Since the advent of the Internet, libraries have ceased to be repositories of selected materials alone and have become gateways to a vast and ever-changing array of resources not selected by library employees or for the most part evaluated by anyone in any way. Many of these sites provide reliable, current, readily-retrievable information, some of which is obtainable nowhere else. Unfortunately, some Web sites provide misinformation or content objectionable to some. Throughout the nation, public officials, activists groups, and ordinary citizens have begun to demand that libraries deny or restrict access to those sites that violate particular and often varying criteria. Restricting access contravenes principles long espoused by the library profession.
Libraries seek to accommodate the broadest spectrum of library users.
The association acknowledges that some library users may wish to shield themselves and their own children from unintentional exposure to text and images that they deem offensive. Regulation of access by minors is the responsibility of their parents. Libraries may accommodate these users by making filtering software available. The shortcomings of filtering software are widely recognized. Some filtering programs inadvertently block access to some web sites that may be considered useful as well as to sites that may be deemed offensive.