Naperville Public Library changes Internet policy
By David Sharos For The Sun August 16, 2012 6:04PM
Updated: September 18, 2012 6:24AM
Adults will soon have wider access to items on the Internet at Naperville’s public libraries.
The Library Board Wednesday night voted to change the policy concerning Internet filters. The library was using the same filter for adult users as it was for young students. The filter was designed to make sure that younger users weren’t accessing sites their parents might find objectionable.
Adults will be able to use the computers without any filter beginning Oct. 1.
Library Executive Director John Spears said the change was made “to allow total access to the resources of the library.”
Spears noted that filtering software has continued to interrupt access to a variety of sites, including Yahoo.
“We know that this filtering software sometimes gives people a false sense of security and we want there to be open access to our resources,” Spears said. “We know that some parents are concerned about children being exposed to things on the Internet, so we’re going to continue to have filters on computers in the kids’ area, but remove them from the adult computers.”
The change will bring the Naperville Library in line with many others in the area, including Lisle, Plainfield, Aurora and Downers Grove libraries, which do not filter adult computers.
Spears also added that the library plans to offer a number of workshops for parents and children that will offer Internet safety information.
