Dear Parent/Guardian:

The Internet is a vast, information resource that Sno-Isle Libraries offers to its customers. Through the Internet, we can access news from around the world, works of art, medical information, or make travel reservations. It is a resource that has changed our world, and certainly changed the way libraries do business.

However, the Internet is a completely unregulated medium. While the majority of the information accessed from the Internet is valuable, some of it may be offensive to some people.

Since 1998, Sno-Isle has offered filtered Internet access from at least one computer in each of our libraries. An Internet filter is a software program that has been designed to block access to certain Internet sites based on the content of those websites. A list of Internet addresses is created and maintained by a private company and licensed to the library system. All libraries have also offered unrestricted access, which provides the adult user with open access to the Internet.

On July 1, 2004, the Sno-Isle Libraries will implement changes to our Internet access policy in order to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act. This will mean that the way your child can use the Internet in the library will be different than it has been in the past. The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires that anyone under the age of 17 have restricted Internet access to sites that feature human sexuality, nudity, adult content, or pornography.

Filters are imperfect technical tools, and Sno-Isle Libraries cannot guarantee that your child will not access online material that is personally offensive or sexually explicit. Sno-Isle Libraries urges parents to supervise their minor children's Internet sessions, and to discuss the use of the Internet with their children.