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Volume 41, Issue 1
August 25, 2003
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August 25, 2003
Internet porn surfers
concern library staff
Cassandra Bork
Contributing Writer
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| Legend
photo illustration |
Employees at the Paul A. Elsner Library are asking two or three people
per week to leave the library because they were using Internet access
to view pornographic websites.
Most offenders are not students but are public users of the facility,
according to Zpther Minns, supervisor of the instructional and computing
support services. Almost all offenders have been males caught by library
staff keeping close watch.
“They are easy to spot. Most use computers in the corner of the
facility and turn their computer monitors to the side,” said Rex
Foy, a computer technician at the library. “Most of them have beet-red
faces and bloodshot eyes.” Foy said there have been instances of
people exposing themselves at the computers.
If students are caught accessing pornographic websites, the same rules
apply for them as for public users. Also, the Dean of Students may get
involved. Ultimately, the course of action is left up to supervisors at
the library and Ora Wagner, director of Library Services.
There are three steps of action that library employees follow when confronted
with public users abusing Internet access.
The offender is given a warning first.
If the offender repeats, a photocopy of his or her driver’s license
is taken and put on file at the library.
On the third offense, he or she is permanently banned from the library.
The library’s policy states computers are for academic use and exclude
all forms of entertainment.
When students using the facility were informed that this was occurring
two to three times a week they reacted in similar ways.
“If someone wants to view pornographic material then it is OK with
me, as long as it doesn’t harm anyone else. I don’t believe
the school should do anything about the problem, especially if it will
cost more money,” Said Lauren Parker, an MCC student.
When Parker was told that most offenders were not students but were men
using the facility late at night her opinion changed.
“That really scares me to think that I could be using the facility
late at night while anyone from off the street could be sitting near me
and might possibly want more after viewing dirty websites,” Parker
said.
The most recent repeat offender was viewing pornography that included
sexual assault and rape websites, Foy said.
Recently convicted sexual offenders have been caught in the facility accessing
pornographic websites, according to Foy.
Library employees believe the convicted offenders think they can get away
with accessing websites at MCC because of the laid-back atmosphere, with
no official guard on duty.
When employees run across convicted offenders, they contact Mesa Police.
Library employees feel this is a problem and want help.
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