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Offers library news for March 2002. Sentencing of a former librarian at the University of Alabama/Tuscaloosa to pay replacement costs for the destruction of books; Literacy program of the Chicago Public Library in Illinois; Complaint of black staffers at the District of Columbia Public Library about the decreased prominence of Black History Month; Charges against an 84-year-old man for stealing materials from libraries in California; Delinquent patrons at North Babylon Public Library in New York taken to court.

The author reflects on the issuance of fees and fines for business purposes by libraries. Topics discussed include the Park Ridge Public Library in Illinois, examination of the return on investment (ROI) by libraries, and interactions between the library and its patrons. In addition, she also talks about the risk of fees or fines on library access.

The article highlights issues surrounding the federal Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) being addressed in the Illinois General Assembly. Several efforts in relation to the law are discussed, including the filtering of social networking websites such as MySpace.com from public library computer access. General trends in library internet security is also discussed.

The article discusses the introduction of the Internet Screening in Public Libraries Act (ISPLA) to the Illinois General Assembly, focusing on opposition to the bill by the American Library Association (ALA) and Illinois Library Association (ILA). Other topics include information on supporters and opponents of the bill, the bill's resemblance to the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), and how the bill puts the burden of determining legitimate research on patrons and librarians.

Describes how the Bloomington Public Library use automation to improve contact with its patrons in Illinois. Production of a mailing label program; Development of programs for senior citizens; Development of letter for adult patrons.

Presents the results of a survey conducted by the Library Research Center of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign about access control of the Internet in public libraries. Prevalence of Internet-management strategies in libraries, including written policies, parental permission for children's use of the Internet, and filtering tools; Questions raised by the survey.

The article reports on the suspension of plans to install fingertip recognition software on library computers in Naperville, Ill. The stated reason was software incompatibility, although many library and civil liberties groups opposed the idea. The software would have served to identify library users who abused the public terminals.

Reports that the Naperville Public Library in Illinois will install fingerprint scanners on computers that offer either public Internet access or require a time limit on usage. Report that the scanners will help parents control their children's Internet access; Claim of library deputy director Mark West that the scanners cannot be cross-referenced with law enforcement databases.

The article reports on a political debate between the Illinois Family Institute, which is pushing for a law to require filtering software on all public library computers in the state of Illinois, and the Illinois Library Association, which opposes the law. Eight libraries are reported to have shut off their internet services entirely in protest against the proposed law, which they believe is unnecessary and unduly burdensome.

This article focuses on the Homer Township Public Library District in Homer Glen, Illinois. The library has been ahead of the technology curve ever since it transformed its Web site into a blog more than two years ago. Patrons can instant message their questions to librarians. The library also has a working wiki.

Reports that one month after the Oak Lawn Public Library, Illinois, board of trustees voted to allow parents to restrict their children from access to adult materials, a second vote resulted in a setback for the policy. Reaction of librarians to the vote to rescind; Community support for the library; Issues of access restriction.

Discusses how restraints on children's library access have created controversy in Illinois and Massachusetts. Proposal by the Oak Lawn, Illinois, Public Library Board to restrict the access of children ages 13 and under from adult library material; Decision to rescind the proposal; Protest in Andover, Massachusetts by youngsters demanding freedom to use the entire library, not just the children's room.

The article reports that presenters at the second annual American Library Association (ALA) TechSource Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium think that modern games aren't trivial, and librarians who dismiss them as such do their patrons a disservice. Held on November 2-4, 2008 in Oak Brook, Illinois, the event showcased examples of how the complexity of modern games prepares young people for their futures. The "Pokémon" series, for example, requires players to track more than 500 characters, each falling into one of 17 types.

The article reports that photojournalist Todd Mizener recently took 156 black-and-white images of library patrons holding their favorite books to celebrate the opening of Moline, Illinois Public Library's new facility. The results were put on display at the library and are viewable online at qconline.com/multimedia/MyFavoriteBook/.

Reports on the contract approved by Illinois' Naperville Public Library board on May 18, 2005 with a local technology firm to install biometric scanners on its public Internet computers. Information on how the U.S. Biometrics AccessQ fingerprint-identification technology works; Findings of the Naperville police on how library patrons use of their library cards.

Reports on the free wireless Internet access launched by Chicago Public Library in Chicago, Illinois on December 6, 2004. Advantages of wireless Internet access according to Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mark Dempsey; Estimated costs for installation and maintenance; Library systems in the U.S. that also offer wireless Internet access.

Presents statistics regarding library related issues. Percentage of people who hold library cards for the Denver Public Library; Final registration numbers for the 1989 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Washington; Amount of books borrowed by University of Illinois and Boston University; Other statistics.