Re: The Library Privacy Act and restrictions on access by minors

[David McCauslin]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Ogden <jogden@merit.edu>
To: mjus@merit.edu <mjus@merit.edu>; mjts@merit.edu <mjts@merit.edu>;
minwg-share@merit.edu <minwg-share@merit.edu>
Date: Tuesday, July 07, 1998 8:47 AM
Subject: The Library Privacy Act and restrictions on access by minors


>On 7/1/98 HB 5982 was introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives
>and referred to the Committee on Advanced Technology and Computer
>Development. The bill amends "The library privacy act" to explicitly allow
>a library board to restrict access of minors to obscene or pornographic
>material over the Internet. A portion of the bill is included below. The
>entire bill is available on the Web at:
>    http://www.michiganlegislature.org/
>
While I think it is nice that they thought of the pornographic issues this
time, I wonder why they would include Sec. 6 (B) that states they will
reserve 1 or more terminals that are not restricted.
Personally, I do not think that would go over very well in our library here.
On a similar note, I was contacted by Rep. Lingg Brewer, regarding H.B.
5964 - they will be working on an addendum that protects at least the K-12
environment from the limitations imposed by that bill.  I told him my views
on that, and the danger that schools would have if the kids could not be
monitored.
So, we may be making progress.

David W. McCauslin
Technology Director
Cheboygan Area Schools