A screen shot of the warning displayed when entering a pornographic Web site at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library.

Library pornography spurs concern

San Jose councilman argues for filtered computer use at SJSU

By: Jesse Kimbrel

Posted: 2/6/08

Last October San Jose City Councilman Pete Constant recommended in a memo to the city's rules committee that they forward a proposal to the city council for "ensuring safe and child-sensitive Internet use at San Jose's public libraries."

Constant is concerned with children viewing "second-hand porn" while visiting San Jose's public libraries, which includes the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library.

His definition of "second-hand porn" is when a child views pornography over the shoulder of a library computer user.

Constant said he first became aware there was a problem when people in his district expressed concern after they had seen a television news report that showed people committing lewd acts in San Jose's public libraries.

"My biggest group of supporters are parents," Constant said.

He said 50 percent of libraries nationwide use some sort of Internet filtering system.

The California Library Association sent a letter to the director of the King Library, Jane Light, expressing support for the current library Internet policy.

The letter was sent in response to councilman Constant's proposal saying that it's not possible to block all Web sites that could be harmful to children.

The California Library Association was unavailable for comment.

"The city shouldn't be paying for people to view porn," Constant said.

He said that all the city funded computers in San Jose besides the one's in the libraries have filters on them.

"People shouldn't be looking at porn in the library," said Olivia Enriquez, a business major at SJSU.

Enriquez also said that Internet filters could cause a problem for students who are trying to research information for school.

"Children can get porn anywhere. If they don't see it at the library, kids will see it in other places," said Sarah Jasso, a psychology major.

Jasso said she knows students who only have access to the Internet via the library computers, so it's important for them to be able to research whatever topic they need to.

Constant said he isn't concerned with what SJSU students are using the library computers for because he believes "99.9 percent of students are using the computers for the right reason."

Constant said he wanted students to have full, unfiltered Internet access once they enter their student identification number.

"This isn't about censorship," Constant said.

He said he wanted to make libraries "warm and welcoming" so that people are comfortable while they are at the library.

SJSU student Jasso added that students should have a say in what the city can regulate in regards to the library Internet filters.

Lorraine Oback, marketing communications director at the King library, said students can attend a meeting with the library commission Feb. 13 at the King Library.

At the meeting, members of the public may speak in front of the commission to voice their thoughts on councilman Constant's Proposal.

Oback also said that people may give feedback regarding the Internet filtering proposal on the San Jose Library's Web site.

A memo from King Library Director Jane Light to the Rules and Open Government Committee stated that under the Library's current Internet access policy, any verbal complaint received by the library staff is dealt with immediately.

Light's memo also showed a statistical breakdown of how many arrests have been committed in the 2006-07 fiscal year at the King Library.

Out of more than 2.5 million visitors annually, 11 written complaints were reported about pornography on computers. Sixteen police arrests were made related to sex crimes, and 12 of those crimes were committed at a King Library computer, or about one each month.

Constant said his proposal isn't set in stone, he just believes something needs to be done. He said his proposal might not go to council for a vote until late this summer.