Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Earlier this week, the Correspondents learned that our website was allegedly being classified as “pornography” by the Carnegie Library computer system.  I contacted the librarians to ask for clarification.

Richard Kaplan, Manager of Reference Services, wrote back to me with an explanation.  It would seem that my site is not categorized as pornography, but that some of the internal and external links are blocked.

Because this library receives the bulk of its funding through RAD (Regional Asset District) appropriations and some federal money, we are required to adhere to CIPA (Child Internet Pornography Act) which requires filtering of our Internet PCs.  We actually don’t determine the content to be filtered unless a specific site is brought to our attention.  The product we use is called Netsweeper.  Here is the URL that has a FAQ explaining our compliance with the law, and what options are available to adult users of the Internet in our libraries.  [He forgot to insert the URL]

He did submit the entire URL as a site to be free of blocking, but apparently that determination is not in the hands of the library itself.

Now I readily acknowledge that there are portions of this site not appropriate for children, but I do think I write some kid-friendly pieces. Well, adolescent friendly. 

Still, I had no idea that the library had to filter websites to receive funding.  So much for community access.  I am always telling my clients (day job = social worker) to utilize the library for computer access.  It never dawned on me that this would automatically put limits on their access to information. 

I guess it should have. 

But as our anonymous lesbian librarian pointed out in the comments to the first post, this is not the library's fault.  I still say the Carnegie Library rocks! 

I'll have to check out my own site next time I am there.  I'll try to get to the photo of Mary Cheney in leather!