Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Web sites displaying "adult material" specifically pertaining to adult content and sex will be inaccessible on the Warsaw Community Public Library's computers.
The library's board of trustees Monday reviewed the ISA/Websense server, which has the capability to block specific Internet sites.
The software has been installed to comply with the Child Internet Protection Act by July 1. Without the system, the library would be ineligible to receive $15,000 in federal funds.
These sites include those that are pornographic, obscene or sexually explicit or that violate any local, state or federal statute.
WCPL has always had specific guidelines for the use of its 35 public computers. Until the installation of the SAM - System Access Management - computer, staff members glanced around the computer room to make sure objectionable sites were not accessed.
SAM allows patrons to access the Internet and schedule computer time without the library staffing a computer lab.
Minors must have parental consent or the permission of a guardian to use the library computers.
According to system manager Greg Cripe, patrons using the computers will be unaware of Websense's presence until an unauthorized URL is requested. At that time a "page" will come up informing the user the requested site is unavailable.
So far, none of the staff has been questioned about the filtering.
Although the categories chosen are broad in scope, board president Larry Chamberlain suggested the technology committee meet to decide if more categories should be blocked.
The board recognized Caroline Nye for her 3-1/2 years (Febuary 1999 to June 2002) as a board member. She was presented with a plaque of appreciation. She is a county council appointee.
Chamberlain attended a recent LifeQuest meeting and talked about expanding library services to townships where no library services are available.
LifeQuest, a Kosciusko County Community Foundation program, brings community members together to talk about issues. Darla France is the LifeQuest facilitator.
Chamberlain said the idea is at the discussion level now and consistent with the library's mission to provide free access to a public library for every child and adult.
In other business, the board:
• Heard 532 children have signed up for the summer reading program to date.
• Heard the library has 18,659 borrowers, up from 16,468 last year; 28,265 items were circulated in May; and there were 11,366 Internet users since January, an increase of 22 percent over last year.
WCPL board members are: Larry Chamberlin, Joel Curry, Caroline Nye, John Yingling, Mark Morrison and Tony Etienne. Ruth Jones was absent.
