Internet Access and Disclaimer Policy

The Taunton Public Library offers unfiltered access to the Internet in fulfillment of our mission to "collect, organize, and make accessible popular, educational, cultural, and recreational information to its community by recognizing a growing and changing community of life-long learners of all ages, cultural and economic backgrounds.” Access is offered equally to all users without charge.

In providing public access to the Internet, the Taunton Public Library subscribes to the principles of intellectual freedom expressed in the American Library Association's LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS and FREEDOM TO READ statements and its interpretations of these documents. Library staff will not monitor, control, or restrict anyone's access to equipment or the range of information available within the limits of State and/or Federal law. This Internet Acceptable Use Policy applies to all users regardless of age.

Parents or designated guardians, who wish to limit or restrict the access of their own children, should personally oversee their use of the Internet and other forms of electronic information. Minors who visit the library without a parent or guardian are responsible for their own decisions and behaviors.

Users of Library computing resources must comply with federal and state laws, Library rules and policies, and the terms of applicable contracts including software licenses while using Library computing resources. Patrons may not send, receive or display text or graphics that may be construed as obscene, child pornography, or “harmful to minors” consistent with any state or local law. Examples of applicable laws, rules and policies include the laws of libel, privacy, copyright, trademark, obscenity and child pornography; the Taunton Public Library Acceptable Use Policy: General Computer Rules for SAILS Library card holders, the Taunton Public Library Acceptable Use Policy: General Computer Rules for Temporary Card Holders, the SAILS Internet Use Policy, the Massachusetts Computer Crime Law, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which prohibit "hacking," "cracking" and similar activities. Users who engage in electronic communications with persons in other states or countries or on other systems or networks may also be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions and the rules and policies of those other systems and networks.

Librarians are authorized to take prompt and appropriate actions to enforce the Taunton Public Library Acceptable Use Policies and to prohibit use by persons who fail to comply with the Internet Acceptable Use Policy as stated or implied herein.

Users must not use computing resources to gain unauthorized access to local or remote computers or to impair or damage the operations of Taunton Public Library or SAILS Network networks, PC workstations or peripherals. This includes blocking communication lines and running, installing or sharing virus programs. Deliberate attempts to circumvent data protection or other security measures are not allowed. The Taunton Public Library General Computer Rules applies to the use of all Internet workstations.

Users must respect the privacy of others and their accounts, regardless of whether those accounts are securely protected. The Library will not make known its Internet/PC users records, electronic or otherwise, that would identify individual users and/or link them to any search engines, sites accessed, or information sought or retrieved.

The Internet is a research tool to be used for accessing and acquiring research. When screens depict material that is visually offensive and inappropriate to a public setting, the computer will be turned off. This decision by a librarian can be appealed to the Library Director and/or the Taunton Public Library Board of Trustees.

Failure to follow the Acceptable use policies could result in a librarian stopping your computer session. Repeated abuse of the policies will result in loss of Internet privileges. This decision by a librarian can be appealed to the Library Director and in writing to the Taunton Public Library Board of Trustees.

INTERNET ACCESS DISCLAIMER

Provision of this service does not constitute any endorsement by the Taunton Public Library. The Library shall have no liability for direct, indirect or consequential damages related to the use of information accessed on the Internet from Library equipment. Internet users are reminded that:

• 1. Not all sources on the Internet provide accurate, complete, or current information.
• 2. Public library workstations are not private or secure.

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