Libraries and the Internet Toolkit
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Introduction
The Internet is a rich and educational resource for information, ideas and entertainment. No other medium provides us with so much information so easily. At the same time, the Internet has raised concerns about privacy and children's access to information. As the number one point of entry to the Internet outside of work, school or home, libraries, especially public libraries, address these concerns every day.
The American Library Association (ALA) has produced this "toolkit" to assist librarians in managing the Internet and educating their public about how to use it effectively. ALA encourages all libraries to implement policies that protect both children and public access to information and to take an active role in educating their communities about this important resource.
ALA has a brochure for parents called The Librarian's Guide to Great Web Sites for Kids (formerly called The Librarian's Guide to Cyberspace for Parents & Kids; telephone: 800-545-2433. ext. 5044/5041 or e-mail pio@ala.org for more information), which includes online safety tips and some of the great Web sites for kids. ALA's "Great Web Sites for Kids" is a comprehensive resource of links to a wide array of information, organized by topic and category by children's librarians. "Especially for Children and Their Parents" provides links to "Online Safety Rules and Suggestions," "Designed-for-children Search Engines," "Additional ALA Web Sites for Parents, Children, and Librarians," "Other Educational Sites," and "Privacy Issues."
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This document was last updated December 1, 2003
Links to non-ALA sites have been provided because these sites may have information of interest. Neither the American Library Association nor the Office for Intellectual Freedom necessarily endorses the views expressed or the facts presented on these sites; and furthermore, ALA and OIF do not endorse any commercial products that may be advertised or available on these sites.