Michigan Town Imposes $100 Fee
for Unfiltered Access
As of August 2, unfiltered Internet access at the Georgetown Township Library in suburban Grand Rapids, Michigan, will cost users $100 per hour, per a policy established July 29 by the township administration. Director Sheryl VanderWagen told American Libraries that officials were reacting to a new state law taking effect August 1 that says libraries may provide filtered machines that block "matter that is harmful to minors," provided there is also at least one unblocked computer for adults and chaperoned minors.
The law, which passed June 9 as an amendment to the patron confidentiality statute, runs counter to trustees' unanimous February decision to install blocking software on all workstations. VanderWagen said she has been receiving "go for it" calls from residents statewide who read an erroneous July 29 Detroit Free Press story that the library was shutting down Internet service to avoid unblocking any machines.
Nonetheless, Michigan Library Association Executive Director Marianne Hartzell told American Libraries that most libraries "can work with" the law, since it doesn't mandate filtering.
Posted August 2, 1999.
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