Mid-Columbia Library Board Takes a Stand on Porn Policies

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By Chelsea Kopta

Summary

Our stories on pornography at local libraries have driven people to take action. Tuesday night, they went to the city. The next stop, the Library Board. Wednesday, that board took a stand.

Story Published: Jun 17, 2009 at 5:24 PM PST

KENNEWICK -- Our stories on the policies about porn at local libraries have driven people to take action. Tuesday night, they went to the city. The next stop, the library board.

Wednesday, that board took a stand.

Mid-Columbia Library Board of Trustees Chair, Sandra Lepage sent Action News this statement: "The board feels that current internet usage and filtering policies are sound and do not require formal action by the board."

Those words came as blow to parents like Suzie Murphy, Ramona Vallee and Pat St. Hillaire who, on Tuesday night, called on city council members to toughen up policies on porn.

"Isn't the city council here to work for the public?" St. Hillaire said.

"I think it's a serious issue that needs to be talked about even though we have no control over the Mid-Columbia Library," Kennewick City Councilman, Bob Parks said.

City leaders admit, their hands are tied. They're not the decision-makers for the library. The library board stands by its policies, like it always has.

"Our board, I think, has really upped the threshold beyond what's legal," Library Administrative Services Director, Kyle Cox has said.

LePage's statement also added: "The Board does not take the issue lightly. The Board supports the prompt action taken by the Executive Director and staff to investigate the issue and address it accordingly."

To remind you, the Mid-Columbia Libraries do not allow porn to be viewed on computers at all. Many parents just feel that policy doesn't do enough to protect kids. And while the board members are not about to make changes now, they are willing to hear you out. They invite you to come to their board meetings.

The meetings are held the third Monday of each month at 6:00 pm at the Keewaydin Park Library Meeting Room (405 S. Dayton St., Kennewick).

"They seem to think that the measures they already have are protecting children but they're not," Murphy said.

Moms like Murphy told Action News that they do plan to sound off in the board meetings. But that's not the only idea in the works. They said they're already gathering signatures for a petition.

All the libraries we've talked to - from Seattle to Spokane to Yakima and our local libraries - said the instances where people are caught watching porn are few and far between. But even if they did watch, it *is legal. Watching pornography is a constitutionally-protected right. Of course, child pornography is illegal. Policies tend to differ based on community standards.