Internet Use Policy

Internet Use Policy and Common Sense Web Use Guidelines

updated 02/27/2007

The World Wide Web is a vast, chaotic, and unregulated electronic publishing network. Patrons may find a great deal of new, useful, original, and enriching material on the Web. They may also find material that is inaccurate, outdated, or offensive.

The Library provides Internet computer terminals primarily for educational and research purposes. Terminals are not for viewing pornography. The Library does not provide email or telnet service, although users may access webmail accounts via library terminals.

Due to the fundamentally insecure nature of public computer networks, the Library does not recommend the use of its terminals for online shopping, ordering merchandise, or electronic banking. The Library does not prohibit these activities, but: (1) does not ensure the provision of secure connections to support them; (2) does not provide support or troubleshooting for any electronic financial transaction; and (3) is not liable for these personal financial transactions.

The Library expects that users of this service will respect the rights of other users of Curtis Memorial Library and the World Wide Web.

The Library requires that users not use this connection to:

· engage in any illegal activity,
· invade the privacy of, or harass, libel, or slander others,
· intentionally expose others (especially children) to material they may find disturbing,
· intentionally reconfigure or disrupt computer systems at this library or elsewhere,
· illegally duplicate copyrighted material, or
· connect to services which will result in the library's receiving a bill.

Curtis Memorial Library has no control over, and is not responsible for, the quality or accuracy of the information they may find at sites other than the library's own web pages. Most of the pages that the Library has created are identified with the library logo.

The Library shares the concern of parents regarding their children’s use of electronic resources The Library supervises computers in the children's area in order to guide children to materials best suited to their needs, and, as elsewhere in the Library, online chat is not allowed on computers in the children's area. These measures are designed to restrict the access to materials considered harmful to minors. However, parents are ultimately responsible for setting standards and establishing guidelines for their own children.

The Library affirms the privacy rights of adults and minors in the use of Library resources. The Library does not disseminate, electronically or otherwise, any information concerning any borrower, unless specifically required to under the terms of the USA Patriot Act.

Ultimately it is up to library patrons, including the parents of minors using the Library, to judge the value and merit of the material they encounter on the World Wide Web.