4 May 1999

Libraries call for internet commonsense

Librarians have a responsibility to protect their users' freedom to read and to access information appropriate to their needs, and use of the Internet is no exception, the acting executive director of the Australian Library and Information Association, Jennefer Nicholson, said today.

The Association represents 8000 libraries and librarians.

'To say, as Senator Tierney has in his press release yesterday, that public libraries will be cyber-porn centres, is to misrepresent the honest and sensible policies which libraries are employing to enable people to make the best use of online and other information,' she added.

'These include consultation with the community on internet use principles and guidelines, the requirement of acceptable use agreements from internet users in the library, and permission from a parent or guardian for children to access the internet. Librarians provide guidance and education on how to use the internet effectively. They evaluate resources and provide advice on these for users.'

'Libraries are a major provider of access to and training for the internet yet there is little evidence within libraries of users complaining about themselves or their children being exposed to illegal or unsuitable material.'

'The real solutions to the problem of pornographic, racist and other offensive sites, lie in industry self-regulation, the pursuit of ways of controlling content providers and the education of users. Libraries are contributing in a major way to educating internet users.'

'Librarians would be irresponsible if they maintained that filtering and blocking devices were solutions to the problems of offensive material on the internet. These devices can be evaded by content providers and by people seeking that information. At the same time such devices block useful and adult-appropriate information.'

'Freedom of access to information is essential to the democratic process and the social well-being of the Australian community. The vast majority of internet content poses no problem. It is important, therefore, to keep the question of offensive sites in perspective and to ensure that regulation of online content does not have the unintended consequence of restricting access by the wider community to information which is not illegal,' Ms Nicholson added.