Re: Ken Umbach's comments re: internet restriction

[Michele Missner <missnerm@ATHENET.NET>]

Dan, I agree with you completely.  Every article that I have seen about
filtering says that it is a waste of money.  I think that the people who
are in the position to make decision, like congress people putting e rate
and filtering together probably don't even use the Internet.  Our school
district just joined a coalition for Internet service that is requiring a
filter.  Obviously, they didn't ask the people who work with it, just
school principals.  Michele

On Wed, 8 Apr 1998, Dan Robinson Indexing Services wrote:

> Ken, I think your point was *not* clear. You're equating 'filtering'
> with 'selection', and I think you're right, up to a point. When a
> librarian chooses what to have in the collection, she is in control
> of the selection. When a "filter" blocks a site from access, the
> programmers who implemented the filter design, based on criteria from
> a company, are in control. The librarian has no control over
> 'selection' of the material on the Internet.
>
> We've seen examples here on LM_NET of the types of 'criteria' that
> the filtering companies have. For example, access to the LM_NET
> archives are blocked since the moderators do not screen every
> message. I'm sure that if questioned, they would point to the recent
> spam posting as evidence that the site should be blocked. But why
> should they make the choice for the librarian? Shouldn't the
> librarian make the choice for her library?
>
> Perhaps the LM_NET collective 'mind' should post the criteria for an
> acceptable filtering program.  It is time for the library world to
> communicate that they want to 'select' the Internet themselves, not
> 'filter' based on external programs.
>
>
> Dan Robinson
> Indexing Services
> H.W. Wilson Company
> Bronx, NY
> drobinson@hwwilson.com
>
>
> On  7 Apr 98 at 14:08, Ken Umbach wrote:
>
> > Hi ...
> >
> > At 03:55 PM 4/7/98 EDT, Alice wrote:
> > >While much of what you post to LM_NET is valid and even thought-provoking,
> > >sometimes you forget that YOU work with adults all day long, in a workplace
> > ...
> > >And all of that puts a very different spin on how we operate. . .  because we
> > >are in schools, not government offices.
> > ...
> >
> [snipped]
> > Perhaps my point was not clear.  What I am saying is that some folks are
> > very inconsistent (or confused) where the question of
> > limiting/choosing/selecting library materials is concerned, and therefore
> > make nonsensical and out-of-context references to "constitutionally
> > protected speech" with reference to the Internet where they would never
> > think of doing so with reference to printed materials.  I mean, if the KKK
> > or Nazi party or Larry Flynt were to give you a selection of their
> > publications, WOULD you put them on the shelves?  I should certainly hope
> > not!  And if you would not, are you not "filtering"?
> >
> [snipped]
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Ken
> > --
> > Kenneth W. Umbach, Ph.D., Policy Analyst
> > California Research Bureau, California State Library
> > 900 N. Street, Suite 300, Sacramento, California 95814
> > E-mail: kumbach@unlimited.net (or kumbach@library.ca.gov)
> > Phone (voice) 916-653-6002 (fax) 916-654-5829
> > Personal Web page and selected papers: http://members.unlimited.net/~kumbach
> > This message reflects my opinion, not that of my employer or anyone else.
> >
>
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Michele W. Missner,
Program Leader for Media Services       Library Media Specialist
Appleton Area School District           Appleton West High School
Office phone: (414) 832-4899            610 N. Badger Ave
Einstein Middle School                  Appleton Wi. 54914
email:  missnerm@athenet.net            phone: (920) 832-4162-work
(920)   730-0768 -home                   (920) 832-6239-fax
(920)   832-4899 (media center)
http://www.athenet.net/~westfive

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