The Lifeguard
Same Tune. Different Library.
There is an echo in the library. This time the refrain is sung by the interim Helena, Montana library director Becky Foster.
Wait a minute, that sounds vaguely familiar. Oh yes, Laura Mitchell a city librarian in Escondido, CA. said almost the same thing back in February:
One would think they were reading from the same playbook. Well, they are. The playbook is published by the American Library Association (ALA). You can't read it directly now, the ALA says it is "Under Revision", but it was there just a few weeks ago. The misdirection of bogus "breast cancer" and "Essex, England" examples to feed the press or concerned parents just in case anyone questioned the reason for not blocking porn in the PUBLIC library.
Back to Helena. The oh-so-concerned ALA tutored librarian had more to say about her deep concern for children exposed to porn in a PUBLIC library:
Did she actually say "But we can't tell kids what to do or not to do?" I thought that is exactly what rules were for. Doesn't the library have a rule about shouting or raising a ruckus? How about a rule banning weapons inside the library? Making such an absurd statement is shameful, but unfortunately that attitude is very common in our public library systems. The answer to Mr. Pennington's question is that the library system is failing. Just ask the good people in Vacaville, CA.
Read more about Helena's library echo here.
To recognize a librarian's weasel words, see:"The Basics of Child Safe Internet Surfing" point 7, here at The Lifeguard.
"We do not filter the Internet access here because the filters do not work," Foster says. "Adults have a right to look at anything not pornographic." Apparently, trying to Google the word "breast" — with the intention of looking for information on "breast cancer" — can run afoul of Internet filters. [emphasis added]
Wait a minute, that sounds vaguely familiar. Oh yes, Laura Mitchell a city librarian in Escondido, CA. said almost the same thing back in February:
"Other programs block "key words," but many library officials nationwide object to them because they also block access to informational Web sites on various topics, such as breast cancer. [emphasis added]
One would think they were reading from the same playbook. Well, they are. The playbook is published by the American Library Association (ALA). You can't read it directly now, the ALA says it is "Under Revision", but it was there just a few weeks ago. The misdirection of bogus "breast cancer" and "Essex, England" examples to feed the press or concerned parents just in case anyone questioned the reason for not blocking porn in the PUBLIC library.
Back to Helena. The oh-so-concerned ALA tutored librarian had more to say about her deep concern for children exposed to porn in a PUBLIC library:
... public librarians aren't babysitters. "We want to make it a great experience," Foster says. "But we can't tell kids what to do or not to do."
But not having a policy doesn't sit quite right with parent Joe Pennington. After his daughter became upset at others' porn use, Pennington and other parents asked for action.
"My thoughts are they have to do something," says Pennington, a two-time Democratic candidate for the Legislature from Elliston. "What happened happened, but we can stop it from happening again."
... "One thing I'd like people to know is: Do you know that your child has access to pornography?" Pennington says. "I didn't know. Did I fail or is the system failing?" [emphasis added]
But not having a policy doesn't sit quite right with parent Joe Pennington. After his daughter became upset at others' porn use, Pennington and other parents asked for action.
"My thoughts are they have to do something," says Pennington, a two-time Democratic candidate for the Legislature from Elliston. "What happened happened, but we can stop it from happening again."
... "One thing I'd like people to know is: Do you know that your child has access to pornography?" Pennington says. "I didn't know. Did I fail or is the system failing?" [emphasis added]
Did she actually say "But we can't tell kids what to do or not to do?" I thought that is exactly what rules were for. Doesn't the library have a rule about shouting or raising a ruckus? How about a rule banning weapons inside the library? Making such an absurd statement is shameful, but unfortunately that attitude is very common in our public library systems. The answer to Mr. Pennington's question is that the library system is failing. Just ask the good people in Vacaville, CA.
Read more about Helena's library echo here.
To recognize a librarian's weasel words, see:"The Basics of Child Safe Internet Surfing" point 7, here at The Lifeguard.
<< Home