By Alison James
Associate Editor
Although the open meeting was billed as a chance for the community to “give input as we discuss and develop comprehensive policy plans for Internet usage at Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial library,” no community members were in attendance and little discussion on the topic took place at Tuesday’s library board meeting.
The board approved the new stipulations in the library’s Internet policy in short order – four one-sentence sections added to a three-page document.
The sections mandate parental responsibility over Internet use by children ages 4-11; state the library will not allow “the unauthorized disclosure … of personal information regarding minors;” and reinforce the library’s policies against children 4-11 accessing certain web content.
“It’s regulated according to what’s appropriate for different ages,” librarian Susan Delmas said.
The sections were added to bring the library’s policy in line with guidelines and regulations from CIPA – the Children’s Internet Protection Act. The library must comply with CIPA to qualify for E-Rate funding, a program that reimburses libraries and schools for a portion of costs related to telecommunication services, including Internet usage.