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Library-Porn Issue Addressed at Board Meeting

By: Justin Bourne

Posted: 04/27/2008

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento Public Library board members held a meeting with concerned parents Thursday to discuss the possibility of prohibiting pornography on library computers. 

With the board deadlocked in a 7-7 vote, no decision was made, according to KCRA.com.   

"How dare you not want to protect our children?" Brenda Bennett said. 

"I will never let my kids be alone in a library," Robin Littau added. 

Some parents at the meeting said adult material should be blocked from children, and others said doing so would be a violation of free speech. 

Among the possibilities discussed were Internet filters that can be shut off by adults but not by children, and a "shoulder-tap" policy under which library staff members would ask patrons to stop viewing potentially offensive Web pages. 

Board members told KCRA.com that, having debated the issue for seven years, they won't address it again any time soon.