Intellectual Freedom for Library Workers: Challenges to online viewing

By now you have learned enough about intellectual freedom to know that libraries support the rights of individuals to make their own choices about what to read and view.  This principle applies to the Internet as well.  PCC library computers are not filtered, and library staff do not go around looking over the shoulder of library computer users.  This leads us to one of the most controversial and uncomfortable intellectual freedom topics:  pornography.

PCC's Acceptable Use policy (listed below) forbids illegal activity on library computers.  Some forms of pornography, including child pornography and a few other narrow categories, are illegal and are prohibited in the library and elsewhere.  However, the majority of pornography on the Internet is legal and is protected under the First Amendment.  Library values support the rights of library users to access all legal, constitutionally protected content on library computers.

But what about the rights of other students and staff in the library who do not want to be subjected to the pornography on a computer screen?  How do libraries balance the rights of one individual to view legal pornography with the interests of others for whom this pornography or other types of offensive images create a hostile environment?

The primary strategy used at PCC Libraries for balancing these interests is one of location.  Every attempt is made to locate the person viewing pornography and those offended by those images in separate places.  Library staff are prepared to ask individuals to move to a different workstation to minimize unintentional viewing of explicit content.  Other practical steps to reduce conflicts over online viewing can involve asking a student to turn down the volume if it is audible through headphones, and similar steps to balance all needs and interests. 

Pornography provides a test of one's commitment to intellectual freedom, as the argument can be made that viewing porn is not (in most cases) an educational activity so it doesn't deserve the same respect as other types of inquiry.  But the principle of intellectual freedom  means that it is not the role of the government (or in this case the publicly funded library) to scrutinize and judge the inquiries of library users.  Libraries respect the privacy of their users, which includes what users read, think, write, and view online.

"I've been waiting 20 minutes to use a computer, and that student has been on Facebook the whole time.  I need to do my homework!"

"The student next to me is playing a first-person shooter game, and I can hear the carnage through his headphones.  I can't concentrate on the essay I need to write."

"I'm so upset by the images I saw on the computer next to me.  My tax dollars pay for these computers, and I just can't accept that they are being used this way."

Watch this 2.5 minute video to learn about Internet censorship around the world in the year 2008.  While much has changed (and in many countries has gotten worse) since then,  the video provides a reminder of why democracies require a free and uncensored Internet.  If you would like to learn more, here is a more current and comprehensive report:  Internet Censorship 2023   

This is a really hard issue.  How do we know if the pornography being viewed is legal, constitutionally protected material vs. illegal child pornography?  How do we know if others around that workstation are unconcerned by the content, or if they are quietly seething?  What if we have a real sex offender in the library?

Fortunately, these problems don't arise very often, and when they do, library staff are trained to address them.  For serious behavioral issues, public safety is always close by to help.

Here are some general guidelines:

• Library employees do not go around looking over computer users' shoulders to see what they viewing. The job of a library is to provide access to information, not to police its use.
• Libraries are also committed to providing a welcoming environment for all users.  If a situation is making someone feel uncomfortable or unsafe, this should be reported to a library staff member ASAP to find a resolution.
• This is a complex issue that might leave you feeling uncomfortable and confused.  Feel free to talk to your library supervisor about this for more information and guidance.

Your turn!  What would you do if you encountered this computer screen?  Follow the link for this scenario.