Smug Gering Public Library Director Diane Downer Touts ALA Porn Policy

Gering Public Library

The Gering Public Library, Gering, NE, allows porn viewing, expressly basing its decision to do so, despite children viewing porn, on guidance from the American Library Association [ALA].  So effective is the library's propaganda that the town mayor says, "there are Supreme Court rulings that said you cannot prevent someone from having access to those types of materials," the 100% exact opposite of the law as expressed in United States v. American Library Association, 539 US 194 (2003).  In reality, it is perfectly legal to block porn and also to refuse to unblock porn even if requested.  Watch:

• "Father Outraged After Son Sees Porn at Public Library," by Kenna Nash, KOTA Territory News ABC, 8 June 2013:

Video: Father Outraged After Son Sees Porn at Public Library

I have written so much on how the ALA misleads libraries that then lie to communities to mislead them to allow the libraries to act outside the law, and how local officials are totally bamboozled and expose their communities to significant liability.  ALA was recently listed, for example, as one of the nation's leading porn facilitators.  So I won't repeat all the details now.  I am just noting that this story from Gering, NE, really provides a perfect little example of what I have been reporting is happening, complete with a smug smile from library director Diane Downer when she cites the ALA porn policy:

Smug Library Director Diane Downer Touting ALA Porn Policy

• Parent Michael Onstott, contact me for how I can help.  
• Mayor Edwin Mayo, contact me for reliable sources showing that you have been misled and your town is exposed to significant liability.  
• Library Director Diane Downer, contact me if you have an open mind.  
• Reporter Kenna Nash, contact me for what may be even a bigger story than just this one library porn incident.

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For educational purposes in line with Section 107 of the US Copyright Act, here is the unedited text of the article:

"Father Outraged After Son Sees Porn at Public Library"

by Kenna Nash

KOTA Territory News ABC

8 June 2013

A panhandle father is fuming after his son catches a glimpse of a man watching pornography at the Gering Public Library.

"They were on the computers, checking out books, doing whatever, and my wife had noticed and my son had also noticed, that another person in the library was using one of the computers to view pornography," says concerned parent Michael Onstott.

Onstott's wife approached library staff about what she and her son had witnessed but was told the man wasn't breaking library policy.

"She was basically dismissed, saying there's nothing that they can do about it," says Onstott.  "He wasn't doing anything illegal and that it's within their current policies not to do anything."

Library Director Diane Downer says the Gering Public Library's policy follows the American Library Association's guidelines.

"It doesn't specifically say 'no pornography'," says Downer.  "Obscene? Yes, but what's obscene to someone is not always obscene to someone else."

Mr. Onstott wrote a letter of concern to city council after learning about the library's policy.

Mayor Edwin Mayo says he's sympathetic to the issue but says his hands are tied.

"On the adult side, the adult used computers, they can not have those filters on," says Mayo.  "They are Supreme Court rulings that say you can not prevent someone from having access to these types of materials."

Onstott says he will do whatever it takes to get this policy changed.

"If I have to go to the state to get a law changed, I plan on riding this to the end,"
 says Onstott.  "I'm in it to win it. And I think everyone that has any values for their kids, their grand kids, nieces, nephews... they're going to understand. This has to be changed."

Mayor Mayo says this is a tough situation because if you block all access to all materials that people deem inappropriate, then they get complaints on the other side of it too.


NOTE ADDED 14 JUNE 2013:

More stories on this issue, likely because everyone knows the library director is wrong:

• "Porn in Nebraska Library - Man Speaks Out Against Policy That Allows Porn...," by PornHarms, YouTube, 10 June 2013.
• "Gering Father: Library Internet Policy In Need of Change," includes VIDEO, KOTA Territory News ABC, 12 June 2013.
• "Gering Library Director Defends Policy on Web Porn," by The Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 June 2013.
• "Library Director Defends Web Porn Policy," by The Associated Press, The Omaha World-Herald, 13 June 2013.
• "Gering Library Director Defends Policy On Web Pornography," by The Associated Press, WOWT Channel 6, 13 June 2013.
• "Gering Library Director Defends Policy on Web Porn," by The Associated Press, The Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, NE), 13 June 2013.
• "Director Defends Policy After Complaint About Man Viewing Online Pornography at Gering Library," by The Associated Press, The Republic (Columbus, IN), 13 June 2013.
• "(Neb.)- Gering Library Director Defends Policy On Web Porn," by Jeremy Anderson, AM 610 KCSR, 13 June 2013.

NOTE ADDED 15 JUNE 2103:

Here is one local media source ignoring the facts and the law to side with the porn facilitators, exemplifying the work Michael Onstott has cut out for him in deprogramming the ACLU/ALA propaganda:

• "OPINION: Censorship; It Won't Be an Issue If People Behave Responsibly," by Steve Frederick, Editor, Scottsbluff Star-Herald (Scottsbluff, NE), 14 June 2013.

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