After a report on an NBC affiliate last month about the availability of pornographic materials at the Monroe County Library System in upstate New York, the library board has buckled down to study the issue with a special task force.
This article and TV clip shows scenes from the broadcast, along with a stern-faced County Executive Maggie Brooks who directed the library board to immediately prevent access, even to adults, of CIPA filtered sites. She has also threatened to pull nearly seven million dollars in funding if the library fails to permanently change its internet porn policy.
Ms. Maggie
I grew up in Rochester and used that system throughout my childhood. What isn’t mentioned in any of the articles is that Maggie Brooks, the county exec, used to be an anchor for Channel 10, the station that did the report… Make you think.
Nothin’ needs changing so much as other folks
I would be more impressed if the county executive also announced at all county computers would be fettered, including hers, the county police offices, the county workers and all the county schools. Where is the Handicapper General, Diane Moon Glompers (Welcome to the Monkey House, Player Piano, etc.) when you need a good censor?
In Virginia, we found out that politicians often attacked the libraries, but did nothing to prevent porn viewing in their state offices and by their staff. As Mark Twain once said, “Nothing needs changing so much as other people.”
And it is so damn annoying that the Constitution keeps getting in the way of me forcing you to change for my own good…
Authority?
Does she have the authority to make such a demand? If it’s an independent board my guess would be it’s a good sound byte for the I-team but her ability to carry out her threat is probably limited. Many states have continuity of funding clauses to prevent this type of intimidation of public institutions by local authorities. In my state she would be in violation of state law if she carried out her threat. Which would endanger all local funding until an approved remediation plan was put into effect.