Legislation That Affects the Use of the Internet in Alberta Public Libraries

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It is difficult to overstate the important role that the Internet plays in public libraries. Patrons can use the Internet to find information, access services, and maintain connections with social media, while library staff can use the Internet to access informational resources, compile and maintain library statistics, stay networked with other libraries, and store files on "the cloud" . The Alberta government is working to make high-speed Internet available in all public libraries across the province; as of 2009, they had nearly reached their goal (just 15 of Alberta's 310 municipal public libraries that were not able to get high-speed Internet access due to problems with their infrastructure) (Alberta Municipal Affairs, 2009). This demonstrates that the Internet and public libraries are becoming intrinsically linked, and shows the need for library staff to be aware of how they and their patrons can and cannot use the Internet.

In order to address the rapidly-changing nature of technology, laws regarding the Internet must be updated frequently. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for library staff and patrons to remain aware of the legislation that directly affect the use of the Internet in public libraries. The laws that affect Internet use in public libraries do more than just influence libraries' public Internet use policies; they also affect interlibrary loans, patron and staff privacy, and even policies regarding staff Internet use. With this in mind, it is highly beneficial for libraries to have access to an accurate and current overview of the laws that affect the way that their staff and their patrons use the Internet. When library staff have information about government legislation in an easily-accessib...

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