Library Statement of Policy
The St. Tammany Parish Library supports access to all subjects that serve the interests or needs of our patrons. In response to changes in technology and the information needs of the community, the St. Tammany Parish Library endeavors to expand our electronic resources to meet the cultural, informational, recreational, and educational needs of the community. The St. Tammany Parish Library has no control over the information accessed through the Internet and cannot be held responsible for its content.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES AND USERS RESPONSIBILITY
Choosing and Evaluating Internet Sources
Use of the electronic resources in the library is intended primarily for research and educational purposes. Internet resources contain much valuable information, but users should be aware that some information found on the Internet may be inaccurate, incomplete, outdated or offensive (including material that you may consider indecent, obscene, pornographic or otherwise offensive). It is the user’s responsibility to evaluate the quality of the information accessed through the Internet. The user, not the library, is responsible for sites accessed.
In choosing sources to link to its home pages, the Library selects sites using the same criteria as selecting books. Beyond this, the Library does not control information accessible through the Internet and is not responsible for its content, for changes in the content of the linked sources, or for the content of sources accessed through secondary links.
Children's Access to the Internet
Parents and legal guardians, not the library, are responsible for the use of the Internet by their children. The St. Tammany Parish Library requires signed permission, in person, from the parent or legal guardian to be kept on file for those young patrons ages 10-17 that wish to use the Internet. Due to the high costs and delicate nature of complex electronic and mechanical equipment, children under the age of 10 will be required to have a parent or legal guardian present at all times when using the Internet workstation.
Age Requirements
Children under the age of 10 must have a parent or legal guardian with them at the Internet workstation at all times.
Children aged 10 to 17 must have the Library Card Application or and Internet Use Consent Form (filtered or unfiltered) signed, in person, by a parent or legal guardian on file at the St. Tammany Parish Library and a valid STPL library card in order to use the internet. No consent form is required to use a computer without internet access.
Adults, 18 and older, do not need a library card to use a computer.
The library does not provide email accounts.
Unacceptable Uses
Workstation use is a privilege and should be treated as such by all users. Please remember that you are in a public library and choose Internet sites that are appropriate for viewing in a public space. Library staff has the right to determine the appropriateness of workstation use and can at any time require a patron to leave the workstation. Prohibited uses may result in loss of workstation privileges. Potentially unlawful activities will be dealt with in an appropriate manner. Examples of inappropriate use include, but are not limited to the following:
- Using the Internet workstation for other than approved purposes.
- Visiting sites that are inappropriate for viewing in a public space.
- Downloading files of any type to the hard drive.
- Using own personal software on library computers.
- Making any attempt to damage or alter computer equipment, software configurations, or files belonging to the library, other users and external networks.
- Using the Internet for any illegal or criminal activity that violates local, state or federal statutes.
- Violating copyright laws or software licensing agreements.
- Violating another user's privacy.
Time Limit
Because of the limited number of Internet workstations, a patron may sign-up for a one-hour time slot once a day with time extended based on workstation availability.
