All electronic resources, accessible through the Madera County Library and its branch libraries, are provided equally and free of charge to all library users in good standing. Computer access is part of the library’s mission to help meet the educational and recreational needs of its patrons.

Patrons who use the library and its resources are expected to abide by the library's rules and the generally accepted rules of public behavior. Illegal acts involving library materials and resources may be subject to prosecution by local, state or federal officials. Parents or guardians must supervise their children’s Internet sessions at all times, and are responsible for the Internet information selected and/or accessed by their children.

1. Users must have a valid San Joaquin Valley Library System library card with no more than $5.00 owed on their account. Users must use their own card.  
2. Short-term visitors to the area with legal identification can request a visitor card that staff will use to log them in.
3. Users will have one 60-minute session per day.  Because the computers are programmed to shut down 15 minutes before closing, users may have less than 60 minutes. 
4. If all the computers are in use, there will be a waiting list available on a first come first serve basis.   
5. Library laptops are available for checkout for use within the library for 2 hours per day.  See users agreement (.pdf) for more details.   
6. Library staff will provide basic assistance to computer users but cannot provide in-depth individual instruction. 
7. Any work that a user wishes to save must be done on their own personal USB flash drive.  No documents or images will be saved to the computer hard drive or desk top. 
8. Direct printing from each work station is in black and white only.  All color pages must be saved to a USB flash drive to be transferred to a color printer.  A flash drive may be borrowed from the desk for transfer only.
9. Black and white pages are 15 cents per page, color pages are 1 dollar per page. 
10. Children under the age of 8 years of age are not allowed to use the public access computers on the adult side of the Library.  Likewise, adults over the age of 17 are not allowed to use the computers in the children’s section. 
11. Users who wish to access sites that have sound need to bring their own earphones or check out a set from the desk using their library card.  Users will not be allowed to disturb other patrons or staff with sound. 
12. Users will not be allowed to alter damage or degrade the workstation or the network.  Doing so will result in the loss of computer privileges indefinitely. 
13. Users are responsible for any consequences of copyright infringement through their use of Library workstations, and may not use Library workstations for unlawful purposes.
14. Users may not run any of their own software programs on Library computers.  Any violation of the internet policy or the computer usage policy will result in the revocation of user’s privileges, furthermore law enforcement authorities will be notified of unlawful activities.    

Revised 9/23/2013

Approved and Adopted by the Board of Supervisors 11/5/2013

Resolution #2013-186.

In compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act and the "Harmful to Minors Statute" (California Penal Code 313-313.5), the library is using commercial filtering software to block certain Internet sites. 

The Madera County Board of Supervisors has approved the following policy:

• The Madera County Library provides free internet access to the public at all 5 locations to meet the information needs of our residents and visitors. 
• The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires all libraries such as the Madera County Library and the other members of the San Joaquin Valley Library System, who receive discounts on Internet connections and service, to filter or block all visual depictions such as child pornography, or any obscene images that are harmful to minors.  Even with quality filtering and monitoring, the Internet can place children at risk, therefore it is the responsibility of the parent(s) or guardian to monitor access and content.
• No access will be granted to sites that that have the potential to harm the Library’s network or workstations.  These sites include: spyware, malware, and adware, proxy, or phishing sites.  If you believe a site has been rated incorrectly, please contact the County Librarian for review. 
• The Library does not guarantee the security of any personal information that the user enters on a website. 
• The Library has no control over the quality or accuracy of the information found on the internet and therefore is not responsible for its content.
• The Library is not responsible for any products or services that are ordered on the internet. 
• The U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2003 authorized the disabling of the filter for lawful use by adults 18 years or older, however if the nature of the content being viewed on the Library workstation disturbs other Library users, the viewer will be asked to cease. 
• This policy applies to both wireless and network internet access.

Madera County Library Block the following:

Destructive

• Hacking
• Illegal drugs
• Intolerance and hate
• Phishing and fraud
• Tasteless and offensive material
• Terrorism
• Violence
• Weapons
• Spam

Sexual

• Adult Content
• Intimate apparel & swimsuits
• Pornography

Commerce

• Advertisement & Pop-ups

Chat lines, while appearing to be an innocent form of communication, have been used by predatory adults to lure unsuspecting youths into compromising and life-threatening situations. Every effort will be made to educate children and their parents in the safe use of electronic communication. Please visit our section on Children and Internet Safety.

Intentionally viewing child pornography using the Library’s resources is a criminal act and will be treated as such. All computer screens are within full view the general public. If the nature of the content being viewed disturbs other patrons, the viewer will be asked to cease.

Any violation of the internet policy or the computer usage policy will result in the revocation of user’s privileges, furthermore law enforcement authorities will be notified of unlawful activities.   

Revised 9/23/2013

Approved and Adopted by the Board of Supervisors 11/5/2013 Resolution #2013-186