MEMORANDUM
- TO:
- Missouri Public Library Directors
Missouri Public Library Boards of Trustees
- FROM:
- Lowell Pearson, Assistant General Counsel
- DATE:
- October 24, 2003
- SUBJECT:
- Policy for Limiting Access to Material that is Pornographic for Minors
-
The Missouri General Assembly passed sections 182.255 and .287 in 2002, which impose certain obligations on public libraries with public access computers to restrict minors from gaining access to material that is pornographic to minors.
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A public library that provides a public access computer must do one or both of the following:
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Limit access to material that is pornographic to minors by equipping the computer with software that limits such access or purchasing Internet connectivity from a provider that filters such material.
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Have a policy that is consistent with community standards and establishes measures to restrict minors from gaining computer access to material that is pornographic for minors.
-
-
The federal Children's' Internet Protection Act is more restrictive, in that a library is not in compliance with it by merely having a policy, but, rather, must install filtering software.
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The Missouri law imposes an obligation on libraries to restrict access, and has no exception for parental consent.
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Each public library must annually certify to the state library that it is in compliance. See 15 CSR 30-200.030(4).
.