Maine State Library Internet Use Policy
The Internet is an unregulated medium. Unlike other library resources, it is not organized, cataloged, or indexed. The information available on the Internet includes much that is personally, professionally, and culturally enriching. It also provides access to material that may be offensive or disturbing to some individuals, as well as access to information that may be factually incorrect and/or illegal.
The Maine State Library has no control over the information available through the Internet, and specifically disclaims any warranty as to the information's accuracy, authoritativeness, timeliness, usefulness or fitness for a particular purpose. The Maine State Library endorses the Library Bill of Rights, including the new interpretation on electronic access, as adopted by the American Library Association, and supports the democratic principle of every citizen's right to free access to information. Library Bill of Rights, American Library Association
As with other library resources, restriction of a minor's access to the Internet is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian.
The Maine State Library reserves the right to limit the use of public access workstations.
Acceptance of Policy
You must read and accept policy in order to continue.
User Responsibilities
- Sign in at the reference desk before using the sit down workstations or Computer Lab. At the stand-up workstation, patrons do not have to sign-in.
- Time limit of 1 Hour for sit down workstations if someone is waiting. The stand-up workstations are for quick access to e-mail, electronic catalogs and reference databases and may be limited to 20 minutes.
- Printing copies will cost $.15 per page.
- Refrain from damaging or altering the computer software and hardware. Computer and Internet settings may not be changed and the downloading of files to workstation hard drives is prohibited. No peripheral devices may be installed on any Public workstation. Examples: handhelds, Palms, CE, digital cameras, printers, notebooks, or external devices for chat.
- In the Computer Lab and some Library computers, patrons may save their work to diskettes and zip cartridges. The patrons may use their own pre-formatted diskettes or zip cartridges for saving files (the Library is not responsible for any loss or damage to zip cartridges or personal disks).
- Patrons must abide by all U.S. copyright laws.
- E-mail is allowed for users who have their own account. The Library does not provide e-mail accounts or allow use of its accounts.
- The user is responsible for charges incurred by accessing fee-based services and should not enter the library's name at these sites. Security of credit card purchases made on the Internet cannot be guaranteed.
- Users may not use the Library workstations for illegal or criminal purposes.
- In general, only one person may use a workstation at a time, except for an adult working with a child. Families and groups are encouraged to share when possible.
- Simultaneous use of two or more workstations is prohibited by 1 patron. Users may not abandon machines for any length of time without the chance of them being claimed by the next user.
- Loss of time, work or property due to equipment malfunctions shall not be the responsibility of the Library.
- Users of the Library's workstations may not send, receive, (by e-mail or chat rooms) print or display any child pornography whether text or graphics, that are legally defined by State of Maine Law as 'obscene" or "child pornography".
- All workstations at the Maine State Library are in a public area. We ask you to respect other library patrons around you and consider this before accessing potentially controversial material or material that may be deemed "harmful to minors" as defined by law. Therefore, it is inappropriate to view sexually graphic and/or explicit materials at public workstations.
- It is the responsibility of parents or legal guardians to decide which library resources are appropriate for their child (minors are defined as persons 17 years of age and under). The Maine State Library strongly urges parents to become involved in and supervise their children's Internet activities.
The Maine State Library's electronic resources may be used only for purposes that are legal and consistent with the Library's mission.
Unacceptable uses include, but are not limited to:
- Harassment of other library patrons, computer users or staff; unauthorized access to files, data, passwords or accounts of others.
- Libeling, harassing, or slandering other users.
- Fraud.
- Solicitation of minors
- Hacking and spamming.
- Connection of personal equipment to the Library's network.
- Attempting to violate computer system security or software license agreements
- Child pornography as defined by the Maine law.
Failure to abide by the provisions of this policy will result in the loss of library privileges. Illegal acts involving the public access workstations will be subject to prosecution by local, state or federal authorities.
Responsibilities of Maine State Library
- The Maine State Library does not provide one-on-one in-depth training on computers, but staff may be able to answer computer related questions. Users who need additional instruction are invited to attend the Library's free Internet classes in the Gates Lab. Maine State Library's free Internet classes with schedule,
- Maine State Library staff will show individual users how to access the Internet, explain basic navigational commands and are able to offer search suggestions.
- The Maine State Library has the right to suspend the privileges of users who violate the Library's Internet Use Policy. Law enforcement officials will be called to deal with unlawful or criminal activities.
- The Library may block web sites that it judges flood the bandwidth; over-tax the CPU; introduce viruses, worms, Trojan Horses or other code that could harm the library workstation or network. Such sites frequently include, but are not limited to those that are focused on multi-users games, chat rooms, file downloading, gambling, webcams, high-resolution images, shells, spamming, sending and receiving chain letters, propagation of e-mail, hacking, attempts to violate computer system security. Attempts to create super/user/administrator status or to hack or crack into the library workstation or a remote system will not be tolerated.
- The Maine State Library supports the principle of "confidentiality of library patron information" and adheres to Section27 MRSA §121 which prohibits the dissemination of library patron records.
Approved by the Maine Library Commission, September 3, 2003
