Filtering the Internet in American public libraries: Sliding down the slippery slope

Abstract

The use of filters to block those Internet sites that some public libraries and/or communities deem undesirable has caused an uproar within the profession as various viewpoints vie for ascendancy. The author examines positions taken by the American Library Association and others and reviews the choices and consequences of various filtering products. She concludes that libraries must retain responsibility for their offerings but also protect First Amendment rights.