children through a service called the  Library Channel.   This service was intended to be

a means by which the library could organize the Internet in some fashion for presentation

to patrons.  Through the Library Channel, the computers in the children's section of the

library were restricted to 2,000 to 3,000 sites selected by librarians.  After three years,

Westerville stopped using the Library Channel system because it overly constrained the

children's ability to access materials on the Internet, and because the library experienced

several technical problems with the system.

Public libraries also use several different techniques to separate patrons during

Internet sessions so that they will not see what other patrons are viewing.  The simplest

way to achieve this result is to position the library's public Internet terminals so that they

are located away from traffic patterns in the library (and from other terminals), for

example, by placing them so that they face a wall.  This method is obviously constrained

by libraries' space limitations and physical layout.  Some libraries have also installed

privacy screens on their public Internet terminals.  These screens make a monitor appear

blank unless the viewer is looking at it head on.

5

  Although the Multnomah and Fort

Vancouver Libraries submitted records showing that they have received few complaints

5

  Fort Vancouver Regional Library, for example, combines the methods of

strategically placing terminals in low traffic areas and using privacy screens.  A section

headed  Confidentiality and Privacy  on the library's home page states:  in order to

protect the privacy of the user and the interests of other library patrons, the library will

attempt to minimize unintentional viewing of the Internet.  This will be done by use of

privacy screens, and by judicious placement of the terminals and other appropriate

means. 

45