Two girls urge library to change policy on computers that can be used to view explicit material

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. -- Two young Snoqualmie girls are trying to bring change to their local library after they saw something they say totally shocked them.

Eleven-year-old friends Alyx Barlament and Ann Kauffman say they witnessed a man viewing images of naked women on a computer at the Snoqualmie Library.

After learning it was legal, Alyx's mom, Meg, started a Facebook page and an online petition signed by hundreds of parents.

During Wednesday night's King County Library System meeting, the girls spoke before the board of directors and several supporters.



The library system says they don't censor adults from accessing or viewing materials that are protected under the First Amendment. And the default setting for adult computers is restricted, so that means an adult must ask to have the filter removed.

"We hope for them to put filters on the computers and that way filters can't be removed by someone asking them to, so something l like this won't happen again," Alyx said.

The library system says they have found that keeping computers in a central, visible location usually deters people from viewing explicit material.