Open-Campus Policy Called Into Question; After Recent Events, Pierce College May Revise Computer Use

Pierce College Roundup
12 October 2016
Comic by Chanaelle Chahayed

Open-Campus Policy Called Into Question; After Recent Events, Pierce College May Revise Computer Use

by Joshua Manes @Tweeporting

Pierce College Roundup

vol. 125, no. 5, p.3

12 October 11 2016

An incident on Friday, Sept. 16, involving a non-student viewing inappropriate materials on a library computer has brought up questions regarding campus policies toward computer access and the campus being open to the public.

The incident was reported around 2 p.m. on Sept. 16 and the man was asked to leave the library.

According to Deputy Guerrero, a deputy and officer responded to a call about a male non-student looking at a known porn site.

The Pierce College Library / Learning Crossroads and its equipment are open to the public.

“It’s a challenge at times, but it’s an open campus and the public loves coming here to use it,” Guerrero said. “There’s a little more control in there [the library]. This is a very safe school when you look at the crime stats.”

Incidents regarding non-students are minimal, according to Guerrero. However, according to librarian Clay Gediman, this is not the first time a non-student has been asked to leave the library.

“We have had a problem with a couple homeless people who do come in, and they’re normally quiet,” Gediman said. “But if their smell gets too strong it could be an issue and we have to remind them that people have to work around here.”

The idea of anyone being able to come in and use equipment may be jarring for some students.

“It’s a little scary,” said first-year Pierce College student Jennifer Lee. “I just assume everyone here goes here.”

According to Gediman, Pierce College hasn’t had a problem with the public visiting the campus and utilizing its resources.

“At the same time, we are the only campus in the district that doesn’t have locked down computers where all the other ones require you to log in to use them,” Gediman said. “Even if we had the public coming in, we would have a guest account that they could use. We could actually track it if we wanted to, but we don’t have that process set up yet.”

According to Gediman, there have been discussions about setting up some sort of process for a little while now. However, it is an IT issue and he does not know what their time schedule is for instituting security features.

There is currently a login system for students that is used online for registration and Canvas as well as to use the printers inside the library. Implementing this same system in the library would not require students to remember any additional information, or require the creation of completely new login IDs.

“It would be a hassle to login, but it makes sense,”  said second-year Pierce College student Ben Sarkissian.

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jmanes.roundupnews@gmail.com

Reprinting here at SafeLibraries given US Copyright Fair Use provisions, particularly as the original link produced a "site suspended" error as shown (and I retrieved the text and graphic from Google cache):

Seems to me the librarian saying, "Pierce College hasn’t had a problem with the public visiting the campus and utilizing its resources" is misleading people, but he does go on to describe a number of problems.

Citizens, students, parents and alumni should ask why "a known porn site" is not being filtering out of the library.  Obviously unfiltered computers attract "known porn site" viewers, no?  I'll bet way worse is going on and it never gets reported.  Kudos to the Pierce College Roundup for this excellent report.  More investigation is needed.

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Parading as Homeless Shelters is Killing the Urban Library System in America

According to some, the homeless are making some libraries unsafe at any speed, crime is rampant, and patrons simply refuse to attend:

Development Arrested says:
March 18, 2013 at 4:43 pm 

In a public (and an academic!) library, librarians will work with patrons who are homeless, mentally ill, or on the spectrum.  Sometimes our own staff will have these same conditions.  They are not always the most pleasant people to work with, but that's (part) of our job. 

me too says:
March 21, 2013 at 7:45 pm 

We are not trained in the mental illness field and I am sick and tired of having a library full of people who need help that library staff are not able to provide.  When you talk about us becoming irrelevant, it will be because "regular" people stop coming to our libraries because they are afraid of the kind of people who are more and more becoming fixtures in our libraries.  Some are mentally ill, some are thieves, some are drug users, some are perverts, some are pedophiles and some are just plain evil.  That is what is going to put us out of business.  I've worked in libraries for the past 30 years and even in small town, libraries are becoming jungles.  Moms aren't going to bring kids to storytime or vote for a bond when our libraries are full of people masturbating, talking to themselves, fighting, hitting and spitting, smell like death and are obvious disease carriers. 

me too says:
March 22, 2013 at 8:45 pm 

You don’t get it.  I may have used a bit too much hyperbole for you.  The people who keep us relevant are more and more AFRAID to come to our libraries because we have become the home for all the fringe people in our culture.  It's a public library, sure, but it has become the dumping ground for social services and every other government agency that has given up or can't fund adequate care for many of these people.  I repeat, I have not the training nor do I have the desire to spend the rest of my career dealing with social issues that our state and federal governments have abandoned to us.  I don’t believe God intends the public library to be the home, hospital, bathroom, shower and bedroom for all these folks.  I'm just telling it like it is.  Do you actually think our job is to get trained in the mental health field so we can better help these folks?  I'm a friggin librarian not a miracle worker.  I don't want to be a miracle worker.  I don't want to deal with people every fucking day of my life who don't have a clue what planet they live on.  Sorry if that upsets you and God.  Perhaps you could create some kind of nirvanna for these folks at your library.  I can't. 

Charlemagne says:
March 23, 2013 at 12:33 am 

I agree.  My urban library is essentially the daily hangout for the homeless.  I have nothing against homeless as people and I think more needs to be done to prevent it, but these are the people who destroy the library for everyone else.  They are lined up at the door before we open and go back to the shelter at closing time.  It is killing us because we are not equipped or capable to be social workers or a homeless shelter.  There are, in fact, social workers and homeless shelters in existence for a reason.  We have (seemingly weekly) heroin overdoses, an upstairs bathroom that is apparently the local gay-sex hangout, people who walk around talking to themselves, people masturbating at the computers, people fist fighting over computers, exposing themselves to staff, prostitution, bathing in the bathrooms, drug dealers; and that's just the normal stuff. 

Though it isn't an official policy, the staff warns parents who bring in children because pedophiles are known to target the library.  Also, it kinda sucks when you have to check for seminal or menstrual fluid and vomit before you sit down at a desk.  I know we aren't unique in our experience as an urban library. 

The overwhelming majority of the research requests we get are over the phone.  People who are not part of the homeless population do not visit the library.  They do not feel safe here and they have stated as such.  People would rather not get the information than come in to the facility.  Last week we had someone (who had never visited before) ask immediately upon entering our area if the library in the suburbs could answer her research question because she was not comfortable in this environment.  I wonder how she will vote once a levy comes up on the ballot?  

Look, I know we are all good liberals and feel we are supporting the reactionary conservatives who disdain education if we say anything other than the homeless are a blessing and joy.  I've found that is what the underlying issue is.  But let's be honest: Libraries are not shelters.  They are not designed to be.  Librarians are not medical professionals or social workers.  We are not trained to be.  These resources exist.  We have a different mission and skills.  Are we supposed to be nurses literally handing out their psychiatric medication to tame schizophrenia?  Those who come in with the habits listed above (and throughout this thread) are hindering us from doing our job and making it less likely we will continue to receive community support. 

Look, the homeless patrons are by and large not "decent folks just down on their luck" who would easily create the next million-dollar internet start-up if only a noble librarian would show them the resume builder software.  They have these resources at the homeless shelter.  The social workers know exactly how to get these people back on their feet and they give them the opportunities.  The homeless here don't need the help from us because anything we could offer is already being offered by professionals. Sorry to say, but they generally want to remain drug addicted and use the public library as their home base, all the while treating the staff like we are their personal butlers there solely to serve them. 

Parading as a homeless shelter is killing the urban library system in America.

Source:  Comments to

• "Banned from All Libraries," by Annoyed Librarian, Library Journal, 18 March 2013.  

The title of my post is nearly a direct quote from one of the commenters.

Note:  I have written about the homeless in libraries before:

• "Hidden Library Crime: Security Guard Reveals Libraries Want Door Greeters, Not Security Guards; Case Evidences Harm of American Library Association Control Over Libraries," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 8 March 2012
• "LA Times Supports Filtering Porn from Public Libraries," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 29 December 2011
• "Laguna Beach Pubic Library," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 6 December 2011
• "Porn and Sex Abuse In Our Public Libraries: Public Library Porn Harms Children, Patrons, Librarians, and Porn Industry Actors," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 24 July 2011
• "Bums are Ground Zero in Libraries - Librarianship is a Hazardous Occupation," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 21 February 2011
• "Tacoma Library Crime Rampant; Library Director Once Chased Pedophile Out of the Library and Across a Parking Lot While Wearing Her High Heels; Library Itself Partly to Blame and May Be Committing Fraud," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 19 February 2011
• "Kansas City Library Riddled with Crime: No Internet Filters is Why, and Acceptable Use Policies Do Not Work," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 20 May 2010
• "Twin Students of Different Mothers Want Internet Filters," 20 February 2010
• "Sex in Public Library Bathrooms Results in Nation's First Full-Time Psychiatric Social Worker Stationed in a Public Library," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 11 January 2010
• "432 Patrons Ejected from Seattle Libraries in First Four Months of 2009; Librarians 'Assaulted, Threatened and Spit Upon,'" by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 28 May 2009
• "Homeless Children and Banned Books," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 10 March 2009
• "Hartford Librarians Should Sue to Rid ALA Influence," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 18 May 2008

Will the American Library Association do anything about this?  Feel free to comment below.

NOTE ADDED 31 MARCH 2013:

See also, and the comments:

• "Shush!; Today's Public Library Could Be Mistaken For a Halfway House, Homeless Shelter, or Federal Penetentiary'," by Daniel J. Flynn, American Spectator, 29 March 2013. 

URL of this page:  safelibraries.blogspot.com/2013/03/HomelessInLibraries.html

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Laguna Beach Pubic Library

KTLA 5 news story entitled,
"Library Porn."

Laguna Beach Public Library.  Eight homeless guys watch pornography on one of the public library's Internet computers, one is masturbating, and children are nearby.  The library's reaction?  It is their First Amendment right!  It might as well be called the Laguna Beach Pubic Library.  See for yourself:

• "Homeless Men Caught Watching Porn at Laguna Beach Library, Patrons Say; Video: Watch Mary Beth McDade's Report," by Mary Beth McDade, KTLA News, 1 December 2011, emphasis in original:

  Library officials tell us they can't block the [pornography] sites because they have to uphold people's rights to freely access information....

Since when is pornography "information"?

Did you see how the library said pornography (excuse me, "information") in public libraries was legal and cannot be controlled?  That is false.  Yes, it is legal, but no, libraries are not obligated under the First Amendment to provide porn and it can be controlled with Internet filters (privacy screens and acceptable use policies do almost nothing).  See, for example, Library Porn Removal Roadmap.  As it stands now, porn is freely available at the Laguna Beach Public Library.  Why not just advertise that if it is a First Amendment right?

KTLA 5 poll showing
most people want
Internet filters.

But what the library said is more than false.  Over eight years after US v. ALA approved blocking porn in public libraries, in part for the very common sense reason the attorney said in the KTLA News report, it is simply a lie.  The library knows or should have known it is lying to the community.  It can block porn, legally, it just simply refuses to do so.

The question is, will the community/government allow the library to continue to get away with this lying?  At right is a graphic of a KTLA News poll showing most people want filters on public library computers.  It is what the people want.  Should the community have an anything-goes library policy enforced by lying librarians or should citizens insist on compliance with the law and the installation of filters on all computers, not just anything less that 100%?  Will the government act to legally protect the people or will the librarians lobbying quiesce the politicians?

And let me remind the government that where your library acts outside the law, and it is doing just that by defying US v. ALA and perhaps by defying local law, you have the right to require the library to comply with the law without worrying about piercing the library's veil of autonomy.  The library may not act autonomously to violate the law.  The government must act in such a case.

Will the library continue to endanger more children, patrons, and library employees?  We shall see.  Let me know if anyone would like my assistance in ridding that community of this particular danger.  And it is a danger, let alone a cause for potential legal liability.

By the way, it was purely concern over legal liability that led a library to finally kick out an "Occupy" trespassers encampment.  See Library Kicks Out Occupy Encampment.  Maybe the issue of potential legal liability will lead the government to require the library comport with the law—especially where I will be sending this post to the local and county governments so they are put on notice of potential harm.  Prior notice may affect any damages awarded.  If the government does nothing and the library is allowed to continue to serve pornography and a resultant crime leads to legal redress, the government's damages will likely be established and/or increased, and I will provide expert testimony.


NOTE ADDED 29 DECEMBER 2011:

Based in part on this incident in Laguna Beach, it now appears an LA TIMES EDITORIAL SUPPORTS REASONABLE MEANS TO FILTER OUT PORNOGRAPHY!

• "Porn in the Library: Censorship vs. Decency," by Editor Karin Klein, Los Angeles Times, 29 December 2011.

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Bums are Ground Zero in Libraries - Librarianship is a Hazardous Occupation

Sleeping in Public Library

Bums in the library?

Please read "Dear Monday - Any Advice for Furious," by Will Manley, Will Unwound #367, 21 February 2011.  Sample quote from a pseudonymous librarian named "Furious":

My problem is bums in the library.  Not just garden-variety bums that read the newspaper, doze in chairs and sneak a nip in the stacks–I’m familiar and comfortable with those bums since they do leave.  The bums I am taking exception to are addicted bums that are being fostered, fed and given money by our IT manager.

Wow!  Some IT manager!  Be sure to read the comments, most being from active or formers librarians.

The graphic above is from another worthy read: "Why You Should Work in a Library Before Library School," by YoSafBridg, Tales of a Rampaging Librarian, 1 June 2007.  It has lovely quotes from another source describing the Salt Lake City Public Library,  including:

Serious respiratory problems among the chronically homeless in a shelter are as common as beer guts at a racetrack.  If an epidemic strikes, the susceptibility of the homeless will translate into an increased risk of exposure for the rest of us and, eerily enough, our public libraries could become Ground Zeroes for the spread of killer flu.  Librarians are reluctant to make plans for handling such scenarios because we do not want to convey the message that America's libraries are anything but the safe and welcoming environments they remain today.

Libraries not safe?

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Kansas City Library Riddled with Crime: No Internet Filters is Why, and Acceptable Use Policies Do Not Work

The Kansas City Public Library is riddled with crime.  Just look at this graphic to the right of "Library Security Numbers" showing 102 incidents in the past two years of "Public display of explicit sexual material or child pornography."

Read the story and watch the news broadcast video here:  "Library, Police Work To Improve Safety," KCTV5 Kansas City, MO, 19 May 2010:

Libraries have always been considered a safe place for families, but statistics just released might change all that.

Officials with the Kansas City Public Library are concerned because they have seen certain security violations double over the past year.
....
A look at the numbers shows offensive language and the use of controlled substances, including alcohol, doubled between 2008 and 2009.  Public displays of sexual material, including child pornography, went up from 41 to 61.  A total of 20 different violations went from 466 in 2008 to 740 in 2009.

Lucky

Kansas City Public Library CEO Crosby Kemper III admits, "We've been lucky that we haven't had a really major incident."  See "Crosby Kemper III: Library 'Lucky' Not To Be Even Less Safe Than It Feels," by Scott Wilson, The Pitch, 19 May 2010.  And when the really major incident does occur, that statement could be used as evidence the library knew or should have known there was a problem, and treble damages might be awarded.

Media Missed the Reason for the Crime Statistics

The media outlets completely missed the reason for the high crime statistics.  Can anyone hazard a guess what this might be, other than the "homeless" the library blamed for the crime wave?  Hint: the American Library Association [ALA] opposes the use of these in public libraries despite losing in US v. ALA, and it strongly leans on libraries not to use these.  That's right, "The Library does not monitor or control information accessible through the Internet...." 

Acceptable Use Policies Do Not Work

Notice also how acceptable use policies fail to have any effect: "Customers may not use Library computers to commit any illegal acts.  Such acts may include, but are not limited to ... public display of material from sites that may be deemed unlawful under federal or state statutes."  Yet in the past two years there have been 102 incidents of "public display of explicit sexual material or child pornography."  Obviously no one is deterred by an acceptable use policy.  The ALA recommends using acceptable use policies instead of Internet filters.  So it recommends a solution that does not work.

Who Controls the Library—the Citizens or the ALA?

Will the citizens of Kansas City, MO, do anything about this, or will they continue to allow the library to follow ALA directives until that "really major incident" finally occurs?  Whose kid will it be?  Please comment below.

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Twin Students of Different Mothers Want Internet Filters

Students want Internet filters.  The common sense of college students must be shocking to the American Library Association [ALA] and its acolytes who oppose filters.  See what Lauren Hood at the University of Florida and Phil Cleary at Gustavus Adolphus College say:

Lauren Hood, the University of Florida student, said:

I see a homeless man, in his sixties, watching porn on the library computers!!!

My mouth literally dropped open and I just stared because I honestly didn’t know how to react; was there really a homeless man watching porn in Library West?  ....

We shouldn’t have to have firewalls and security walking around monitoring our actions....  But when it comes to watching any type of nudity or pornography, there really should be a block in the computer system. ....

Firewalls should be put up so pornography and nudity couldn’t be available on public computers, unless for research purposes.

Source:  "Homeless Man in Library," by Lauren Hood, Chomp Life, 19 February 2010.

Phil Cleary, the Gustavus Adolphus College student, said:

Currently, our Internet-usage policies make no explicit statement regarding pornography. ....

Accordingly, the development of transparent guidelines governing the network usage of campus computers and resources would affirm that Gustavus seeks to provide all students with an environment for learning and living that is both supporting and nurturing.  Therefore, I advocate the implementation of the following two proposals:

1. Have pornography filters installed on all campus-owned computers.   Public computers in library open space can be exempt from having the software installed to ensure that filtering doesn’t hamper academic research.
2. Give students the option of installing this software on their personal computers, much in the same manner that students install anti-virus software before accessing the school’s network.  Because this would increase compliance with the intended use of the College’s technology resources of supporting “teaching, learning, research and campus services,” the bandwidth allocation connected to a student’s MAC address could be increased by 50 percent.

Clearly, these proposals are two tangible common-sense campus reforms that are non-invasive, hardly restrictive and would go far in promoting a more positive community in the student body.

Source:  "Internet Policies and Pornography," Phil Cleary, The Gustavian Weekly, 19 February 2010.

Mr. Cleary mysteriously exempts "computers in library open space," likely on the mistaken belief so forcefully promoted by the ALA that filters do not work.  Notice, for example, the ALA cites an old article that filters are "overzealous," but not newer, more authoritative case law showing otherwise.  The cited link from the supposedly authoritative ALA is so old it gives the familiar 404 Not Found error!  The truth is even the ACLU, a co-litigant in US v. ALA, now admits filters are 95% effective and no longer block health-related information.  See ACLU v. Gonzales, E.D. Pa. 2007.  Besides, properly managed filters can be disabled by library staff easily enough.

And I love the suggestion that the college should provide students with Internet filters just as it provides them with computer virus filters!!  Bravo, Mr. Cleary!

These students are obviously using, even explicitly using, common sense.  You have to love clear thinking before it gets confused by ALA propaganda.  It is like Ms. Hood and Mr. Cleary are twin students of different mothers on the issue of Internet filters.  In fact, they are so young, let me disclose I had Twin Sons of Different Mothers in mind when I learned both had the same complaint and solution published on the same day in different schools.

Well done, Ms. Hood and Mr. Cleary.  Keep promoting your ideas and your common sense.  If I may help, please let me know.

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