Libraries have long struggled with how, when, and whether to make explicit material available. Often, they have locked it away from everyone but scholars. But with the Internet came a constantly growing body of far more explicit material than had ever been housed in public libraries. At the same time, of course, the Internet is also an extraordinary research tool and as such, is central to their mission. It's not the libraries' responsibility to become the parent, just as it's not their responsibility to feed or clothe children, either.
Critics also charge that filtering software is flawed.
What's more, some porn sites still get through. It's all one click away anyway. And if it's there, your child is going to be able to see it. She says libraries can instead offer courses on navigating the Net and show how to make a quick exit from an unwanted site. Some libraries install screens over computers that make it harder for kids to sneak peeks.