[Publib] librarian fired for reporting patron to police ?

[Fred Beisser]

Speaking of throwing something at the proverbial wall to see what 
sticks, here is what stuck with me when I listened to the discussion of 
this case on KOA radio yesterday.

One caller noted that exploitation initially occurred with the creation 
of the child porn. That caller asserted that later viewing did not 
constitute exploitation in his mind.

Another listerner called in who was a victim of such a situation in his 
childhood. He noted a couple of things:
    - having been involved in child porn as a victim has plagued him his 
entire life and affects him even today.
    - knowing that even today, some 20 years later, someone may be 
viewing that porn affects him and is very embarrassing for him.

It sure appears to me that "exploitation" continues beyond the creation 
of the child porn.

It also was very clear during the discussion that child pornography is 
ILLEGAL criminal activity. Just as when we see a robbery or homicide in 
progress, we have a duty to at a minimum report the cirme in progress to 
law enforcement.

All of us will be pleased to know that Tulare County in California is 
now considering mediation to resolve what has become a wrongful 
termination lawsuit by the  libary aide involved. (see 
http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60056) She also was awarded 
a Gold Star Award from an organization called Family Friendly Libraries. 
See also http://www.fresnobee.com/local/sv/story/486157.html.

Fred Beisser
Trustee
www.elbertcountylibrary.org
(Colorado)


Forman, Robert, DCA wrote:

>OK you got me on a legal technicality Carolyn. But CIPA requires
>filtering, though I am hardly for filtering. 
>
>Just so you understand where I'm coming from, I'm trying to add to the
>conversation because I think it's important and interesting in the
>complexity of issues covered in the story. Consider me a "throw it up
>there and see what sticks" type of participant. I see this as a
>conversation rather than providing some kind of absolute answer. 
>
>And while the library may not be legally liable, there is the matter of
>ethics which is a higher responsibility in my opinion. The fact is that
>the library enabled the access; after all that's what librarians do, we
>provide access to information. Either you are philosophically for
>providing access or you are not. 
>
>I not for child pornography, I have a two year old son, but as someone
>pointed out last week the exploitation happens at the point of creation
>of child porn: the child forced or coerced to participate in the
>creation of child porn is most definitely the victim of a heinous crime.
>But on a theoretical level, I don't see someone who may be looking at
>child porn as causing any kind of direct victimization of anyone, not
>unless someone else is exposed to it as may happen in a library, but
>that's why we have CIPA and filtering. Once someone else is accidentally
>exposed it's too late, damage done. 
>
>It's a slippery slope to start criminalizing ideas and that's what
>information is at its most essential level, ideas. 
>
>Lastly, since librarians are for providing access to information, it's
>both disingenuous, and not our role, to make judgments about the nature
>and legality or illegality of a specific piece of information,
>especially in real time, most especially in real time. The employee in
>question isn't even a professional librarian. 
>
>We don't know for sure how the alleged criminal came to be viewing the
>alleged child pornography. Perhaps the access was accidental. It's not
>likely but it is possible. And that possibility is enabled by the
>library. 
>
>I heard a story on the news yesterday about a new Abercrombie catalog.
>Folks are upset and calling it child porn. But so far as I know, it's
>still legal. None of the Abercrombie executives have gone to jail as far
>as I know. So where do you draw the line, who the arbiter of what
>constitutes child porn and what is merely racy or offensive to some? 
>
>I must be partially right in some of this, because the employee was
>fired. 
>
>Throw it up there, see what sticks. 
>
>Disclaimer: The views expressed are my own, subject to change, and do
>not reflect the views of my employer. 
>
>Robert Forman
>New Mexico State Library
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