Internet Policy
Dorset Library Internet Policy
The Dorset Library offers library members access to the Internet as part of its mission to provide services and materials in a variety of formats to meet the informational, educational and recreational needs of the community. The Library considers its endorsement of the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read documents to apply as well to access to and use of electronic information.

The Internet is a vast network of educational, recreational and commercial information. The Library cannot control the informationn on the Internet. It does not warrant information found there to be accurate, authoritative, factual, timely or useful. Some material may be found to be offensive to some library users. If any patron believes that information on the Internet is inaccurate or offensive, the patron should contact the original producer or distributor of the information.

The Dorset Library will provide access to the World Wide Web but does not include e-mail accounts, file transfers (FTP) to the hard drive, access to chat rooms or games, access to Usenet newsgroups or saving “bookmarks”. The Library staff will help users log onto the Internet but we do not have the staff to provide individual instruction in the use of this service. Classes will be scheduled to instruct patrons in the use of the Internet, if demand warrants. We do have several books available on using the Internet, which you may read at your leisure.

It is the library’s policy that parents or legal guardians are responsible for deciding what library materials and resources are appropriate for their minor children. Children also have the responsibility of using library resources properly. Parents are advised to monitor their children’s use of this valuable resource. Parents should fill out a form at the desk giving permission for their children to have access to the Internet. Any parent who wishes to disallow the use of the Internet may do so by having their children’s library records marked accordingly. Children under the age of 13 must have a parent or legal guardian with them when they are accessing the Internet. Parents may only regulate what their children have access to, they may not restrict what other people’s children access. LIBRARY STAFF WILL NOT MONITOR CHILDREN’S USE.

All users of electronic resources are expected to use these resources in a responsible and ethical manner. Patrons may not use terminals for illegal or criminal purposes, unauthorized use of computer accounts or access codes, to download software, to violate another user’s privacy, or in any manner be disruptive to other library patrons. Users may not change the setup or configuration of the computer.

The Dorset Library reserves the right to enforce a time limit of thirty (30) minutes per session. Printing will be limited to that which can be completed within the allotted time and may be stopped at the end of that time. Printing is 15 cents a page.

Rules for using the Internet

Respect the Privacy of others. Do not look to see what another patron is accessing unless invited to share the other person’s Internet time.

1. You should ask before using a computer.
2. You must sign-up at the desk to use the Internet computer.
3. If you are more than 15 minutes late, you will lose all your reserved time.
4. Because space is limited and to limit noise around the Internet computer, only two persons may be at a computer at one time.
5. Printing may be done at the cost of 15 cents a page for black and white printing.
6. Dorset Library reserves the right to restrict or terminate the use of the Internet or library computers if patrons are being disruptive. It is prohibited to use the Internet or the library’s computer for any purpose, which violates local, state or federal laws.
7. Software downloaded from the Internet may contain a virus. DO NOT DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE TO LIBRARY COMPUTERS! Use virus-checking software on your home computers.