Paulding County Carnegie Library
Internet Use Policy

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Why provide access?

PCCL refers to the entire Paulding County Carnegie Library system, including branches.

Because of the changing needs of the community, the Paulding County Carnegie Library (PCCL) provides electronic access to the Internet.  The library maintains the connection to provide free and equal access to information for educational, professional, and personal development purposes for all citizens of Paulding County. The Internet connection for the PCCL is provided by the state of Ohio through the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN).

Internet access at the PCCL is considered a privilege and patrons are expected to abide by all rules, policies and regulations governing use.

Disclaimer

The Internet is an information resource beyond what you can find in the traditional library collection.  It is not regulated by the library staff or any government or commercial entity.  Therefore, some information found on the Internet may be controversial, inaccurate, misleading or objectionable.  Information available through the Internet is not guaranteed by the library or OPLIN to be accurate, authoritative, factual, or complete.  All users of this service agree to hold the library and/or OPLIN harmless from any and all claims, losses, damages, obligations or liabilities, directly or indirectly relating to this service and /or the networked information available via this service.  In no event shall the library and/or OPLIN have any liability for lost profits or for indirect, special, punitive, or consequential damages or any liability to any third party, even if OPLIN is advised of the possibility of such damages.

Staff Assistance

The PCCL staff is fully trained in use of databases and information retrieval via the Internet and OPLIN connection and will provide limited assistance for basic start-up procedures.

The PCCL staff are not familiar with online e-mail programs and therefore may not be able to assist with e-mail functions.

It is recommended that inexperienced users register for a free Internet training course with a member of the PCCL staff.

Time Limits

You must have a valid PCCL card to sign up for computer use.  If others are waiting to use the computer, use is limited to 30 minutes.

A maximum of 2 (two) hours may be spent per day per patron accessing the Internet.  PCCL staff may adjust that time on a case-by-case basis.

Reservations will not be taken for computer use.

Printers

Laser printers are available at the Internet computer stations. There is a charge per page printed.

Scanners

Scanners are now available for public use at the main library and branches. The staff is available to assist you with operating these new additions to the library.  There is a charge per page printed.  

Parental Responsibility

Parents and legal guardians are responsible for all materials their children access from the library, including information and material accessed via the Internet.  The library staff will not restrict children from using any library materials, including Internet access although Internet access via the children's terminals is somewhat restricted (i.e. no chat, no e-mail) through use of filtering software.

Minor children under the age of 18 must have parental or legal adult guardian permission before accessing the Internet at the PCCL.  Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a parent and/or legal adult guardian when accessing the Internet.

Parents and /or legal adult guardians realize there is good and bad on the Internet, and they will instruct their child on what he or she may access.

Parents and/or legal adult guardians understand that accessing materials which may be deemed inappropriate or harmful for minors may be in violation of Ohio Revised Code as defined in section 2907.31 and punishable by fines and/or imprisonment. 

The following uses of the PCCL/OPLIN connection are prohibited and may result in loss of Internet privileges and possible prosecution:

• Accessing Chat rooms of any kind (unless special permission is granted by PCCL staff).

• Commercial use of any type or kind.

• Accessing any obscene and illegal materials as defined in the Ohio Revised Code 2907.01.

• Unauthorized, illegal or unethical purposed, including sending, receiving or displaying text or graphics which may reasonably be construed as obscene as defined in ORC 2907.01

• Harassment of other users.

• Labeling or slandering other users.

• Modifying or changing computer settings, unauthorized shutting down of computers, changing location bars, etc. from library terminals.

• Destruction of or damage to equipment, software, or data belonging to the library or others.

• Unauthorized copying of copyright-protected material.

• Modifying or gaining access to files, passwords, or data belonging to others; seeking unauthorized access to any computer system, or damaging or altering software components of any network or database.
• Creating personal home-pages or web-pages.

E-Mail & Chat

The library does not offer electronic mail accounts. Patrons may access their existing e-mail accounts from the library terminals.

NO CHAT IS ALLOWED. Many chat rooms deal with obscene subject matter, as defined by the Ohio Revised Code.  Patrons are prohibited from using library terminals to access any chat room.

EXCEPTION: Patrons may request special permission from a staff member to access a monitored, authoritative chat room for research purposes.  This exception does not apply to unmonitored chat rooms sponsored by companies such as YahooChat, ExciteChat, etc. The decision of the staff member whether or not to grant an exception will be final.

WARNING: Access to chat rooms is prohibited at the PCCL without special permission. When special permission is granted to access chat rooms, the following warning will be given: The Internet guards the anonymity of users, and you cannot know if people are who they say they are.  Someone on-line, chatting as a 12 year old girl may actually be a male adult.  Parents and/or legal adult guardians are strongly encouraged to use the Internet with their minor children and monitor all access to chat.   Parents and/or legal adult guardians of minor children are responsible for their minor child's Internet use.

Downloading

Using your own software programs on the Library's computer is prohibited.  You may use your own disk or purchase a diskette if you wish to save files.  Diskettes are available for a fifty cent (50) charge. Downloading to your disk is allowed.

Misuse of the Library's OPLIN computer or Internet access

Misuse includes illegal activity (violation of local, state, and /or federal laws); commercial activity; including but not limited to operating a business for personal gain; and disrupting the use of OPLIN by other users; and will result in loss of Internet privileges and possible criminal prosecution.

Failure to respect the decisions of the PCCL staff regarding Internet access will result in immediate loss of Internet privilege.  Law enforcement will be called when any patron is unruly or acts in a disorderly fashion.

Patrons who initial that they have read and accept the policy agree to comply with the policy.  Parents and/or legal adult guardians of minor children under the age of 18 will be responsible for all information and materials their child accesses from the library.