Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The Warsaw Community Public Library board of trustees discussed the implications of a recent Supreme Court ruling at their meeting Monday.
On June 23, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Child Internet Protection Act. The act mandates that public schools and libraries install Internet-filtering software on all computer terminals with Internet access.
Assistant director Joni Brookins told the board the library already has filtering software on its computers. However, the act also indicates that adult patrons may have the filtering software removed at their request and that it must be removable "within a reasonable amount of time."
Brookins said the library's technology committee is researching the affordability of a technology adaptation to allow quick individual terminal disablement of the filters. Brookins said public libraries must comply with these regulations to be eligible for federal aid money.
The board approved advertising a library operating budget of $1,542,778, up 5 percent from 2003. Library director Ann Zydek said that, with uncertainty of when tax revenues will arrive, she was extra cautious when constructing the budget.
"This has been the toughest year to work on this because we do not have the estimated figures we've had in the past," she said, "We plan to live with what we receive for the next year."
A public budget hearing will be held Aug. 25 at 8:30 a.m. in Meeting Room A/B at Warsaw Community Public Library.
Zydek also said the freeze that was put on hiring in March 2003 has allowed the library to keep all current staff for the coming year.
In other news, the board approved:
• A resolution to reduce the current operating budget.
• Accepting a Kosciusko County Community Foundation letter of grant agreement for $250.
• Closing the library Sept. 12 for a staff in-service day.
• Changing library hours to 9 a.m.- 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. Changes take effect Sept. 2.
• A technology plan for 2003-2005.
• Policy changes allowing for snack foods and non-alcoholic drinks in closed containers in some areas of the library.
Board members are president Larry Chamberlain, Paulette Sauders, John Yingling, Joel Curry and Mark Morrison.
