What do you do about people who want to look at pornograpy on computers at public libraries?
The Los Angeles City Counci Committee hopes to find an answer Tuesday.
A new round of controversy over the issue flared up in January. Librarians at the Chinatown Public Library said people complained that adults and children could see someone watching pornography on a computer while waiting in line to check out books.
"We want to figure out the best way to prevent children and families from being able to see images that are pornographic in nature or offensive,'' said Councilman Ed Reyes.
Reyes introduced the motion to address the issue. He proposes creating a layout that allows screens and images to be shielded.
Pornography is protected speech under the First Amendment, but the U.S. Supreme Court has not squarely dealt with the libarary issue, said Eugene Volokh, a constitutional law professor at UCLA School of Law.
The High Court did hear a case in 2003, U.S. v. American Library Association. In that case, the justices ruled that it is constitutional to use Internet filtering software to block pornography, until a patron asks for it to be unblocked.
The Supreme Court did not rule on wholesale blocking of Internet pornography at public libraries, said Volkh.
