I manage the Internet filters and firewalls where I work. There are multiple factors that involve filtering and I'm sure the purpose was not to stop you from downloading catalogs. It is unbelievable what people will download given the chance. Likely the librarians themselves do not control the filters but can contact the IT department. The IT staff may have simply updated (automatically) the blacklist via subscription and this included blocking the downloads you seek. Unless you get an unreasonable person or unless there is another policy that was written preventing all downloads they will likely review your requests and remove the filter.
Some background as to why this type of service is need. Some will be general, some will be my observations as an IT professional.
Back about eight years ago I was on vacation. Most hotels did not have hot spots at the time but did have "public" computers to access e-mail. Firewalls were only things UBER GEEKS had. Most people never heard of Windows NT or Windows 2000 with "user level" access. Recall that Windows XP did not include a software firewall until Service Pack 2. Thus my wireless laptop was useless so I had to use the public computer. I asked permission to use the computer and was given the okay by hotel staff. None of the other guests realized this computer existed until I started using it. Being an IT geek, I scanned the computer looking for spyware and malware before using any of my passwords to access e-mail. The computer (Win 98) was clean and mostly usable. I checked the system tray, URL history, and registry for the usual start up locations of the nasties. There were none. There wasn't a virus scanner installed so this computer was quite lucky to be in this condition especially being in a public area.
Several brats (and they were brats) noticed me using the computer and asked me several times in about 15 minutes if I was done yet, which I told them NO. Remember, nobody cared about this computer until they saw me using it. Not getting their way the kids went to the hotel staff who then informed me that there was a "limit" to half an hour use. I gave up the computer as I knew these kids would continue to be pests. The next morning I went back to use the computer. This same computer which was clean the evening before had numerous file sharing services (Napster, Kazaa, etc.) and tons of adult sites. There were no safe guards on this computer preventing this. I can only assume the brats were responsible for the infections as they were the only other ones interested in the computer. If they had a computer at home they either had parents that limited their activity or the computer was a mess and totally unusable. This is what they managed to do to this computer in likely only a short time.
Now imagine a library computer with dozens of kids trying to access this same type of software that they are prevented from accessing at home. I have also had to clean parents computers after the kids have had free access to it. These computers are scary to say the least. This is just kids playing with computers. Imagine what a "predator" could do to one of these computers to redirect these computers from child friendly sites.
As to why filtering is done. There are hundreds of thousands of infections, malware, spyware, etc. and even with the best local scanners and filters, things get through. You may very well be legit at only downloading clean files. It does not mean that the next person is so careful or honest. And infectious payloads are sometimes brought in via ZIP files. I have to deal with these on a regular basis and the creativity of the evil jerks out there will surprise you. In attacks similar to cross site scripting they put up PDF links that are actually opening self executing files. So unfortunately all downloads end up blocked.
At work we installed CD Rom based computers (no hard drive) as Internet Kiosk computers. These were meant for visitors to use while on our site. Even with filters someone managed to GOOGLE "adult content" using the GOOGLE cached web site to view. This is in a place where children and adults are in plain site of the computer. Rather than risk another attempt, we simply had to remove the Kiosks.
As for your rights. The library must decide what is in the best interest of everyone. Just as you are able to borrow books you are borrowing the computers. Not every book out there is available on the selves. Some libraries won't carry the books at all. There are other books that must be checked out at a special room. In my college there was a coffee table book of a somewhat questionable nature by a one name female music artist. This book was kept in a room away from the rest of the books. To get to this room you had to show your student ID or drivers license. Any book you wanted that was "secure" had to be requested; you could not go to the shelves in this section of the library to browse. Imagine if someone was to borrow a book freely available on the shelves and replace pages with "adult" pictures. Now some kid comes along and finds the book. I'm sure if the parents found out there would be hell to pay. The same holds true for computers. I'm going to take a stab at this but I bet the computers have the adult filters turned on. I'm going to guess here that PL@YB0Y, P3NTH0U$3, and HU$73R, are not on the shelves in the magazine section. Likewise you won't find these sites available on the computers. If you do, please report back your findings.
Filtering mistakes and problems. A site I buy from for both home and work is
www.partsexpress.com. Unfortunately for them there is a word in their URL that got them blocked from work. An exception had to be made for me to access this site. Likewise there are other sites that contain words dealing with body parts that can be used for "adult" as well as medical sites. Sometimes these are filtered by mistake. I get the requests to unblock these sites. It is better now as the filtering companies do receive complaints. In fact when I unblock newly filtered sites I can submit them to the company for review as to why they were blocked. Likewise when I discover sites that need to be blocked, I can submit them as well.
So what are your options? How about a laptop and public WiFi at the Golden Arches? Stop in, have a cool drink, download the manuals using their free WiFi. The library may even provide unfiltered WiFi. You can get a dial up account for about $10 a month. Slow, but it would work. Go with High Speed Internet on Cable, DSL, fixed wireless, or cellular modem.
Okay, you win, these cost money that you don't want to spend as you have already noted and you paid for these services with your taxes at your local library. So what do you do? Go with
TORPARK! What is this? It is a program that allows you to annonymously surf the web, more or less, by using PROXIES. You can burn this to a CD-R or install it on a USB key. (USB keys are CHEAP; about $10 for a 1GB unit.) You may need to get on an unblocked computer to DL this program. See this:
http://www.download.com/Torpark/3000-23 ... 86817.html
This program works great with FireFox. It IS slower than a regular connection and sometimes the TORPARK network gets "confused" and will drop your connection. (Simply restart TORPARK.) Many times I've had the German or other language browser open, depending on the route taken, across the TOR network. This is to be considered NORMAL when using such a system. You MIGHT be able to access WEB PROXIES online. Same idea but you go to a web page and use their Internet connection to browse the web. NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER use any passwords or personal information on a PROXY! Some are "man in the middle" devices used to steal personal information. These proxies may block downloads. TORPARK network may be doing this now. But it did allow downloads; at least at one time. Depending on the complexity and professional level of your libraries IT staff, the TORPARK network may be blocked. Do realize using this MAY violate your "terms of service" with the library and they CAN remove your access. Getting around firewalls and filters in the business world DOES result in written warnings and job terminations. I don't know what the library may do to you.
Make the request to the library to unblock the sites. Unless there is an ALL or NONE policy the IT department will likely visit the site, see it has no problems, and unblock the downloads. If I were to receive this request at work I would unblock it as I see a "business" related reason to look up electronic catalogs.
No trees were harmed in the creation of this message. But billions of electrons, photons, and electromagnetic waves were terribly inconvenienced!
The Public Library [Brown County Library] in Green Bay ,Wisconsin is blocking [filtering ] all my electronic catalog downloads: Newark, Mouser,Allied,Vanco Electronics. These catalogs downloaded just fine in February. They call these Public Librarys????!!!!! What a bunch of SH*T!!!!
