Stuart Corner
Monday, 13 August 2007 12:42
Opinion and Analysis
Page 3 of 4
"Due to the abject failure of the majority of [Labor controlled, or course!] state and territory governments to fund filtering programs within their library network, the Australian Government will step-in and work closely with the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) to install library filters and obtain associated on-going support.
That's a great idea, except that ALIA is not impressed and has no power to act were it to be suitably impressed. "The role of libraries, first and foremost, is to promote the free flow of information. This is a core value of libraries and librarians everywhere," said ALIA executive director, Sue Hutley.
"Libraries have a flexible strategy for dealing with undesirable online content because we have a diverse range of adult and child users. Australia's public libraries already have detailed policies and guidelines for internet access. Many libraries are already using filtering software on public access terminals," she added.
An as for working with the Government: "It's also important to recognise that the Australian Library and Information Association is not the governing body of libraries. The Association cannot move to install filters in Australia's libraries, as the Minister seems to suggest," Hutley said.
And the truth of the library situation is that in June 2006 Coonan announced categorically that: "The National Filter Scheme will provide free filters to all public libraries nationally...In conjunction with the responsible State, Territory and Local Governments, libraries will be encouraged to mirror the action required of the National Library of Australia and make as many of their computers as possible child-safe."
