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As a means
of promoting
effective
use of the
Internet-based
resources
at the Montgomery-Floyd
Regional Library
System, the
staff makes
a concerted
effort to
provide ready
access to
information
about safe
use of the
Internet.
In compliance
with the Neighborhood
Children’s
Internet Protection
Act (NCIPA),
the library
gives special
attention
to informing
minor children
and their
parents about
safe Internet
practices
designed to
promote the
confidentiality,
privacy, and
personal safety
of minor children
and to prevent,
when reasonably
possible,
the exposure
of minor children
to materials
harmful to
minors.
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Each family has
the right and responsibility
to decide what
materials minor children
read, listen to, view,
or create using the
Public Internet Workstations
at the Montgomery-Floyd
Regional Library
System except as prohibited
by law and
the Internet Use Policy.
Parents who feel more
comfortable directly
supervising these activities
of their children should
accompany them
to the library and
remain close by throughout
the family’s
visit. Library
staff members provide
general guidance for
adults, teens, and
children in selection
and use of age-appropriate
materials. However,
their advice is not
tailored to the opinions
or perspectives of
each individual or
family that uses the
library.
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Parents should talk
with their
minor children to determine
whether or not it is
appropriate for them
to use direct electronic
communications such
as Internet e-mail,
chat rooms,
instant messaging,
etc. at the library.
If so, parents need
to instruct young children
and teens not to share
information
that strangers could
use to identify them,
their family, their
friends, their house
or their school. Parents
also need to instruct
children not to respond
to messages that make
them feel uncomfortable,
including those that
are bullying, suggestive,
obscene, threatening,
or otherwise inappropriate.
Parents and children
should immediately
report such messages
received while at the
library to a staff
member.
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The Montgomery-Floyd
Regional Library
System Internet Use
Policy prohibits illegal
use of the Internet
by children, teens,
and adults. Whenever
anyone signs on to
use the Internet they
are first asked to
indicate that they
have read and understood
the policy. People
who do not abide by
that policy will be
asked to end their
use of the Internet.
Illegal uses
will be reported to
the appropriate authorities.
Illegal uses of the
Internet include
but are not
limited to
hacking, identity
theft, false
representation
for fraudulent
or illegal
purposes,
violation
of copyright,
viewing or
printing obscene
materials,
and viewing
or printing
child pornography.
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who uses
Internet
resources
whether
at home,
at school,
or at the
library
should be
very careful
about providing
their personal
identification
information
to unknown
parties.
This admonition
is of particular
importance
for young
children
and teens
who, unfortunately,
may be targeted
as potential
victims
of crimes.
Under
the Children’s
Online
Privacy
Protection
Act of
1998 (COPPA)
certain
commercial
websites
that collect
personal
identification
information
from their
users
cannot
do so
for children
under
age 13
without
parental
consent.
Young
children
need to
abide
by that
restriction
whenever
it is
stated
at a website.
Montgomery-Floyd
Regional
Library
System
uses software
filters
on all
public
Internet
workstations
in order
to comply
with the
Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). However, filtering software is not foolproof. Children who come across harmful or inappropriate materials, whether text or images, should report the incident to parents and/or library staff members. Staff members will then determine whether or not additional blocking of the site or sites is necessary.
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