At The Library

At The Library is a weekly feature printed in The Braddock Times.

EXPLICIT pornography can be viewed in many public libraries — including BCPL — because some decline to install internet filters on the basis that it imposes overly strict censorship.

Graphic movies showing penetrative sex are easily accessible online because the library believes current filtering software can block legitimate research.

The result is that there is little to stop deviants accessing child pornography and other sites offering free sexual images.

The Braddock Times was able to access hardcore pornography at BCPL last week.

A recent survey conducted by the Central University of North Texas School of Information Science found most local libraries were opposed to filtering based on their "experience, professional ethics and sense of purpose of libraries."

BCPL Director Kelly Millis said filtering software often blocked legitimate websites such as those concerning breast cancer. But he added that libraries' commitment to the free flow of information was a reason for the lack of restrictions.

"We are strongly opposed to censorship and to adults not being able to access material which they can legally see," he said. "(But) it's a fine line. It requires proper supervision … libraries also want to look after the interests of children. That's why I have a top notch man running our children's department." Millis was referring to Noah Retro, a registered sex offender and high school drop-out who was controversially hired in a supervisory role by Millis earlier this year. Millis has long been dogged by questions of favoritism. He promoted his secretary to the position of Library Information Services Administrator despite her lack of credentials. An unnamed former employee says "the reason there is no filtering is because the IS broad is too dumb to know how to install the software. That place will run off an employee for browsing the Internet because they have nothing to do, but they'll let a sex offender jack off in view of children and turn a blind eye to it."

Millis claims BCPL would receive as many complaints about clumsy filtering software as they would about offensive images.

Material The Braddock Times could have viewed included films with the names Cleveland Style Sluts, White Chicks Black Dicks 54 and Big Orgasm 14. Inez Mitchell, assistant director, said "anyone caught accessing pornography or other offensive material faced ejaculation, I mean ejection, from the library for the day and a ban from accessing the internet for a week."

She said the library clearly stated its terms and conditions of internet use, but it did not have the right to restrict the free flow of information.

"People have the right to free and equal access to information and that is a principle supported by our board," she said.

"(But) it's a tricky question. It (porn) is a very broad umbrella and people's tolerance of looking at material is different. I fully support spying on our employees, but not on the public."

Ms. Mitchell said the lack of effective software meant the library was not prepared to implement a filtering system, but this could change.

"We think the interference with people's legitimate research … outweighs the not-very-effective protection that you get from the filters that are available.

"But I would say if we had an effective filtering system that excluded pornography we would need to consider what our position was."

Amy Stephenson, founding director of Kids Free to be Kids, said it was extraordinary that pornography could be seen so easily and without detection in public libraries.

She said stricter monitoring of the internet was urgently needed.

"It's extremely abhorrent what you can get in one click," she said. "There's enough research to show that pornography can be very damaging to children. There must surely be computer experts who are competent enough to work out how to filter (only) the pornographic channels.

"If you're not going to put in a filtering system, I absolutely think there should be better supervision."