Provision of public access to the Internet and censorship in public libraries : (to filter or not to filter, that is the question)

Abstract

The provision of public access terminals to the Internet is becoming more common in public libraries. Because of the nature of the Internet, some materials on the Internet and the access to the Internet, censorship arguments have developed. This paper looks at the historical debate and arguments about censorship in public libraries, and evaluates these arguments in the context of the supply of public access to the Internet. It also looks at the methods used to control access to the net and reviews which is the best method. The paper concludes that while the ideal of freedom of access should be upheld, the nature of the Internet necessitates some form of control, especially for children. It also concludes that the current forms of control for the Internet are inadequate for public library needs, but there are some promising developments.