INTERNET USE

Introduction

The mission of the Washington County Public Library is to provide the community with current resources for lifelong learning, social exchange, pleasure and entertainment.

Access to the Internet helps the Washington County Public Library fulfill its role of information provider by enabling library patrons and staff to retrieve information from computers around the world.  The Internet is a global network of thousands of smaller computer networks.  The use of standardized rules of protocols, which make it possible for different computers to communicate with each other, allows for he sharing of information among these networks.

The Washington County Public Library does not control the information available on the network, and cannot be held responsible for its content.  While Library staff will assist patrons in accessing the Internet, and will provide pointers to resources which have been judged to be reliable, users are encouraged to be critical consumers, and to evaluate information carefully.

Access and Use

To use the Internet at the Washington County Public Library, patrons must sign-in at the circulation desk.  A person may sign up in advance for no more than one 30-minute session per day.  (Signing up for a session up to a week in advance is permissible).

• Any patron over age 8 may use the Internet;
• A patron under age 18 must have a parent or guardian's signature to sign up;
• Children under age 8 may not use the computer unless under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian, teacher, or adult child care provider who has signed up.

Patrons may print electronic files, or copy them to floppy disks.

There is a charge of $.10 per page for printing;

High density (3.5") disks may be purchased for $1.50.

Rights of Patrons

The standards of intellectual freedom and confidentiality endorsed by the American Library Association and incorporated into the Washington County Public Library policies for traditional media shall apply also to the use of electronic media, including the Internet

Library staff will treat the contents of electronic files as private and confidential. Any inspection of electronic files, and any action based  upon such inspection, will be governed by applicable Federal and Virginia laws as well as Washington County Public Library policies.

Unauthorized Use

• Unauthorized use of the Washington County Public Library Internet computer's) may result in loss of Internet privileges.  The following are prohibited:
• Using any Washington County Public Library computer as a staging ground to "crack" or "hack" Washington Count Public Library or any other system;
• Using any Washington County Public Library computer for illegal or criminal purposes;
• Obstructing other people's work by consuming excessive amounts of system resources (disk space, CPU time) or by deliberately crashing any Washington County Public Library computers;
• Reading or attempting to read, another person's electronic mail or other protected files;
• Installing personal software on library-owned computers.

Any person making unauthorized use of computers in violation of laws including (but not limited to) the Privacy Protection act of 1974, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986, the Computer virus Eradication act of 1989, Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, the Virginia Computer Crimes act, and the Electronic Communication Privacy Act, may be prosecuted.