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Cariboo Regional District Libraries will have varying hours over the holiday season. Please contact your local branch for more information.

Internet Access

Statement of Intent

The Cariboo Regional District Library recognizes the Canadian Library Association’s Statement on Internet Access (1997; 2000). When relevant we include extracts from this document and related documents in our policies.

CLA’s statement is “intended to be considered in tandem with both the CLA Statement on Intellectual Freedom (1985) and the CLA Statement on Information and Telecommunication Access Principles (1994).” The full text of these statements is available on CLA’s website: www.cla.ca. CLA position statements can be found here.

To meet the informational, recreational, educational and cultural needs of Cariboo residents, we lend print, audio, visual and electronic materials. For the same purposes, we offer a variety of programmes and services for children and adults. It is within this context that we offer free wireless access and free access to public internet computer stations at our library branches.

Through our website, www.cln.ca , we offer free access to a variety of recommended e-reference titles, including online subscription databases. Through our online catalogue, best accessed via our website, we offer access to all materials we loan through our libraries, including links to e-book and e-audiobook titles available through the BC Libraries Overdrive database.

Internet Access

As per the Canadian Library Association’s Statement, it is our intent “to offer Internet access with the fewest possible restrictions”. We acknowledge that unrestricted access to all Internet sites is not an acceptable option for our public library branches. At our discretion, we will filter specific sites, or block certain activities, for the following reasons:

  1. Sites supporting academic fraud;
  2. Sites for which the Library could be liable;
  3. Selected Adult / Mature sites;
  4. Activity which consumes bandwidth (software downloads, file sharing and storage, peer to peer file sharing, Internet radio and TV, Internet telephony);
  5. Adware;
  6. Sites which are considered a security risk (Malicious websites, Phishing, Spam URLs).

We recognize that legitimate sites can be wrongly categorized or we may want to allow some sites that are in the above categories. As these sites are identified, we will allow access.

While it is our intent to provide equal access to the Internet and to our online services, the reality is that the required bandwidth is not an affordable or available option for all rural residents. Dial-up access cannot support remote online transactions and downloads (for example, searching the Library’s catalogue and online databases, placing holds on titles, downloading e-books). To conduct these activities, some of our rural residents must visit their local library branch.

Use of Public Internet Computers

  1. Cariboo residents are expected to use their own library cards when using our public Internet computers. Visitors are provided with guest passes and may use Internet stations as scheduling permits.
  2. We recognize that parents or legal guardians are responsible for their children’s use of the Internet. We encourage them to accompany their children when they visit our library branches. Generally children use our Internet computers without interference or supervision by library staff. We strongly recommend that children 12 and under who are using our computers be attended by a parent or legal guardian. (Should staff identify a child who appears to be on his or her own, effort will be made to locate their caregiver).
  3. Any illegal use of the Internet is prohibited and may constitute a criminal offence for which the user will bear sole responsibility. Cariboo Regional District Library is not responsible for any user misuse of copyrighted information or violation of software licensing agreements.
  4. Cariboo Regional District Library does not provide e-mail accounts. (As time allows, library staff may assist users wanting to setup an e-mail account through a recognized site).
  5. Users are responsible for any commercial transactions made while using the Library’s internet connection.
  6. Users could be liable for any damage caused to the Library’s computer equipment. Any misuse of the computer or Internet access will result in loss of Library privileges.

Guidelines (wireless internet access)

  1. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for their children’s use of the Internet. Children will use the Internet on the same basis as adults without any censorship or supervision by library staff. It is strongly recommended that children 12 and under be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
  2. Any illegal use of the Internet is prohibited and may constitute a criminal offence for which the user will bear sole responsibility. Cariboo Regional District Library is not responsible for any user misuse of copyrighted information or violation of software licensing agreements.
  3. Users are responsible for any commercial transactions made while using the Library’s Internet connection.
  4. Wireless access is always available.
  5. The library is not responsible for ensuring connectivity between patron devices and the wireless network. Library staff will not configure, troubleshoot, or provide other technical support for patron devices.