Many thanks to all of you who responded to my query regarding managing children's internet access.  Since so many of you responded to me personally, I have compiled the responses for the list (without identifying any particular location, of course).

Many thanks for all your generous assistance!

Sarah Dentan

21 respondents.

19 require parental permission:
3 - ages not specified.
3 - under 13
2 - under 14
2 - under 15
7 - under 16
1 - under 17
1 - under 18

5 indicated they also require parental supervision of use by younger children:
4 - under 9
1 - under 8

2 do not require parental permission 
Of those, 1 does not permit internet access by under-12s without parental supervision.
1 states on child's application that children accessing the internet are presumed to have parental permission to do so.

How is permission supplied?
11 -use a separate form or permission slip.
2 - use a portion of the child's library card application as permission slip.
2 - send a letter home upon child's application for computer privileges, and wait on parents' response (one library assumes no response indicates consent).
1 - informs parents of over-12s that internet access is available, and parents must contact the library to have it withdrawn.
1 - frames the permission question in reverse, i.e., parents must indicate if they want to disallow internet access.
Some libraries insist parent be present when signing permission slips, others do not.

How is permission authenticated?
7 - use some form of booking software that verifies PIN numbers and/or barcodes have been cleared for internet use
5 - children are given an internet card or other proof of permission to show to staff when booking and/or using the internet
4 - notes are placed on children's records for staff to check when booking internet for children
1 - sticker placed on child's card indicates permission has been given
1 - patron's borrower category indicates whether child can use the internet


Filtering and configuration of computers

Of the respondents that indicated they had the same level of filtering for children and adults (approximately half):

3 - no filtering at all
3 - chat was disabled/banned for adults and children (some indicated this was due to child protection concerns)

Of the respondents that indicated they had different configurations for children and adults:

4 - stricter filtering on children's computers was for content, not functionality (i.e., chat, e-mail not banned, but stricter filtering of content was in place)
1 - chat was blocked on children's computers, not on adult computers
1 - children's computers opened to a different menu than that for adults, guiding children to more appropriate sites, but filtering was at the same level for both types of computers
1 - 3 levels of filtering are in place - under 11, 11-16, and adult
No libraries mentioned blocking e-mail for children.

In some cases where configurations of adult and children's computers are different, staff diligence is what keeps people at the proper computers.  In other cases, the user's login determines which computers they have access to, or what version of the internet they get at a generic computer.

--
Sarah Dentan
Customer Service Manager, City and South
Cambridgeshire Libraries
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