Internet Acceptable Use

Francesville-Salem Township Public Library

Internet Acceptable Use Policy

 

Library Mission

The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library supports parents and guardians in their efforts to guide their children’s access to print, non-print, and on-line information.  The library provides printed materials about the Internet and its resources; however, most current information about the Internet resides on the network itself.

The mission of the Francesville-Salem Township Public Library is to provide free, open, and equal access to ideas and information to all members of the community.

 

General Statement

The use of the Internet is a privilege, and access is voluntary. Misuse of this privilege will result in personal revocation of this service.

  1. The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library believes that the Internet provides benefits of access to information resources and collaboration that out weigh potential disadvantages of access.

  2. The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library seeks to preserve the minor’s status of full member of the Internet community.

  3. The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library cannot control the resources on the Internet. The Internet is not a static entity.  The Internet changes each minute as new computers connect and the existing computers add or delete information.

  4. Some sites accessible via the Internet may contain material that is inaccurate, defamatory, illegal, or potentially offensive to some people.

  5. While the Francesville-Salem Township Public Library can attempt to prevent direct access to materials that would not be generally acceptable in a public library, it is technically impossible to prevent access to all resources that might be objectionable to some people.  The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library uses filtering software in an attempt to keep the ‘potentially offensive’ sites from public viewing. 

  6. Users of the Internet through the Francesville-Salem Township Public Library are expected to abide by this acceptable use policy.

Policies

Age Restriction

A parent or guardian must accompany patrons age fifteen and under during the Internet session.

Behavior

Users whose conduct, with a Library account, violates federal, state, or local laws will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.  Evidence of illegal activity will be reported to the proper legal authorities.  The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library will cooperate with the proper authorities in the investigation of illegal activities.

Users will refrain from inappropriate Internet conduct.  Examples of inappropriate conduct include, but are not limited to: use of the Internet for unlawful or malicious activities, misrepresentation of oneself or the Francesville-Salem Township Public Library, sending chain letters, using abusive or objectionable language in either public or private messages, engaging in harassing message, and other activities that could cause congestion and disruption of networks and systems.

Privacy

Users should not expect files stored on library-based computers to be private.

The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library reserves the right to review any material stored in files to which all users have access and will remove any material, which in its opinion, does not comply with this document.

Electronic communication carried on via the Internet connection should not be considered confidential.  When necessary, such communications may be used as evidence in criminal investigations and/or prosecutions.  The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library will disclose all messages in the system, to the extent required by law.

Time Restriction

Patrons are requested to use the Internet terminal for no more than two hours at any one time.  If there are no other patrons waiting to use the service, users may use the system longer.

Library Card Holder

Non-local residents wishing to use the computers need to show a library card valid in the State of Indiana.  Anyone whose card is on the BLIST, or owes the library money or materials, may not use the computers until the card is in good standing.  Non-local patrons need to show a valid driver’s license to use the computers.

Printing

Patrons who wish to print documents or information from the internet are required to pay for every page they print.

Downloading

Patrons are not allowed to download software onto the library’s network or to the computer’s hard drive.  Downloading to a personal memory device is acceptable.

Uses Not Permitted

  1. To access, upload, download, or distribute pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit material

  2. To transmit obscene, abusive, or sexually explicit language

  3. To violate any local, state, or federal statute

  4. To vandalize, damage, or disable the property of another individual or organization

  5. To access another individual’s private materials/files

  6. To violate copyright or otherwise use the intellectual property of another individual or organization without permission

  7. No use by patrons shall disrupt any of the Internet networks as a whole, any equipment or system forming part of the connection of the Internet system, or any services provided over the connection

  8. The library does not allow mass distribution (or other forms of intrusive ‘broadcast’) of any message over the Internet, including but not limited to advertising.

Liability

The Francesville-Salem Township Public Library makes no warranties, expressed or implied, that the functions or content of the system will meet any user’s specific  requirements, or that it will be error-free or trouble-free, current or uninterrupted: nor shall the Francesville-Salem Township Public Library be liable for any direct or indirect, incidental, or consequential damages (including lost data, information, or income) sustained or incurred in connection with the use, operations, or inability to use the system.

In consideration for the privilege of using the system and for having access to the information contained on the system users hereby release and hold harmless the staff and board of trustee of the Francesville-Salem Township Public Library.

Staff

Patron is to sign the last page of this agreement; it is then removed and forward to the director.  The patron then gets to keep the first pages.

 

 

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