Internet Access Policy
Revised: March 2013, Feb. 2016, April 2018
Reviewed and Revised: April 2026
Ohio County Public Library provides access to the Internet as a resource to be used in accordance with the Library’s goal of providing information to its community. While we recognize that such access provides a vast amount of material for different age levels and points of view, the Ohio County Public Library does not act in place of a parent and is not responsible for enforcing any restrictions which a parent or guardian may place on a minor’s use of the resource. The Ohio County Public Library does comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and uses a filtering system through its internet service provider, Education Networks of American (ENA) to restrict access of minors to certain sites. However, no filtering system can guarantee that all inappropriate sites will be blocked.
User Guidelines
- Computer use is on a first-come, first-served basis. Those using the Internet access computers will be guaranteed one session, but after that will have to make the computer available if someone else is waiting.
2. Material downloaded by the public cannot be saved on the library’s computers. Patrons who want to save their material must save it on their own portable device. Although OCPL has anti-virus software on the computers, this will not completely protect patrons from a virus that has been saved or downloaded to their devices. Ohio County Public Library is not responsible for damage to a person’s disk or computer, or for any loss of data, damage or liability that may occur from patron use of the Library’s computers or wireless internet use.
3. It is the user’s responsibility to choose which resources to access. Be aware that the Internet is not regulated and materials accessible through it may be inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, biased, inappropriate or offensive. Since the Library has no control over the content, individuals use it at their own risk. We caution users to access and evaluate materials online as they would a printed source.
4. The Library staff can assist users in getting started on the Library’s equipment, but staff cannot assist users in searching through the many sites available on the Internet, nor can staff give extensive one-on-one instruction. Internet users should have a minimal level of computer experience.
5. The cost to print is ten cents per page for black and white, 20 cents if double sided or 35 cents per page for color, 70 cents if doubled sided. The Library is not responsible for the results of patron printings. It is recommended that patrons use the “print Preview” option before sending items to the print station to prevent undesirable printing results.
6. Anyone found to be abusing library computers in any way will forfeit further computer use.
7. Library computers are not to be used to create, transmit, print or otherwise distribute pornographic, obscene, sexually explicit, racist, demeaning or sexist materials. Violators will forfeit computer use.
