Region of Waterloo Library (RWL) will offer Internet access, at no charge, to any person who signs and abides by its Internet Use Agreement. 

To meet its legal obligations to support freedom of expression and at the same time uphold its reputation as a responsible, caring community member, RWL will offer patrons a choice of filtered or unfiltered Internet access at its computer workstations.

RWL will exercise due diligence to prevent the commission of illegal acts, including the printing, publication or possession of child pornography, public incitement of hatred, exposure to public view of obscene material and violations of copyright law.

While recognizing that the Internet provides access to a vast array of tools and resources for different age levels and points of view, RWL does not act in place or in absence of a parent and is not responsible for enforcing any restrictions which a parent or guardian may place on a minor's use of this resource.

Through a public education campaign, and through clear warnings in the Internet Use Agreement which parents must sign on their child's behalf, RWL will warn parents of the dangers of unsupervised Internet access. The library will let parents be the best judges of their own children's needs and abilities, and let parents decide when they need to accompany their children at Internet workstations, and which workstations their children can use.

To protect computer resources against possible damage by young children, RWL will require that children eight years of age and under must be accompanied by a parent when using any computer workstation, whether connected to the Internet or not.

RWL will take reasonable measures to ensure patrons' privacy at computer workstations, such as orienting computer screens away from public view, wherever space permits.

A copy of the Internet Use Agreement can be picked up at any branch for review and signature and must be signed before gaining access.