use the library's Internet resources.  These policies vary widely.  Some of the less

restrictive policies, like those held by Multnomah County Library and Fort Vancouver

Regional Library, do not prohibit adult patrons from viewing sexually explicit materials

on the Web, as long as they do so at terminals with privacy screens or recessed monitors,

which are designed to prevent other patrons from seeing the material that they are

viewing, and as long as it does not violate state or federal law to do so.  Other libraries

prohibit their patrons from viewing all  sexually explicit  or  sexually graphic  materials. 

Some libraries prohibit the viewing of materials that are not necessarily sexual,

such as Web pages that are  harmful to minors,   offensive to the public, 

 objectionable,   racially offensive,  or simply  inappropriate.   Other libraries restrict

access to Web sites that the library just does not want to provide, even though the sites

are not necessarily offensive.  For example, the Fulton County Public Library restricts

access to the Web sites of dating services.  Similarly, the Tacoma Public Library's policy

does not allow patrons to use the library's Internet terminals for personal email, for online

chat, or for playing games.  

In some cases, libraries instituted Internet use policies after having experienced

specific problems, whereas in other cases, libraries developed detailed Internet use

policies and regulatory measures (such as using filtering software) before ever offering

public Internet access.  Essentially four interests motivate libraries to institute Internet use

policies and to apply the methods described above to regulate their patrons' use of the

Internet. 

40