ELECTRONIC RESOURCES ACCESS POLICY:I Mission
The mission of the West Baton Rouge Parish Library is to provide the residents of West Baton Rouge Parish with access to books and other resources for education, information, and recreation. In response to advances in technology and the changing needs of the community, the West Baton Rouge Parish Library has extended its resources to include access to electronic resources.
II Internet Resources Internet resources are not subject to the same selection criteria that the Library uses for other materials. Internet sites or access points change rapidly and unpredictably.
The West Baton Rouge Parish Library is only responsible for data on its web site that pertains specifically to the Library. The Library is not responsible for the availability or content of any external sites linked to its web site. The accuracy and currency of information from local community organizations, governmental agencies, and all other Internet sites are the complete responsibility of the originating agency.
The West Baton Rouge Parish Library assumes no responsibility for any damages, direct or indirect, arising from use of its connection to the Internet.
III Staff Assistance with Electronic Resources Library staff will assist patrons in accessing and using electronic resources. Although the staff cannot provide in-depth training, they will answer questions and as time allows help users locate and use electronic resources to the best of their ability.
IV Electronic Resources and User Responsibility Electronic resources enable the Library to provide information beyond the confines of its own collection, making available material that could not otherwise be offered. However, users should be aware that some information may be inaccurate, outdated, or controversial. Use of these resources carries with it a responsibility to evaluate the quality and validity of the information accessed. Lawful use of electronic resources is the individual's responsibility.
Parents/guardians are responsible for the use of electronic resources by their children. In the absence of a parent/guardian, the West Baton Rouge Parish Library cannot be responsible for enforcing any restrictions which a parent/guardian may place on a minor's use of these resources. PARENTS ARE ADVISED TO SUPERVISE THEIR CHILDREN'S INTERNET SESSIONS.
V Filtering The Library is required by the Federal Communications Commission to install filters on its public computers as the default setting, in accordance with Section 54.520 (c) of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47, and to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act. Adults over age 17 can request an override of the filter for good cause in order to have unfiltered access for that specific computer session..
VI General Rules Electronic resources are for use by all. Patrons should and will have equal access to electronic information. However, because of the high costs and complex nature of electronic equipment, users must adhere to the following general rules:
A. Adult cardholders (14 years or older) of electronic resources are required to read the Electronic Resources Access Policy. Signing onto a computer workstation indicates that a patron has read and accepted the Electronic Resources Access Policy. B. Juvenile cardholders (under 14 years) will be required to have parental/guardian permission to access the Internet. Parents/guardians will be required to read the Electronic Resources Access Policy and sign a parental permission slip. C. Use of the workstation is on a first-come, first-serve basis. All workstations will have a time limit of 60 minutes. Additional time may be requested but access will be denied if use is high. D. Workstation use, including printing, must be finished fifteen (15) minutes prior to closing. E. There is no charge for workstation use. However, patrons shall assume printing costs at the rate of fifteen (15) cents per page. Only paper supplied by the library can be used in the printer. F. Files cannot be saved to the computer's hard drive. However, patrons are allowed to save files to personal floppy disks and flash drives. Floppy disks are available for purchase from the circulation desk for fifty (50) cents each. WARNING: Files downloaded from the Internet may contain a virus. The West Baton Rouge Parish Library is not responsible for any damages, direct or indirect, or for any liability that may arise from saving or downloading files to a floppy disk or flash drive. The library is not responsible for damage to patron's floppy disks, flash drives, or CD's used in the library's computers.
VII Wireless Internet Access Free wireless Internet access is available at the West Baton Rouge Parish Library. Patrons choosing to use this service agree to abide by the West Baton Rouge Parish Library's Electronic Resources Access Policy. The policy states user responsibilities for accessing the system and provides examples of acceptable and unacceptable uses.
Library staff is not able to provide technical assistance and no guarantee can be made that you will be able to make a wireless connection. The library assumes no responsibility for connection to the Library's wireless access.
VIII Workstation Use Use of the workstation is a privilege. The library will make every effort to provide access to its workstations, but during times of high demand educational research and word processing will always take priority over casual browsing and recreational use. Library staff has the right to determine the appropriateness of workstation use and can at any time require a patron to leave the workstation. Unacceptable uses will result in loss of workstation privileges. In accordance with the Library's general policy, appeals of such loss should be addressed in writing to the Library Director. Perpetrators of malicious damage to the system will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
A. Acceptable Uses - Patrons are encouraged to use the workstation for the following purposes:
1. Research and educational information 2. Wordprocessing 3." Surfing," which is general unstructured navigation of the Internet to locate sites of interest and to hone usage skills 4. Searching and/or printing from full text databases 5. Sending and receiving e-mail accessed through accounts established with independent vendors. (The library cannot act as a vendor and will not provide e-mail accounts for patrons.)
B. Unacceptable Uses - Patrons and staff may not use the workstation for the following purposes:
1. Illegal, unauthorized, unethical, or commercial purposes 2. Manipulation of internal hardware and/or software including uploading of any software 3. Transmission or downloading of any material in violation of local, state, or federal laws including the following: 4. No listserves, discussion groups, chat rooms or chats of any kind, or similar uses
IX Revision of Policy Electronic information and technology are emerging, expanding and changing constantly. The West Baton Rouge Parish Library Board will consider policy changes as guidelines become available.
Adopted by the West Baton Rouge Parish Library Board of Control on
April 26, 1999
Amended April 22, 2003
Amended July 24, 2007
Amended July 21, 2009
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