said they’re worried that filtering software might block appropriate material such as Louisa May Alcott’s classic “Little Women,” which some people consider offensive or questionable.

Others said filtering software might not prevent obscenities or pornography from seeping through anyway.

“While the Internet is a wonderful source of information for both children and adults, the unrestricted availability of hard core and soft core pornography creates a problem for libraries,” said Penny Lancaster, a second grade teacher at Opportunity Elementary.

Using $23,000 from a 1996 bond issue, the nine branch libraries will purchase a total of 16 to 21 new terminals in the spring.

Spokane’s city libraries do not use filtering software to weed out potentially offensive content, but do use a signup sheet and require users to sign a statement that they won’t access material that may be “offensive, disturbing, and/or illegal.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MONITORS The library will provide access only to the World Wide Web. Chat rooms, use-groups and e-mail will be excluded. The new computers also will be placed in areas easily viewed by librarians.

This sidebar appeared with the story: MONITORS The library will provide access only to the World Wide Web. Chat rooms, use-groups and e-mail will be excluded. The new computers also will be placed in areas easily viewed by librarians.

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