Frost Free Library
Policy Handbook
Table
of Contents
A. Frost
Free Library Mission Statement
B. Origin of
Policies
C. Policies for Use of the Frost Free
Library
1. Access to Library Material
2. Checking out Material
3. Overdue Material
4. Child safety
5. Library Computer Use
6. Wireless Internet
7. Exhibits and Displays
8. Gifts
9. Building Usage and Meeting Room
1. Behavioral Policy
9. Building Usage and Meeting Room
1. Behavioral Policy
D. Library Material
1. Selection of Materials
2. Complaints about Materials
3. Request Form for Reconsideration of
Materials
4. Weeding Material
E. Appendix - Frost Free Library, American Library
Association Statements, and RSAs
1. Frost Free Library Statement on
Intellectual Freedom
2. Library Bill of Rights
3. Freedom to Read Statement
4. Access to Electronic Information,
Services and Networks
5. RSA 202- A:6, A:11
5. RSA 202- A:6, A:11
A. Frost Free Library Mission Statement
The mission of the Frost Free Library of Marlborough,
New Hampshire, is to serve as a cultural resource to the community by providing
information through various media that will assist in seeking knowledge,
enjoyment, and social connection.
B. Origin of Policies
The Frost Free Library endorses and adheres to the principles set forth by the American Library Association.
C. Policies for Use of the Frost Free
Library
C 1. Access to
Library Materials
By borrowing materials from the Library, the borrower is
deemed by the Library to have agreed to return the materials to the Library by
the stated deadline and in the same condition as they were when borrowed.
The Library will serve all residents of the Town of Marlborough. Service will not be denied or abridged for
reasons of religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, social, economic, political
status, or age. On proper registration, all residents will be entitled to a
Library card at no charge in their individual names, and use of this card shall
be non-transferable. At the request of a parent or guardian, a child, over the
age of 5, may receive a Library card. A parent or guardian must sign for a
child’s card until the child reaches the age of 18.
Persons, including spouses and children, residing outside
the Town of Marlborough limits, but owning
property in the Town of Marlborough,
shall be considered residents.
All employees of the
Town of Marlborough, the Marlborough School,
and Library volunteers shall be entitled individual Library cards at no charge.
Institutions and organizations which own or rent facilities
in the Town are entitled to one Library card in the name of that institution or
organization, providing such institution or organization takes responsibility
for the use of the card.
It is the responsibility of the parents to limit their
children’s access to Library materials if they so choose.
Individual Library cards are available to non-residents who
pay a fee that is set by the Board of Trustees and approximates the cost per resident for Library services as reflected in
the Town budget. Non-resident card fee will be reviewed on an annual basis.
Non-resident institutions and organizations do not qualify to receive
non-resident cards.
The use of the Library and/or its services may be denied for
good cause. Such causes include, but are not limited to, failure to return
books or to pay penalties, destruction of Library property, disturbance of
other patrons, or any other objectionable conduct on Library premises.
C 2. Checking out
Materials
Anyone with a valid Library card may check out materials
from the Frost Free Library or from the Inter-library loan service available.
Library cards expire every three years and can be renewed with confirmation of
residence.
Books are loaned for a 14 day period with two available
renewals. Magazines, and movies are loaned for 7 day periods with two available
renewals.
C 3. Overdue
Materials
Because the Library collection is supported by the
Town, and because these materials should be available to all residents, it is
most important that borrowed items be returned on time. The acceptance of an
issued Library card is implied consent to this rule.
It is the policy of the Frost Free Library to give one
reminder about overdue items. If not returned, a bill for the replacement cost
of the item will be send.
Any patron may use any part of the Library collection
in the Library building during normal business hours. It is not the goal of the
Trustees to withhold the use of Library books and items, but to restrict the
privilege of borrowing items to those patrons who have honored their
responsibility by returning borrowed items within the allowed time period.
- There will be no per diem charge for overdue material at this time. However, a conscience kitty is available for patrons to contribute what they feel they should when they have held material beyond the regular 14 day loan period.
- The Library will make a reminder phone call (or a reasonable attempt to do so) to be followed by sending a form letter, containing a copy of the law, and a bill for unreturned materials. Borrowing privileges will be restricted when items are overdue with no renewable extensions available. A person attempting to check out books for another householder who has restricted privileges shall not be allowed to check out books. The whole household will be restricted at the Librarian’s discretion due to perceived abuse of the system. A last resort will be to contact the local police in an attempt to recover the material.
Lost and damaged materials
Lost items must be paid for in full. If an item cannot
be replaced, a charge will be made for comparable material. In the case of
financial hardship, arrangements can be made to make payments in small amounts
over a period of time not exceeding two months from the first payment in most
circumstances.
Damaged material will be examined by the Librarian and
a reasonable cost for repair will be charged. If the item is damaged beyond
repair, in the opinion of the Librarian, the full cost of replacement will be
charged.
Our schedule for notices
is:
two weeks overdue: a phone call
six weeks overdue: a letter, signed by the Director, advising that borrowing
privileges will be restricted.
C 4. Child Safety
The Frost Free Library strives to provide a safe,
welcoming, and appropriate environment for visitors of all ages, and is always
willing to assist all visitors in the use of the Library’s materials and
services. However, the Library is a public building with staff trained to
provide public library services. The Library is unable – and should not be
expected – to provide the necessary degree of supervision that is desirable for
children.
For the safety and comfort of our young patrons, an
accountable person should accompany children while they are using the Library.
While in the Library, parents and caregivers are responsible for monitoring and
regulating the behavior of their children.
The Frost Free Library does not assume any
responsibility for children left unattended on Library premises.
In special situations, if the Library staff becomes
aware of an unattended child, the staff will attempt to contact the parent or
guardian of the unattended child. Examples of such special situations are:
· it is possible that the Library will be closing
earlier than usual (for example, due to inclement weather, a power outage, etc)
· the child’s behavior disturbs other users of the
Library
· there is a cause to believe that the child’s health or
safety is in danger
· an unattended child has not been met by a responsible
caregiver at closing time
If the parent or guardian is unavailable, the staff
will attempt to contact the Director, and, if necessary, a Trustee, to inform
them of the problem.
In the event that a parent or guardian cannot be
reached and the Director or a Trustee has been notified, the child will be
placed in the care of the Marlborough Police Department. Staff will contact the
police department and arrange for the unattended child to be picked up at the
Library by the police and taken by the police to their headquarters.
C 5.
Library Computer Use
The Frost Free Library offers access to computers and
to the Internet as part of its commitment to the role of the public library in
providing free and open access to informational, educational, and cultural
resources for all Library users.
The Frost Free Library upholds the right of each
individual to have access to constitutionally protected materials and adheres
to the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights and its statement
regarding Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks. This
statement follows this policy.
The Library also affirms the right and responsibility
of parents to determine and monitor their children’s use of Library materials
and resources. As with other Library materials, restriction of a child’s access
to the computer and the Internet is the responsibility of the parent or legal
guardian. Parents are strongly encouraged to discuss the use of the Internet with
their children and to monitor their children’s use. However, all users of the
Library should be aware that the Frost Free Library will not release
information on the use of specific Internet resources by members of the public
regardless of age except as required by law.
Users of the Library’s Internet connection agree to
obey all applicable federal, state, and local laws including, but not limited
to, copyright, licensing, and content restrictions. The Library reserves the
right to terminate the user’s computer privileges for abuse of these conditions
or for unauthorized use of the Library’s Internet connection.
In order to ensure the fair use of the computer
technology now available at this Library, computer users are asked to observe
the following guidelines:
General Use
- Please be considerate of other users, and leave the computer and software as you found them.
- Please do not eat or drink near the computer station.
- Any computer or printer problems must be immediately reported to the Librarian.
- Users are allowed a half hour of use, and up to an additional one and a half hours if no one else has requested use. Patrons are limited to two hours of use per day.
- Users working on the computer in a group will count as one. No more than two people may be at the computer workstation at any one time.
- Computer use is first come, first served.
Software
- Users must respect the integrity of the Library's computers and utilize only those programs and services already on the computer.
- The Frost Free Library cannot be responsible for any damage or loss of data that may occur while using the computer.
- Computer users may not load executable programs or data files onto the hard drive of any Library computer. The hard drive, most specifically the “My Documents” folder, will be deleted of all non-library files daily.
- In order to protect the computer from viruses, users cannot run any executable programs from an external storage source. However, users may save information to an external storage source.
- Any application used by a user must be properly exited upon completion.
- Computer users must not alter settings on the computers or delete or modify any files.
Charges
- Any damage to a computer or its peripheral devices is the responsibility of the user.
- There is a charge of 10 cents per page for copies. Please check the length of any document before printing it out. Color copies are 30 cents per page.
Privacy
- The Frost Free Library is committed to the privacy of its computer users. However, users should be aware that use of the Internet, at this time, cannot be considered secure, and that some applications may save temporary copies of data to the hard drive. Other users may be able to retrieve their work, and should take appropriate care.
- In general, the Library will treat information stored on the computer as confidential. Exceptions to this rule will only be honored when required by local, state or federal law, or when approved by the Librarian.
- As this computer is in a public area, be aware that the screen will be visible to other Library users.
- The computer’s cache and temporary files, as well as the location bar in the Internet browsers loaded on the computer, will be cleaned out on a daily basis.
Children
- All computer users of the Frost Free Library, regardless of age, have equal access to the information provided by the Library.
- The Frost Free Library's policy on the use of computers and access to the Internet is the same as for the borrowing of books: parents and guardians of children are responsible for the appropriate use by children of the Library facilities.
Sanctions
Abuse of the equipment or service will result in the
user being denied further access to the service. Malicious damage may result in
prosecution. If you are unsure whether your use of the computer facilities
might conflict with these rules, please ask the Librarian.
C. 6
Wireless Internet
The Frost Free Library offers wireless
"WiFi" access to the Library's Internet service. When you use the
Library's Internet service you are accepting the Library's Acceptable Use
Policy. Please take the time to read the policy before accessing the network;
you may ask the Librarian at the desk for a copy.
Advantages
· No waiting for an available computer
· No enforced time limits-- connect as long as you like
· Library card is not required
· Work in a quieter area of the building
· Fast access
· Download files
· Save your files permanently on your own device
Limitations
· No printing services are available
· A WiFi network is less secure than a wired network
(see "How Safe is WiFi?" below)
· Signal strength varies within the library
Where you can pick up the wireless signal
You may pick up a signal throughout the Library,
although the signal will be weaker (and therefore the connection not as fast)
upstairs in the Mabelle Page Meeting Room and towards the far back of the
original section of the Library.
Whether through a traditional connection or a wireless
connection, the Internet is a public communications network, which means that
there can be untrustworthy parties between you and anybody you communicate
with.
Using WiFi poses the same risks to your personal
information that a wired network poses, but with the added vulnerability of
having the network more open and less secure. This is the nature of WiFi – the
network may be easily accessed by many people. Cautious WiFi users may choose
not to transmit their credit card information and passwords while using any
WiFi "hotspot", including the Library's. The Library cannot assure
the safety of your data when you use either our wired or wireless Internet
access.
What You Will Need
- Wireless network interface card (NIC)
- A laptop or PDA configured to use the Library's Internet connection
- Your laptop or PDA must conform to the "802.11b/g" standard, commonly known as WiFi. New laptops often come standard with a wireless interface and may be automatically configured to pick up the wireless signal.
- Compatible headphones if you plan to use audio files
Wireless Technical Information
- Wireless hardware and software varies as to the operating systems you may use on your laptop or PDA, so the same instructions may not work for everyone. In many cases, you don't need to do anything to hook up, except to click on your browser.
- Most wireless software has an indicator that tells you a signal is being received. Make sure the link quality and signal strength are both at least "good." If not, move about the room to a location that has a stronger signal.
Please note that the library staff cannot assist you
with your laptop, PDA, card, or configuration.
The Library cannot accept the liability of handling
your equipment.
The Library shall not be responsible for any loss of
data or damage to personal equipment.
C 7.
Exhibits and Displays
All materials to be displayed must be approved by the
Library Staff. The Library Staff may choose to submit the material to the Board
of Trustees for approval.
The bulletin boards and brochure displays in the foyer
are maintained by the Library Staff.
Any materials promoting the sale of a product will not
be displayed in the Library, unless it supports the sale of a product to
support a non-profit group.
C 8. Gifts
The library may receive materials or funds as gift
donations.
The library accepts these gifts on the condition that
their use is at the complete discretion of the Board of Trustees and/or the
Director. Stipulations as to the type, condition, or timing of materials
accepted may be made. All donations become the property of the Frost Free
Library, which includes the organization of the Friends of the Frost Free
Library.
C 9.
Building Usage and Meeting Room Policy
The Mabelle Page Room may be used, free of charge, by Marlborough community
groups and organizations whose aims are educational, civic, or cultural. The
meeting must be open to the public and no charges or collections may be made,
and it should be noted that the Mabelle Page Room, at this time, is not
handicapped accessible.
Guidelines
- Reservations must be made with the Library Director and are subject to Board approval.
- Scheduling must be completed at least one week in advance. Programs sponsored by the Library will take priority over all other requests.
- Permission to use the Mabelle Page Room does not constitute endorsement by the Library of a group’s philosophy or objectives.
- A fee to cover utilities and janitorial services may be requested for non-Library-hours usage.
- The Library reserves the right to alter these rules as deemed necessary by the Board of Trustees.
Regulations
- By order of the Fire Department, the Mabelle Page Room has a maximum capacity of 40 people. Any meeting exceeding that number cannot gather in the Mabelle Page Room.
- Any damages to the Library property will be charged to the group using the room. Users will be responsible for leaving the room in neat order.
- No smoking or alcoholic beverages are allowed. Light refreshments may be served.
- The Library assumes no responsibility for private property brought onto the premises.
- If the organization requesting use of the Mabelle Page Room is a non-town sponsored group, a certificate of insurance is required naming the Town as an additional insured. The signature of the organization’s representative waives all statement of responsibility to the Town of Marlborough or the Frost Free Library.
- Anyone using the Mabelle Page Room must sign a copy of this policy.
I have read, and agree to comply with, this policy
governing the use of the Frost Free Library’s Mabelle Page Room.
Requested Meeting Date and Time: ________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________
Organization
Representative’s signature
___________________________________
___________________________
Address
Representative’s name
___________________________________
___________________________
Representative’s phone
number
Date
C 10. Behavioral Policy
Statement: We welcome visitors of all ages to the library and
desire to provide a safe and appropriate environment for everyone. The library
staff is available to assist as needed.
For the safety and comfort of
all persons using the library, all are expected to act in a responsible manner
inside the building, or on the library grounds. Use of the library and its
services may be denied by the librarian for due cause.
Disruptive Behavior: Disruptive and/or disorderly behavior is any behavior
that disturbs other library visitors or interrupts the orderly course of
library business or meetings. Such behavior will be addressed by the library
staff. Persons may be asked to leave if the behavior persists. If not resolved,
library privileges may be revoked. Reinstatement will be at the discretion of the trustees.1 Library users younger than 18 years of age,
accompanied by a parent or guardian, will meet with the Library Director before
reinstatement of privileges can occur.
Damaging any of the library’s
collection of materials or equipment,
defacing
library property, or threatening library staff or other visitors will be handled by the police.
1. This authority is derived from New Hampshire RSA 202-A:6. Library Trustees have the "entire custody and management of the public library." Under RSA 202-A:11,1, the Trustees "adopt by-laws, rules and regulations for its own transaction of business and for the government of the library."
D. Library Materials
D 1. Selection of Library Materials
The Board of the Frost Free Library, recognizing the
diverse nature of this community and the varied backgrounds and needs of all
the citizens, regardless of race, creed, gender, or political persuasion,
declares as a matter of our Selection Policy that:
Book, library material, exhibit and program selection
shall be vested in the director and anything so selected shall be held to be
selected by the Board.
Books, library materials, exhibits, and programs shall
be selected based on the interests and needs of all the people in the
community.
Selections are made by:
1. reading reviews,
2. reviewing patron
recommendations and requests,
3. study of professional
bibliographies and lists, and/or
4. personal examination by
staff.
No library materials, exhibit or program shall be
excluded because of the race, creed, gender, political or social view of the
work's presenter.
Collected formats:
The Frost Free Library strives to collect materials in
the formats most requested by patrons and of best use to the Library
collection. To this end, the Library chooses to collect:
1. audio books on compact
disc, rather than cassette, when the choice is available;
2. videos, both feature
films and non-fiction titles, on DVD, rather than VHS;
3. books, especially classic
titles, in hardcover or quality trade paperbacks;
4. children’s materials in
hardcover whenever possible.
D 2. Complaints about Materials
Complaints of any nature must be submitted in writing,
on a Request for Reconsideration of Library Material form, from a Marlborough citizen, to
the Director, who will present it to the Board of Trustees, unless an agreement
is reached verbally in one short, private discussion.
In any formal objections to books, library materials,
exhibits or programs, a complaint form must be filled out by the
complainant describing the objection exactly. Forms are available from the Director. Following the receipt of
such a formal complaint, the Board of Trustees will arrange a hearing to
include the Board, the complainant, and the Director.
Materials under consideration will remain in
circulation.
D 3. Request
Form for Reconsideration of Materials
Information about the material:
Author: ___________________________________________________________
Title:
_____________________________________________________________
Publisher:__________________________________________________________
Copyright Date _______________________Call
Number of Item _______________
Format (i.e., hardcover or paperback, audio on CD,
DVD, etc.) _____________________
Review request initiated by:
Name:
____________________________________________________________
Address:
___________________________________________________________
City_________________________________ State ______ Zip
Code ___________
Home Phone ___________________________
Business Phone _________________________ Ext._________
Complainant Represents:
1. Himself/herself
YES__________ NO__________
2. Other than himself/herself
YES__________ NO__________
3. If yes was marked on #2, give name of group
&/or person
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Address for group &/or person
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
City _____________________________
State _________ Zip Code ____________
Phone number of group &/or person
__________________________ Ext. ________
If you need more space for any answers, please use
back side of sheet or attach a separate page.
1. Have you read the entire book? YES__________ NO__________
2. If yes, give a summary of the book in your own
words.
3. To what in the book do you object? Please be
specific and cite pages.
4. What do you feel might be the result of reading
this book? Please be specific and cite pages.
5. What do you like or find positive about this book?
Please be specific.
6. Is there any age or group that should be allowed
access to this book? If yes, who or what group? Please be specific and explain
your reasoning.
7. Is there any age or group that should not be
allowed access to this book? If so, who or what group? Please be specific and
explain your reasoning.
8. Have you read any review of the material? YES__________ NO__________
If yes, please write the source of the review(s) and
the date(s) below:
Source of Review(s) Date of Sources(s)
Source of Review(s) Date of Sources(s)
9. Are you aware of the judgment of this book and/or of this author by literary critics? Write what you know about these literary opinions.
10. What would you like the Frost Free Library to do
about this book?
11. Can you recommend another title for the Library to purchase to present the opposite, or an alternative, point of view of the title in question? YES__________ NO__________
12. If number 11 was answered yes, please give the
following information:
Author:
________________________________________________________________
Title: __________________________________________________________________
Publisher:
_______________________________________________________________
Copyright Date _______________________ ISBN
______________________________
Review
Source____________________________________________________________
Date ____________________________Page(s)
_________________________________
Signature
______________________________________________ Date _____________
Received by:
Staff Member Name
_____________________________________ Date ______________
D 4. Weeding
Material
Weeding will be conducted periodically by the Director
and/or Library Staff.
The criteria used in selection will also apply to the
removal or replacement of materials. Each withdrawal or replacement will be
judged individually with reference to standard library selection tools and
catalogs, available replacements, and to the existing collection.
E. Appendix - Frost Free Library, American
Library Association Statements, and RSAs
E 1. Frost Free Library Statement on
Intellectual Freedom
The Board believes that censorship is a purely
individual matter and states that while one is personally free to reject
materials of which one does not approve, one cannot exercise this right of
censorship to restrict the freedom of others to read, view or participate.
As such the Board also emphasizes that the Library
does not have the authority to make decisions concerning which books,
materials, exhibits, or programs children read, view, or attend. Such authority
is entirely the parent's or guardian's responsibility. The selection of materials
will not be restricted by the possibility that young people may obtain
materials that their parents/guardians consider inappropriate.
The Board adopts and declares that it will adhere to
and support The Library Bill of Rights and The Freedom to Read
Statement adopted by the American Library Association. Both are included in
this policy manual. The Board interprets these statements to also apply to
exhibits and programs in the library.
The Board defends the freedom to read and declares
that whenever censorship is involved, no book, library material, exhibit, or
program shall be removed from the library save by order of a court.
E 2. Library
Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all
libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic
policies should guide their services.
I. Books and other library resources should be
provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the
community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the
origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
II. Libraries should provide materials and information
presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials
should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal
disapproval.
III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the
fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and
groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access
to ideas.
V. A person’s right to use a library should not be
denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting
rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available
on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals
or groups requesting their use.
Source link:http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
Source link:http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
E 3.The
Freedom to Read Statement
The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It
is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various
parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading
materials, to censor content in schools, to label "controversial"
views, to distribute lists of "objectionable" books or authors, and
to purge libraries. These actions apparently rise from a view that our national
tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and
suppression are needed to counter threats to safety or national security, as
well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We,
as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible
for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation
of the freedom to read.
Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the
fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary individual, by exercising
critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad. We trust Americans
to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions
about what they read and believe. We do not believe they are prepared to
sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected"
against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free
enterprise in ideas and expression.
These efforts at suppression are related to a larger
pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and
images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet. The problem is not only one
of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we
suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who
seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome scrutiny by government officials.
Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to
a time of accelerated change. And yet suppression is never more dangerous than
in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the United States
the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and
creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a
heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and
resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with controversy
and difference.
Now as always in our history, reading is among our
greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for
making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially
command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the
new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to
social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious thought
requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized
collections.
We believe that free communication is essential to the
preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these
pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and
variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture
depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the
freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read.
We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to
give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to
choose freely from a variety of offerings.
The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution.
Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional
guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that
accompany these rights.
We therefore affirm these propositions:
1. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make
available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that
are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.
Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new
is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is
refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in
power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the
established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is
vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among
conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea
at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through
the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain
the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we
believe but why we believe it.
2. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every
idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public
interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views
as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.
Publishers and librarians serve the educational
process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the
growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education
by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have
the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may
be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is
wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.
3. It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to
bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political
affiliations of the author.
No art or literature can flourish if it is to be
measured by the political views or private lives of its creators. No society of
free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not
listen, whatever they may have to say.
4. There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of
others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for
adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic
expression.
To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is
not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we
prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have
a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in
life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them
learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative
responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading
works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and
values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the
demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.
5. It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the
prejudgment of a label characterizing any expression or its author as
subversive or dangerous.
The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of
individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad
for others. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their
minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do
their thinking for them.
6. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of
the people's freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by
individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the
community at large; and by the government whenever it seeks to reduce or deny
public access to public information.
It is inevitable in the give and take of the
democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of
an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another
individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for
themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it
will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to
take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or
morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if
it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further, democratic
societies are more safe, free, and creative when the free flow of public
information is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.
7. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full
meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and
diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative
responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a "bad" book
is a good one, the answer to a "bad" idea is a good one.
The freedom to read is of little consequence when the
reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader's purpose. What is needed is
not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity
for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the
major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the
principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read
requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and
deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.
We state these propositions neither lightly nor as
easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the
written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous
variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that
the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and
manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these
propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We
believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be
dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society.
Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.
This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by
the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American
Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American
Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American
Publishers.
Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP
Freedom to Read Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991;
July 12, 2000; June 30, 2004.
Source link: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/freedomreadstatement
Source link: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/freedomreadstatement
E 4.Access
to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks
An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
Introduction
Freedom of expression is an inalienable human right
and the foundation for self-government. Freedom of expression encompasses the
freedom of speech and the corollary right to receive information.1 Libraries
and librarians protect and promote these rights by selecting, producing,
providing access to, identifying, retrieving, organizing, providing instruction
in the use of, and preserving recorded expression regardless of the format or
technology.
The American Library Association expresses these basic
principles of librarianship in its Code of
Ethics and in the Library Bill
of Rights and its Interpretations. These serve to guide
librarians and library governing bodies in addressing issues of intellectual
freedom that arise when the library provides access to electronic information,
services, and networks.
Libraries empower users by providing access to the
broadest range of information. Electronic resources, including information
available via the Internet, allow libraries to fulfill this responsibility
better than ever before.
Issues arising from digital generation, distribution,
and retrieval of information need to be approached and regularly reviewed from
a context of constitutional principles and ALA policies so that fundamental and
traditional tenets of librarianship are not swept away.
Electronic information flows across boundaries and barriers
despite attempts by individuals, governments, and private entities to channel
or control it. Even so, many people lack access or capability to use electronic
information effectively.
In making decisions about how to offer access to
electronic information, each library should consider its mission, goals,
objectives, cooperative agreements, and the needs of the entire community it
serves.
The Rights of Users
All library system and network policies, procedures,
or regulations relating to electronic information and services should be
scrutinized for potential violation of user rights.
User policies should be developed according to the
policies and guidelines established by the American Library Association,
including Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of
Policies, Regulations and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials,
Services and Facilities.
Users' access should not be restricted or denied for
expressing or receiving constitutionally protected speech. If access is
restricted or denied for behavioral or other reasons, users should be provided
due process, including, but not limited to, formal notice and a means of
appeal.
Information retrieved or utilized electronically is
constitutionally protected unless determined otherwise by a court of law with
appropriate jurisdiction. These rights extend to minors as well as adults (Free Access to Libraries for Minors; Access to Resources and Services in the School Library
Media Program; Access for Children and Young Adults to Nonprint
Materials).2
Libraries should use technology to enhance, not deny,
access to information. Users have the right to be free of unreasonable
limitations or conditions set by libraries, librarians, system administrators,
vendors, network service providers, or others. Contracts, agreements, and
licenses entered into by libraries on behalf of their users should not violate
this right. Libraries should provide library users the training and assistance
necessary to find, evaluate, and use information effectively.
Users have both the right of confidentiality and the
right of privacy. The library should uphold these rights by policy, procedure,
and practice in accordance with Privacy: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of
Rights.
Equity of Access
The Internet provides expanding opportunities for
everyone to participate in the information society, but too many individuals
face serious barriers to access. Libraries play a critical role in bridging
information access gaps for these individuals. Libraries also ensure that the
public can find content of interest and learn the necessary skills to use
information successfully.
Electronic information, services, and networks
provided directly or indirectly by the library should be equally, readily and
equitably accessible to all library users. American Library Association
policies oppose the charging of user fees for the provision of information
services by libraries that receive their major support from public funds (50.3 Free Access to Information; 53.1.14 Economic Barriers to Information Access; 60.1.1 Minority Concerns Policy Objectives; 61.1 Library Services for the Poor Policy Objectives).
All libraries should develop policies concerning access to electronic
information that are consistent with ALA's policy statements, including Economic Barriers to Information Access: An
Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights, Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of
Policies, Regulations and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials,
Services and Facilities, and Resolution on Access to the Use of Libraries and
Information by Individuals with Physical or Mental Impairment.
Information Resources and Access
Providing connections to global information, services,
and networks is not the same as selecting and purchasing materials for a
library collection. Determining the accuracy or authenticity of electronic
information may present special problems. Some information accessed
electronically may not meet a library's selection or collection development
policy. It is, therefore, left to each user to determine what is
appropriate. Parents and legal guardians who are concerned about
their children's use of electronic resources should provide guidance to their
own children.
Libraries, acting within their mission and objectives,
must support access to information on all subjects that serve the needs or
interests of each user, regardless of the user's age or the content of the
material. In order to preserve the cultural record and to prevent the loss of
information, libraries may need to expand their selection or collection
development policies to ensure preservation, in appropriate formats, of
information obtained electronically. Libraries have an obligation to provide
access to government information available in electronic format.
Libraries and librarians should not deny or limit
access to electronic information because of its allegedly controversial content
or because of the librarian's personal beliefs or fear of confrontation.
Furthermore, libraries and librarians should not deny access to electronic
information solely on the grounds that it is perceived to lack value.
Publicly funded libraries have a legal obligation to
provide access to constitutionally protected information. Federal, state,
county, municipal, local, or library governing bodies sometimes require the use
of Internet filters or other technological measures that block access to
constitutionally protected information, contrary to the Library Bill of Rights (ALA Policy
Manual, 53.1.17, Resolution on the Use of Filtering Software
in Libraries). If a library uses a technological measure that blocks
access to information, it should be set at the least restrictive level in order
to minimize the blocking of constitutionally protected speech. Adults retain
the right to access all constitutionally protected information and to ask for
the technological measure to be disabled in a timely manner. Minors also retain
the right to access constitutionally protected information and, at the minimum,
have the right to ask the library or librarian to provide access to erroneously
blocked information in a timely manner. Libraries and librarians have an
obligation to inform users of these rights and to provide the means to exercise
these rights.3
Electronic resources provide unprecedented
opportunities to expand the scope of information available to users. Libraries
and librarians should provide access to information presenting all points of
view. The provision of access does not imply sponsorship or endorsement. These
principles pertain to electronic resources no less than they do to the more
traditional sources of information in libraries (Diversity in Collection Development).
1Martin v. Struthers, 319 U.S. 141 (1943); Lamont v. Postmaster General, 381 U.S.
301 (1965); Susan Nevelow Mart, The
Right to Receive Information (PDF), 95 Law Library Journal 2
(2003).
2Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School
District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969); Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School
District No. 26 v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853, (1982); American Amusement Machine Association v. Teri
Kendrick, 244 F.3d 954 (7th Cir. 2001); cert.denied, 534 U.S. 994
(2001)
3"If
some libraries do not have the capacity to unblock specific Web sites or to
disable the filter or if it is shown that an adult user's election to view
constitutionally protected Internet material is burdened in some other
substantial way, that would be the subject for an as-applied challenge, not the
facial challenge made in this case." United States, et al. v. American Library Association (PDF),
539 U.S. 194 (2003) (Justice Kennedy, concurring).
Adopted January 24, 1996, by the ALA Council; amended
January 19, 2005.
Source link: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=31872
5.
TITLE XVI
CHAPTER 202-A
202-A:6 Library Trustees; Election; Alternates. –
The library trustees shall have the entire custody and management of the
public library and of all the property of the town relating thereto,
including appropriations held pursuant to RSA 202-A:11, III, but
excepting trust funds held by the town. Any town having a public
library shall, at a duly warned town meeting, elect a board of library
trustees consisting of any odd number of persons which the town may
decide to elect. Such trustees shall serve staggered 3-year terms or
until their successors are elected and qualified. There may be no more
than 3 alternates as provided in RSA 202-A:10.
Source. 1917, 59:1. PL 10:52. RL 15:55. RSA 202:6. 1963, 46:1. 1987, 89:1. 2000, 9:2, eff. April 16, 2000.
Source link: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XVI/202-A/202-A-6.htm
TITLE XVI
CHAPTER 202-A
202-A:11 Powers and Duties. –
Except in those cities where other provision has been made by general or
special act of the legislature, the library trustees of every public
library in the state shall:
I. Adopt bylaws, rules and regulations for its own transaction of business and for the government of the library;
Source link: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=31872
5.
TITLE XVI
LIBRARIES
CHAPTER 202-A
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Section 202-A:6
Source link: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XVI/202-A/202-A-6.htm
TITLE XVI
LIBRARIES
CHAPTER 202-A
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Section 202-A:11
I. Adopt bylaws, rules and regulations for its own transaction of business and for the government of the library;
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