The Otterbein Public Library provides free internet and Wi-Fi access to everyone, without
discrimination, during business hours. 24 hour access to Wi-Fi will be available during pandemics,
public health emergencies, power outages, natural disasters, and other determined community
emergencies, if available to the library. The password will be posted for patron access during such
an emergency. Currently, the library does not provide filters for internet use. However, in
accordance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), internet use must be limited to
adults ages 18 and older. Patrons younger than 18 years of age may only use the internet with a
signed guardians consent form on file. This limitation is to provide a safe and educational
environment for children. While library staff monitors the public access computers for
inappropriate behavior, they cannot monitor everything. The library holds this responsibility to the
parent or guardian of a child.
Patrons who wish to use the internet must request a computer at the service desk. Library staff will
assign patrons to a computer. Once assigned a computer, patrons may not switch computers
without staff permission and will be limited to one per hour of use. Staff may allow patrons to
continue use after one hour if no other patrons are waiting.
No one under the age of 13 may register for an email or social networking account, message board,
or other website that requires personal information to be given out. This is in accordance with the
policies of those websites and the requirement of the federal government and CIPA.
Unacceptable use of the internet will lead to disciplinary action, including loss of computer use
privileges. Unacceptable use includes, but is not limited to:
Disrupting other computer users
Displaying obscene material
Tampering with computer software or hardware
Actions which violate federal, state, or local laws
The internet is a global entity which contains information that is unregulated, making it impossible
for the library to prevent all instances of encountering inappropriate, inaccurate defamatory, illegal
or objectionable content. Therefore the Otterbein Public Library takes no responsibility for the
information accessed through the internet, not does it take responsibility for the loss, damage, or
injury of any personal information or property by using the library’s computers or internet access.
Appropriate use of the library’s internet services will be determined and monitored by the library
staff.
[Adopted; Reviewed 3/2015, 02/2018, 02/2019; Revised 01/2020, 02/2021; Reviewed 02/2022, 02/2023]
