It is the policy of the Unity Public Library to:
- Prevent transmission of inappropriate material via the Internet,
- Prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity,
- Prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors, and
- Comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
As required by CIPA, in order to remain eligible for certain federal funding, the Library has implemented a filtering program on all of its Internet-accessible computers. A filter “guards” one or more gateways on the path between the user and available content, and employs some method of selection for permitting or denying access to that content by the user. A filter protects against access to visual depiction of obscenity, child pornography, and materials that are “harmful to minors.”
Parents and guardians should understand that filters limit, but cannot eliminate, a child’s exposure to potentially harmful or undesirable information. Therefore, it is a parent or guardian’s responsibility to monitor and control the Internet usage of minor children. The staff/volunteers cannot act in the place of parents in providing care and supervision of children as they explore the Internet. The responsibility for what minors read or view on the Internet rests with parents or guardians.
The staff/volunteer will temporarily override the filter during use if an adult requests them to do so and there are no minors in close proximity.
If a computer user finds a site that is inadvertently and inappropriately blocked by a filter at the Library, the user may report this site to the staff/volunteer. The Library Director will review this site within one week and determine whether it is actually being actively filtered, and if so, whether it should be and whether to permit access.
The computers are designed for teen and adult use. Some email, social media sites, and chat rooms have an age limit requirement to join. It is a parent or guardian’s responsibility to monitor these accounts or deny access.
Safety for Minors:
The Library is aware of parental and governmental concerns about child safety on the Internet. The Library also cares deeply about children and has put in place policies and procedures to ensure children have a fun and safe experience with technology. There are no computers in the Children’s Room.
The following suggestions for parents, guardians and caregivers are for children’s safety while accessing the Internet:
- Teach your children never to give out their names, addresses, phone numbers or other personal, identifying or family information.
- Make sure your children know never to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another Internet user.
- Promote the safety and security of users by preventing harassment of others, either online or in person.
- Prevent unauthorized access, including so-called ‘hacking’, and other unlawful activities, such as unauthorized copying of copyright-protected material.
- Teach your children to never to respond to messages that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening or make them feel uncomfortable. If you or your children become aware of the transmission, report it to the proper authorities.
- Monitor the websites that your child frequents. Learn about their privacy settings and select levels you’re both comfortable with. For instance, “Information for Parents” about how to manage your child’s Facebook account can be found at https://www.facebook.com/help/parents
The Library does not endorse the viewpoints or vouch for the accuracy of information obtained through the Internet. Individual users must accept responsibility for determining which electronic resources they will access and the relative value of content. Since the Internet is not secure, each user accepts personal and financial responsibility for information transmitted or received. In the case of minors, it is a joint responsibility of the user and the parent or guardian. The Library, unlike schools, does not serve in place of a parent. The Library staff/volunteers cannot act in place of parents by supervising children as they explore the Internet. The responsibility of what minors read or view rests with the parents.
Revised September 30, 2021