Opposing Filters, Ill. Libraries Prevent Internet Access

Daily News Article — Posted on May 15, 2007

(by Monisha Bansal, CNSNews.com) – Blocking access to the Internet, libraries across Illinois participated in a “Day of Unity” Monday to protest pending state legislation requiring public libraries to install Internet filters designed to block pornography and inappropriate content.

“We know what filters do, and we don’t really see how we can even provide service knowing what filters do,” Jane Schulten, an administrative librarian at the Crete Public Library told Cybercast News Service.

The Crete Public Library is one of at least 10 libraries in Illinois to shut down Internet access Monday.

“We thought it was very important [to block access] because I think people think filters are a black-and-white solution to controlling the Internet,” Schulten said. “As librarians, we’re finding that filters end up blocking a lot of things that are perfectly legitimate and valuable, and we thought that it was important to make people aware of this.”

David Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, said the Internet Screening in Public Libraries Act “helps protect children from viewing obscene and illegal material over the Internet in neighborhood public libraries.”

“Sexually graphic websites — including child pornography — would no longer be able to flood your local public library,” he said. “Internet filtering technology would help clean up communities and protect children and families from being exposed to these harmful and illegal materials in their neighborhood public library.”

The bill passed the state House and is currently before the Illinois Senate’s Rules Committee.

Calling them “little dictators,” Smith said library boards should be held accountable by the taxpayers who fund them. “An overwhelming percentage of parents and law enforcement officials support this common-sense legislation.”

“This is a denial of service to the taxpayer public for an extremist agenda that the public does not support,” said Smith, arguing that filters are 95 percent effective. “I am shocked at the depths they are willing to go to maintain unfettered access to obscene and illegal material, including child pornography and bestiality.”

The Illinois Library Association and the American Library Association strongly oppose the bill and called for the Day of Unity. According to the Illinois Library Day message board, other libraries planned to distribute flyers and petitions to library patrons.

The Illinois Library Association argued that filters don’t work and provide a false sense of security.

“Study after study has demonstrated that filters consistently block important information on science, health, political and social issues and regularly allow objectionable material to get through,” the group said in a statement.

“Paying for filters diverts scarce resources from limited technology budgets — money that could go to buying more computers and paying for more reliable and faster Internet access,” it said.

Smith disagreed, saying “the fact that 21 states now have similar library Internet filtering laws, and that the libraries in these states continue to offer their library patrons Internet access without X-rated websites, is conveniently ignored.”

He also disputed the idea that installing filters would be too costly for public libraries.

“The fact of the matter is that once they filter, they qualify for CIPA [Children’s Internet Protection Act] funds — federal money — at an average of $17,000 per district, which is more than enough.”

But Schulten remained cautious. “I think it’s important that people understand public libraries are under no obligation to provide public Internet access, and if they think they are being cut off today, they should be very aware of what will happen if filters are installed,” she said.