Facebook and MySpace blocked at libraries
Today, Michael Stephens from Tame the Web posted about how Facebook and MySpace are banned at his local library. Here's a quote from the South Bend Tribune:
"You can no longer use MySpace, Facebook or other “social networking sites” at Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library.
Fights, lewd language and cars being blocked in the parking lot by teenagers are among the problems Director Dave Eisen said have plagued the downtown library lately.
He told library board members that adults have complained about not feeling safe at the library. Eisen and his staff believe the teenagers are there to use MySpace, Facebook and other social sites."
This is all too common in public libraries. What right do people have to ban something in order to keep a specific part of your population from using the library? It would be like banning large print books to keep the elderly away or banning picture books to keep children away.
In academic libraries, the argument is often that people using social networking software aren't doing real work. Considering all of the office and productivity applications that can be integrated into your Facebook profile these days, no one can really make that assumption. Check out my friend Jenica's post on the topic this week entitled "What is real library work anyway?"
What do you think about banning these sites in libraries (other than K-12 and corporate libraries which have different limitations)? Are there situations that would make it ok to block them?
