Book Companion:

Library and Information Center Management,
Seventh Edition

Porn Again

Seldom had Lily Letondel, director of the University of Benton-Randall Library, seen her assistant, Benjamin Currie, appear so disgusted and annoyed as when he entered her office one morning shortly after the library opened.

"you know," he began, dropping himself into a chair, "I've had faculty members tell me they think being a librarian is as easy as shelling peas. They should have my job for a while."

"You have a problem?" Letondel asked.

"Two problems. And they both have to do with pornography." Exasperation animated Currie's tone as he went on: "One has to do with my data base services librarian and my planning and development librarian…"

"Jesse and Elaine having at each other again?" Letondel interrupted.

"Yes. Jesse, bless his soul, has just created a screen saver consisting of naked women floating all over the place. When Elaine went to his office yesterday, she was outraged. Much as they loathe each other, the do have to interact. Anyway, she told him he was creating a hostile environment by making her and others who might be offended have to look at something they don't want to look at. She says its an invasion of her right to privacy. She said she'd never go back to his office as long as he's permitted to have that screen saver. She also called him a pig…"

The director started to say something, then, for some reason, contented herself with a shake of the head.

Currie resumed: "Jesse told her to go to hell, and that if she didn't like it they could meet in her office. And if she didn't like that idea she could sit with her back to his screen. And if she didn't like that they could meet in the conference room. He said he refused to turn off his machine and that his First Amendment and academic freedom rights permitted him to have whatever he wanted on his screen, and that he had no intention of removing it."

In a species of daze, Letondel said: "You've spoken to both?"

"Yes. Elaine sought me out and I went to Jesse's office. I've quoted almost verbatim what I was told. Jesse did confirm that he told Elaine to go to hell, and she admitted calling him a pig. Jesse's standing firm in his belief that he has a right to have what he wants as a screen saver."

Hesitation marked the other's manner an appreciable second. "You mentioned two problems."

"Yes. There was a complaint in the suggestion box today from a student stating that he was weary of seeing the 'porn' that's left on computer screens by students surfing the internet."

Letondel said nothing, but reached for the policy manual. She ran her fingers over the pages until she found what she wanted. "Here's our posted policy." She read:

"Computer workstations and video machines are available on a first-come-first- serve basis. What you view on a screen may be seen by others. Public display of materials demeaning to a person of a particular gender, race, creed, ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation is harassment subject to disciplinary action by the Dean of Students' office.

Curie vented a discouraged sigh. "That's fine when we can confront a person, but what'd we do when someone leaves offending images on a screen and isn't caught doing it?"

A faint shake of her head was all Currie got for a reply. Letondel arose from her chair and stood with her back to her assistant, looking out on the campus. When she turned around she said, "Well, you've brought me two problems, now do you have two solutions?"

Written by Dr. A. J. Anderson, Professor Emeritus, GSLIS, Simmons College