WARSAW — With technological advancements becoming a necessity to everyday life, the Warsaw Community Public Library has begun tearing down the barriers hindering its clients. WCPL board of Trustees is re-evaluating its social media and computer usage policies.

With the ever growing need for technology, the library has begun taking steps to expand the computer usage policy. “Computers aren’t like they used to be,” explained WPCL assistant Director Joni Brookins. She further explained how computers were becoming a vital part of several of their clients’ lives and a need arising to rethink the current usage policy.

The current policy requires students to turn in a signed waiver from their parents, giving permission for computer access. However, with the introduction of ELearning and the new technological requirements for homework, some students are experiencing a difficulty to access computers due to the wavier restriction. “Some parents just don’t sign the waiver,” explained WPCL Director Ann M. Zydek.

While the board is unsure of what the new policy will look like, the board is looking for a way to make the computers more easily accessible to tear down the barriers standing against the library’s cliental that may not have access otherwise.

Along with the computer usage policy, the board previewed the new, more detailed policy on social media. The policy guides its staff on the code of conduct expected on the library’s social media pages. In an effort to help protect its reputation and staff, the library felt the need to expand the policy “as comments on the library’s social media continues to grow.”

One of the most noticeable additions to the policy is its cyberbullying section. The clause clearly states “that any cyberbullying and harassment will not be tolerated.”

In other news:

• The library will be consolidating its three Facebook pages into one.
• The board adopted the 2018 budget for the library for a total budget of $3,536,592 and a tax levy of $1,819,529.
• WCPL has expanded its bandwidth from 45 Mbps to 100 Mbps.