Brooklyn nanny Crystal Brister has taken on the Brooklyn Public Library in an attempt to stop patrons who use the Internet at their local branch to watch pornography.
According to DNAInfo, the library cannot actually prevent patrons from viewing the illicit videos on their computers because these patrons are not doing anything illegal and are protected. Here’s more from the article: “Adults are protected under the First Ammendment to watch legal porn in government-funded public libraries, according to former Brooklyn public library spokeswoman Malika Granville.” (If they were viewing child pornography or snuff films, that would be a different story).
While attending a story time at the Clinton Hill library, Brister saw a man on one of the computers openly watching pornography. Frustrated with the X-rated backdrop to children’s reading time in her local branch, Brister has created a Change.org petition requesting that the library change its policy. Pointing to the library’s own rules preventing children from accessing obscene materials she asks, “How is this library providing a safe environment for our young children?”