Welcome to the Kenai Community Library

163 Main Street Loop, Kenai AK 99611
Telephone 907-283-4378 Fax 907-283-2266

The mission of the Kenai Community Library is to provide a comfortable and friendly environment in which the public may:

• Have a reasonable expectation that they will leave the building with what they came for;
• Relax and read current materials;
• Receive knowledgeable assistance and answers to questions;
• Pursue opportunities for lifelong learning;
• Find professionally selected materials in all formats for personal enjoyment;
• Enjoy programs or performances;
• Have access to technological resources.

In support of this mission, the library provides individualized assistance, community outreach, professional expertise, and current technologies for equal access to facilities, quality services, and materials in a variety of formats.

The library supports the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association Freedom to Read statement. The Library’s mandate is to   provide the public access to information on all sides of an issue.

Current Internet Policies

Internet access shall be made reasonable, fair, and equitable to all users.

Internet communications shall be considered private and confidentiality will be encouraged within the limits of a public environment, the technology, the equipment, and the requirements of law.

Violations of library guidelines and engaging in certain prohibited practices in Internet use may lead to the suspension or revocation of Internet access through the Library.

Guidelines for Responsible Use:

It is expected that the user of the Internet:

Shall make only authorized access to systems, NetWare, software, and databases for educational, informational, and recreational purposes only.

Shall avoid the sending, receiving, and displaying of text or graphics that may be reasonably construed as sexually explicit or offensive. A written definition of what constitutes “sexually explicit” material is available at the front desk.

Shall obey the law and regulations in their application to copyright, licensed software and data.

Shall be aware that violations of these guidelines for responsible use may lead to the suspension or revocation of your Internet access within the Library.

Statement of Responsibility

The Internet with its highly diverse and often controversial content is an unregulated resource and can be used only at your own risk. Beyond its home pages, Kenai Community Library cannot control the information found on the Internet and is not responsible for its accuracy, correctness nor its suitability.

Library may suggest specific Internet sites that have potential interest for Library users, but the Library cannot control a user's access to other Internet resources.

The Kenai Community Library has not installed filters for Internet access. No filtering system is completely effective or efficient. This is especially true in filtering the images and video. Filters on Internet terminals might restrict access to sites that could be deemed objectional, but would also limit access to sites that have legitimate research values.

*A Special Note to Parents

The Internet’s “user friendliness” and intrinsic flexibility to access a wide range of well known and many lesser known information resources demands diligent and thoughtful parental supervision.

It should be understood that the Kenai Community Library cannot act as a censor or as a substitute parent. It is the responsibility of the parent to provide the oversight to ensure their children’s use of the Internet in an appropriate and safe manner.

As with all Library resources, the Library affirms the right and responsibility of parents/guardians, NOT Library staff, to determine and monitor their minor children's use of the Internet. (Minors are defined in this policy as children and young people under the age of 18 years.) Parents who believe that their children cannot responsibly use the Library’s Internet access are requested to monitor their children’s Internet use.

Internet Offerings and Limitations:

Library access to the Internet is available at work stations that use software designed to browse the World Wide Web (WWW). Dial in access is not available through the library.

You will need a current Kenai Community Library card or photo identification in order to check in for computer use. Computer use is limited to one time per day. The library offers both sit-down timed stations (one hour in the winter, 45 minutes in the summer) and express terminals (20 minutes.)

You may not use your own software programs on the library computers, nor install any programs or drivers on the library computers. This will help prevent computer viruses that are common on public computers.

Bring your own used disk or drive, formatted for an IBM compatible PC, if you wish to save files. There is a system printer for printing at $.25 per page.

Misuse of the computer or Internet access will result in loss of your computer privileges.

Because of library scheduling, Internet-trained staff may not always be available.

Response to Violations

Internet computers may not be used by anyone, including minors, for illegal activity, to access illegal materials, or to access materials that by local community standards would be obscene. Library employees are
authorized to take prompt and appropriate actions to prohibit use by persons who fail to comply with the Internet Safety Policy as stated or implied herein.

Responsibilities of Library Staff and Users
Library staff will not monitor a user's Internet use, except for length of use in order to ensure equal opportunity of access for everyone. The user, or the parent of a minor, is responsible for his or her Internet session at all times. The Library reserves the right to terminate an Internet session that disrupts library services or that involves user behavior that violates the Library's policies.

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

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. 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.

Publicly discussed and adopted by the Kenai Community Library Commission August 5, 2008.