Letter to the Editor
Regarding Berkeley Public Library's
Young People's Computer
by Thomas Lynch.

I wish to bring to the attention of the public an issue concerning the children's computers at the Berkeley Public Library.  The library's stated policy "affirms the right and responsibility of a parent to determine and monitor their child's Internet access."  However, there is no monitoring at the library itself.  Children of all ages are able to view any site they wish to, including pornography and chat rooms.

Children's computers "for the exclusive use by children" are available at the library.  These computers recognize a special card granted to children 13 and under.  However, the child does not have to use the children's computer and can use that or the adult computer.  MySpace, an "allegedly" predator hangout and site of a recent child suicide, required people who access their site to state that they are 14 years or over.  A child using the children's card is theoretically not eligible for MySpace, yet the library allows the child to access this and other "age-restricted sites" on either the adult or children's computer.

Parents, who know that their child has a children's computer card, are lulled into believing that the library has parental controls, as many parents do at their homes.  This is not the case.  The library enables youngsters' access to dangerous and questionable Internet sites and parents are most likely not aware of it.  The library has issued an Internet use policy that basically washes their hands of any responsiblity.  Most parents are not aware of this and are not aware that their children have access to "allegedly" predatory sites.

I worked at the library until recently and quit my position there when it was made clear to me that I could not intervene to protect children by upholding age restrictions on sites viewed.