[OPLINTECH] How do you handle Internet filtering

[JKENZIG]

While we choose to not filter at CCPL, I think that you are approaching
things the wrong way.  If the issue is that patrons are viewing
inappropriate content you can't tell me that Facebook does not have just
as much and there are just as many rogue scripts/problems out there.  

What you are describing is a need for capable antivirus/antispyware
/machine reset software to eliminate the necessity and worry of such
scripts or malicious content.  We use Trend and DeepFreeze. 

The second part of it is staff training and security issues.  If patrons
are accessing such content they should be instructed by library staff to
move off the site or out of the branch and be banned if they become a
problem.  Your local police department should be more than happy to
assist and remove those who do not comply because when they are viewing
such sites in public it does become a CIPA issue.  There is no
substitution for staff intervention unfortunately other than completely
blocking the internet as they have done in the State Library. 

Blocking social networking sites is doing a disservice to your patrons
and preventing them from in this day and age of possibly making critical
connections that may assist in employment or information retrieval. 

Jim Kenzig
Network Manager
Cuyahoga County Public Library
Administrative Offices
2111 Snow Road / Parma, OH 44134-2728
p 216.749.9389 / f 216.749.9445
www.cuyahogalibrary.org

-----Original Message-----
From: oplintech-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at oplin.org]
On Behalf Of shivelri at oplin.org
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:43 AM
To: oplintech at oplin.org
Subject: Re: [OPLINTECH] How do you handle Internet filtering

everyone,

I think that the heart of my real question was poorly expressed by the
responses thus far, so I would like to clarify it.

I completely agree that blocking sites is not a good method of bandwidth
control. That is not even the main reason I am currently blocking
MySpace and other social networks. My reasons are:

1. the pornographic images viewed (an complained about) 2. (and my main
reason) is the malware and malicious code on Myspace and others.

I have looked at Facebook and it doesn't allow all the crazy custom
scripts on there site from what I can see. I really want to know what
you guys/ladies are doing in regard to those issues not bandwidth, I am
well aware that runescape, youtube, and other sites eat as much if not
more bandwidth. I really would like to know what if anything you do
about these issues. I am not set either way I just want some peer
opinion on why and why not.

--
Richard Shively
IT/Webmaster
Greenville Public Library
520 Sycamore, Greenville Oh. 45331
937-548-3915