Addresses investigations of library employees' complaints of sexual harassment which could be modified for use with a patron complaint. The employer's interests in conducting an adequate and swift investigation are discussed, and the importance of maintaining confidentiality is stressed. (LRW)

Provides an example of procedures to be followed when investigating a sexual harassment complaint in libraries. Highlights include preparation, including reviewing personnel files; interviewing the complainant, including sample questions; interviewing the alleged harasser; gathering information from other sources, including third-party witnesses;…

Discusses library policy and Internet access, highlighting (1) legal distinctions between books and the Internet; (2) ways to restrict access without violating First Amendment rights; (3) the library as a limited public forum rather than a traditional public forum; and (4) the library's governmental interest in protecting children. (PEN)

Examines liability issues and Internet use--specifically e-mail--that libraries should be aware of. Discusses confidentiality and employer review; how federal laws, statutory limitations, and Illinois State Constitution and statutes affect employer e-mail monitoring; invasion of privacy; and the Freedom of Information Act. Offers procedural and…

Examines the law for libraries, i.e. potential risks and liabilities of regulating, or not regulating, Internet access and use. Discusses the Communications Decency Act, use of filtering software, Internet policies, liability under local criminal statutes, ordinances for disseminating child pornography, obscene material, and hostile work…

With the 1996 defeat of the Communications Decency Act, under which providing offensive material on computer systems accessible to children would have become a felony, no legal guidelines exist for library use of the Internet. Libraries can avoid becoming the center of an Internet controversy by encouraging parental involvement; by protecting…