from PORNOGRAPHY page 1
the Seahawk 1 NEWS I March 30, 2006
one else to find. “Personally, 1 wouldn’t feel
comfortable doing it,” she added.
“The students and library staff are com
plaining legitimately about the violation
of their privacy and sense of decency,”
University Librarian Sherman Hayes said in
an e-mail interview. “If someone is using
one of our closely clustered research stations,
most individuals do not want to view offen
sive material next to them. While we in the
library believe in open access to information
and the right of individuals to look at legal
material in the privacy of their homes, (child
pornography is illegal, and we contact the
police if someone notifies us of viewing of
such content), we are trying to balance sev
eral competing factors with these particular
library computing tools.”
Lt. Mitchell Cook of the UNCW Police
Department was asked about police involve
ment in this issue. In an e-mail interview.
Cook said, “Reports of anyone viewing child
pornography would be investigated. Any
controls on the computers in the library
would have to come from the library; the
police department does not control them in
any way.”
Because viewing pornography is not
defined as improper under university poli
cies, the only advice any librarian can offer
to students who witness someone viewing
pornography is to move away from the
computer Unfortunately, this means that
those who are uncomfortable with this mate
rial must choose move to another location or
remain uncomfortable.
The library came to a short-lived resolu
tion over spring break that involved filter
ing the 34 open-air computers most easily
viewed by anyone.
“While everyone agrees with the stu
dent's desire to not have to inadvertently
look at pornography in the library’s public
computers, my filtering solution now seems
too aggressive,” Hayes said. “The librarians
asked me to slow down because they are
concerned that filtering will reduce their
ability to help students with all resources.
Filtering does filter some things that are
good and legitimate sources.”
Currently, Hayes and University Provost
Paul Hosier are considering creating a moni
tored area for non-UNCW community view
ing. Both said action is being taken but that
such actions are best made slowly and that the
issue should be resolved by this summer
“There are many complex issues involved
here: censorship, the suppression of women’s
sexuality, production of pornography and
sexual exploitation and cultural beliefs about
gender and sex,” Women’s Resource Center
Director Susan Bullers said.
Student Savak Allen studies at the Randall
Library often. “1 think that if someone is in
the library that they should be here for school
ing and educational purposes. In my opinion
it is not the correct place to be viewing pom
Web sites or printing out obscene pictures.”
Allen left the library, adding, “I don’t feel
comfortable here.”
“If I find that offensive, 1 should be able to
say please go to a different site, turn off the
computer, or whatever 1 need to say to have
the pom off the computer.” Cody said. “They
are hogging up a computer that a student
needs to use to study.”
Results from last
week’s online poll:
What do you think about the
Wrightsville Beach parking fee
increase?
41 % They can pry the extra quar
ter from my cold, dead fingers
28% I'll park across the bridge and
walk
17% I'll just go to Carolina Beach
9% I'll do what I have to do to sup
port the community
4% I'll do whatever I have to for a
good tan
Go to theseahawk.org
for this week's poll:
What is your opinion on people
viewing pornography on
Randall Library computers?
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