Clearinghouse of Professional Information

Public Internet Access

Topics include

General Resources | Censorship | Evaluating Web Sites | Federal Initiatives | Filtering | Internet Acceptable Use Policies | Issues |  Networking with other professionals | Public Access Control  | Usage studies | Web Site Design | Web Standards | Wireless Access (Libraries with)

	indicates an item written by SOLS staff		indicates an item written by OLS-North staff
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General Resources

• American Library Association. Libraries and the Internet Tool Kit  Tips and guidance for managing and communicating about the Internet
• CLA's  Net Safe; Net Smart: Managing and Communicating About the Internet in the Library  (The Canadian Library Association) Web-based Toolkit on managing and communicating about the Internet in the library.
• CLA Statement on Internet Access   Revised February 2000
• CLA Statement on Intellectual Freedom
• CLA Statement Information and Telecommunication Access Principles Position Statement
• Cybersmart Guide for Library Staff  (Australia Communications and Media Authority) provides library staff with the information, support and tools to effectively promote internet safety in Australian public libraries—especially for children. The resources were developed in conjunction with the Australian Library and Information Association and Australian public libraries. The materials aim to complement existing policies in libraries and provide additional resources and support to library staff.
• Guides to the Internet & Evaluation of Resources. (Library Instruction Round Table.)
• IFLA Internet Manifesto Full of  good persuasive arguments in favour of  the library profession's commitment to unhindered access to information. 
• Media Awareness Network. Web Awareness for Librarians
• OLITA Internet Access Toolkit  (Ontario Library and Information Technology Association)

Evaluating Web Sites 

• Evaluation Criteria (New Mexico State University Library)
• Evaluating Information Found on the Internet. Entrepreneurial Library Program at Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins University.
• Evaluating Web Pages (UC Berkeley) 
• Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools. Reference Division, Olin*Kroch*Uris Libraries Cornell University
  Information Quality WWW Virtual Library This set of pages keeps track of online resources relevant for evaluation, development and administration of high quality factual/scholarly networked information systems. 
• Finding and Evaluating Quality Information through the Internet by Dr Bob Swisher Professor, Library and Information Studies, Directory, Oklahoma U,  Instructional Technology Program. Includes "Tables of Internet-Based Guides and Directories".
• Great Websites for Kids Selection Criteria (ALA)
• YALSA Criteria for Web Site Links (ALA's Young Adult Services Division)
    

Federal Initiatives

• CAP funding application (Industry Canada)
• CAP YI funding application (Industry Canada)

Internet Acceptable Use Policies 

•  Children and the Internet: Policies That Work (ALA. Association fro Library Service to Children) The links were selected to provide you with a chance to view different styles and approaches to writing public library Internet access policies. Some of the policies listed link to state and federal regulations that support the documents, others provide information on what happens if a customer behaves inappropriately, and others are simple outlines of appropriate use. All were updated and revised within the past three years
• Directory of Internet Access Policies of Canadian Libraries in the Public Sector This site was developed by Joel MacKeen  and Dr. Alvin M. Schrader and is maintained by Dr. Alvin M. Schrader, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta
• Molding Effective Internet Policies by Cynthia K. Richey from Computers in Libraries, Vol. 22, no. 6, June 2002
• Vancouver Public Library. Public Internet Access Policy

Ontario Public Libraries AUP (Acceptable Use Policies) 

• Brantford Public Library Internet Access Program
• Burlington Public Library - Internet Access Policy
• Cornwall Public Library Internet User Agreement & Access Policy
• Hamilton Public Library Internet Use Policy
• Kingston Frontenac Public Library Internet Policy
• London Public Library. Internet Policy
• Ottawa Public Library. Revised Public Internet Access Policy / Politique sur l'accès public à Internet. version révisée
• Waterloo Public Library. Internet and Computer Policy
• Windsor Public Library: Internet Acceptable Use Policy

Issues

see also "Library Administration Resources" under Joint Use Issues

• Fact sheet on Protecting Your Privacy on the Internet (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada)
• The Internet: Issues for the Library Board    SOLS Trustee Tips #18, November 1999
• Keep Porn Away From Kids  (CLA)  Published in the Ottawa Citizen, January 28, 2003 p. B4. Reprinted with the permission of the Ottawa Citizen.
• Librarians' caught in the Net (The Free Radical)

Censorship/ Intellectual Freedom:

• Chronicle of Freedom of Expression in Canada  (Book and Periodical Council)
• Internet Censorship in Public Libraries (Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC)
• PIC Internet Access Controls without Censorship (PICS: Platform for Internet Content Selection)

Filtering:

• Filtering Facts A website and blog dedicated to all things related to filtering software, including news, technology, Internet safety, legal developments, public policy issues, and the companies that manufacture filtering software. Filtering Facts is designed to serve as both a reference site for those interested in filtering software, as well as a blog focused on breaking news related to filtering software.
• GetNetWise  A resource for families and caregivers to help kids have safe, educational, and entertaining online experiences.
• The Internet Filter Assessment Project a librarian driven project to evaluate various blocking tools, rising from concerns over the use of Internet filters in library systems.
• Internet Filters: a public policy report, (2001) Marjorie Heins & Christina Cho, Free Expression Policy Project, National Coalition Against Censorship.
• Internet Filter Review  A comprehensive report of the TOP 10 Internet Filters available
• Peacefire:  (anti-filtering proponent site). Blocking software reports.

Public Access Control

• CybraryN  Public Access Security and Control   
• Labeling and Rating Information (MIT Student Association for Freedom of Expression) 
• Pharos: Uniprint Software that monitors, measures controls, costs and optionally charges for all IT networked resources 
• Public Access Measures: Securing browsers for Libraries (LibraryHQ.com)

Usage Studies

• Canadian Internet User Survey (Statistics Canada) Daily June 12, 2008
• "What Are Public Library Customers Viewing on the Internet? An Analysis of Brantford  Transaction Logs" at the Brantford (Ontario) Public Library. March 2002. By Dr. Ann Curry (UBC).
• "What Are Public Library Customers Viewing on the Internet? An Analysis of Burnaby Transaction Logs" at the Burnaby (B.C.) Public Library. March 2000. By Dr. Ann Curry (UBC). It presents a very detailed look at how the Internet is used in the public library setting.

Wireless Access

See also our Technology Planning Resources page

• Brockville Public Library. Wireless Access Policy (.pdf)
• Burlington Public Library. Wireless Access Access. See Limitations and Disclosures section
• Sauers, M. « Four Commandments for Writing Policies for Public-Access Wireless Networks.» Computers in Libraries v. 26 no. 3 (March 2006) p. 16-18, 20   (Wilson Web)
• WIFI@KPL (Kitchener Public Library)
• Wireless Fidelity Internet Access Service at Angus Glen Library (Markham Public Library) List of FAQ's
• OPL Interim Wireless Policies (Ottawa Public Library) Directives temporaires pour les services d’accès sans fil de la BPO

Z39.50

• What is Z39.50? The Z39.50 Information Retrieval Standard
• Z39.50 Maintenance Agency Page (Library of Congress)
• Z39.50 - An Overview of the Z39.50 Information Retrieval Standard by Fay Turner, National Library of Canada
• Z39.50 Resource Page. National Information Standards Organization