Internet Filtering in Public Libraries

The Canadian Librarian Association
The Canadian Library Association has a discussion page regarding Internet access in public libraries, with embedded links to further papers and discussions that inform their position. These include the association's position papers on Internet access, intellectual freedom, and its statement on information and telecommunication access principles. The CLA's position highlights education, leadership, limited restrictions, and parental and institutional responsibility.

The American Library Association
The American Library Association's 1997 resolution on Internet filtering is a little dated given all that has transpired since then, but it provides a good background for the ongoing Supreme Court debate on the subject. Recent developments on the subject can be found at http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/

inet Toolbox
This Calgary-based toolbox site provides links and resources concerning Internet filtering, Internet filtering rating systems, censorship criteria, and software vendors. The site offers access to discussion forums, organisational position papers, legal analysis, and product evaluation.

PICS from the World Wide Web Consortium
The World Wide Web Consortium has developed the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) as a method of providing metadata labels that accompany Internet content. The site provides the technical standards necessary for usage, a list of compatible services and products, examples of innovative usage, and resources for software developers. It goes further, however, and provides a discussion forum for PICS issues, responses to PICS by users, and access to a number of articles concerning the subject.

Filtering the Internet in American Public Libraries: Sliding Down the Slippery Slope
This article, written by Jeanette Allis Bastian and published in the online journal First Monday, examines the issue of Internet filtering in American public libraries. Bastian concludes that libraries cannot deny responsibility for the information they provide access to. Historically, the librarian's role is one of selection and adjudication, and a degree of control over Internet access will likely be necessary.

InfoPeople
The InfoPeople organisation is focused on improved public Internet access through training for library personnel. While much of the site's focus is local (California), it does provide a wealth of links on topics such as computer training, web development, and Internet usage and evaluation, particularly in public libraries. Its "Search Tools" and "How to…" guides are valuable resources.

Internet Content Rating Association
The Internet Content Rating Association is an "international, independent organization that empowers the public, especially parents, to make informed decisions about electronic media by means of the open and objective labeling of content. ICRA's dual aims are to protect children from potentially harmful material and to protect free speech on the internet." The site offers some basic information regarding filtering and offers a number of downloads, including an Internet filter, a tool for labeling your site, and a watermark generator to protect and trace images.

Censorship on the Internet
This is a bibliography of articles regarding "Censorship on the Internet" provided by librarian Marian Dworaczek, Head of Technical Services at the University of Saskatchewan. Many of the entries include hyperlinks to the articles, which allowing easy investigation and access to qualified resources.