The Library provides access to the Internet to help meet the diverse needs of its patrons. Internet resources offer a wealth of information that augments library collections. The library has no responsibility for content found on the Internet, including information that may be inaccurate, out-of-date, offensive or illegal.
Patron Rights:
Users should not be restricted or denied access for expressing or receiving constitutionally protected speech.
The library must provide access to information on all subjects that serve the needs or interests of each user, regardless of the user’s age or the content of the material.
It is left to each user to determine what is appropriate. Parents and legal guardians who are concerned about their children’s use of electronic resources should provide guidance to their own children. Parents, and only parents, have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children, and only their children, to library resources. Librarians and governing bodies have a public and professional obligation to provide equal access to all library resources for all library users.
Prohibited Uses of the Internet:
- Using the Internet for illegal purposes
- Using the Internet in violation of the Massachusetts General Law 272, Section 28, Matter harmful to minors, dissemination; possession; defenses
- Unauthorized copying of copyright-protected material in any format
- Transmission of chain mail, broadcast letters, or junk mail of any type
- Transmission of threatening, harassing, defamatory or obscene materials
- Unauthorized access to remote computer systems
- Accessing the Internet at a terminal designated for some other stated purpose, such as the library catalog.
Approved by Board of Trustees 5/20/2002. Updated 5/4/2006, 5/26/2016.