Internet Filters

The article, All or Nothing: Hardly the Facts, discusses the lawsuit of Sarah Bradburn et al. v. North Central Regional Library District. “The suit alleges that the library violated the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights by refusing to disable Internet filters at the request of adult patrons.”(Oliver, Pinnell-Stephens, Jones, 2011)

This article made me think about my stance on internet filtering. I am somewhat torn about filtered internet. On one hand, I am all about not filtering, because I want people to be able to have access to everything that they want, regardless if I feel it may or may not be a moral topic. I can see the other side of the argument as well when it comes to children. Children under 18 would be able to access explicit sites if filters were not involved. Since 18 is a law in order to have access to most explicit material, then I do agree with internet filters for minors. However, once again I am torn about letting everyone regardless of age have access to everything, because internet filters are not 100% accurate at filtering out just the explicit things. Since this is a law, I am inclined to follow it.

I like having the ability to unblock sites if the filter blocked a certain site that should not have been blocked, or if an adult is requesting a site to be accessible.

What do you think of internet filters? Do you think that they are a good idea and have a place within libraries?

Oliver, K., Pinnell-Stephens, J., & Jones, B. (2011). All or Nothing: Hardly the Facts. Library Journal, 136(1), 42-43. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Week 2 Blog: Book Challenges in Canada

The library that I work for subscribes to the Intellectual Freedom Newsletter. It is published by the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee.

The particular issue that I was looking at this week is from the January 2011 edition. The first article was titled, "Increase Reported in Canadian Library Book Challenge." The article speaks about challenges from 2006-2009 that were reported in public libraries. An annual survey is conducted by the Canadian Library Association Advisory Committee on Intellectual Freedom.  In 2006, there were 31 challenge reports. In 2009, there were 139 challenge reports!

The article mentions that the most challenged author reported in Canadian libraries, in 2009, was Charlaine Harris. The picture book, "And Tango Makes Three" has been on the challenge list every year since 2006. I think it is interesting that a picture book has been on the challenge list for three consecutive years!

The article also mentions the reason that the number of challenged books increased was because entire series of novels were being challenged instead of single books. I think that this is a valid reason for the number of increasing challenged books over the years. One of the series that was mentioned was Cecily von Ziegesar’s “Gossip Girl,” which includes 15 titles.  

I think that 139 reported challenges is a very low number. I think that there are a lot of challenges that are not serious enough to be reported, or they are settled prior to needing to report the challenge.

ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, Initials. (2011). Increase reported in a Canadian library book challenges. Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom, 1, 1-36.