Internet Use Policy

Purpose

The Mission Statement of the Baxter Memorial Library reads as follows:

“The Baxter Memorial Library serves our community as a welcoming and accessible gathering place for information, lifelong learning, and enjoyment. The library strives to foster the exchange of ideas, values, traditions and conversations.”

Providing access to the Internet and other publicly accessible information systems is consistent with this mission. It enables the library to provide access to a global electronic network of information beyond that which can be accessed through its own collection or the interlibrary loan process.

The same standards of intellectual freedom, privacy, and confidentiality endorsed by the American Library Association and incorporated in Baxter Memorial Library Policies for all other media shall be applied to all electronic media. These include the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read statement which are on file at the library.

Although the library supports, by policy, procedure, and practice, the user's right to privacy, users also need to be advised that because security is technically difficult to achieve, electronic communications and files could become public.

Laptops and other devices should never be left unattended in the library, even for brief periods of time. The library assumes no responsibility for damage, theft, or loss of any kind to a user's equipment, software, data files or other personal property brought into or used at the library's facilities. Laptops, tablets, or other devices issued to students by the Gorham School Department and determined by library staff to have been left unattended at the library will be collected and returned to the Gorham School Department.

Responsibilities of Users

Supervising Children's Use

1. It is the library's policy that parents or legal guardians must assume responsibility for deciding what library resources are appropriate for their children. Parents should let their children know if there are materials which they do not want them to use and may choose to supervise their child's Internet sessions.  Library staff members and volunteers do not have the right or responsibility to act as a parent or guardian to other people's children.

2. The Baxter Memorial Library supports the American Library Association's statement on Free Access to Minors to Non-Print Formats which is on file at the library.

3. The public computers in the Youth Services area of the library are reserved for children and their parents/caregivers.

Choosing and Evaluating Sources

1. The Internet is a global entity with a highly diverse user population and information content. Library patrons use it at their own risk. The library cannot censor access to materials or protect users from materials users may find offensive. We do not monitor or control information accessible through the Internet and do not accept responsibility for its content. We are not responsible for changes in content for the sources to which we link, nor for the content of sources accessed through secondary links.

2. As with printed information, not all sources on the Internet provide accurate, complete, or current information. Users should evaluate Internet sources just as they do printed publications, questioning the validity of the information provided.

Administrative Procedures

Administrative procedures will be determined by the library staff and posted in the computer area. Administrative procedures include, but are not limited to, the following: scheduling, security, record keeping logs, time limits, and database maintenance. These may change depending on the needs of the library and will be as fair as possible to all library patrons.

Unacceptable Uses

Users may not:

1. Use an Internet workstation for any illegal or criminal purpose.

2. Obstruct other people's work by harassment of other computer users or by deliberately crashing the system.

3. Alter or make any attempt to alter software configurations.

4. Cause or make any attempt to cause degradation of system performance.

5. Violate copyright laws or software licensing agreements in their use of an Internet workstation.

6. Download or save files to the computer hard drive.

7. View sexually explicit images on any computer or device at the library including the library’s public computers and computers used to access the library’s wireless network while at the library.

Violations may result in loss of access. Unlawful activities will be dealt with in a serious and appropriate manner.

Internet Functions Supported

1. The Baxter Memorial Library provides free access to information resources available on the Internet including but not limited to the World Wide Web.

2. The Baxter Memorial Library does not provide electronic mail accounts, patron subscription to listservs, or Internet Relay Chat groups.

3. The library charges nominal fees for certain consumable supplies such as paper, printing, storage devices, and headphones.

Copyright

U.S. copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code) prohibits the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of copyrighted materials, except as permitted by the principles of "fair use." Users may not copy or distribute electronic materials (including electronic mail, text, images, programs or data) without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. Any responsibility for the consequences of copyright infringement lies with the user, the library expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility resulting from such uses.

Disclaimer

The library expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility arising from access to or use of information through its electronic information systems, or any consequences thereof.

Policy Adopted 2/4/97

Updated 3/13/02 GORHAM TOWN COUNCIL

Updated 8/6/13 GORHAM TOWN COUNCIL

Revisions Recommended by the Baxter Memorial Library Board of Trustees 11/02/2017

Revisions adopted by the Gorham Town Council 01/02/2018