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'You don’t come to the library to look at porn and stuff like that': filtering software in public libraries

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journal contribution
posted on 2014-08-13, 09:21 authored by Louise Cooke, Rachel E. Spacey, Claire Creaser, Adrienne Muir
Should public libraries filter the content of internet services offered to their users? We discuss this question in the light of findings from the AHRC-funded MAIPLE project, which has been investigating measures taken by UK Public Library Services to manage public internet provision in their libraries. Initial findings suggest that filtering software is extensively used, and that librarians and users alike are mostly content with this solution. It could be argued that this position is at odds with our professional and ethical duties towards clients to provide uninhibited access to information and ideas. However, we recognise the social norms and realities in which services must operate and go on to discuss clear and transparent policies and procedures that public libraries might adopt to mitigate the potential for misuse of their internet facilities.

Funding

MAIPLE is funded by a grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council [AHRC].

History

School

  • Business and Economics

Department

  • Business

Published in

Library and Information Research

Volume

38

Issue

117

Pages

5 - 19 (15)

Citation

COOKE, L. ... (et al.), 2014. 'You don’t come to the library to look at porn and stuff like that': filtering software in public libraries. Library and Information Research, 38 (117), pp. 5-19.

Publisher

© CILIP

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publication date

2014

ISSN

1756-1086

eISSN

1756-1086

Language

  • en

Location

United Kingdom