It is the Library's policy that parents or legal guardians must assume responsibility for deciding what library resources are appropriate for their children. There will be some resources that parents may feel are inappropriate for their children. Parents should let their children know if there are materials which they do not want them to use. Parents should supervise their child's Internet sessions. Some library computers are designated as Children's Workstations. These workstations use filtering software to access the Internet. No filtering software can control access to all materials that an individual may deem inappropriate. Parents should instruct children in the Rules for Online Safety recommended by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. These rules are repeated for children who access the Library's Kids' Page.
 

While the Sulphur Springs Public Library endeavors to provide access to information of the highest quality, the Library specifically disclaims any warrant as to the information's accuracy, timeliness, authoritativeness, usefulness or fitness for a particular purpose.

The Sulphur Springs Public Library will have no liability for direct, indirect or consequential damages related to the use of information accessed through the Library's Internet service.

The Library, having installed and enforced the operation of filtering software in compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), will have no liability for damages related to the operation of, or failure of, the filtering software, or for its circumvention by users.

Since software and information downloaded from any sources, including the Internet, may contain computer viruses, users are advised to utilize virus checking software on their home computers.  Any user wishing to use portable media in library computers, such as, but not limited to, floppy diskettes, CDs, DVDs, and/or jump/thumb drives are required to have Library staff run a virus check at the Circulation Desk. The Library is not responsible for damage to users' disks or computers or for any loss of data, damage or liability that may occur from use of the Library's computers.


     Customers must sign in to use an Internet workstation. Time will be limited on the workstation to thirty (30) minutes when others are waiting to use it.

     Children under the age of nine must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Users may not:

1.      Use any Library workstation for any illegal or criminal purpose, including but not limited to:

a.       use of a Library workstation to gain access to the Sulphur Springs Public Library's network computer systems or to any other network or computer system, or to use Library workstation for otherwise specified unacceptable use thereof;

b.      the violation of copyright laws, software licensing agreements, including but not limited to, U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code) prohibits unauthorized reproduction or distribution of copyrighted materials, except as permitted by principles of "fair use". Responsibility for any possible copyright infringement lies solely with the user. The Public Library disclaims any liability or responsibility resulting hereof;

c.       engage in any activity which is deliberately and maliciously offensive; libelous, slanderous or of a hostile, intimidating or harassing nature towards the Library's customers or staff  by means of viewing, displaying, or printing explicit graphical images in violation of Texas law: PC 43.24, "Sale Distribution", or "Display of Harmful Material to Minor".

d.      represent oneself as another person or using the Internet to transmit obscene, threatening, or harassing materials including sexually explicit site and gambling on the Internet;

e.       damage or destroy equipment, software, or data belonging to the Library or to other users, including adding, altering, or deleting files on Library workstation, hard drives, or other Library computer equipment.
 

2.      Obstruct other people's work by consuming gratuitously large amounts of system resources or by deliberately crashing any Library computer system.

3.                      Make any attempt to damage the Library's computer equipment or software, including but not limited to, the changing of operating system settings, installing or attempting to alter existing software settings or configurations and/or attempting to cause degradation of system performance.

Use of the Library and the Internet will be suspended throughout the Sulphur Springs Public Library system if the rules and policies of Internet use are not followed.