As part of our mission to serve as a free, open archive of culture and knowledge and an ever-changing repository of information in varied formats, we are pleased to provide information resources through the Internet in both library branches and to recommend sites on our Web pages. Library staff will provide on-site log-on and log-off procedures and basic troubleshooting tips, but are not available for in-depth Internet instruction.
We have adopted the American Library Association’s endorsement of Internet access, so that the same standards of intellectual freedom, privacy, and confidentiality that are incorporated into Albany Public Library policies for traditional media shall also be applied to electronic media.
The Internet, as an information resource, enables the Library to provide access to material beyond the confines of its own collection. It allows access to ideas, information, and commentary from around the globe. However, the Internet is currently an unregulated medium. Some material may be offensive, inaccurate, illegal, or incomplete. The availability of information does not constitute endorsement of the content by the Albany Public Library. Users themselves are encouraged to evaluate the validity of all information accessed through the Internet.
All Internet resources accessible through the Library are provided equally to all users. Albany Public Library supports the right and responsibility of parents to direct usage of the Internet by their own children and provides convenient access to filtered search engines. Filtered search engines (which are not under the control of the Library) may restrict access to sites which could be deemed objectionable, but may also limit access to sites which have legitimate research value. No filtering system is completely effective.
The Public Library, unlike schools, does not serve in loco parentis (in place of a parent). Librarians cannot act in the place of parents in providing constant care and supervision of children as they explore the Internet. Library staff will not require that children utilize filtered search engines for their research. As with private usage of all other Library materials, monitoring a child’s access to the Internet is the responsibility of the parent or guardian.