Federal judge orders public library to unblock access to pagan, occult websites

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wfgodot

wfgodot

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Federal judge: Public library cannot censor pagan websites (rawstory.com)
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered a public library in Missouri to unblock access to “occult” websites, which included websites about Native American religions and the Wiccan faith.
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“Public libraries should be maximizing the spread of information, not blocking access to viewpoints or religious ideas not shared by the majority,” said Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, said Wednesday in a statement.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit against the Salem Public Library on behalf of Anaka Hunter last year.

According to the lawsuit, Hunter had attempted to research the religions of indigenous American tribes, but discovered many websites were blocked by the library.

Salem Library Director Glenda Wofford told Hunter the websites could only be unblocked if she had a legitimate reason to access them. The library director allegedly also said she had an “obligation” to call the “proper authorities” to report people who wanted to view blocked websites.
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more at the link above
 
The library director allegedly also said she had an “obligation” to call the “proper authorities” to report people who wanted to view blocked websites.
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Which authorities are they? The Men In Black? "Hey, we've got another one who found out about Native American religions, bring out the flashy thing."
 
That woman does not deserve to be a librarian!
 
Donjeta said:
Which authorities are they? The Men In Black? "Hey, we've got another one who found out about Native American religions, bring out the flashy thing."
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Still lol-ing. I mean, what? WHAT? Couldn't believe it when I read that. "Proper authorities"??
 
:sigh:

I thought America was built on Freedom of Speech.

How on earth did this get to Federal Court level?
 
wfgodot said:
Still lol-ing. I mean, what? WHAT? Couldn't believe it when I read that. "Proper authorities"??
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Reading, it's a dangerous thing. Can't have that at a library. Any offenders will be dealt with harshly.
 
If, God rest her blessed soul, Miss Jane Mast, the Carnegie librarian in my hometown, had have "contacted the proper authorities" re: the motley collection of Ray Bradbury tales, baseball abstracts, serial killer compendiums, and novels beyond my reckoning that I checked out back then, I'd still be serving time in the city jail.
 
Does she want to re-ban the Potlatch ceremony too?
 
Its a public not a private library and supported with tax dollars from all races, creeds, religions etc. A librarians job is to provide access to materials and not judge the person's motives. Call the authorities if the person is trying to access child *advertiser censored*, but Native American rites? Good grief.

I'd be surprised if the Librarian Director isn't censored or fired.
 
So suitable this witch burner wound up in Salem isn't it, albeit the Salem in Missouri.
 
The Salem in my neck of the woods sounds a heck of a lot more tolerant (and fun! It's a great town!) these days than Salem, MO. :D
 
The librarian is very very active in the largely Christian community of Salem. She won't be fired she pretty much owns the place as far as I can tell. But, in this Associated Press article in the Southeast Missourian on January 4, 2012 she was quoted:

"The Salem library is a small, rural library," Wofford said. "We're unable to provide our own filtering system."

And yet, in November 2010 The Salem Library Improvement Board received a Federal Grant in the amount of $13,652 for purchase of needed equipment for the library.

From the USDA News Release:
The Secretary of Agriculture wishes to provide funding through the USDA’s Community Facilities funds for public libraries. This program emphasis will provide educational opportunities and improve public services in rural communities. Public libraries not only play a vital role in educating their patrons, they also enhance the economic vitality of a rural community. Rural business owners receive an array of information resources at the public library. The educational opportunities afforded create more productive employees for rural businesses.

“I’m pleased to hear competitive grant funds are being used to upgrade the Salem Public Library,” U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill said. “The continued services of libraries in southeast Missouri and across the state will ensure that residents have access to essential community resources.”

Glenda Wofford, Treasurer of the Salem Library Improvement Board, said, “I am pleased that the Salem Public Library was given the opportunity to participate in the USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program. Competitive grants give small rural libraries an opportunity to acquire needed furnishings and equipment.”

“Because we are a city library and operate on such a shoestring budget, we are appreciative of any grant monies we can obtain. This USDA grant/loan will help us to get some much needed furniture and equipment.” Salem Library Improvement Board said.

Apparently it wasn't enough to allow them to also secure their own copy of the filtering system software?
 
Gardenlady said:
The Salem in my neck of the woods sounds a heck of a lot more tolerant (and fun! It's a great town!) these days than Salem, MO. :D
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I love your state! (My daughter, SIL and grandkids live in Chelmsford.)
 
i.b.nora said:
The librarian is very very active in the largely Christian community of Salem. She won't be fired she pretty much owns the place as far as I can tell. But, in this Associated Press article in the Southeast Missourian on January 4, 2012 she was quoted:

"The Salem library is a small, rural library," Wofford said. "We're unable to provide our own filtering system."

And yet, in November 2010 The Salem Library Improvement Board received a Federal Grant in the amount of $13,652 for purchase of needed equipment for the library.

From the USDA News Release:
The Secretary of Agriculture wishes to provide funding through the USDA’s Community Facilities funds for public libraries. This program emphasis will provide educational opportunities and improve public services in rural communities. Public libraries not only play a vital role in educating their patrons, they also enhance the economic vitality of a rural community. Rural business owners receive an array of information resources at the public library. The educational opportunities afforded create more productive employees for rural businesses.

“I’m pleased to hear competitive grant funds are being used to upgrade the Salem Public Library,” U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill said. “The continued services of libraries in southeast Missouri and across the state will ensure that residents have access to essential community resources.”

Glenda Wofford, Treasurer of the Salem Library Improvement Board, said, “I am pleased that the Salem Public Library was given the opportunity to participate in the USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program. Competitive grants give small rural libraries an opportunity to acquire needed furnishings and equipment.”

“Because we are a city library and operate on such a shoestring budget, we are appreciative of any grant monies we can obtain. This USDA grant/loan will help us to get some much needed furniture and equipment.” Salem Library Improvement Board said.

Apparently it wasn't enough to allow them to also secure their own copy of the filtering system software?
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The grant is really not a lot of money for library equipment. Don't know if their is a computer program she can purchase which will block those websites.

However appears someone has an awful lot of time on their hands to 'block' access to certain websites and searches. Self appointed town censor IMO.
 
wfgodot said:
If, God rest her blessed soul, Miss Jane Mast, the Carnegie librarian in my hometown, had have "contacted the proper authorities" re: the motley collection of Ray Bradbury tales, baseball abstracts, serial killer compendiums, and novels beyond my reckoning that I checked out back then, I'd still be serving time in the city jail.
Click to expand...

I personally owe my success to "The Happy Hooker" series. Can't imagine where i'd be now if I hadn't read those!
 
Show Me said:
The grant is really not a lot of money for library equipment. Don't know if their is a computer program she can purchase which will block those websites.

However appears someone has an awful lot of time on their hands to 'block' access to certain websites and searches. Self appointed town censor IMO.
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The way I understood it from the early articles, Glenda Wofford, (aka Glenda Brown) made it sound like the filtering that was being employed was that that was imposed by The University of Missouri with whom they supposedly shared network access (or who knows what). The software is called Netsweeper and according to the lawsuit, Glenda had full access to "the controls" and could make it block anything she and the Board of Trustees deemed unacceptable for their PUBLIC library patrons to imbibe.

The lawsuit can be read here: http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/salem_complaint_final.pdf

And, Public Libraries are required by Federal Law to have and use filtering software to block child *advertiser censored* and a number of other things.

The library got computers from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2002.
 
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