Internet Policy

ACTON MEMORIAL LIBRARY

Approved by Board of Trustees, December 2005

Internet Policy
The Internet offers a wealth of material that enables Acton Memorial Library to enhance
and supplement collections. While much of the information on the Internet is enriching,
there may be material that is inaccurate, out-of-date, controversial, offensive or
disturbing to some individuals, or material that may be illegal. Websites and domain
names can change rapidly and unpredictably. Acton Memorial Library does not and
could not reasonably control or monitor access to material that may be accessible on
the Internet and is not responsible for the sites users reach.

Parents and guardians of minor children are responsible for their children’s use of the
Internet in the Library as they are for their children’s use of other library resources.
Parents are strongly urged to read “Child Safety on the Information Highway ,” a free
brochure available in the Children’s Room. PCs in the Children’s Department have
filtered access to the World Wide Web; however, there is a possibility that language or
visual material inappropriate for some children or in conflict with some families’ values
could penetrate the filtering program.

The Acton Memorial Library assumes no responsibility for any damages, direct or
indirect, arising from the use of the World Wide Web or from its connections to other
Internet services.

The Acton Memorial Library endorses the Internet Policy of the Minuteman Library
Network, of which it is a member.

In addition, Acton Memorial Library may impose further regulations and restrictions,
from time to time, as it deems appropriate. Other rules for patron use may apply, but are
not limited to the following:

Sign In
In order to equitably schedule use of Internet access computers, people wishing to use
the Internet must sign in. This can be done at any available Internet access computer. If
all such computers are in use, sign in for use longer than 15 minutes must be done at
the queue station in the Reference area for Internet access computers on the upper
floor and at the queue station in the Children’s Room for Internet access computers in that Department. Internet access computer use for less than 15 minutes is available
through the Express Terminal on the second floor without going through the queue
process. Those having a Minuteman Library card should sign in using their card
number. Anyone without a card will be issued a Guest Card to use for sign in; ID may be
required. Regular users eligible for a Minuteman Library card who do not have one are
encouraged to get one. A card number is needed by the scheduling software only to
keep track of user requests for Internet access computers. It is not used to track or keep
any record of an individual’s accessing of specific websites.

Time Restriction
In general, the maximum amount of continuous use for any single patron at any one
sitting shall be sixty (60) minutes when others are waiting. The scheduling program will
notify users on their screens of the minutes left in the session in order to give them time
to conclude use in an orderly way. Anyone wishing to extend their session time may do
so from the computer they are using and their session will be extended if no one is
waiting.

Printing from the Internet
The charge is 10 cents per page for black and 25 cents per page for color, to be paid at
the Reference Desk (if printing on the upper level) or Children’s Librarian’s Desk (if
printing in the Children’s Department).