SAN JOSE, CA — The San Jose, CA, City Council last considered installing internet filters on public library computers in 1997. At the time council members rejected the idea after concluding the technology was too primitive to be effective.The council will revisit its decision April 21st in what is expected to be a heavily attended meeting with passionate opinions on both sides of the issue.
Councilman Pete Constant in October 2007 mounted a crusade to filter library computers.
“There have been multiple complaints of lewd acts and public indecency [involving library computers with internet access],” Constant noted in a 2007 memorandum to other council members. Offensive behavior is “not discouraged or even addressed by the city’s current computer use policy.”
The city’s head librarian leads the loyal opposition. Jane Light and other civil libertarians argue filtering technology remains too crude to eliminate only smut while allowing access to legitimate online health and sexuality resources.
Both sides have a wealth of outspoken supporters. On the pro-filtering team is former San Jose police officer and current councilman Larry Pegram, who also heads local conservative organization Values Advocacy Council. Among the VAC’s other causes is opposition to same-sex marriage.
The anti-censorship camp has received at least moral support from the American Library Association and the American Civil Liberties Union. The groups feel practical questions about expense and technology take a back seat to issues of individual freedom.
Most of the city council, however, finds budgetary issues to be of primary concern. Constant has argued that if the libraries install filters, the city will become eligible for federal grant money to help offset the cost. Light has countered that grants will cover only a portion of the expense, leaving the council to plug a $25,000 hole in the city’s chronically anemic budget.
One possible solution put forth by Mayor Chuck Reed is to require all library computer users to log on to the Web after clicking a box indicating they acknowledge library usage policies, which include shielding children from age-inappropriate materials. Library policy prohibits the use of public computers for surfing porn.
In addition, the city would install filters on all computers in library areas devoted to children.
Three council members want any spending on filters delayed until after other projects are fully funded and reduced city library hours and staff are returned to levels they enjoyed in 2001. Sam Liccardo, Ash Kalra and Judy Chirco say allocating money for school crossing guards, sexual assault and crimes against children is more important right now than filtering the Web.
“In this budgetary climate, every dollar diverted for filters is a minute, hour or day during which a library must shut its doors,” the three council members wrote in a recent memorandum.
