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The Morton Grove Public Library Youth Services Department provides public computers with Internet access. These computers also have Microsoft Office software; parental permission is not required for use of Microsoft Office.

Use of the Internet access computers in the Youth Services Department is open to any child age eight through grade six who has on file a Parental Consent Form signed by the child's parent or guardian. This form can be completed at the Check-Out Desk when registering for a library card, or at the Youth Services desk at any other time. In order to use the Internet computers, a child must have a Morton Grove Public Library card, or a valid card from another library that has been registered at Morton Grove.

Information on children's use of the Internet can be found in the FBI's, Parent's Guide to Internet Safety. Parents are encouraged to work closely with their children to select Internet sites which are consistent with their family's values and boundaries.

• The child must agree to follow the MGPL Internet Access Policy and treat other patrons and the library equipment with respect. The Parental Consent Form acknowledges that the parent has sole responsibility for restricting his/her child's access to the Internet and cautions the parent that the Internet includes objectionable text and graphics and controversial materials.
  

• The agreement will be signed in person by parent/guardian and kept at the Library. (The Library reserves the right to ask for proof of age or grade level).

Use of the Internet Station:

1. Once the parent/guardian has filed the Parental Consent Form, the child can use his/her library card to sign in on the Youth Services' Internet computers.

2. Children may not use library cards belonging to others.

3. In order to provide maximum public access to the Internet terminal, users will be limited to one 30-minute session, which may be extended for an additional 30 minutes if there are no other users waiting or advance reservations for that time period. There is no limit to the number of sessions a child may have per day, provided that the total comptuer does time not exceed 2 hours. Reservations will be taken in person or in advance by phone for the current day or up to three days in advance. Only two people will be allowed at a computer at a time; if two children are using the Internet computer, both children must have a Parental Consent Form on file.

4. The computer station is available on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified users, provided there are no advance reservations for that time slot.

5. Files may be downloaded to a child's own formatted floppy disk or USB drive or to a preformatted floppy disk or USB drive purchased from the Library. Files downloaded to the C drive (the hard drive) will not be retrievable.

6. There is no charge for printing in Youth Services.

General Guidelines:

• Library staff's availability to help users with basic computer use or Internet access is limited. Children must have basic computer skills or be accompanied by an adult who can assist the child in these skills. Basic computer skills include the ability to use a mouse and to access menu items.

• The Library's computers are intended to be used by a single individual. In all cases, because of limited space and in consideration of other Library patrons, a maximum of two persons may sit and/or work together at the Internet access terminal. If two children are using the Internet computer, both children must have a Parental Consent Form on file. When disruptions occur because of overcrowding at any of the terminals, staff may ask all non-users to leave the computer station.

• The Morton Grove Public Library is not responsible for damage to a patron's disk, computer, or for any loss of data, damage, or liability that may occur from patron use of the Library's computers or malfunctioning Library hardware or software.

• Only pages with the MGPL logo are provided and maintained by the Morton Grove Public Library. The Morton Grove Public Library has no control over, and is not responsible for, the availability or accuracy of the information on other web sites.

• Information on the Internet may be erroneous, out-of-date, illegal or considered offensive, controversial or sexually explicit. The entire responsibility for identifying/avoiding such information is the parent's. The parent/guardian should be aware that they, not the library or its staff, are responsible for the Internet information selected and/or accessed by their children. Informative pages, concerning Child Safety on the Internet, and also the utilization by children of online resources, are available at these sites:

  www.missingkids.com/html/ncmec_default_ec_internetsafety.html
  www.missingkids.com/html/ncmec_default_ec_internetparents.htm

• The Library's Internet computers may not be used for illegal activities. Because the Library is a public place, the displaying of sexually suggestive objects or picture is in violation of the Morton Grove Village Code (6-1-5) and could be in violation of state and Federal obscenity laws (720 ILCS 5/11-20 and 720 ILCS 670/0.01 et seq.; U.S. Code Title 18, Chapter 110 and Title 47, 223 and 231). It is the responsibility of the user to respect the Morton Grove Village ordinance on obscenity and refrain from displaying such images.

• This computer may not be used to interfere with or disrupt other users, services or equipment. Disruptions include, but are not limited to, harassment, distribution of unsolicited advertising, propagation of computer viruses, or attempts to make unauthorized entry to other computers.

• Users are asked to respect the privacy of other computer users. This includes not representing yourself as another user, not modifying passwords, not trying to gain access to someone else's data, and not "hovering" over other users while waiting for your turn.

Parents are encouraged to work closely with their children to select Internet sites which are consistent with their family's values and boundaries. The Library also cannot assure access to all resources at any given time; they may be busy, available only to authorized users, or closed.

Morton Grove Public Library may suspend or terminate Internet access or public access computer privileges if the Library reasonably believes that any patron has violated these guidelines.

Approved by the Morton Grove Public Library Board of Trustees, December 1999; updated August 2005; updated December 2005; updated June 2006.

www.webrary.org/Inside/polchildinternet.html
First published on the Web: 7/31/2001
Last updated: 8/10/2009, 1:28 PM