Northern Tier Regional Library Computer
and Internet
Policy
Responding to major advances in technology and to the ever changing informational demands of
the communities we serve, the Northern Tier Regional Library strives to develop collections,
resources, and services that fill their diverse informational, cultural, and recreational needs.
Within this mission we offer access to the Internet.
Displaying material that may be considered obscene or indecent in prohibited. The library staff
will be the sole arbiter of what constitutes unacceptable content. The library staff reserves the
right to end an Internet session at any time. Internet workstations cannot be used for any
fraudulent or unlawful purpose, including any activities prohibited under any applicable Federal,
Pennsylvania or local laws. All Internet workstations are filtered in order to fulfill CIPA
compliance (see CIPA compliance below).
The Internet is a global electronic communication network and information resource. There is no
county, state or federal control of its users or content. The Northern Tier Regional Library does
not attempt to monitor or exercise any control over the information accessed through this
resource, except as defined under CIPA. Not all sources on the Internet provide accurate,
complete, current or high quality information. Some material on the Internet may be considered
controversial. As with all library materials, the determination of viability and usefulness of
resources found on the Internet rests with the individual patron.
A child's access to the Internet, like all other library materials, is the sole responsibility of the
parent or legal guardian and should be supervised accordingly. The library does not have the right
or responsibility to determine the appropriateness of particular resources for any child, however,
the Northern Tier Library prohibits minors from accessing Internet and online sites that contain
or make reference to explicit sexual materials as defined by 18 PA, C.S., Section 5903. Any
minor observed accessing such sites with have their session
terminated.
CIPA COMPLIANCE
1. The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is a federal
law that requires all computers
in a public library to be filtered if that library accepts any federal funds for Internet access
or computers used for Internet access. [Supreme Court decision: United States v.
American Library Ass'n, Inc., No. 02-361 (June 23, 2003)] The Northern Tier Regional
Library Association complies with the requirements of CIPA.
2. All computers in the Northern Tier Library are filtered.
Please be aware that filters are
unreliable, at times blocking sites of legitimate informational or educational value, or
allowing access to sites that are illegal, obscene, or sexually explicit within the meaning
of 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Sec. 5903.
3. The Northern Tier Library uses filtering software that
blocks or filters Internet access to
some Internet sites that may not be consistent with the policy of the Northern Tier
Library.
4. Parents or legal guardians, and not the Library or its
staff, are responsible for monitoring
their children's use of the Internet and for the information selected and/or accessed by
their children. The Library strongly encourages parents or legal guardians to supervise
their children's Internet use and to provide them with guidelines
about acceptable use.
5. The Northern Tier Library's computers cannot be used for any
fraudulent or unlawful
purpose, including any activities prohibited under any applicable federal, Pennsylvania, or
local laws, including activities in violation of 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Sec. 5903, which
prohibits certain acts of public indecency.
6. Any adult (17 years of age or older, as defined by CIPA) may
request that the filter or
technology protection measure be disabled without significant delay by a Northern Tier
Library staff member authorized by the Library Director, consistent with the privacy
policy of the Northern Tier Library.
7. An authorized Northern Tier Library staff member may
override the filter or technology
protection measure for a minor (age 16 or younger, as defined by CIPA) in the event that
the filter wrongly blocks or filters Internet access to a site with legitimate informational
value.
8. The Northern Tier Library cannot be responsible for any
patron's unauthorized use of a
computer with a disabled filter.
9. Complaint Procedure
Any patron who wishes to file a complaint about the filtering software on the library
computers may do so in writing to:
1. The Library Director and/or the Library Board President;
2. The Director of the Electronic Information Network;
3. The Federal Communications Commission.
eiNetwork
Internet Policy