(a) Recognizing the difference between public libraries, which are designed for public inquiry, and school libraries, school computer labs, and school media centers, which serve unique educational purposes, all public library computers with access to the Internet available for use by children under the age of 17 must be equipped to restrict, including by use of available software filtering technology or other effective methods, all access by children to material that is reasonably believed to be obscene or child pornography or material harmful to minors under federal or state law.

Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 134.50

  • Adult: means an individual 18 years of age or older. See Minnesota Statutes 645.451
  • children: includes children by birth or adoption;

    (9) "day" comprises the time from midnight to the next midnight;

    (10) "fiscal year" means the year by or for which accounts are reckoned;

    (11) "hereafter" means a reference to the time after the time when the law containing such word takes effect;

    (12) "heretofore" means a reference to the time previous to the time when the law containing such word takes effect;

    (13) "judicial sale" means a sale conducted by an officer or person authorized for the purpose by some competent tribunal;

    (14) "minor" means an individual under the age of 18 years;

    (15) "money" means lawful money of the United States;

    (16) "night time" means the time from sunset to sunrise;

    (17) "non compos mentis" refers to an individual of unsound mind;

    (18) "notary" means a notary public;

    (19) "now" in any provision of a law referring to other laws in force, or to persons in office, or to any facts or circumstances as existing, relates to the laws in force, or to the persons in office, or to the facts or circumstances existing, respectively, on the effective date of such provision;

    (20) "verified" when used in reference to writings, means supported by oath or affirmation. See Minnesota Statutes 645.45

  • Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
  • Public library: means any library that provides free access to all residents of a city or county without discrimination, receives at least half of its financial support from public funds and is organized under the provisions of this chapter. See Minnesota Statutes 134.001
  • state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44

(b) A public library is not required to purchase filtering technology if the public library would incur more than incidental expense in making the purchase.

(c) A public library that receives state money must prohibit, including through the use of available software filtering technology or other effective methods, adult access to material that under federal or state law is reasonably believed to be obscene or child pornography. A public library may remove a person from the library if the person gains access or attempts to gain access to materials prohibited under this section by intentionally bypassing the filtering technology or other method used by the library.

(d) A public library, its agents or employees, are immune from liability for failure to comply with this section if they have made a good faith effort to comply with the requirements of this section.

(e) This section does not apply to the libraries of postsecondary institutions.