At its May 28 meeting the Prince William County (Va.) Public Library board gave final approval to a policy, some six months in the making, that provides unrestricted Internet access to all patrons, including minors.
The board agreed in January to install Library Channel software—a preselected collection of 20,000 Web sites—on its children's-area terminals, but allowed anyone, including children, to use the unfiltered terminals in other locations. Deputy Director Virginia Dorkey explained that the May vote was to ratify a policy written by staff to implement the board's wishes. "All we did was put meat on the bones," remarked Dorkey.
The Washington Post reported that a last-minute attempt by board member Dennis Daugherty to restrict minors' access by requiring passwords was ruled out of order because it was brought up too late in the process.
Posted June 8, 1998.