Certification class

Spring is here and it’s time for another session of certification classes. Some ladies from work and I attended our first class last week titled Current Trends and Legislation Affecting Public Libraries. From this class I learned some shocking truths: 1) my co-workers and I and what seemed like everyone else in the class have all broken library law on several different occasions while working at our library 2) our instructor wasn’t all that concerned that we’re breaking the law because 3) there are way too many gray areas in legislation that breaking the law is just too damn easy. For instance, through some class discussion, we became aware that our library is making it very easy to violate copyright law by keeping the bypass key in the History room photocopy machine (something which is done for practicality reasons-makes it easier on the patrons when they don’t have change). By doing this, we are technically “supervising” the copying and thereby making ourselves liable when a patron happens to be photocopying something they shouldn’t or for a purpose they shouldn’t (such as commercial use). Our reference and circulation desk violate the Americans with Disabilities Act since it does not “provide adaptive working conditions” for people who are physically disabled (wheel chair, etc). The desk and chairs are too high and the only possible “adaption” I see is if we were to build a ramp and a platform. It was interesting. We spent the last half of the day discussing CIPA and the Patriot Act. Our instructor was very vocal on her disapproval of both and pointed out that although CIPA requires us to have filters, it says nothing (yet) about having filters that actually work efficiently. As long as we buy them and install them the governments happy and we get our e-rate funding for the year. I dread July 1st. What a mess it will be.