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I’m writing in response to a recent letter by Steven Sharp, who complained that his wife was forced to wait at the Denver Central Library while some computer users there perused pornographic Web sites (“Surfing porn sites at library is troubling,” Sept. 21). I have also experienced the same visual assault while working at the main Denver Public Library.
As a professional genealogist I must frequently use the Western History Department to look for information for a client. There is a whole bank of public computers on that that floor situated right next the microfilm readers we must use. On many occasions I have been forced to see these despicable sites because one cannot work there and avoid it.
I complained verbally, I have written letters; even suggesting the computers be moved to a central location that we can avoid. All to no avail. It seems perverts in the library have free rein and good citizens are the victims. What a shameful society we have become where nothing is judged and the rights go to the lowest rung.

Nancy Serra-Spencer, Denver

READER COMMENTS

It is shameful, and I can't believe our tax dollars allow this. Calling it "freedom of speech" is ridiculous. Why can't they have a "terms of use" posted, and have to consent to before use?

I guess I am at the right age. I remeber going through school and coputers were not allowed or used. Then At college they were all over the place. Computers being phased into the public library as I was graduating High School for public use. However there was not the good ol internet. You know the wonderful cyberspace invented by Al Gore.

I recall going to the library In Evegreen back in the late 80's and having to sign up and being lectured by the librarian before use on what was acceptable and not acceptable usege of said computers.

I remember coming home on leave in the early 90's and the change with the internet. Again the long levture on what I could surf or not surf on the now internet.

Now it seems if you have a purpose for public access you have to wait inline behind those who want to surf thier porn or read the daily propagand of the Daily Kos.

A time limit is never enforced or asked for even with people waiting. Best thing to do is invest in ones own desk top computer or lap top then you do not have to be offened.

I often take my laptop to the library as it is convenant with thier wi-fi connections and I can cary it up and down the isles as I look for research material.

nancy the next time 'On many occasions I have been forced to see these despicable sites because one cannot work there and avoid it. ' this happens please call 9-1-1 and report it to the police. this sounds very illigal that someone at the public library would force you against your will to do anything. they should be arrested

07:11

Instead of working so hard on your sarcasm how about working on your spelling, grammar and punctuation.

. . . where nothing is judged and rights go th the lowest rung" . . last line of the letter, points out the basic problem. I totally agree, DPL Central is not a haven for the inquisitive, but the bums. The name "Homeless," even gives them too much credit. Liberal, scaredy-cat adminstrators and politicians evidently need this constituency. I would think I have as much right to enter the bulding and not be offended by smell, etc, as the bum. I do not happen to have the concentrated interest groups behind me. The porn is just the icing on the cake for the library's consitutants.

. . . where nothing is judged and rights go th the lowest rung" . . last line of the letter, points out the basic problem. I totally agree, DPL Central is not a haven for the inquisitive, but the bums. The name "Homeless," even gives them too much credit. Liberal, scaredy-cat adminstrators and politicians evidently need this constituency. I would think I have as much right to enter the bulding and not be offended by smell, etc, as the bum. I do not happen to have the concentrated interest groups behind me. The porn is just the icing on the cake for the library's consitutants.

What's the difference between porn and genealogy? After all, aren't you just looking up the skirt of the last generation? I'm sick of you perverts.

It would be interesting to know what pornographic content was getting past the nanny filters.

The terms of use are posted at http://denverlibrary.org/about/internet.html

Libraries are for those who need or want information for whatever their purposes are. That is why computers are made available not so anyone can take up everybodies time.

Bangalore Skank,

Complaints about "pornography" are as ephemeral as the sightings of UFOs; and just as meaningful.

But, since it appears that the letter writer had nothing better to do with her time than waste it looking up ancestors, it might be said that compalining about "pornography" in the surroundings served as sufficient diversion, and motivation for a Letter to the Editor; which I guess is about as good an excuse for more wasted time as any.

I always manage to get a kick out of ancestor worship as it shows up around and about in the Western cultures. Especially here in the United States, where, if truth be known, far more of the ancestors were hanged off family trees than ever counted as "good fruit".

But, as with any of the other little religions all round the country, it does serve its purpose, and has its followers. And, in the end, there is someting of the lost little Prince, or Princess, in all of us, at one time or another in life; the stuff all the fairy tales are made of. And some grow up - and mature - while others just grow old. So, why critique anybody else's Linus blanket?

where else but libraries are pedohiles going to get the information they need to attack, rape, torture and murder children?

How true! If the Denver Public Library were truly concerned about morality, it would do whatever was necessary to eradicate pornography from its computers. Yet, DPL is more concerned about upholding "free speech" than the rights of its patrons. The truth of the matter is that pornography does not even suggest free speech.

I don't know what sites are off limits or not at the DPL, but I wonder how the letter writer could be forced to to watch porn. Is there only one computer in the Western History Dept. for users, it has a 50" screen, and evry chair in the dept. is fixed to the floor and facing the screen? There must be areas within that Dept. where she could wait and do ancillary research while looking up occasionally to see if the previous users has left. In the meantime, she can, as some people suggested complain to a librarian that a user is not using the computer for Western Heritage research.

Well if you don't like it, then stop looking over my shoulder at my computer - sheesh, surf your own porn, you lazy-ass! You too, Stuckey, you pervert!

"where else but libraries are pedohiles going to get the information they need to attack, rape, torture and murder children?"

Um, home? I don't know about you, skippy, but I'm not logged on at the library as I write this.

First, never trust a woman with two surnames that require a hyphen.

Second, perhaps Mz. Busy-Body can define "porn" for the reading audience.

When I used to use the computers are the library...porn was not so much an issue as a lot of the homeless playing various and sundry games and essentially living there. Also the Western History floor used to have a good idea of how much time one used the computer and enforced time restrictions with vigor. So how could one view porn with comfort with all that going one? Also, how is Ms Spear being forced into seeing it? Is she just a busybody who likes to stick her nose into everyone else's business? I suspect so...how does she ever get her genealogy work done?

Listen to Brian Stuckey. He knows all about book burning.

Wake up, silly-heads. This writer is full of baloney. You cannot look at porn at the library. They (this one and the 'not-so-Sharp' guy, wrote letters from ideas pulled out of their... you-know-whats. It is a stupid complaint and one not rooted in fact.

yeesh.

Porn's free
It's free at the Library

The idea here is that the public library is for the PUBLIC and allows FREE ACCESS to information for all levels of society, not just the nice smelling ones or the ones that subscribe to what you believe. You can't have it both ways. I personally find religious or inspirational sites offensive but I would never tell someone they can't look at these sites or get information from them. Who are we to judge what other people use their time to look at on the internet or web or anywhere?

I find it laughable that so many people are up in arms over "porn" when violence is rampant and genrally accepted in this country and nobody cares if it's plastered all over billboards and magazines. I'd much rather have my child happen across a naked picture of someone than have them be exposed to the myriad of violent images plastered in our faces every day. If porn is visible on the computers then all you have to do is NOT LOOK AT IT. Or perhaps ask the librarian's about privacy screens. These are simple devices that shelter the computer screen from most passerbys. And if these are already employed and you are still seeing pornography, then you are trying really hard to see it because these screens make it very difficult to see what's on the computer.

We live in America, at least I think I still do, where anyone can research anything they want and not be censored by over zealous, cry babies. That's what makes this country great, or it used to anyway. But the second you start denying people freedom of speech and freedom of access to information, then we are only steps away from becoming what we all supposedly despise.

Personally, I get upset when people are doing clean research in my porn library.

Free speech. The homeless need their porn, too.

The grammar police is out!!!!!!(7:45)

Some grow up - and mature - while others just grow old - like Old Grouch.

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