LILBURN GA (Library of the Year 2000)
Today I was at the library and was walking by the internet users (they are in two rows in the center of our library and a glance away from the libraians) and could not believe what I saw a man looking at!! This was nothing but pure porn. He then went to another stand up computer that could be seen from all over and was looking at nude women. When I go into a library I do not want to nor do I want children subjected to seeing nude womens body parts in suggestive poses!!!!

This was right around 3pm when school children were coming in.

I filled out a comment card and the librarian asked if there was something I needed. I not only told her but also pointed the man out (and you could see across the room his screen). She sat there smiled, nodded her head and said hum. That just REALLY made me mad that I stood there and told her what was wrong , showed her the guy and she just SAT there smiling, nodding and humming!!!!!!!

I have not been here for a few years since the last time I was here, maybe 2 years ago, this happened.
I would rather go and buy a needed book.

YES, it is a public place and I can choose to go back, buy I do pay taxes and my taxes allow these sick people to view this.

ARG!!

I am hoping that I am contact by someone at the library.

Is there nothing that the library can do?

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OMG..I would think the libarian would asked him to leave!! This is not the first time I heard men doing this at the libary. They should put up some sign warning anyone who views porngraphic material would be asked to leave.."plain & simple" The libary should be a safe family friendly enviroment for everyone to enjoy..

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I thought that libraries had those filters to stop porn from being viewed!
I think they SHOULD have them.

oh, I can so relate. I went to a public library in Sanford, FL and passed by a man on a library computer. He was viewing a naked woman, who was tied up, and a man was stabbing her ! I was shocked ! There was 2 young teen girls nearby him too. disgusting.

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My best advice is write a letter to your local newspaper, mention things like children and porn and pedofiles (sp? ). The pen is mightier than the sword, get to writin' gal. I also wanted to add, make sure you get the librarian's name ( you know the humming smiling one nodding in acknowledgment) ........ make sure you send a copy to all your newspapers, the tv stations, your mayor, and congressional rep (as libraries get an awful lot of federal money). I have done this before and once you set the wheels in motion on this you will see results quickly. I always start at the top with my letter writing, I find out who works for whom, and so on, until I am at the top of the chain, I send the letter to top and all the way down, and that stink shows up real quick at the bottom of the hill. GL Dawn

ILOVEMYCHURCH, I am shocked that your library does not have filters in place. Our libraries around here have such strong filters that if I access a page where there's an ad for Viagra, I automatically am shut off from the Web for 2 minutes! Needless to say when I have to use the library's public computers, I think twice before going to a new website! Concerning your librarian, definitely some action should have been taken. That is just outrageous!

I can't believe she just sat there!! That happend one time with me when I had my 3 year old their with me.. I made a scene. our little library only has 5 computers and they are rightr next to each other with no screen. the other 4 computers had kids on them from an afterschool program.. I embarassed him and he left.

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

While I completely understand you being upset- Librarians are not legally empowered to determine obscenity. What is obscene to you, may not be obscene to the next person. The man is not 'sick'- he enjoys looking at pornography. Although you may find it disgusting, some find it arousing.

With that said, Three and a half years ago, the Supreme Court upheld the requirement that any public libraries who wish to keep receiving federal funds must install internet filters on their computers to keep people from viewing porn.

While I do not agree with that choice, it was made. You may want to contact your local congressman to see what he is doing to uphold that decison.

Right or wrong, one must question the appropriateness of "finding it arousing" in a public library. My personal opinion is that it's highly inappropriate to view pornography in any setting, most especially a public place where there are children roaming about.

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"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas

Why don't we all drop a note to your mayor and let him know that we know that this guys has a right to watch porn but that the public library should not be the place where he executes this right.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geut1ngq...oflilburn.com/

at our little local library, there is signs saying you can not view porn. but at the big city library, you can walk in there about any time that teen age boys are there and there is a bunch of them looking at porn. there is probably 30 pcs there and they gather on all of them and look at trash sites. they are aloowed to be on the pc a hr but if no one is waiting, they can sit there all day of they want and look at porn. these kids are over 18 so the head librarian says she cant do nothing about it. but the main problem is anyone can walk by and see it and alot of times you will find the guy looking at porn and a kid under 18 sitting in a chair behind him so he can see the pc.

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I am the head librarian in our small town library. We are in an area that is not incorporated (we have no town hall, police, etc.), so we have joined up with the sherriff's dept. and they help us by supporting the filters that we have. The sherriff's office is in the same building that we are, so it is easy for them to support us. They will come through with a phone call when someone is viewing anything that might be offensive like porn. Most of the time, they just walk through and make it known that they are there. We had one gentleman looking at hard porn who quickly logged off and left because the sherriff walked through.

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I would contact a local newspaper or TV station about it. Tell them the local library is allowing porn to be shown to children on their computers.

The advise above is good as well.

That said, I remember when I went to my library YEARS ago and they were not going to be getting a copy of Madonna's "Sex" book. I asked why and the librarian said "it wasn't deemed appropriate". That REALLY bothered me! I don't think the library should be able to deem the approriateness of one book over another. It was not a book of porn. It was naked pictures. I have read worse (and a lot more graphic) sex scene passages in a romance novel . I have seen art books in the library more graphic than the Madonna book! So like said above, what one person deems appropriate, another will not and the line is a hard one to figure out. I am not advocating the behavior of viewing porn and do think libraries should have filters (or at least an adult only section if the computer can access porn).

Maybe contact a local mom's group and protest in from of the library?

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Isn't that what is SO great about our beautiful country? You have an opinion, and a right to express it- whether verbally, with the written word or in photgraphy.

I despise censorship, and think it goes against what our forefathers fought so vehemently to protect. Our U.S. Constitution allows for freedom of speech for EVERYONE. Not just those with whom we agree or deem 'appropriate'

Voltaire is quoted as saying 'I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.'

Do I want my children looking at pornography during story time at the library? Absolutely not- so while I agree that there should be some sort of privacy screen for people that choose to view such material in a GOVERNMENT funded place- I do not condemn them for doing so. What's the answer? I don't know. Perhaps remove internet access from libraries? Sounds silly, I know. However, what is to stop the guy next to you from thinking that a website devoted to coupons is offensive? Where does that bring us? Back to my original statement- freedom of expression must be supported in all cases.

Thank you for finding this information out.
My friend and neighbor has volunteered at that location for many years and now works at another branch so I am waiting for her to answer my questions before I contact anyone.
I would also like to get the name of the librarian that was there yesterday as well.

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I wholeheartedly agree with shamrockgreen7 and yngsto6!

Write your local newspapers, tv stations, mayor, State Representative, State Senator, U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator and also send a copy of the letter to the library. They should have some kind of filters in place on public computers to filter out the porn.

Who would want their 12, 13 or 14 year old child sitting next to someone who is getting "aroused" by openly looking at pornography in plain view of everyone around. I don't know any libraries that keep copies of Penthouse, Playboy or Hustler for the patrons to peruse, so why should they be allowed to view it on the computers? I'm not saying that everybody that enjoys looking at pornography is "sick," but, that is something that should be done in private and not around children and in a public place. I can imagine that this would be a great way for a pedophile to watch and see if any particular children are curious about what he or she is looking at and then approach them.

I also agree with sexysmurf and while I don't advocate the behavior of viewing porn either and think that libraries should have filters too, maybe there should be a private area where ADULTS only can view this material if they choose. My problem/concern is that it is out in the open where children can see it.

My daughter is only 6 months old, but I would be outraged if something like this happened to us a few years down the road.

Good luck with getting this taken care of.

That is disgusting. It's one thing to view it in the privacy of the home but it's pretty sad when it's out for all to see. I would do what most others have suggested---make it known that you do not think it's appropriate. Personally I think that we are on this slippery slope---if viewing porn in public libraries is allowed (and we are supposed to accept it ) then who knows what is next.

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UPDATE

This is what my neighbor who works there said:
(I will wait to see what reply I get from the Branch manager and go from there)

Robin,

This is a problem that Gwinnett Public Library struggles with and frequently gets comments and complaints about. It's a fine line between censorship and protecting the children. We do have filters primarily based upon the federal law, CIPA, Children's Internet Protection Act. However there are web sites that are not defined as porn, such as My Space and others where individuals can post their own personal "porn" so to speak. Shortly there will be privacy screens on the PCs near the children's area and may be provided for all PCs in the future.

Sooooo, to answer your question, the library staff doesn't have the right to shut it off unless it's in violation of CIPA and that should be taken care of by the filters. When you get the reply from the Lilburn Branch manager, if you are not satisfied, write to the Library Board. They have the power to change the rules. On the web site, www.gwinnettpl.org, click on About the Library, and then GCPL Library Board. There is a list of all the board members and an email address for the board. I'm told they like to hear what the patrons have to say.

Sorry to hear that the customer service is not very good at Lilburn. At the Norcross branch customer service is a top priority. I know Norcross branch is out of your way since the Lilburn branch is right between Mary-Margaret's school and home, but come in sometime.

__________________
John 14:1
GO GATORS!!
GO BEARS!!
Check out my pictures!! Just click below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gotjenks/

I work in a library. We have filters on the computers that are out in the main public areas. We have a small computer room for adults over 18 that is unfiltered. An adult could view pornography if they wanted in that area but at least minors wouldn't be exposed to it. Most people that go in the room are not looking at porn though.

Perhaps your library needs to have a couple of computers put off to the side of the room with a room divider or something. We may not be able to get around the censorship thing, but it is just wrong to be exposing children to that sort of thing.

Let your views be known. I am surprised that the librarian didn't have something to say about the situation such as explaining why it was allowed or what you can do about it. No one in working my library would be comfortable with it, especially out in the open like that.

Donna

I actually called someone on this at work a few days ago. I work for a host, so while I do see enough adult sites while doing my job, it's not something I tend to linger over, or even view if I don't have to. In my case, asking why every time I walked past someone's desk I saw someone's butt or vulva seemed to do the trick. In a public place I think I'd be inclined to do the same. If revealing a certain body part on a person is inappropriate in a certain situation, showing a jpeg of the same part generally isn't appropriate either.

Most libraries have filters and policies that prohibit porn. I seriously suggest you contact someone other than one of the librarians.

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