The Little Falls Public Library provides access to computers and the internet to support the educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the community. This policy establishes guidelines for responsible and equitable use of library technology and internet resources while ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all patrons.
This policy applies to all individuals who use the library’s computers, Wi-Fi, or other internet connected devices, including library owned tablets, and printers.
Access and Availability:
- Public computers and Wi-Fi are available during library open hours.
- Computer use may be limited to a set time period to ensure equitable access.
- Users must sign in with a library card or guest pass.
- The library reserves the right to restrict access due to maintenance, technical issues, or
inappropriate use.
Acceptable Use
Library computers and internet access must be used for lawful purposes consistent with the
library’s mission. Examples of acceptable use include:
- Researching, learning, information gathering
- Completing homework, job applications, government forms
- Communication via email or social media
- Accessing educational, creative, or recreational content appropriate for public setting.
Prohibited Activities
Users may not use the library computers or internet access for the following:
- Viewing, downloading, or transmitting obscene, sexually explicated, or harmful material.
- Engaging in harassment, threats, or hate speech.
- Attempting to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or networks.
- Violating copyright, trademark, or software licensing laws.
- Installing or modifying software or hardware on library devices.
- Conduct commercial or for-profit business operations.
- Damaging, altering, or disrupting library equipment or networks.
Privacy and Confidentiality
- The library respects users’ privacy; however, computer activity may be monitored for
security and policy enforcement. - Users are responsible for safeguarding their personal information when using public
computers or Wi-Fi. - The library/library staff cannot guarantee the privacy or security of data transmitted
through public networks.
Children and Internet Use
- In compliance with the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), the Library is required to install filtering software on its Internet terminals. This software is designed to block access to online images and materials that are obscene, constitute child pornography, or are harmful to minors. However, the filter is not perfect and may
occasionally block access to constitutionally protected content or fail to fully restrict prohibited material. As required by CIPA, the Library will provide unfiltered Internet access to individuals aged 17 and older upon request for bona fide research or any other lawful purpose.- The library uses internet filtering software called Envisionware, provided by the PALS Plus consortium. This software restricts access to certain online content for users under the age of 18 who sign on to a public computer with their library card. The following categories are filtered and unavailable to these users: Alcohol, Botnets, Chat, Child Pornography, Criminal Skills, Dating/Personals, Dubious or Unsavory Content, Explicit Art, Gambling, Hacking, Hate and Discrimination, Illegal Drugs, Malicious Code/Viruses, MySpace, Obscene or Tasteless Content, Phishing, Pornography/Adult Content, R-rated Material, Spyware, Terrorist/Militant/Extremist Content, Tobacco, Weapons, and Web-based Proxies/Anonymizers. Parents and guardians are responsible for monitoring and guiding their children’s internet use.
- Library staff do not act in place of parents/guardians and cannot control online content.
- Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult (does not include library staff) when using the library computers.
Time Limits and Printing
- Computer sessions may be limited (e.g., 30-60 minutes) during busy times.
- Printing is available for a fee as posted on copier/printer.
- Users are encouraged to preview documents before printing to reduce waste.
Responsibility of Users
Users are expected to:
- Follow all library policies and staff instructions.
- Save their work to personal devices or cloud storage; library computers are cleared regularly after user logs off.
- Logout and remove personal items at the end of each session.
- Report any technical issues or security concerns to staff immediately.
Liability
- The Library is not responsible for any damage done to computer users’ disks, data, hardware or software by any virus that may have been contracted on or through Library equipment. Although the Library has installed virus protection on its computers it is always possible for a new virus to emerge and, therefore, protection cannot be
guaranteed. - The Library is not responsible for any damage done to Library technology users’ disks, data, hardware or software as a result of the malfunctioning of Library hardware or software.
- The Library shall have no liability for direct, indirect, or consequential damages related to any use of the Library’s Internet access and public computers or any information accessed by such usage.
- Customers using the Library’s Internet access and public computers are liable for
damage to equipment caused by inappropriate or unauthorized use. - By using a Library computer or Internet access, including Wi-Fi, customers agree to hold Little Falls Public Library (Including the Library’s Board of Trustees, the Township of Little Falls, and all of their employees, agents, elected and appointed officials, contractors, people and representatives) harmless and to indemnify it against any and all
claims or liabilities, directly or indirectly, relating to the patron’s or another person’s use of the Library’s Internet access and/or computers.
Violations and Enforcement
- Violation of this policy may result in loss of computer privileges, suspension of library access, or legal action as appropriate.
- Library staff have the authority to end a session or restrict access if a user’s behavior disrupts others or violates this policy.
- The administrators of the system are not responsible for any misconduct, harm or damage that may occur from the use of the Internet. By accessing the Internet at the Little Falls Public Library, the user is agreeing to abide by all library policies and regulations.
This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as needed to reflect technological, legal, or community changes.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on: November 12, 2025