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HOUSTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
ON-LINE USE POLICY - February 2008
Welcome to the Houston County Public Library’s Public Access to databases including Internet. This access enables us to fulfill our mission to serve as a major information center for the community by providing educational, recreational, and informational materials, programs, and services.
The Internet is an important resource enabling library users to access information beyond the system’s own collection. In addition to the library’s homepage that highlights general information about the library, other links give patrons access to Internet sites of current and ongoing interest. Information links on the Internet change rapidly and unpredictably, so sites may become unavailable without notice. Because not all sources on the Internet provide accurate, complete, or current information, patrons are advised to use information from the Internet at their own risk. The library does not warrant or guarantee the reliability or truthfulness of information obtained from the Internet. The library shall have no liability for direct, indirect, or consequential damages related to use of information accessed via the Internet from library equipment.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF USERS
All Internet resources accessible through the library are provided equally to all users. There is no age limit for use of any material via our Internet services. Patrons under 18 whose parents have given them signed permission have access to the same resources as adults. It is the library’s policy that parents or legal guardians must assume responsibility for deciding what resources are appropriate for their children.
Since the Internet is an unregulated and rapidly changing medium; it is possible to intentionally or inadvertently find material that is offensive or disturbing to some users. All public and staff computers are equipped with software that is designed to block access to sites that contain visual depictions and/or information which is unlawful, which may reasonably be construed as being obscene, child pornography or materials “harmful to minors” as currently defined by law or outside the scope of the library’s collection. CIPA and the Neighborhood Children’s Internet Protection Act (NCIPA) were passed on December 15, 2000. CIPA places restrictions on the use of funding available to public and school libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act, Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the E-rate Universal Service discount programs. The Act requires Internet safety policies and technology protection measures which block or filter certain materials from being accessed through the internet. Our filtering system meets the requirements for CIPA, and our filtering hardware/software is supplied and administered by the Georgia Public Library Services through the Board of Regents. Despite these provisions, customers may still encounter sites they find personally offensive. For this reason, patrons must assume responsibility for their own use of the Internet.
There will be some resources that are inappropriate for children. Parents should let their children know if there are materials that they do not want them to use. Parents should supervise their child’s Internet sessions. Parents are urged to read Child Safety on the Information Highway at http://www.safekids.com/child_safety.htm, (1-800-843-5678) that was jointly produced by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Interactive Services Association .
RULES
The Internet stations at the Houston County Library are solely designed to access the resources known as the World Wide Web. The library will not provide electronic mail accounts; however, you may access your e-mail account from another source. These internet stations cannot be used for chat rooms or the playing of games. All Internet computer use will cease 15 minutes before the library closes.
Individual use of the Internet computers will be limited to two (2) hours per day per patron. Individual use of the Internet stations will be limited to a period of one hour if others are waiting. A person must relinquish his or her right at the computer after an hour if others are waiting. Due to space limitations, no more than two individuals may be at a computer at a time.
Downloading of material from the World Wide Web must be made to a floppy disk or USB drive. All disks will be scanned before being used in the library’s machines. Library computers do not have CD burners. Downloading anything directly to one of the library’s computers will result in ALL Internet privileges being taken away. Printing material from the Internet carries a charge of 15 cents per page.
Attaching any foreign device other than a flash drive or USB storage device to a library computer is forbidden.
As with all library materials, the library may not agree with all of the content found in the various sites on the Internet. Responsible use of the Internet includes the following:
- Using resources for educational, informational and recreational purposes only; not for unauthorized, illegal or unethical purposes;
- Respecting the privacy of others by not misrepresenting oneself as another user; by not attempting to modify or gain access to files, passwords or data belonging to others; by not seeking unauthorized access to any computer system, or damaging or altering software components of any network or database;
- Making only authorized copies of copyrighted or licensed software or data;
- “Minor” is a person under 18 years of age. O. C. G. A. x16-12-102(3).
- “Harmful to minors” is defined as per current Georgia law, O.C.G.A. x 16-12-102.
- “Obscene” is defined under Georgia law, O.C.G.A.x 16-12-80.
- “Child pornography” is defined under federal and/or state law (18 U.S.C.x2256; O.C.G.A.x1 6-12-100)
Children under the age of 18 MUST have parental permission to use any Internet station and parents should stay in the area of the computers for any child under the age of 12. Parents and/or guardians are responsible for monitoring the use of email by their minor children. Children under the age of 18 who do not have parental permission to use the Internet may not sit at an Internet station with another Internet user.
Users should not use internet services to acquire, display or print pornographic materials. Georgia law prohibits display of materials harmful to minors in places frequented by minors. Library staff will determine if something is offensive to others. This also includes the use of profanity, obscenity, or other language that may be offensive to another user.
Public library computers are neither private nor secure.
Users are financially responsible for any charges that they may incur from their use of the Internet.
Users should exercise extreme caution about revealing any personal identification information (such as name, address, telephone number, email, social security number, age, or credit card number.) The library’s access to the Internet does not have encryption capabilities. Therefore, any information that you send via the Internet at the library is not encoded or secure.
Minors should NEVER disclose any personal identification information over the Internet.
Library staff will attempt to assist patrons in the proper use of the Internet but the staff may not always be able to give assistance to patrons. The staff will not be available for a long period of time to get you started—no longer than five (5) minutes at the most. The expertise of the staff will vary from person to person.
Although the library does not provide direct links to sources known to contain computer viruses, this will not completely protect users’ computers from viruses. Software downloaded from the Internet may contain a virus and users need to have virus-checking software on their computers.
Macon State College provides and maintains eight (8) Internet computers at the Nola Brantley Memorial Library in Warner Robins for the use of their students. For more information, please read Procedures for MSC Students.
Definitions:
Revised February 2008
Download On-Line Use Policy 