Is Your Library in the (Adult Entertainment) Zone?

A couple weeks ago, I was grumping to a non-library friend about a surge in the number of porn trolls at the library.  I'm not talking booty-shaking videos, I'm not talking scantily clad women or pictures from naturist sites. I'm not talking breast cancer research. I'm talking hardcore, purely prurient, obscene, boom-chika-wah-wah stuff.  At my previous library we had filters, courtesy CIPA, that we were legally obligated to turn off when requested by an adult patron.  We were advised by city legal that we, as librarians, could not determine what was obscene, and should not be policing content at all.  So, we steered the trolls to recessed monitors and tried not to get too much of an eyeful when asked to turn off the blocking software.

We don't block or filter at my current library, which I'm fine with, since it's been my practical experience that it would just create a different set of problems. Owing to a snazzy new incident reporting system, though, we're much better able to track habitual problem patrons of all stripes, porn trolls included. At this point, anyone who is viewing obscene material gets one warning and told that they will lose internet or library privileges if it happens again.   

It doesn't happen ALL the time, every day, but when there are several IRs in a week, many of them for viewing obscene material, it wears me down, personally and professionally It's got nothing to do with being a prude (don't even go there with me)--it's just a generally stressful situation for a lot of librarians and occassionally, patrons when it happens.     

So, back to my friend. After I finished whining she quipped, "You guys aren't zoned for that, are you?"  It was a funny, throw-away line, but the more I started thinking about it, the more sense it made, so I decided to see what our municipal code had to say about Adult-Oriented Entertainment. Some municipalities have specific zones set aside for adult entertainment businesses.  Ours does not, but does have specific guidelines for Adult-Oriented Establishments, per Chapter 7.01(T)*.  There are two critera that we do not meet, making us ineligible as a venue for viewing adult-oriented entertainment. Briefly, the partitions between viewing booths computer workstations are not tall enough (need to be 6') and our flooring material is (ewwww!) not non-absorbent.  Sorry Porn Dude, you are in the wrong zone. Buh-bye.

******

* I really appreciate our municipal code for giving us such precise language to work with. See 7.01 (T)(1)(g&h)

Comments

[W. Greg Taylor]

Yeah, I'm all for respecting and protecting patron privacy and distinguishing between librarianship and law enforcement, but...when you have patrons viewing graphic sexual stuff in public libraries, that's not exactly a private matter, nor does it show any respect of others.

When I used to work at the Central Library for my MPOW, I had to deal with stuff like that. Only occasionly, but enough to be a drag. I certainly do not miss it.

And yeah, I don't think there's too many libraries with 6' partitions between booths and non-absorbent flooring.

[rochelle]

Dances--yeah...it eats at me a little bit every time I have to be the enforcer for this kind of crap. I have no problem with porn in general, but there is something wrong about an adult who comes to a public place that has a widely varied patron base, solely to look at purely sexual content. I've seen it often enough, that I can confidently say they are generally an unsavory lot and do not use the library for anything besides looking at naughty bits on the internet. I've thought about keeping a roll of quarters at the desk and handing them out with a map to the closest adult emporium.

[Dances With Books]

Dang, that is one original way to deal with it if one wanted to get extreme, or if some busybody patron wanted to make a fuss. I can see it now. Someone who is way too puritan for their good sends a letter or two to the local paper and/or the investigative reporter at the local tv station about the zoning and how the library violates it. Presto. No more porn (maybe).

I am very much live and let live, but in the public library. C'mon.